Anytime Fitness

No. 1: Anytime Fitness clean, modern, low-cost facilities have helped the Minnesota-based company jump to nearly 2,500 units with 1.9 million members. Another 1,500-plus locations are slated to open over the next five years. But the real secret to An...

No. 1: Anytime Fitness clean, modern, low-cost facilities have helped the Minnesota-based company jump to nearly 2,500 units with 1.9 million members. Another 1,500-plus locations are slated to open over the next five years. But the real secret to Anytime's success is its focus on its culture, clients, employees and franchisees. "Culture trumps everything," Runyon says. "Culture eats strategy for breakfast. A cohesive team leads to performance." No. 1: Anytime Fitness At least 1,400 people in 10 countries sport a cryptic purple tattoo somewhere on their bodies. From one angle, it looks like a letter from an obscure ancient alphabet, but with a little imagination, one can make out the form of a lavender person lunging into a run. It's the logo of Anytime Fitness, the 24-hour gym franchise that this year has captured the top spot on the Franchise 500(R). The tattoos--the company reimburses anyone who gets one, if they submit a photo and story--aren't really about branding or marketing. For most people, they represent a personal accomplishment: losing weight, improving their health, recovering from a serious injury or illness or starting their own small business. "Anytime Fitness is not just four walls and a treadmill," explains CEO Chuck Runyon, who founded the franchise in 2002. "We are a conduit. The tattoos are not about us. It's about our clients and employees, how they think about themselves."