Burn Boot Camp Embraces Its Role as Female-Led Fitness Brand
Morgan Kline and Amber Burke are leading the group fitness franchise to new heights as Burn eyes the ambitious goal of opening 10,000 units
It is no surprise to learn that Burn Boot Camp, a national fitness franchise emphasizing the power of connection and community, was founded by husband and wife team Devan and Morgan Kline. A fitness brand with heart, the couple leaped into the fitness business world in 2012, expanding from the parking lot of a gymnastics studio to franchising in 2015.
Now, with over 350 operating locations and over 550 territories sold, Burn Boot Camp is positioned to have 10,000 global units by 2033.
While Devan has gone on to adopt a more visionary role, Morgan is now CEO of the growing fitness franchise, working alongside fitness industry veteran Amber Burke, who was recently promoted to chief operating officer.
Together, Kline and Burke are leading the way in a male-dominated industry, with a Burn Boot Camp leadership team that is 60% female.
“We see the world through the female lens and that’s very important to serving women and their families,” Kline said. “So I think with Amber and me both being in the C-suite, we’re able to not just use our experiences throughout fitness, but we’re also able to connect with our members, solving gaps in the marketplace.”
Despite a long-running career in the generally male-centered fitness world, Burke was never intimidated. Instead, she saw it as a challenge. Still, women having a seat at the Burn Boot Camp table is a remarkable shift.
“It wasn’t anything that really scared me or held me back,” Burke said, reflecting on the past. “But it was enough to notice that I’m the only woman sitting in the room, and now I’m sitting in a room where there’s 60% of us versus 1%.”
Women-Driven
With mic’d up trainers, a mirrorless environment and floating floors that provide a safe environment for the joints, Burn Boot Camp has refined all of the little details that culminate into an enriching workout experience.
Woven into its fitness programming is the insight that female fitness consumers may start with a physical goal but end up with an emotional goal. It’s this component that steers the Burn Boot Camp model from the top.
“It could be, ‘I want to be a better version of myself. I want to be a better mom. I want to sleep better,'” Burke said. “That is really what I think holistically and philosophically sets us apart from other brands — there’s a very intentional conversation that we have around our executive leadership table around how to maintain that. It is not just about building more gyms. It truly is the heart and soul of the brand.”
Supporting women and helping them change their lives isn’t just lip service. Impressively, Burn Boot Camp offers childcare for moms who want to work out but struggle to find someone to tend to their little ones.
“Not a lot of boutique brands do that,” Burke points out. “And we do that at no additional cost. And that’s showing up for our community.”
A Devoted Member Base
Burn Boot Camp ensures a personal workout in an inclusive group setting, taking great care to be mindful of those who are just starting their fitness journey, have an injury or simply want to level up their fitness.
“That one-on-one approach in a group setting ensures that we can tailor the workout based on needs,” Kline explained. “We can modify it up if you need more of a challenge, or we can modify it down based on your fitness level.”
Having created a positive atmosphere, highly certified Burn Boot Camp trainers and solid fitness programming have contributed to the overall experience for members who have become Burn Boot Camp devotees and stick to their workouts.
“We’re making them feel like this is truly their home, and they’re welcome and that they’re seen here — no matter what their fitness level is, no matter what their size is, and no matter what their background is,” Kline said of Burn Boot Camp’s approach.
Kline is honest, acknowledging that many other fitness companies will declare that their member community is great, but she sees firsthand the impact Burn Boot Camp has had on its members (and even their vacation plans.)
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard our members say that Burn Boot Camp is truly the first place that they felt like they can go to a workout that they can stick to because they have that accountability within the community,” she said. “And it’s not just in these hyper-local places. It’s all over the country, all over our nation. A lot of our members will take pride in traveling and making sure there’s a Burn Boot Camp there.”
In many ways, Burn Boot Camp has redefined the connection between fitness and community and what a franchise can deliver for its members beyond just the physical.
“I think it’s just really special,” Kline continued. “It’s not something you always see when you think about a gym or fitness. You think about just a 45-minute workout, and I’m here for myself, and then I leave… but the interactions that we see before and after Burn Boot Camp and then outside of camp really prove that this is more than just a gym for people.”
When one of the Burn Boot Camp trainers passed away, Kline recalled seeing the entire nation of Burn Boot Camp franchises joining in support with a GoFundMe.
“That was one of those moments for me as the CEO that made me think, wow, this is really beyond fitness,” Kline said. “This is really helping people get through hard, challenging times in their life that have nothing to do with push-ups and squats. “This is about coming together and saying, ‘Oh, there’s a Burn sister in need, or there’s a Burn brother in need, or this community is suffering. How can we help?” And without question, those people show up, and I’ve seen that happen time and time again.”
Intentional Fitness Programming
While the community is perhaps Burn Boot Camp’s crown jewel, its fitness programming and workouts also set it apart.
“We have never done the same workout twice,” Kline revealed. It’s a fact that’s not to be overlooked — and it’s one in which Kline takes great pride.
“We are really proud of the program that we’ve put together,” she added. “We built this program and this protocol with intention to make sure we can scale the experience to hundreds of gyms across the country.”
Burn Boot Camp also impressed Burke, who has over two decades of experience in the fitness industry. She has done it all, from being a strength and conditioning coach to earning a Master’s Degree in Sports Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science.
“I showed up to Burn Boot Camp and was blown away by the trainers, knowledge, skills and abilities,” said Burke. “I’m looking at it from a very different perspective. I know what they know, I know what they should be doing – and they did it. They checked off every single box for me to show up and train safely and effectively.”
Beyond the Gym
Outside of its Burn Boot Camp locations, the fitness franchise is optimizing its members’ experiences with its app. It’s another way the brand is listening to its community, understanding that they are hungry for knowledge.
“You don’t have to show up to our gym to optimize your experience with wellness,” Burke said. “You can log in to your app, and there are categories of wellness designed to meet you where you are, from stretching to learning proper techniques and form.”
Burke added that Burn Boot Camp is striving to show up in an educational way for its members.
“We’ve learned that our members are interested in how to do things, and they want to be empowered; they want to be informed,” she said. “I don’t want to hold on to that information. I want to give it to them and empower them.”
Burke said that the approach increases member retention.
“The more information we give to them, the more value and loyalty they have to us as a brand because we’re going to continue to empower them through knowledge and education,” she said.
Click here to learn more about franchising opportunities with Burn Boot Camp.
