BACK IN MOTION
Founder Jason T. Smith says the healthcare chain has always considered itself a brand that connects health and wellness.
“We are university trained healthcare professionals delivering expert physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry and exercise physiology services, but design our client care models around a wellness philosophy that acknowledges the bio-psycho-social context.
“We don’t want to just fix the ‘problems’ of poor health, we want to promote people’s wellness through proactive, positive lifestyle choices and habits. This is our brand’s point of difference and explains our high levels of year-on-year growth over two decades.
“Our brand essence at Back In Motion is built on the belief that ‘movement is for life’. We don’t just treat the injury, we treat the whole person … by understanding their individual lifestyle, preferences and goals to design a treatment plan tailored to their life needs.”
Jason’s goal is to empower clients to have optimal lifelong health, and Results4Life is a proprietary philosophy of care that governs the group’s clinical approach.
And rather than push products and services, Jason believes the goal should be to listen to clients and solve problems.
“I think a good deal of demand for our expertise emerges from sound and consistent education. I’ve dedicated my career to being a health advocate, investing more time and effort into education of our communities than ‘selling’ our services.”
WHAT ARE YOUR FIVE-YEAR GOALS FOR THE BUSINESS?
“We have been growing at a steady rate of between 10–15 per cent year-on-year since inception. Our intention is not to slow down any time soon.”
Jason has just launched Back In Motion’s #impact2030 strategic plan and expects to significantly increase the number of practice locations from 140 to 400 within 10 years.
A rollout of new sites across Australia and New Zealand has a special emphasis on podiatry, chiropractic and dietetic services.
“We are also committed to investing heavily into technology to facilitate digital health services, home-care offerings and ongoing research into healthcare and best practice,” says Jason.
Expanding the network is a threepronged approach: existing staff members become franchisees; opening brand new sites; and converting existing physiotherapy practices.
HOW ARE YOU ATTRACTING FRANCHISEES?
“We simply invest our time educating our profession on the importance of sound business practices, strategies for growth and how to live balanced professional lives,” says Jason. “As they realise their need for solutions around this, our franchise offering presents as a high-value proposition for their consideration. It’s an organic process rather than an aggressive sales strategy. But it has worked well for us for over 20 years.”
BRAND BASICS
How long have you been trading? 21 years How long franchising? 16 years
How long is a franchise term? Five years with ongoing options
What is the upfront franchise investment? $70,000 + equipment/fitout
What are the franchise fees/marketing levies? Franchisee fees are 2–7% gross sales depending on the size of business. As the practices grow, the royalties become lower.
A royalty-free concession on the revenue and goodwill is available to conversion franchisees. Marketing levies are 2% of gross sales.