GETTING TO KNOW: MARIA FEARNALL, FRANCHISE OWNER AT F45 TRAINING INTERVIEW BY CHRIS TIESSEN; PHOTO SUBMITTED BY F45 F45 I S FO R E V E R Y B O D Y A ND E V E RY B ODY . T HE GY M ' S I NT E NS E , F U L L - B O D Y T RAI N I N G S ES S I ON S – E A C H F O R T Y - F I V E M I NU TE S LON G AND D E S I G NE D F O R B O T H B E G I N N E R S AN D T HE M O S T E X P E R I E NC E D G Y M GOE R S – AR E ALL A B O U T E F F I C I E NT P R O G R A M MI N G AN D P HE NO M E NA L RE S U L T S . A F E W WE E K S BAC K, T O Q U E ’ S C H R I S T I E S S E N I NT E R VI E WE D T W O-T I M E F 4 5 F RA NC H I S E O W NE R MAR I A FEAR N AL L T O F I ND O U T W H A T T H E S E W OR KOU T S A RE A L L A B O U T :
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT F45? For sure. We provide heart-pumping, fun-filled
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT OPENING YOUR F45 GYMS?
workouts seven days a week – and even have a live
I’ve loved watching a community grow organically.
DJ join us for Saturdays. With two certified coaches
We did it in Kitchener and now we’re doing it again in
in every class, members get the experience of a
Guelph. Oh, and finding our Manager and now co-owner,
group fitness environment while receiving the
Mat.
benefits of personal, one-on-one training. We offer our members great motivation, support, and education aimed at giving them the best experience inside and outside our studio.
I IMAGINE THAT THE BUSINESS HAS HAD TO PIVOT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC? Yes, of course. Thankfully F45 headquarters put together a new format of workouts for use during
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE BUSINESS?
lockdown – including F45 Live, designed for members
I've been a competitive cheerleading coach for
F45 Circuit, designed for workouts in studio. The Circuit
fifteen years and felt it was time to grow my
model provides the same great workout while allowing
coaching career into something new. After being
everyone to be socially distanced by at least two meters,
a member at a fitness studio, I realized that what I
with no shared equipment.
enjoyed most about it was the personable coaches and the environment they provided. When I found out about F45 through a friend, my fiancé and I applied to be franchise owners. Two years and a pandemic later, we’ve successfully opened a franchise in Kitchener and are opening our second location at Gordon Square in the south end of Guelph – where I used to live.
who prefer to access our workouts from home, and
WHO’S THE IDEAL CLIENT FOR F45? It’s someone who’s wanting change and is ready to put in the work to get there. Folks who are ready to dive all in and enjoy the entire experience are those who will get the most out of our classes.
WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING AT THE GYM, WHERE ARE YOU EATING AROUND TOWN?
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I’m a die-hard Bread Bar fan and a La Reina fanatic. I could honestly eat at those restaurants every day
