Feb. 3, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Profile by Sanford.

When it comes to weight loss franchises, Profile by Sanford is No. 1 – according to the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking.

Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 named Profile the best in its field for 2021, recognizing its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

“We’re very excited, especially because in our industry it was a really challenging year for health and wellness,” Profile CEO Nate Malloy said.

Profile also ranked No. 39 overall on the list, putting it in the company of businesses such as Anytime Fitness, Pearle Vision, Cinnabon and Baskin-Robbins, and just ahead of major national brands such as Dairy Queen and Arby’s.

It represents a jump from No. 64 overall in 2020.

Recognition on Entrepreneur’s annual list is a sought-after, competitive honor and serves as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees.

Rankings are based on a formula that takes into account outstanding performance in areas including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranking order.

“2020 was a challenging year for everyone, but it was also a year of unusual opportunity,” said Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur editor-in-chief. “Franchises were able to be nimble and innovative, serving the needs of franchisees and customers in ways that will resonate for many years to come. We believe that, when we eventually look back on this time, we’ll see it as a moment when many brands defined themselves for the future.”

Malloy credits Profile’s ability to move quickly and respond flexibly to the pandemic for helping the business build on its success despite the challenges of 2020.

Not figuring it out was never an option, though.

“Not helping our members wasn’t an option. It was just figuring out how to do it a different way,” he said. “Our team members who work with our members are so passionate about their work and helping members achieve their goals. It allowed us to move our business pretty much 100 percent virtual in a matter of days.”

Thanks to a new and improved version of the Profile app, members and coaches had the tools they needed to communicate and support a virtual experience.

“But there was a lot of creativity involved too,” Malloy said. “Tools like Zoom for virtual coaching became useful to us very quickly, and we accelerated plans for food delivery and e-commerce.”

In addition to online opportunities, franchise locations successfully implemented a new pricing strategy and recurring revenue model.

“Through our new pricing model, our stores have experienced a 37 percent increase in predictable revenue,” said Kevin Betts, chief operating officer at Profile. “Because of this change, our members are financially committing to the program, which contributes to their success in achieving sustainable health and lifestyle behavior change. Our members have begun seeing results nearly two times faster than previous pricing options.”

Profile has grown to 150 locations nationwide with 70 franchisee owners. But while the high rankings are gratifying, the year ahead is as exciting.

“Our teams have done a great job managing through the past year and are taking that momentum into 2021,” Malloy said. “We are seeing people with a desire to refocus on their individual health, and I think we’re well-positioned to be that solution. We’re seeing a lot of people engage in our program.”

The focus for the coming year is on growing the membership base and core programming. While Profile is always open to looking at potential franchisee expansion, it isn’t a leading priority in the coming year, Malloy added.

“We’re constantly looking at how we innovate and provide additional solutions to help people live a healthier life. I’m excited about opportunities to expand our relationships with insurance companies and large employers in addition to looking at expanding the types of services we provide,” he said. “That will be our focus for the next 12 to 18 months before there’s opportunity to grow substantially again.”

To view Profile® in the full ranking, click here. Results also can be seen in the January/February issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands now.