When Allison Bradley and Erica Ames opened their first Burn Boot Camp unit, adaptability was the name of the game.
But that’s a given when you open in early 2020, two weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States.
“It’s how we were raised. We don’t have that give-up mentality,” Bradley said. “We’re going to work harder for success.”
The duo maintained that mindset over the last five years as they operated two locations of the group fitness concept, in Oceanside and Poway, California, and recently signed on for a third.
The longtime friends—they met in middle school—began attending Burn Boot Camp workouts while living in Charlotte, North Carolina, near where the company is based. After moving to California, they decided to become franchisees in a brand that allows them to tap into their backgrounds: Ames specialized in sports medicine and athletic training, while Bradley’s background is in business marketing.
Allison Bradley, left, and Erica Ames are multi-unit Burn Boot Camp franchisees operating in California.
“We were so addicted to Burn Boot Camp as members. I don’t remember missing a day. We were driving in snow and rain and ice just to make sure we got to camp every day,” Ames said. “I think from our really good experience with Burn, you can learn the business side of things. We really had a good understanding of what we wanted our gyms to look like based on our experience.”
Ames and Bradley set up virtual camps during their first three months of operation. When pandemic restrictions began to ease up, they held outdoor classes at their gym’s parking lot. (An unintentional nod, perhaps, to founders Morgan and Devan Kline, who launched the concept in 2012 in a North Carolina parking lot.)
“It made our community stronger,” Bradley said. “We had community members bringing their friends because everyone was so hungry for community. I truly think that really set us apart because we bonded over such a crazy experience.”
The pair have since grown a successful operation out of San Diego County, with more than 500 members at each unit. Burn Boot Camp’s franchise disclosure document reported its units have an average of 356 members.
Sales have skyrocketed as a result, with the Oceanside and Poway units reporting nearly $1.2 million and $1.3 million in sales, respectively. The company’s average unit volume was $680,997 last year, according to its FDD.
Their work hasn’t gone unrecognized by the brand, which named them as franchise partners of the year in June.
“We just do it because we love it. We love our team. We love our communities … and it’s an insane honor,” Ames said. “There’s so many people we have been mentored by in ‘Burn Nation’ that have helped us along the way, so to be at the same table with some of these people we’ve idolized for so long just didn’t feel real at the time. It’s been incredible, and we’re definitely honored to have had that recognition.”
Burn Boot Camp has more than 400 locations and last year did $265 million in systemwide sales. Its 45-minute classes blend strength training and conditioning with high-intensity interval workouts.
Related: Multi-Unit Franchisees Help Drive Burn Boot Camp’s Rise
Ames and Bradley split up duties and make an effort to be in their gyms, with the former taking on training manager responsibilities and the latter overseeing their director of operations.
Curating the right team has been the key to success—and taught them a few lessons along the way.
“We’ve made a lot of mistakes with hiring too quickly, waiting to get rid of someone who wasn’t serving the mission,” Ames admitted. “I think that’s a huge part of it—accepting that mistakes are going to be made, and it’s just part of growth. Failure doesn’t mean you failed; it just means you have to approach things differently.”
“When we do hire, we want to make sure those people are aligned with Burn’s core values and their mission,” Bradley continued. “It’s easy in the beginning to fill a spot on your team because you’re panicking and you need that coverage. But long-term success is making sure team members brought in truly love the brand as much as you do, care about your mission and want to change lives.”
Ames and Bradley are in the process of selecting their third unit’s location, hoping to complete their “little triangle in San Diego County” in the first quarter of 2026.
While the friends haven’t ruled out additional units or becoming multi-brand operators down the line, continued success with Burn Boot Camp takes precedent.
“Allison and I have really strong work ethics. I don’t think failure or not being successful was ever a part of who we are,” Ames said. “Leadership and that growth mindset and being a hard worker is who we’ve tried to find in our team members because it definitely does trickle down from the top.”