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| Felicia Gilner L and Richard Tillies R opened 9 Round Fitness just over a month ago in North Raleigh |
Raleigh, NC (WNCN)
Oct 20,2015
Walk into 9Round Fitness in North Raleigh and you better be ready to work hard. "9Round offers a 30 minute full body kickboxing workout. There are no class times, a new round starts every 3 minutes," says co-owner Richard Tillies.
Oct 20,2015
Walk into 9Round Fitness in North Raleigh and you better be ready to work hard. "9Round offers a 30 minute full body kickboxing workout. There are no class times, a new round starts every 3 minutes," says co-owner Richard Tillies.
On this Saturday morning the gym is packed with everything from soccer moms, to fitness buffs even young boys who came to learn some boxing techniques. "The response so far has been great. Although we have been open less than two months we have phenomenal members who have become advocates of the gym and the 9Round experience in their own communities,"says Tillies.
Richard Tillies along with business partner Felicia Gilner opened gym in September. The partnership happened by chance. "We met while shopping, we were both dressed in workout clothing so we struck up a conversation about fitness and technology. We both worked in the field. I invited her too a boxing class at my gym," said Tillies.
Like Tillies and Gilner, millions of minorities take on entrepreneurship in search of financial independence and success. Minority businesses make up almost 15 percent of the 28 million small businesses and employ 5.9 million workers in the United States. Minorities include people in any category other than non-Hispanic white, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Gilner, who is 40 years old is one of many African-American women who are thriving as business owners. “The number of companies started by African American women grew nearly 258 percent from 1997 to 2014,” reports Center for American Progress. “The number of African American women-owned businesses in 2013 was estimated at 1.1 million, comprising 42 percent of businesses owned by women of color and 49 percent of all African American-owned businesses.”
Tillies, 37, says both he and Gilner have similar goals when it comes to business. "We have a lot in common: we have a passion for fitness and helping others achieve their goals. After I decided to pursue the opportunity with 9Round, I invited Felicia to visit an existing location. She enjoyed the concept so much that she agreed to help me open another franchise in the area and serve as the General Manager,"says Tillies.
Tillies also had advice for African Americans who are thinking about opening their own business. "Preparation, preparation, preparation. Be prepared to work harder than any job that you ever had, your day is no longer 9-5. Be prepared to work for free for the foreseeable future, it may become your reality. Surround yourself with like minds, iron sharpens iron. Build a support system that appreciate what you are trying to accomplish. Eliminate distractions (people, places, things) that deter you from your goals. Understand what is most important to you, and add this to that list. Other aspects of your life may suffer or become less prioritized, and you need to make sure you are OK with that.
Like Tillies and Gilner, millions of minorities take on entrepreneurship in search of financial independence and success. Minority businesses make up almost 15 percent of the 28 million small businesses and employ 5.9 million workers in the United States. Minorities include people in any category other than non-Hispanic white, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Gilner, who is 40 years old is one of many African-American women who are thriving as business owners. “The number of companies started by African American women grew nearly 258 percent from 1997 to 2014,” reports Center for American Progress. “The number of African American women-owned businesses in 2013 was estimated at 1.1 million, comprising 42 percent of businesses owned by women of color and 49 percent of all African American-owned businesses.”
Tillies, 37, says both he and Gilner have similar goals when it comes to business. "We have a lot in common: we have a passion for fitness and helping others achieve their goals. After I decided to pursue the opportunity with 9Round, I invited Felicia to visit an existing location. She enjoyed the concept so much that she agreed to help me open another franchise in the area and serve as the General Manager,"says Tillies.
Even in 2015, be prepared to be dismissed simply because of who you are or how you look," says Tillies.
Tillies says his academic, athletic and business background is a recipe for success in this new challenge. Richard has a background in martial arts, and was a college professor in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Felicia is an avid runner and cyclist. She worked for years in the technology industry in RTP. Both saw kickboxing as a new avenue for cross-training. The pair says they've also gotten a lot of support from the corporate office. "This is the perfect marriage for my background in martial arts and education. As far as the workout, it is perfect: 30 minutes, high intensity, efficient, and FUN. The initial investment is very reasonable, and the support from the corporate office and other owners is unparalleled. After much discussion with Felicia and Jon Shafeei (9Round owner in North Raleigh), he reached out to 9Round to start the process of franchise ownership. The process from that initial contact to opening for business was approximately one year," said Tillies.
Richard says he's used a combination of savings and personal investments to fund the venture. He says he's fortunate to start a business with no debt but now feels the pressure to succeed quickly to help replenish the investment and also turn a profit. "The build out process has been the most challenging part so far. Turning an empty shell into the foundation for your day-to-day operation is a daunting task. Make sure that you stay intimately involved in the process from start to finish, and make sure no detail is overlooked. The second is the marketing and advertising. You cannot operate with an “If You Build It, They Will Come” mindset and fail to properly market the business. You also cannot break the bank trying to reach the masses. There’s a sweet spot, and your job as an entrepreneur is to find it," says Tillies.
When it comes to getting fit at 9Round Tillies says it speaks for itself and he wants everyone to give it a try. "The response so far has been great. Although we have been open less than two months, we have phenomenal members who have become advocates of the gym and the 9Round experience in their own communities. We are building a 9Round family, not just a clientele of people who simply work out. We greet everyone as they come through the door, and we know something about each member besides the fact that they want to work out quickly and efficiently. We also have a relatively high conversion rate; after people complete their initial workout, more than half sign up for a membership package," says Tillies.
Visit Their North Raleigh 9Round
Tillies says his academic, athletic and business background is a recipe for success in this new challenge. Richard has a background in martial arts, and was a college professor in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Felicia is an avid runner and cyclist. She worked for years in the technology industry in RTP. Both saw kickboxing as a new avenue for cross-training. The pair says they've also gotten a lot of support from the corporate office. "This is the perfect marriage for my background in martial arts and education. As far as the workout, it is perfect: 30 minutes, high intensity, efficient, and FUN. The initial investment is very reasonable, and the support from the corporate office and other owners is unparalleled. After much discussion with Felicia and Jon Shafeei (9Round owner in North Raleigh), he reached out to 9Round to start the process of franchise ownership. The process from that initial contact to opening for business was approximately one year," said Tillies.
Richard says he's used a combination of savings and personal investments to fund the venture. He says he's fortunate to start a business with no debt but now feels the pressure to succeed quickly to help replenish the investment and also turn a profit. "The build out process has been the most challenging part so far. Turning an empty shell into the foundation for your day-to-day operation is a daunting task. Make sure that you stay intimately involved in the process from start to finish, and make sure no detail is overlooked. The second is the marketing and advertising. You cannot operate with an “If You Build It, They Will Come” mindset and fail to properly market the business. You also cannot break the bank trying to reach the masses. There’s a sweet spot, and your job as an entrepreneur is to find it," says Tillies.
When it comes to getting fit at 9Round Tillies says it speaks for itself and he wants everyone to give it a try. "The response so far has been great. Although we have been open less than two months, we have phenomenal members who have become advocates of the gym and the 9Round experience in their own communities. We are building a 9Round family, not just a clientele of people who simply work out. We greet everyone as they come through the door, and we know something about each member besides the fact that they want to work out quickly and efficiently. We also have a relatively high conversion rate; after people complete their initial workout, more than half sign up for a membership package," says Tillies.
Visit Their North Raleigh 9Round
How can people contact you?
Address: 8111
Rowlock Way #105, Raleigh NC 27613
Phone:
919-446-KICK
Facebook: 9RoundTriangleNC
Instagram: @9RoundTriangleNC
Twitter: @9RoundTriangle
