A Side of Franchising Execs You Don't See | FYZICAL CEO Brian Belmont

The Original article written by Laura Michaels for Franchise Times, appeared here on March 29, 2021

In her monthly "Grab Bag" column, Editor Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see.

Who would play you in the biopic about your life?

Kevin Costner—I loved him in ‘Dances With Wolves.’ (Several minutes later) Actually, can I change my answer to Sean Connery? I wanted to be 007 so bad. And actually, ‘Highlander,’ that was one of my favorite movies of his. He was Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez, teaching the Highlander how to be the Highlander.

What’s your favorite franchise brand that’s not your own?

This is cheating a little bit because I used to work there, but Planet Fitness. I’m still a franchisee, I have six units. Their mission is to make fitness accessible to everybody and I think they execute on that really well. And their profitability at the unit level is second to none.

If you weren’t the CEO of Fyzical, what would you be doing?

I really enjoy this work, so I would find another growth brand in the health segment. I was part of the management team that took Planet Fitness public, so that process made me realize how fun it was to work with a brand and get it to that level.

What’s something not many people know about you?

That I love to ride horses. I grew up on a ranch ... my grandparents had a horse ranch in South Dakota. It’s still in the family, my aunt runs it. My grandma still lives next door, in the same house she grew up in. She’s 99, she’ll be 100 in May. I do still ride, too, mostly dressage now.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I love pecan pie. Not the baking part, just the eating part. I have it for my birthday instead of cake.

What superhero power would you most like to have?

I’d love to fly. I think it’d be fun to have the sensation of flying. I spent the first 10 years of my life after college in the Marine Corps so I’ve jumped out of planes, done parachuting.

What’s your favorite travel destination?

We like to boat a lot, so we go to the Florida Keys and down through the Bahamas. It’s about an eight-hour trip from Sarasota down to the Keys.

If you could be a member of any TV show family, which would it be?

Hands down, ‘Yellowstone,’ the Dutton family. The premise is the family is trying to hold on to a multi-generational ranch and they’re fighting off developers and dealing with disputes in the family. Kevin Costner is the dad, John Dutton. It’s a little bit like the mafia of cowboys.

What are you freakishly good at (or bad at)?

Tiki Toss, you know, the ring toss game. I’m really good; my friends would say I’m possessed. I’m really bad at basketball … there are a lot of other things. Like knowing when to quit. That works really well in your favor sometimes, and other times not so much.

What’s one trend you wish would disappear?

I really think we’re over-digitalized. Maybe that’s a parent’s point of view, but people are on their devices way too much.