Episode#83

At one stage, Dan Hotchkis was running his transport business, his two gyms, and a charity at the same time. Something had to give after also getting the opportunity to be the Stepz Fitness Master Franchise Owner for the ACT.

Selling his transport business after 26 years, as well one of his gyms, so he can focus all his efforts on growing his region, Dan’s story is one of hard work and pure commitment.

In Episode#83 - Pretty much straight from school, Dan got involved in the transport industry, and built his short-haul truck business to 5 trucks over 26 years in operation. Truck driving had a negative impact on his health and he found himself needing to take action.

Fitness and health has changed his life in many ways. He met his wife, who was his personal trainer, he lost 50kg+ in his personal journey and became an endurance mountain bike athlete and more.

He grew his own personal trainer business during his initial fitness journey, then he outgrew the space and leased his own warehouse and ran his own gym for 5 years before he decided he needed to make a decision again.

His life changing through fitness ignited a passion in him to go on a journey to help other people discover the same benefits he has through fitness and health.

0:00 Intro

0:34 Background and career out of school starting in transport

1:25 Trucks short hauling of timber and product and how he got into it and owning the transport business as a young guy 

3:24 Starting with one truck and how he found clients to grow the business

4:51 Learning about funding a business through adding on new trucks in the transport business 

5:31 Built the transport business to 5 trucks

6:15 The moment where Dan had to make a decision about taking the transport business next level or look at something else 

6:49 The prompt to decide to get himself fit and how he started

8:02 After losing 20kg and then putting it back on, a new approach needed in a personal trainer 

9:27 Connecting with a trainer and making that work to achieve his goals - 50kg to lose 

11:10 After hitting goal weight Dan was able to maintain with good routine and back into the truck 

12:01 Hit a point in transport business 12-13 years in and had to decide to grow huge or go into his passion for fitness

13:18 Started being a personal trainer at his gym which evolved into PT sessions and how he approached it as a business

14:34 Grew his PT business then got to a point that something else needed to change to grow that business and leased a warehouse of his own 

15:49 Dan’s thoughts about entering into his first lease for a gym as he grew as a PT

16:33 Did Dan have a business plan? No and he ‘winged it’ for 5 years 

17:05 Dan met his future wife who was his personal trainer

17:53 Wanting to help more people and grow a bigger business and started searching for a gym franchise business 

18:45 Looked at all the gyms and what his rationale was 

20:28 Having a great connection straight away with the franchisor, Sam Waller

21:42 Opening his first franchise in Dapto, find the location and fit out

22:51 3 months after opening how he coped with covid lockdowns

23:55 The building flooded after a water system failed and took 4 months to fix 

25:12 Adding a second location pretty quickly

26:04 Still running the truck business and two gyms at the same time 

26:28 Selling one gym and taking on the ACT Master Franchise territory and having too many commitments

28:51 Sold the truck business in 2024 after 26 years and growth target for Canberra

30:15 Wrap up

Podcast Produced by: Franchise Business HUB

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