Brad Swartz
Managing Member of Fitness Quest Puyallup, Fitness Quest Auburn and Daffodil Bowl
Brad Swartz's Bio:
FITNESS CENTER DEVELOPMENT AND EXPERIENCE
Forty years in the fitness industry coupled with extensive promotion and world record breaking supplement sales.
Always in the top 1% in the fitness industry in driving memberships and ancillary revenue.
VISION QUEST SPORT & FITNESS
Founder and Managing Member of award-winning Vision Quest Sport and Fitness athletic clubs. Grew Vision Quest to encompass 10 clubs, 62,000 members and 540 employees. Vision Quest Sport and Fitness, with 10 locations in the greater Puget Sound area, was voted “Best of Western Washington” for three consecutive years (2010 – 2013). Its impact and solid reputation in the greater Puget Sound area led to the purchase of Vision Quest by Fitness International (parent company to LA Fitness) in 2013.
Led Vision Quest in a cost-effective marketing plan, the goal of which was for every dollar spent, a $4 return was received. This was achieved by developing and focusing on the top 10 most effective athletic club marketing products, thereby exceeding Vision Quest’s return on investment month-in and month-out.
The founders of Fitness International (LA Fitness) have recognized the acquisition of Vision Quest Sport and Fitness as the smoothest and most honest transaction that they have experienced out of the hundreds of clubs they have acquired over their 29-year history in the fitness industry.
Directed and controlled, with the assistance of the CFO, a $12M annual budget to include marketing, payroll, maintenance and repair, and new equipment purchases.
Controlled expansion, negotiated new building leases, oversaw all construction projects
Interfaced directly with Vision Quest Sport & Fitness’s 62,000-member base. Coordinated all tournaments and promotional events.
Keynote speaker for all 10 locations for quarterly 90-day weight loss/nutrition contest with an average audience of 200-500 people per location for a 10-year period of time and is continuing these contests in his two new Fitness Quest locations.
Developed and maintained model of low cost fitness club monthly memberships of $22 and $100 of free training monthly per member; this has allowed business throughout the last forty years to be recession-proof, thereby creating large EBITDA values and resulting in selling Vision Quest Sport & Fitness to Fitness International (parent company to LA Fitness) for a very favorable sale.
Fitness Quest
Managing Member – Opened September 2019
Opened Fitness Quest in two training studios (presale locations) located in Auburn and Puyallup and grew the membership base extremely quickly in 8 months. Running both presale locations like fully operational athletic clubs (not standard practice in the industry) resulting in exceptionally large recurring residual income from personal training and group training as well as ongoing residual income of supplement sales through Univera, a relationship marketing company
In charge of production of all television commercials
Conduct all final interviews on new employee hires and all exit interviews.
Recently purchased two local personal training studios that had been in operation in the Auburn area for 5 years. All employees and members were integrated into Fitness Quest Auburn and Puyallup. These acquisitions advanced the personal training department of Fitness Quest Auburn and Puyallup in both staffing and personal training by 5 years.
Developed two cutting edge ancillary revenues (virtual workout/online training memberships and online nutrition counseling) which has allowed Brad to connect with an additional 50% of his membership on an ongoing basis. These two additional business models have increased the retention of current Fitness Quest members by 300%. Online training and online nutrition have additionally preserved 99% of Fitness Quest’s membership base during the mandatory closure of nonessential businesses in Washington from March 16 to May 4, 2020.
DAFFODIL BOWL PURCHASE AND IMPROVEMENT
Managing Member - Purchased Daffodil Bowl August 2018
Has realized a 300% increase in its EBITDA value and total gross revenue increase of 26% over prior year before purchase.
Prior to purchase, Daffodil Bowl’s business, building and real property had a business appraisal of $3.2M. 18 months later, the same group did a reappraisal for a refinance with results of an increase in value to $5.2M.
Outlined below are bullet points of key strategic initiatives that enhanced the value of Daffodil Bowl:
>Hired bowling consultant that was twice voted National Bowling Proprietor of the Year.
Implemented the same business principles and processes that that have been used in the fitness industry.
Implemented processes to help improve management of front desk, restaurant and bar, e.g., to eliminate the ability of the staff to provide discretionary and arbitrary discounts to guests for bowling, shoe rental, etc.; not allowing general public bowlers to receive league rates. After investigating POS transactions, found that sales tax was not being collected; this was corrected and increased gross revenue by 10% immediately
Purchased own ATM machine, thus retaining 100% of all commissions generated versus the former vendor’s 15% return of commissions back to Daffodil Bowl; resulted in annual net profit increase of $15,800.
Negotiated better pricing on food costs with Sysco, realizing a decrease from 51% to 25% compared to the year prior to purchase.
Hired Le Cordon Bleu Chef to help achieve goal of a 5-star dining experience resulting in an increase in revenue of 26% over prior year before purchase.
Added seat capacity to restaurant.
Added equipment to restaurant for better quality of food preparation
Increased social media and marketing with a personal TV station called “Upshow” allowing us to cross-promote with both Fitness Quest locations, increasing walk-in traffic from 75,000 visitors to 100,000 visitors annually in first year of ownership.
Cross-marketed the national program of “Kids Bowl Free” at Fitness Quest resulting in Daffodil Bowl being recognized as the most successful participant in Washington State in 2019.
Resurfaced and striped the parking lot increasing parking capacity as well as added exterior flood lighting around bowling center for safety and improved curb appeal.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Recently voted into Rex Roundtable, the most prestigious fitness club organization in the world for highly successful and high-level club owners. This is a referral-based, introduction only organization with the purpose of sharing and discussing national and world events and products that affect the fitness industry in a positive way. In the last 22 years, Rex Roundtable has only allowed 8 groups to be formed in the US and 4 in foreign countries with only 8 members voted into each group. This new group in the Rex Roundtable is the first group formed in the last 4 years.
Appointed to the Advisory Board of Highline College’s personal training department, the top personal training department in the country. Maintained relationship with this department over the past 20 years, including presenting at the request of its director.
Brad Swartz's Interests & Activities:
Wrestling Background
As a scholar athlete at Oregon State University, Brad compiled the 13th best record in the school’s 60 year history, including being a two-time PAC 10 champion and one time runner up; earning Division 1 All-American junior year and being voted PAC 10 Outstanding Wrestler senior year. Won 17 National titles and 16 State titles including Greco and Freestyle wrestling. Coached and competed in the California Open Freestyle Championships, winning individually and coaching the team to a first-place finish. Same year coached and competed in the California State Open Greco team. Competed internationally in freestyle wrestling, winning 5 world titles and 10 world medals in an 11-year span.
By embracing wrestling at Vision Quest Sport & Fitness over a 10-year span, helped in producing over 60 high school wrestling champions, 19 wrestling national champions, 18 PAC 12 wrestling champions, 11 college All-Americans, 5 world titles, and a third place at the Olympic Wrestling Trials. Assisted in negotiating 38 wrestling college scholarships.
Coordinated a wrestling club program that includes wrestlers from 16 high schools within a 15 mile radius of Auburn and Puyallup