Young Ones to Watch: Adam Rice, Founder and CEO of ISI Elite Training

Adam Rice was only 23 when he founded ISI Elite Training, a boutique fitness brand that provides its clients with coach-based workouts. While he originally started growing the brand with corporate locations, he quickly realized franchising would be the best path for nationwide expansion. While on a cross-country, motivational speaking tour, Rice came up with a franchise prototype and started creating the FDD. Now, 10 years and 20-plus locations later, Rice’s experience as a young founder has taught him a lot of valuable lessons about franchising.

“My advice for other young entrepreneurs and franchisors is to spend time around people who have already experienced and accomplished what you want to do,” said Rice. “Invest heavily in people and the infrastructure of your team so you can scale fast. Don’t try to figure out everything on your own — it is going to take you a lot longer to grow even if you are smart.

Surround yourself with people who have been there before and have confidence. I had opened my own facilities for many years, but when I entered franchising, I knew it was its own industry and that I had a lot to learn. The best way to do that is to surround yourself with accomplished people.”