Luke Carlson is the founder and CEO of Discover Strength, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Discover Strength’s personal training studios are among the highest volume and revenue training facilities in North America. Luke speaks around the world on leadership, management, and evidence-based exercise. Luke is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist, has a BS and MS in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota, and graduated from the Executive Leadership, Strategy, and Innovation program at Stanford University. He received an Honorary PhD from Solent University in Southampton, England.
Luke has presented to audiences in a variety of industries across the globe; he has been a featured speaker at FILEX in Australia, TaiSPO in Taiwan, ChinaFit, the Annual IHRSA Convention, the IHRSA European Congress, The Fitness Leaders’ Summit, the European Congress of Sport Science, Mindbody BOLD, Fitness Brazil, and the IHRSA Institute for Health Club Executives.
Founded in 2006, Discover Strength is a Minnesota-based strength training studio franchise built on the principle that busy people don’t have time to waste on exercise that doesn’t work. With 41 locations across 15 states, Discover Strength delivers 30-minute strength training workouts twice per week with exercise physiologists. They help their clients look and feel their best in a fraction of the time.
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Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations, before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.Franchise Chatter: How has your background shaped the way Discover Strength operates differently from traditional gyms?
Carlson: As both a strength and conditioning coach in the NFL and as a graduate student in exercise physiology, I learned that there was a significant disconnect between the scientific research and what people were actually doing in their workouts. We have so much great research — and working out is awesome — BUT combining the two is so much more powerful. This is the real purpose that underpins Discover Strength — bridging the gap between the science and practice.
Franchise Chatter: How do you ensure consistency and quality across locations, especially as the brand grows?
Carlson: This is a combination of strong on-boarding; a wonderful education team; Learning Management System; our “Summit Series” (quarterly events including the Annual DS Summit); Franchise Business Coaches constantly making visits; my own personal visits; and then most importantly, awarding owners who have high standards and understand the brand.
Franchise Chatter: As Discover Strength continues to expand, what markets or types of communities are you most excited about entering?
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When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.🔴Free Webinar: 6 Under-the-Radar Franchise Concepts That Serious Buyers Should Know
Every month we feature 6 standout franchises that could be the opportunity you've been looking for, each evaluated on disclosed financials and matched to the type of buyer most likely to succeed with it. Can't attend live on October 27 at 6PM EST? Register now and we'll send you the full recording the next day. Reserve your spot here.Carlson: Not every market — but almost every market. Discover Strength works well in a bustling urban center — but also works in a suburb. We’d like to continue to go to markets and open multiple locations so that we can build brand awareness within a market.
Franchise Chatter: What are the biggest challenges (and opportunities) you see in scaling a concept that’s so rooted in science and personalization?
Carlson: Our biggest challenge is gaining brand awareness in a market that is new to us. As soon as someone tries a workout, they are sold — and sold for life. They don’t want to go back to wasting time on less effective/efficient exercise.
Franchise Chatter: What do you wish the average American knew about fitness?
Carlson: Strength training is critically important and we don’t need very much of it! Twice per week for about 30 minutes will maximize our results. We don’t need much, but we DO have to do it with a high level of effort. We need to get close to the point of muscle failure on each set.
🎯Find Best-Fit Franchises Still Available in Your Target Area (Free Tool)
When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.📈Dreaming of Multi‑Unit Success? Lock In Prime Territories Before They're Gone.
Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations, before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.Franchise Chatter: Looking ahead, what does the next three to five years look like for Discover Strength in terms of growth, innovation, and brand evolution?
Carlson: Over the next five years, we’re focused on growing from our existing locations to 150 locations open and operating. Most importantly, we want all of those locations to be highly profitable and want the highest Net Promoter Score in the world. Ultimately, over five years, we want to be positioned as the best customer service company in the world, across all industries.
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