Self Esteem Brands

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.

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

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

• Fitness franchise services
• Wellness brand portfolio
• Franchise management
• Health club franchising
• Fitness center operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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
2. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Orangetheory FitnesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2024Orangetheory 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 UcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2021Self 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 CoalitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnytime 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 BrokerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelf 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 HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelf 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 BrandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/chuckrunyon
• Facebookfacebook.com/selfesteembrands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Self Esteem Brands