About seven months ago, Adrian and Justin Crocker of Carmel, Indiana took the leap of a lifetime and opened their 30 Minute Hit studio. Every step of the way, they have proven to be natural leaders, learners, and savvy business owners. Their commitment to helping others and their enthusiasm for the 30 Minute Hit model are just some of the driving forces behind their successful start! Read on to hear about how Justin and Adrian are changing lives, one HIT at a time!
– How long have you been open and how is it going so far?
We’ve been open for 7 months and it’s going great! We have grown steadily and keep adding new members to our amazing CommunHITy every month!
– Did you look at multiple brands? What made you decide on 30 Minute Hit?
We did! We worked with a small business coach from The Entrepreneur’s Source who showed us multiple brands including 30 Minute Hit. We initially thought we wanted a home-based business and didn’t think a brick and mortar business would be for us. After reviewing our goals for multiple territories and building a business that would afford a more flexible lifestyle, our coach thought 30 Minute Hit would be a great fit. We were skeptical but took the initial call with Stacey Firth. Her energy, enthusiasm for the brand and helpful nature made us take a deeper look into Hit ownership. After reviewing the financials and meeting the Founders Jackson and Deanna we were sold and knew 30 Minute Hit was for us!
– What kind of work were you doing prior to opening your 30 Minute Hit?
Justin retired from the Army in October 2022 after 20 years of service as a Special Operations Officer. His last role was in the Pentagon working counterterrorism policy. Adrian served as an Army Officer from 2005-2012. She later went on to earn her Personal Trainer Certification and worked as a trainer while raising their two young children Travis and Victoria.
– We seem to have quite a lot of owners who come from a military background. Why do you think that is?
At first glance, a women’s-only kickboxing franchise may not be the best fit for a retiring Green Beret! To be honest, we were a little shocked when our small business coach suggested 30 Minute Hit. However, after doing our research it became clear that 30 Minute Hit is a GREAT brand for former military members! The brand’s culture of teamwork, leadership, making a difference in people’s lives, and inspiring our staff and members combined with the work-life balance the business creates is a perfect fit for many people leaving the military. There are more transferable skills than we initially expected and have been really surprised by how much of our military experience we lean on when running our business.
– How do you implement some of your background into running your Hit?
Leadership. It’s not intuitive, but there are a lot of transferable skills between leading soldiers and leading a boutique fitness studio or any other small business. You have to find and lead a team that will help you grow your business. You have to give them a healthy balance of guidance and trust. You have to coach them to accomplish the task at hand; in our case it’s making sure our members and future members have the best workout they have ever had, every time they enter our studio. There is also a high degree of resilience that you build after a career in the military. Of all the skills new small business owners need, we would rank resilience at the top.
– You have two young kids. How are you finding work/life balance?
Outside of the culture of 30 Minute Hit, the work-life balance that the business model provides is why we chose to invest in 30 Minute Hit. By design, the studios have consolidated operating hours that keeps the energy elevated in the Hit. A great benefit of this is that we have the time and flexibility to spend quality time with our children. We’re there to get them on the bus in the morning, greet them after school, coach their sports teams and enjoy weekends. It’s a perfect business model for young, growing families!
– What are you finding to me the most rewarding things about this new venture?
By far the most rewarding part of owning a Hit is being a part of the transformations our members are making. It has been SO COOL to watch members who joined us from the beginning reach and exceed their goals! We have members that, prior to finding us, had never committed to a workout program before. They find our program fun, rewarding and easy to build a habit of. Whether their goal has been to lose weight, build lean muscle, get toned or any of the mental health benefits that come with exercise, our members have made some amazing progress! After all, you should look forward to your workout and not look at it as a chore. We also have some AMAZING trainers that keep our members coming back for the next workout!
– How has your training and support from the 30 Minute Hit corporate team been throughout the process?
Corporate’s support has been amazing! We chose franchising because we wanted a partner to help us launch and grow. The assistance that 30 Minute Hit’s corporate team provides allowed us to open quickly and grow our membership base at a great rate. The ongoing support is also amazing. No matter what our issues are, we get quick and thorough responses every time we ask for help, and there is a lot of asking for help as a new small business owner! We are so glad to have the corporate team in our corner!
– How do you find the support and camaraderie within the CommunHITy of other owners?
Boutique fitness owners are, by nature, typically generous and giving people. Your entire business revolves around giving your members the best experience possible, and that typically includes a lot of physical and emotional transmission. One of the many great things about being a Hit owner is the same applies to your fellow franchisees. We interact with other Hit owners daily, and just like the corporate team, we know we have all other Hit owners in our corner. No matter what our question or problem is, we can connect with other Hit owners almost immediately and get some amazing responses. It’s amazing how powerful a network of like-minded business owners can be for a burgeoning small business. We never feel alone!
– What advice would you give others considering becoming a 30 Minute Hit franchisee?
Do thorough research. Ask questions about the company’s culture and values, the day-to-day lifestyle of Hit ownership and make sure you can see yourself as a Hit owner. If your values and goals align with those of 30 Minute Hit, you should absolutely consider opening at Hit! I can’t imagine a better fit for us!
A huge congratulations to these two as they continue to not only change the lives and improve the health of the women of their community, but also of their own family. Finding balance is often a seemingly impossible task these days, but through 30 Minute Hit, this family has found a way to enrich their own lives as well as others’. Keep HIT up Just and Adrian!!
Changing Lives in Carmel, Indiana
