Self Made Training Facility: The Pinnacle of Private Personal Training Franchises
Inception of SMTF:
Since its inception over 10 years ago, Self Made Training Facility has established itself as the premier destination for personalized fitness and the frontrunner among private personal training franchises. With over 25 locations nationwide, Self Made Training Facility continues to set the gold standard in the realm of fitness franchises, offering a wealth of tools and resources that empower personal trainers to not only grow their careers but to flourish as entrepreneurs in their own right.
CornerStone of SMTF:
The cornerstone of Self Made Training Facility is its unparalleled approach to personalized fitness — a concept that has fueled the brand’s impressive expansion and undoubted success across the nation. This winning formula has facilitated their rise as a leader in the industry, a testament to their commitment to providing both clients and trainers with a superlative fitness experience. The organization prides itself on fostering a supportive community where fitness goals are taken seriously, and achieving them becomes a collective endeavor.
Behind the Scenes:
Behind the scenes orchestrating this growth is Christopher Alcala, the leading light of the Self Made Training Facility Franchise Department. As the proud owner and operator of Self Made Hollywood, Christopher exemplifies the quintessential success story within the company. With over 6 years of experience in personal training, his expertise has become a beacon for others who aspire to transform their passion for fitness into a successful business venture.
The Journey:
Christopher’s journey is both inspiring and instructive. Fresh out of his military service, he plunged headfirst into the world of personal training and swiftly mastered the trade. Through dedication and an unyielding drive, he has not only ascended the ranks within Self Made but also transformed Self Made Hollywood into a shining example of what a self-made enterprise can look like.
Operating Self Made Hollywood for two years, Christopher’s track record is nothing short of exemplary. His leadership stands as a pillar of knowledge and success that other franchisees look up to. His tactical approach, which has been honed through experience in both the military and fitness sectors, imparts valuable lessons in discipline, business acumen, and client relations.
Christopher Alcala and Self Made Training Facility are inviting ambitious fitness professionals to join their growing family of franchisees. By tapping into an established brand with a proven business model, new franchise owners receive a blueprint for success. This includes assistance with everything from location selection to marketing, coupled with the ongoing support from the network to navigate the dynamic world of fitness entrepreneurship.
Self Made Training Facility ensures that each franchisee is equipped with state-of-the-art exercise equipment, sophisticated management software, and an array of professional development opportunities. This arsenal of tools is designed to help each trainer maximize their potential and to operate their business at its fullest.
In choosing Self Made, you’re not simply opening a gym — you’re embarking on a career journey that offers independence, professional growth, and the chance to impact lives positively through fitness. As a franchisee, you become part of a legacy of excellence. You become Self Made.
Now is the time to step into the Self Made circle, where commitment meets success, and where every personal trainer’s dream to own and operate a thriving fitness business can turn into reality. With Christopher Alcala at the helm of your franchise journey, the path to owning your own Self Made Training Facility has never been clearer. Together, let’s build a fitter, stronger, self-made future.
Christopher Alcala
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Coast Guard vet lunges into fitness franchise
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Cancer and COVID-19 both tried to throw curveballs at Christopher Alcala’s post-military career plans, but the Los Angeles native continues to overcome whatever challenges life throws in front of him.
Alcala was diagnosed with Stage 4 Leukemia at the age of 25, an obstacle that ended his hopes of becoming a police officer in Los Angeles after serving four years in the Coast Guard. The experience landed Alcala in a bad place.
“I was so very lost, I didn’t know what to do, I was angry at the world,” he said.
The aftermath took Alcala into the real estate world, a career his father thrived in for more than 35 years, but one that Christopher found wasn’t truly a fit for him.
“I wasn’t making bad money, but I wasn’t fulfilled,” he said. “I felt like I was lying to myself about it and when I do something, I want to be all in.”
The experience wasn’t a total waste of time for Alcala. Hardly. Through life as a real estate agent, Alcala met the man who led him on a path to a promising career as a franchise owner of a fitness facility.
He was introduced to Miguel Aguilar, the CEO and President of Self Made Training Facility, or SMTF, an innovative workout franchise where trainers rent space to serve their clients. The business model is similar to a hairstylist renting out a chair in a salon. Trainers pay a flat monthly fee of $800-$1,950 depending on the location to have access to the entire facility to train their clients.
“We always say we’re a private training facility,” Alcala said. “We’re a place for entrepreneurs to learn, learn about their business and to sell their business. We give them so many streams of revenue that they can pick from, you have to put the work in.”
Aguilar offered Alcala and his wife, Kaylee, an opportunity to open the first franchise near Hollywood, an opportunity that Alcala jumped at.
“The company just spoke to me, and my wife enjoyed what the company was about,” Alcala said. “So we took the shot. It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, especially with the time we purchased our franchise, two weeks before the world shut down.”
COVID-19 threw the Alcalas another setback. The first step in the franchising process, finding a building, was delayed two years because of pandemic restrictions and the hesitation of some to do business with a first-time entrepreneur.
“People looked at me and said I was too young, they didn’t take me seriously,” said Alcala, who was 31 at the time.
The Alcalas put in offers for 22 buildings over a year and half and continued to be rejected before finally finding a location. Following challenges with building permits and contractors, the Alcalas finally broke ground on their franchise on Feb. 1, 2022, and recently celebrated their one-year anniversary.
“I think fitness can be pretty intimidating to some people that have never been in the gym or that are overweight or that are anorexic or just, just people in general, if they’ve never been to a gym or they’re not comfortable in that setting,” Alcala said. “It’s hard for them to feel accepted, so my main mission coming into this was I wanted everybody to feel comfortable, whether you’re a 12-year-old-kid, your soccer mom, your grandma, I don’t care. I want everybody to feel welcome at my facility and feel safe coming in.”
That facility door is especially open to veterans and first responders, many of whom may also be looking for something else in life.
“My heart’s a little bit a little bit more open to veterans because I get their transition in the mindset,” Alcala said. “I always said, I forgot to schedule a dentist appointment for a year and a half after the military because they just scheduled them for you and you just went. I think the biggest thing for me is when we run across veterans or veterans reach out to me, I always try to help them with the transition more than the building of the business. Most people in the military that I’ve run into are pretty good people because they encounter so many different types of people in the military.”