Rae Dillard, owner of MADabolic Atlanta, has been part of the MADabolic system for nearly a decade.
Originally from Atlanta, Rae went to Georgia Tech, where she competed in long jump and 100-meter hurdles as a member of the track team. After returning to Georgia Tech to complete her MBA, Rae moved to Charlotte, North Carolina for a corporate role. Not long after moving to Charlotte, Rae found MADabolic while looking for her fitness home in her new city. She was instantly hooked, but she wouldn’t have imagined the journey this new gym would open up for her.
Within a year, Rae onboarded as a trainer. She continued to coach classes part-time for nearly six years until last summer when she took a leap of faith and left the corporate world to take ownership of the MADabolic studio in her hometown of Atlanta.
This summer marked one year of business ownership for Rae and MADabolic’s fourth year of operation in Atlanta. She shared some of her takeaways from her experience:
Q: What was it like to transition from being a long-time trainer to being an owner?
A: “Being on staff in Charlotte was a great experience because I was surrounded by such a strong team that supported my growth. Being part of the team in Charlotte helped me to become a strong trainer, and the energy and support inspired me to pursue this step into ownership. What I do on the gym floor hasn’t changed, but as the franchise owner, I have a lot more responsibility. I’m always thinking about what I can do more of or how we can continue to improve.
The back-end side of running the business was the biggest learning curve for me. I’m a single owner, which means I had to learn how to conduct every element of running the business and remember to do it all. It’s a lot of balls to keep in the air at once.”
Q: What kind of support or resources has MADabolic provided in your ownership journey?
A: “MADabolic offers a strong franchise system and a growing wealth of resources. I appreciate that other owners within the system are willing to share insight and help you learn things along the way. Whether it’s MADabolic’s corporate team or other franchise owners, you can always reach out, and everyone is always willing to help each other.”
Q: What has been your biggest success over the last year?
A: “Seeing our member base grow and developing more of a community vibe within our walls. We have regular socials and a growing network of clients who have gained enthusiasm about MAD Atlanta and everything we offer here. I still have big goals for the continued growth of the studio, but I’m pleased that we’ve trended in the right direction with our member base over the last year. I’m pumped to see MADabolic Atlanta grow its own voice.”
Q: What has been your most challenging experience over the last year?
A: “I’ve experienced a lot of unexpected challenges I couldn’t have predicted would go along with ownership. In my first month of owning the studio, I had to close the gym because of a sewage backup. Last week my delivery service couldn’t bring our water to the studio, so I had to drive an hour round-trip to go pick it up at their warehouse. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes that you can’t plan for or predict. I try to do all the little things right along the way and be ready to pivot when the unexpected comes my way. One of the biggest personal lessons I have learned over the last year is the importance of flexibility and letting go of things I can’t control.”
While Rae has seen her ups and downs over the last year, she’s rightfully proud of the growth MADabolic Atlanta has experienced under her leadership and has much to look forward to as she moves ahead. Congratulations to Rae and the MADabolic Atlanta team as they celebrate four years in business!
MADabolic has nearly 90 studios operating or in development across the country. As the industry’s first and only strength-driven interval training franchise, MADabolic offers a results-driven strength training program, structured resources to ensure the success of studio owners, and a team of experts behind the brand.
For more information about the MADabolic franchise opportunity, please visit www.madabolic.com/own-a-madabolic.
