Sponsored content by Puroclean.

A fitness franchise may seem like a smart investment given the recent trends toward health and wellness, but it’s important to understand that, like retail, gyms rely on consumers choosing to spend discretionary income each month for memberships. By comparison, property restoration franchises provide recession-resistant essential services, so they are less affected by changing economic conditions.

Weighing the Initial Costs
Starting a fitness franchise can be an expensive endeavor. For example, initial investment ranges from $397,537 to $973,142 for Anytime Fitness and between $668,000 and $3,488,000 for Crunch Fitness (excluding real estate costs), according to each brand’s Financial Disclosure Document. PuroClean’s initial investment is much lower, ranging from $233,503 to $277,118. 

Fitness centers also require a customer-facing location, which means constructing a building or leasing space, acquiring equipment, and the ongoing costs like utilities, maintenance, and payroll for a large staff, including front desk workers, managers, trainers, and coverage for any extended operating hours that may be offered. 

By contrast, a property restoration business like a PuroClean franchise does not depend on a brick-and-mortar storefront or foot traffic; Franchise Owners and their teams travel to the clients to provide services. A PuroClean franchise can also launch with a lean team of two to four employees, then scale staffing as the business grows.

Attracting Clients
When it comes to bringing in customers, gym owners are largely responsible for attracting and retaining members as the corporate office can’t directly drive customers to a particular location. Meanwhile, PuroClean Franchise Owners can generate business locally, but also have access to jobs through the larger network. PuroClean has formed relationships with three of the nation’s top five national insurance carriers plus dozens of other partners, which allows the Home Office to send restoration projects to qualified Franchise Owners. In fact, in 2025, PuroClean Franchise Owners completed $80,000,000 in National Account work. 

Notably, PuroClean also offers an open territory model, meaning Franchise Owners can pursue work anywhere, making the potential for growth endless. And the results of that work quickly add up. According to the 2026 PuroClean Franchise Disclosure Document, the top 10% of PuroClean Franchise Owners with a Business Development Representative (BDR) averaged gross revenue of $5,974,998.* The highest-performing PuroClean Franchise Owner reported more than $20 million in annual sales.**

Diverse Revenue Streams
While fitness franchise owners are limited to selling memberships, training packages and perhaps some retail goods in their gym, PuroClean Franchise Owners have a wide range of options for revenue streams. They can choose to work on residential and/or commercial properties damaged by water, fire, mold, and biohazard contamination. These services are essential and do not rely on discretionary spending. They can also offer a range of ancillary services including carpet cleaning, duct cleaning, and more. Property owners need to get their home back to livable conditions or their business back in operation as soon as possible. Through the PuroClean network, Franchise Owners can also take part in large-scale projects, responding to catastrophe-driven losses nationwide.

Finding the Right Fit
Whether you’re comparing franchise industries or looking to diversify an existing fitness portfolio, property restoration offers a different path to business ownership. Fitness owners can build on their existing business relationships as potential sources of commercial work, while new investors can enter a needs-based industry with diverse revenue streams.

Visit PuroCleanFranchise.com to learn more. 

*With Sales Rep: See 2026 FDD

**This figure represents the results of a single franchisee identified in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”).  Individual financial performance will vary based on numerous factors.  Prospective franchisees should carefully review the full FDD — including Item 19 — and consult with their own legal, financial, and business advisors before making any investment decision.

Sponsored Content. Created by or on behalf of the sponsor, who paid for its placement. Views expressed are the sponsor’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the IFA. Placement of this content is not an endorsement.