Energie Fitness East Grinstead: 15 Years of Growth, Resilience and Franchise Success

After more than a decade as the franchisee of Energie Fitness East Grinstead, James Daniels has built one of the network's strongest-performing clubs. A great example that it's never too late to change careers, James made the move into fitness in search of greater job fulfilment and hasn't looked back. From navigating rising operating costs to implementing strategic price increases and maintaining exceptional member retention levels, his approach has always centred around long-term thinking, operational discipline and delivering an outstanding member experience. 

We caught up with James to discuss his journey into franchising, the lessons he's learned over the last 15 years and why he believes being part of a franchise continues to be one of the biggest strengths of his business. 

1. Tell us about your background before joining Energie Fitness and what initially motivated you to invest in the fitness industry. 

Joining Energie Fitness as a franchisee was actually my third career. Academically, my background is in chemistry. I completed an Honours degree, a Masters and a Doctorate as that was originally the career I wanted to pursue. Turns out, there wasn't much of the chemistry industry left in the UK at the time, so I found myself taking a very different path. 

In the late 1990s, I started working in London as an accounts clerk, before naturally moving across into IT as businesses prepared for the millennium. Over the years, I progressed from IT engineer through to Service Manager, eventually designing networks for investment banks across the City. 

During that time, fitness became my escape from a high-pressured job. I was training with a personal trainer three or four evenings a week and came to realise I enjoyed that more than my day job, which led me to qualify as a personal trainer and begin working in gyms around East London. 

My original plan was to open a small personal training studio, but while searching for sites, I came across Energie Fitness. I met the team, really liked the concept and signed my franchise agreement in 2009. 

Interestingly, East Grinstead as a location wasn't actually part of the original plan. I'd spent around a year looking for locations in East London and Essex before I got a call from HQ about an opportunity to acquire an existing gym and rebrand it as an Energie Fitness. 

Although East Grinstead is around an hour and a half from where I live, I saw potential in the opportunity. Fifteen years later, I'm still here. 

2. East Grinstead has become one of the strongest-performing clubs in the Energie Fitness network. What do you believe has been the biggest factor behind that success? 

There isn't one element that’s solely driven the club's success. It's been the result of making a lot of good decisions and adapting at the right time. 

One of the biggest factors has been building a stable team. Luckily, I’ve experienced low staff turnover, and the team understands the high standards that are expected of them.   

The fitness industry has changed a lot since we opened. Years ago, people had very defined job roles. Today, everyone wears multiple hats. Our team support sales, member onboarding, outreach, customer service and gym floor interaction, rather than focusing on just one responsibility. That flexibility has helped us become a much stronger operation. 

We've also adapted the way people now buy memberships. Years ago, almost every member came into the club before joining. We'd meet them, give them a tour and complete the paperwork together. Now it's common to arrive on a Monday morning and discover several people have joined online over the weekend without ever speaking to a member of the team. 

Because of that shift, we've since invested much more heavily in digital marketing while still maintaining a strong local presence through community events and outreach. It's about finding the right balance between online activity and face-to-face engagement. 

3. Rising energy costs have been a major challenge for leisure businesses in recent years. How did that impact your operation? 

Operating a club with a swimming pool naturally brings higher energy costs, so when prices began increasing significantly, I knew I needed to think long-term. 

Around three years ago, I invested approximately £40,000 in solar panels. It was a hefty investment, but it was very much about future-proofing the business. 

At the moment, the panels are effectively paying for themselves. The annual energy savings are higher than the loan repayments, so from day one the investment has essentially broken even. 

The panels have an expected lifespan of around 20 years, so over that period we expect they'll generate a substantial financial return while helping protect the business against future energy price increases. 

Although members don't necessarily see those improvements, investments like that are incredibly important because they create a stronger financial foundation for everything else we plan to achieve. 

4. More recently, you've introduced membership price increases while continuing to grow. What gave you the confidence to make that decision, and how have members responded? 

Price increases were something I'd been cautious about for a long time. We'd steadily increased prices for new members over the years, but many of our longest-standing members were still paying significantly less. Eventually, the gap became too large, and it reached the point where we knew we had to address it. 

It was something I discussed at length with the Energie Fitness support team, particularly Jamie, my Business Development Manager. Having access to the wider network gave me confidence because I could see how other clubs had implemented similar changes successfully and what results they had achieved. 

Naturally, there was concern that we'd lose a large number of members, especially given the competition locally. Thankfully, that didn't happen. Most members understood the reasons behind the increase and chose to stay. 

The impact on the business has been really positive. Monthly revenue has increased from around £55,000 to approximately £60,000, with the price increase contributing to that uplift alongside continued membership growth. 

Looking back, one thing I'd probably do differently would be introducing membership price increases sooner. We spent quite a few years being overly cautious, particularly with long-standing members. In hindsight, I think we underestimated the value we were providing and could have been more confident in charging accordingly.  

5. The club is currently operating at record membership and revenue levels. What do you think is driving that continued growth? 

It's taken time to get here, but we're now operating at the sort of revenue levels I always believed the club was capable of achieving. 

The biggest contributor has been building the right team. We've been fortunate to have a stable group of people who genuinely care about the business and are willing to support each other. Rather than people working in isolation, the whole team works towards the same goals and takes ownership of the club's success. 

We've also become much more effective in how we market the business. Traditional leaflet campaigns don't have the same impact for us that they once did, so we've adapted.  

Working with our digital marketing agency partner, Incredibly, has been a big part of that success. It's now one of the core drivers of new enquiries alongside our local marketing activity. 

6. Your club has consistently achieved one of the highest member retention rates in the network, going as far as winning Retention Club of the Year at the 2024 Energie Fitness Awards. What's your belief when it comes to member engagement and experience? 

Retention has always been one of the most important metrics for us because it's far more cost-effective to retain an existing member than constantly replace them. 

I've always believed that member experience starts from day one. When we first opened, ‘Empower’ (Energie Fitness’ bespoke member onboarding programme) played a huge role in that. Every new member received structured onboarding sessions, regular check-ins and support throughout their first few weeks, which helped build relationships and keep people engaged. 

Although the systems have evolved over the years, that philosophy hasn't changed. 

Our team are encouraged to spend as much time as possible on the gym floor speaking to members, answering questions and simply being approachable.  

We're also proactive about contacting members who haven't visited for a while. Those welcome calls, check-ins and follow-up conversations might seem old-fashioned in today's digital world, but they still make a real difference. They show members that we genuinely care whether they're using the club rather than simply collecting a membership payment each month. 

7. Community is often mentioned as a key strength of the club. How important has that local connection been in creating member loyalty? 

One of our biggest strengths is the atmosphere that's been created inside the club. We run more than 40 classes every week and they've become communities in their own right. Our classes have developed a really loyal following, with members attending week after week. The instructors build fantastic relationships with members, and over time those members build friendships with each other as well. 

In the past we also saw great success through the Empower programme, where members would complete their six-week journey and share their progress and transformation stories. It helped celebrate members' achievements and reinforced that we were invested in helping them reach their goals. 

Outside the club, we continue to be involved in local events throughout East Grinstead wherever we can. Whether it's supporting council events or attending community activities, maintaining that local presence helps people recognise the club as part of the community rather than just another gym. 

8. Loyal staff seem to be another important part of your success. How have you built a team culture that encourages people to stay and grow with the business? 

I've always been very hands-on as an owner. I never wanted to be a passive investor because I genuinely enjoy being involved in the day-to-day operation of the club. 

I'm probably a bit of a perfectionist, so I like knowing that things are being done properly. While that sometimes makes it difficult to delegate, it also means I care deeply about maintaining high standards across every part of the business. 

Ultimately, we've created a culture where everyone understands the expectations, works together and takes pride in delivering a great experience for our members. 

9. How has the Energie Fitness toolkit and wider operational support helped you run and grow the club, and what value has it added day to day? 

One of the biggest advantages of being part of a franchise is knowing you're never running the business completely on your own. 

I've always looked at it as having a business partner. There will always be someone I can pick up the phone to, talk through an idea with or ask for advice. That support is incredibly valuable, particularly when you're making important commercial decisions. 

Jamie, our Central Business Development Manager, has also been a huge support over the years. We regularly review the club's performance together, discussing revenue, targets and opportunities for improvement. Those conversations help keep me accountable and ensure I'm always focused on the numbers that matter most. 

It's reassuring to have someone who understands the business so well, genuinely cares about its success and challenges me to keep improving. Sometimes that's exactly what you need as a business owner. 

10. Beyond membership numbers, what indicators tell you that the business is moving in the right direction? 

For me, the biggest indicator has always been total revenue. Membership numbers are important, but revenue gives you the clearest picture of the overall health of the business. Every month I review the management accounts and compare our performance against the annual business plan to make sure we're on track. 

Reaching around £60,000 in monthly revenue has been a real milestone because it's the level I'd always hoped the business would reach. It took longer than originally anticipated, but we’ve got there by making consistent improvements over time.  

11. Looking ahead, you're now in a position to continue investing in the business. What improvements or developments are you most excited about over the next few years? 

As time has gone on, my priorities have changed. Rather than expanding into multiple locations, I'm now focused on continuing to strengthen this business and getting it into the best possible position for the future. 

We've recently put ourselves in a much stronger financial position, which means we can continue reinvesting back into the club. Whether that's upgrading equipment, improving facilities or enhancing the overall member experience, I want to make sure the business continues moving forward. 

Longer term, the goal is to build a club that's highly profitable, well-run and ultimately an attractive business for someone else to take on when the time is right. 

12. What do you enjoy most about owning and operating an Energie Fitness club today? 

I genuinely enjoy coming into the club every day and interacting with members who want to be here and who enjoy using the facilities. Over the years they've become a real community. 

We've now been operating for almost 15 years, and East Grinstead feels like a second home. I can't walk through the town without someone stopping to say hello or recognising me from the gym. That's something I never really expected when I first took on the business, but it's incredibly rewarding. 

Although running a business comes with its challenges, fitness is a genuinely fulfilling industry to work in. You're helping people improve their health, build confidence and become part of a community, and that's something you don't always get in other careers. 

I've always wanted to be involved in the day-to-day running of the club. While I don't coach classes or deliver personal training anymore, I still enjoy being involved in the operation and seeing the club continue to develop. 

13. What advice would you give to someone considering becoming an Energie Fitness franchisee? 

My biggest piece of advice would be to make full use of the support that's available. 

Being part of a franchise means you're not building a business on your own. You have experienced people around you who have seen similar situations before and can help you make better decisions. Having someone there to challenge your thinking and offer advice is incredibly valuable. 

The franchise framework itself is another huge benefit. The operational systems, marketing resources and proven processes allow you to spend more time focusing on growing your business rather than reinventing everything yourself. 

Finally, don't underestimate the importance of continuously reviewing your business. Understand your numbers, invest in your team, stay connected to your members and be confident in the value you're providing. 

If you consistently deliver a great experience and keep improving the business, the results will follow.