Franchisee Profitability First: The HOTWORX Model

How do you build not one — but multiple — successful fitness franchise brands? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Stephen P. Smith, Founder and CEO of Planet Beach and HOTWORX.Stephen shares how his journey began in independent gym ownership and evolved into launching Planet Beach in 1996, and scaling to 500 locations by year six. He explains how a pivotal conversation in Jamaica in 2014 led to the creation of HOTWORX — an infrared fitness concept combining heat, exercise, and technology in what he calls “3D training.”The conversation explores franchisee profitability, disciplined marketing, a single-unit operator focus, and why 90% of HOTWORX franchisees were customers first.This episode is all about sustainable growth, sensible franchising, coaching, and building brands through execution — not vanity metrics.