What other kind of start up costs can I expect?
There's great latitude with start-up expenses. We have no way to know if you already own a computer or what type of business entity you will choose. For example, if you have a computer and you choose to be a sole proprietor, your initial expenditures may be nothing more than your Franchising fee, insurance and some office supplies. If you are chosen to be a potential franchisee we will send you our Offering Circular which will give you a detailed estimate of your startup costs.

Can I call my program Stroller Strides?
Yes, you are able to call your program Stroller Strides & take advantage of our well earned brand & name recognition.

How much can I make with a minimum investment of time and money?
We can't make claims as to what kind of income you can make, but we can tell you that with hard work and dedication, you'll have the ability to greatly influence your future income. You can work as little or as much as you want and you choose the hours that you work. We have a variety of price packages to suit everyone's need and you can decide which of those you're going to offer. The more locations you offer and the more classes you teach yourself, the more money you will make!

What exactly do I get with the franchise?
You'll receive our Operations and Marketing manual and our Instructor DVD, which are designed to teach you how to teach, administer and market your classes, and can answer almost all your questions. You get an instructor "tool bag" with all you need to teach your first location. It includes exercise tubing, Stroller Strides clip boards, Stroller Strides pens and sample promotional products. You'll also get samples of forms for your clients, registration cards, sign in sheets, class coupons, gift certificates and more. To track your classes, we give you our custom Class Trac software. You also get a page on our website, our Business Center which includes your email, toll free number and access to all of our files and forms. Not least of all, we offer you support throughout the duration of your Franchise.

How do I find instructors?
A good place to find instructors is through ACE and AFAA. You can also look at local health clubs through group exercise directors. Once you've held a few classes, an excellent source of recruitment is from your clients, those who know firsthand how effective your programs are. Those with a desire to help others achieve their goals typically make excellent instructors. Classified ads also tend to yield results, as does recruiting from your current instructors through an instructor-recruitment incentive. We advertise in IDEA and on different fitness job boards for you on the national level!

Do you offer prenatal programs?
We are very proud to offer Fit4Baby. This is a program designed to strengthen the body for all the changes it will experience during pregnancy. The 60 minute class includes cardio, strength, flexibility and balance training. Fit4Baby is designed to accommodate all stages of pregnancy and various fitness levels. These classes are for mom only. Childcare may be provided at some locations. Adding these classes to your program can double your potential as a business. And, these classes are a great transition to get new Stroller Strides clients. You will not pay an additional licensing or monthly fee for these classes.

Do you help us with different class formats?
Yes...we have several options:

• Strides Outdoor Classes (60 minutes): Most of our locations nationwide offer outdoor classes. Stroller Strides incorporates the environment, resistance tubing and the stroller to get an all-over body workout in 60 minutes.
• Stroller Strides Advanced Outdoor Classes (75 Minutes):Using the outdoors, the same interval based Stroller Strides class picks up the intensity for a more advanced class that lengthens the workout to 75 minutes.
• Stroller Strides Indoor Classes (55 minutes): Using various indoor venues around the country, this class can incorporate music, more equipment and a workout full of drills and fun!
• Fit4Baby(60 minutes): This mom only 60 minute class offers the pregnant client a chance to strengthen their rapidly changing bodies and prepare for childbirth.

Is this a "turnkey operation"?
Yes, our Stroller Strides Franchise is a total turnkey operation. This means that with your Franchise, you'll be provided all the information you need to begin implementing these programs immediately without having prior experience in the fitness industry or in business.

How long will it take before I'm up and running?
Your level of motivation, your experience, your resources and your current situation will all affect your start-up time. For example, if you currently teach fitness and have a park or mall available to you, it's possible to study the materials and begin teaching in a couple of weeks. However, we suggest you give yourself a minimum of 6 weeks to learn the workouts or to hire instructors, to set up locations, to market your classes and to set up your web page.

Are there other franchisees I can talk with before investing?
Yes. We encourage you to speak with other franchisees to learn first hand about their passion for their business. Try to speak with people in various geographic regions, climates and various points in their business. Talk with business veterans as well as those just starting. You can gain a lot from making a variety of connections. All of our Franchisees are on our web site. The easiest route would be to email them first to set up a time to talk, as they are all juggling entrepreneurship and their families, as well.

Will I get my own page on the website?
Yes, we will create a page on our website just for you. Your web page is an extension to the current Stroller Strides Web address. For example, if you purchased a Franchise for Phoenix, your web address would be www.strollerstrides.net/phoenix. This page is fully editable by you with your web manager. We will train you how to do it so you don't need any previous web knowledge.

What kind of skills would I need to run this business?
Experience in business is a definite plus, although it's not required. Notably, experience with marketing, accounting, communications and sales is helpful. Many entrepreneurs learn through experience, though. What is most required is an ability and a willingness to learn, a passion for fitness and motherhood and a determination to succeed!

Will you be available to answer additional questions I have? Will this cost me anything more?
Yes, our corporate office is available to you throughout your Franchising experience. It will not cost you anything more to get our support or advice.

What are you doing to become nationally recognized?
Stroller Strides is quickly becoming recognized nationwide through its reputation and its magnetism with the media. We advertise in Fit Pregnancy, Pregnancy magazine and others. Lisa Druxman writes for a variety of publications on a regular basis and has been featured on The TODAY Show, CNN, Access Hollywood and more. And finally, Stroller Strides has a national PR agency who is continuously seeking additional media exposure.

What is L.E.A.N. and may I offer it as a franchisee?
L.E.A.N. is a behavior modification weight control program that Lisa Druxman created over 10 years ago. It teaches women how to make better choices about food and exercise, and is the topic of her upcoming book LEAN Mommy. It's a lifestyle and you do not need to be a nutritionist to offer the course. L.E.A.N. is available to our franchisees to offer to their clients. This can serve as an additional revenue source as well as a marketing tool.