Self Esteem Brands
Self Esteem Brands is a Woodbury, Minnesota-based private franchisor and parent of Anytime Fitness, the world's largest fitness franchise. Its April 2024 merger with Orangetheory Fitness formed Purpose Brands, operating 7,000+ locations in 40+ countries serving over 6 million members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWoodbury, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Self Esteem Brands does
Self Esteem Brands is a Woodbury, Minnesota-based private franchisor founded in 2002 by Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortensen. It is the parent company of Anytime Fitness, the world's largest fitness franchise, and operates an exclusive franchise distribution model across domestic and international markets. Following the April 2024 merger with Orangetheory Fitness, the combined entity trades as Purpose Brands and encompasses over 7,000 locations across more than 40 countries, serving more than 6 million members and generating $3.5 billion in system-wide sales. Co-founders Runyon and Mortensen remained in place until November 2024, when Tom Leverton was appointed CEO of Purpose Brands, marking a transition from founder-led to professionalized operating leadership.
The company operates a multi-brand franchise portfolio. Core brands include Anytime Fitness (24/7 gym access with personalized coaching, training, nutrition, and recovery), Orangetheory Fitness (heart-rate based group training), Basecamp Fitness and its twin brand SUMHIIT Fitness (boutique HIIT studios), The Bar Method (barre fitness), Waxing the City (professional waxing services), and Stronger U (acquired June 2021 for digital nutrition coaching). Adjacent affiliates include Healthy Contributions (corporate wellness) and Provision Security Solutions. The technology stack combines a member-facing mobile application with proximity-based digital key access, Apple HealthKit and Google Fit integrations, and Evolt 360 body-composition scanners deployed at select locations. A rule-based machine learning framework, operated in partnership with an external organization, supports member engagement and retention workflows.
Self Esteem Brands generates revenue primarily through franchise fees, royalties, and services provided to its franchisee base, supported by an in-house real estate team that assists operators with site selection, letters of intent, and lease negotiations. Pricing across the network follows the broader fitness industry convention of monthly membership subscriptions, augmented by Stronger U's recurring digital nutrition fees. The customer base is structurally distributed: the franchisor serves approximately 2,000 U.S. Anytime Fitness franchise owners, an additional international franchisee network spanning nearly 40 countries, and tens of millions of end-member consumers across all brands. The 2024 Orangetheory merger materially expanded both the franchisor's reach and its exposure to mid-market boutique fitness, while the Stronger U acquisition extended the recurring-revenue mix beyond pure gym access.
Self Esteem Brands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Self Esteem Brands
- Legal name
- Self Esteem Brands LLC
- Website
- https://sebrands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Self Esteem Brands is a Woodbury, Minnesota-based private franchisor and parent of Anytime Fitness, the world's largest fitness franchise. Its April 2024 merger with Orangetheory Fitness formed Purpose Brands, operating 7,000+ locations in 40+ countries serving over 6 million members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Self Esteem Brands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fitness Franchise Services
- NAICS
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Yoga, Pilates & Mind-Body Accessories Retail (Mats, Blocks, Reformers, Rings) (CRAMADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sporting Goods, Outdoor & Fitness DTC (CRAFACAJ)
Keywords
Where Self Esteem Brands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woodbury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Self Esteem Brands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Fees and Royalty Revenue: Revenue generated from franchise fees, royalty payments, and services provided to franchisees across multiple fitness and wellness brands including Anytime Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness, Waxing the City, The Bar Method, Basecamp Fitness, and others
- Franchise Sales (Combined): The 2024 merger of Orangetheory Fitness and Self Esteem Brands created Purpose Brands with $3.5 billion in combined sales across the franchise network
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Membership fees constitute the dominant service segment in the fitness club market, representing 54% market share |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Self Esteem Brands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Self Esteem Brands operates as a franchisor of fitness, wellness, and beauty brands, generating revenue from franchise fees, royalty payments, and services provided to independent franchisees. The portfolio includes Anytime Fitness (24-hour gym franchise), Orangetheory Fitness (heart-rate based group training), Basecamp Fitness (HIIT), The Bar Method (barre fitness), Waxing the City (professional waxing), Stronger U (digital nutrition coaching), Healthy Contributions (corporate wellness), and Provision Security Solutions. The combined network exceeds 7,000 locations in more than 40 countries serving over six million members.
Product overview
Self Esteem Brands operates as a franchise portfolio company offering multiple fitness, wellness, and beauty service brands. The core product is Anytime Fitness, the world's largest fitness franchise providing 24/7 gym access with personalized coaching. Following the 2024 merger with Orangetheory Fitness to form Purpose Brands, the portfolio expanded to include Orangetheory Fitness (heart-rate based group training), Basecamp Fitness (boutique HIIT studios), The Bar Method (barre fitness), and Waxing the City (professional waxing services). Self Esteem Brands also acquired Stronger U (digital nutrition coaching), and operates affiliates Healthy Contributions (wellness platform) and Provision Security Solutions (security services). All brands are primarily franchised with over 7,000 locations across 40+ countries serving more than six million members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Anytime Fitness: 24-hour fitness gym franchise, the world's largest fitness franchise with over 5,000 locations globally
- Orangetheory Fitness
- Basecamp Fitness
- The Bar Method
- Waxing the City
- Stronger U
- Provision Security Solutions
- Healthy Contributions
Products and services
- Anytime Fitness The world's largest 24-hour fitness franchise offering gym access, personalized coaching with training, nutrition, and recovery guidance in club, at home, and via mobile app. Operates over 5,500 clubs across nearly 40 countries and on all seven continents.
- Orangetheory Fitness Major global fitness franchise offering group fitness classes with heart-rate based training technology. Combined with Self Esteem Brands in 2024 to form Purpose Brands.
- Basecamp Fitness Boutique fitness studio concept offering high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, expanded internationally with the launch of twin brand SUMHIIT Fitness.
- The Bar Method Barre fitness concept offering low-impact, high-intensity workouts that combine dance, yoga, and Pilates elements. Acquired by Self Esteem Brands in September 2019.
- Waxing the City Professional waxing services franchise brand offering waxing treatments, with record domestic franchise sales and strong international development.
- Stronger U Digital nutrition coaching brand providing science-based, education-inspired coaching with live human coaches, community support, and nutritional intelligence to help members stop dieting and start living healthier.
- Healthy Contributions Wellness platform affiliated with Self Esteem Brands focused on promoting community health and wellness initiatives and corporate wellness and employee health benefits management.
- Provision Security Solutions Security solutions affiliate company providing security services to support franchise operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 5 million members served at more than 5,500 clubs globally
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Self Esteem Brands
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Self Esteem Brands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
Self Esteem Brands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Orangetheory FitnesscoreOrangetheory Fitness and Self Esteem Brands completed a merger in April 2024 to form Purpose Brands, creating one of the largest fitness franchise networks globally with 7,000+ locations, $3.5 billion in sales, and serving more than 6 million members across 40+ countries.
- Stronger UcoreSelf Esteem Brands acquired Stronger U, a digital nutrition coaching brand. Stronger U provides science-based, member-obsessed live human coaching with a focus on nutrition education and community support to help people stop dieting and start living.
- Community Gyms CoalitionflagshipAnytime Fitness and Stronger U joined the Community Gyms Coalition representing more than 15,000 gyms serving 25 million members. The coalition made 'Fitness is Essential' commitments to the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health including education, access, and support initiatives.
- Local Real Estate BrokerscoreSelf Esteem Brands Real Estate has partnered with top local real estate brokers in key metro areas across the U.S. and Canada. The partnership provides local knowledge and developer connections to ensure competitive locations are shared with franchisees first.
- White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and HealthflagshipSelf Esteem Brands participated in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health through the Community Gyms Coalition, committing to promote fitness, physical activity, and proper nutrition for all Americans through education, access, and support initiatives.
- Other Coalition Fitness BrandsminorCommunity Gyms Coalition includes well-known fitness brands including Anytime Fitness, CrossFit, Orangetheory Fitness, and Planet Fitness working together to promote fitness as essential to physical and mental wellbeing.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Self Esteem Brands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Life Time Group Holdings: Public premium fitness club operator (NYSE: LTH) with ~$2.5B revenue and 170+ locations. Comparable as a multi-brand fitness operator with luxury positioning, broad amenity offerings, and integrated wellness services.
- Xponential Fitness: Public boutique fitness franchisor (NYSE: XPOF) operating Club Pilates, CycleBar, StretchLab, Rumble, and others. Comparable as a multi-brand fitness franchise holding company with similar franchisor economics and brand portfolio strategy.
- Planet Fitness: The largest low-cost fitness franchise in the US with 18M+ members. Directly comparable to Anytime Fitness as a franchise-based fitness club operator serving mass-market consumers; competes head-to-head in the 24/7 access gym category.
- Equinox Holdings: Private ultra-premium fitness operator (Equinox, SoulCycle, Blink Fitness). Comparable as a multi-brand fitness portfolio company serving the premium consumer segment with differentiated positioning vs Anytime Fitness's mass-market franchise model.
- Crunch Fitness: Mid-market fitness franchise with 400+ locations. Directly comparable as a multi-tier gym franchise competing for similar consumer segments with both value and premium tiers.
- Gold's Gym: Iconic global fitness brand with 600+ locations. Comparable as a fitness franchise operator with international presence and brand recognition in the strength training and general fitness categories.
- 24 Hour Fitness: US-based 24-hour fitness club chain. Directly comparable to Anytime Fitness on the 24/7 access model and member demographic, although 24 Hour Fitness operates primarily company-owned clubs rather than franchising.
- LA Fitness: Large US-based fitness club operator with 700+ locations. Comparable as a multi-regional fitness club chain serving similar middle-market consumers with full-service amenities, though primarily company-owned.
- F45 Training: Public boutique functional-training fitness franchise (NYSE: FXLV) with global footprint. Comparable as a fitness franchise targeting engaged, premium-paying consumers, though focused on HIIT group training rather than open-gym access.
Broad incumbents
- Peloton Interactive: Public connected fitness platform (NASDAQ: PTON) offering at-home cycling, treadmill, and subscription content. Comparable as a fitness consumer brand competing for the same member time and wallet share via home-based alternative, though distribution model differs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Self Esteem Brands social profiles
Digital presenceSelf Esteem Brands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Self Esteem Brands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Self Esteem Brands subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Self Esteem Brands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Self Esteem Brands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Self Esteem Brands
What does Self Esteem Brands do?
Self Esteem Brands operates as a franchisor of fitness, wellness, and beauty brands, generating revenue from franchise fees, royalty payments, and services provided to independent franchisees. The portfolio includes Anytime Fitness (24-hour gym franchise), Orangetheory Fitness (heart-rate based group training), Basecamp Fitness (HIIT), The Bar Method (barre fitness), Waxing the City (professional waxing), Stronger U (digital nutrition coaching), Healthy Contributions (corporate wellness), and Provision Security Solutions. The combined network exceeds 7,000 locations in more than 40 countries serving over six million members.
Is Self Esteem Brands a public or private company?
Self Esteem Brands is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Self Esteem Brands founded?
Self Esteem Brands was founded in 2002. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Self Esteem Brands based?
Self Esteem Brands is headquartered in Woodbury, United States, in the North America region.
How does Self Esteem Brands make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Franchise Fees and Royalty Revenue is the primary driver. The others are franchise Sales (Combined).
Who are Self Esteem Brands's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Life Time Group Holdings, Xponential Fitness, Planet Fitness, Equinox Holdings, Crunch Fitness, Gold's Gym, 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness and F45 Training. Peloton Interactive is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Self Esteem Brands have an API?
No public API is recorded for Self Esteem Brands.
What industry is Self Esteem Brands in?
Self Esteem Brands's product category is Fitness Franchise Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMADAE, Yoga, Pilates & Mind-Body Accessories Retail (Mats, Blocks, Reformers, Rings), with a secondary code of CRAFACAJ, Sporting Goods, Outdoor & Fitness DTC. Its NAICS code is 713940 and its SIC code is 7997.