This fitness enthusiast bought a gym as a side gig and found a community | Canada Voices

Bobby Santos grew up in small mining towns across British Columbia playing sports such as basketball and hockey and pursuing competitive Muay Thai. He studied economics at university and worked as a financial consultant for more than 15 years before a career twist at age 40 led him into the fitness industry.

Today, Mr. Santos is the manager and co-owner of two F45 Training franchises in Vancouver and manages a third location in the same city. What was supposed to be a side gig is now a full-time career that matches his passion for living an active lifestyle and being part of a like-minded community.

In this series, Reimagining Wealth, we explore the evolving definition of wealth in today’s world. Here, we talk to Mr. Santos about his journey from finance to fitness:

What did you want to be growing up?

I didn’t know. I just knew I had to go to university and make my mom and dad proud.

When it came time to apply, I decided to follow in my older sister’s footsteps and study economics at the University of British Columbia. I figured that if I studied business, something good would come out of it. After that, I got a two-year financial planning diploma from the B.C. Institute of Technology and went on to get the professional designations required to become a certified financial planner. It was interesting and I thought it could open a lot of doors.

You worked as a financial consultant for many years. What prompted you to leave that occupation?

I was asked to manage twice as many assets for basically the same salary and, after pushing back for several months, was offered a generous severance package to leave the company. It was in 2020, about six months after the pandemic hit and, like many people, I did a gut check about whether my career was making me happy. I decided to take time off to figure out what I wanted to do with my career.

How did the opportunity to own a fitness studio come along?

I first heard about F45 from my sister and her husband in early 2019. They were looking at opening a franchise in Vancouver and asked if I wanted to get involved. I had never done F45 before, so I took a class and, full transparency, I wasn’t sure it would work. But then I did a few more classes and noticed a community vibe to it and the workouts were getting pretty challenging.

I saw the franchise was popular in Australia and the U.S., and I was financially secure, so I decided to take a chance. We opened that franchise in early 2020 and it shut down two weeks later when the pandemic hit. It was closed, on and off, alongside other gyms until the pandemic subsided. So, for a while, we were putting money into a business that wasn’t operating. We didn’t make money, but we survived.

Many gyms didn’t reopen after the pandemic. That early roadblock didn’t turn you off the fitness industry?

It didn’t. Once the pandemic restrictions lifted, business started booming. Everyone wanted to get out and be around people. I left my finance job in September 2020 and I had friends who were telling me about openings at their firms and asking me to apply, but I was having fun working in the fitness industry despite the challenges.

My business partners and I were set to open another location, my second, in Vancouver in late 2021 when gyms shut down again for another month. It was like ‘déjà vu’ and pretty stressful, but it finally opened, and ever since, business has been good.

Does your financial background help you run your fitness studios?

There are many parallels. It’s not just the business side but also the relationship building. For instance, you need to build trust with employees that you’ve got their back, that the workplace is safe and that you’ll pay them on time.

I’ve also built up personal relationships with many of the members, and I work out alongside them. When they see an owner getting to know them and actually caring about them, that goes a long way. There are many absent owners in this industry who we’ve seen close their doors after a few months or years. Building relationships is key.

Is fitness your forever career now?

Fitness was supposed to be the side gig until I figured out something else, but now it’s the main gig. Initially, I thought I’d give it maybe five years, but five years have come and gone, and I can’t think of anything else I’d want to be doing.

I feel lucky to have this career because being active and staying healthy is super important to me. And this may sound cheesy, but the community aspect of this business is what really makes it worthwhile.