The Great Franchisee: Carlos Guzman, GYMGUYZ, Texas

Carlos Guzman built his career in the oil and gas industry, but he has always had a passion for fitness. Now, Guzman has turned that passion into his next business venture as one of the newest franchisees with GYMGUYZ, the 250-plus-unit mobile fitness franchise whose signature red vans bring certified personal trainers and equipment directly to customers homes.

Guzman’s GYMGUYZ opened on March 12, expanding the brand’s footprint into the previously untapped market of Sugar Land, Texas. We spoke to Guzman to learn why he chose GYMGUYZ and what his new business has in store for the future.

• He was an oil and gas employee for a long time and had many different positions. Most recently, he worked with BP in the Gulf of Mexico group.
• He left that role to pursue his passion for fitness and the dream to have his own business and be his own boss.
• About four years ago, he investigated starting a similar business to GYMGUYZ, but all on his own. He could not put it together fast enough, and he had to go back to work for an oil company.
• It is not easy to start everything by yourself, so that is when he started looking into franchising and the benefits of being a franchisee.

Guzman saw how difficult starting from scratch was going to be, so when he was presented with the opportunity to become a GYMGUYZ franchisee, he saw how aligned his goals were with the brand and how it fits his passion for fitness, his personality and his budget.

He conducted a lot of online research. He also worked with a franchise consultant from FranNet who presented him with several options that best fit what he was looking for and wanted to do.

He liked that it is a rapidly growing brand with proven systems in place. There is not any other brand in his area that is similar to the GYMGUYZ fitness concept, so he saw it as a great opportunity to be the first one in his area and become a pioneer in his city for this brand.

He is positive about the future — it is promising. He is looking to grow this franchise and is considering expanding throughout Southwest Houston and any other territories available.

He would have people find a consultant who will listen to them and match them properly. There are so many different types of businesses, and working with someone who can narrow down the options based on what you are looking for, your personality and skills, makes things a lot more manageable.

He loves spending time with his family, and staying healthy is important to him, so he exercises a lot. He loves to watch soccer and be involved with the community.