The Escape & Empower Franchise Podcast | Buying Your First Franchise
The Escape and Empower Podcast
Ready to escape the corporate grind and empower your future?
Join franchise experts Pete Gilfillan and Dave Greenberg on The Escape and Empower Podcast, your definitive guide to successfully transitioning from corporate employee to thriving franchise owner. Each episode provides honest, actionable insights tailored specifically for busy executives eager to achieve financial stability, build lasting wealth, and gain control over their destiny.
Whether you're exploring franchise ownership for the first time or ready to take the next step toward entrepreneurship, Pete and Dave offer straightforward, no-fluff discussions covering essential topics such as:
- Navigating the franchise buying process step-by-step
- Overcoming common fears and barriers
- Strategies for building wealth through franchising
- Insider advice on choosing the right franchise for your lifestyle
- Real stories and practical wisdom from successful franchisees
- Detailed explanations of franchise disclosure documents (FDD)
- Guidance on financing options and understanding investment costs
- Steps to confidently evaluate franchise opportunities
Empower your entrepreneurial journey today—subscribe and begin building your path to financial freedom and personal fulfillment.
Hosted by franchise industry leaders Pete Gilfillan (HireYourself.com) and Dave Greenberg (EmpoweredFranchisee.com).
The Escape & Empower Franchise Podcast | Buying Your First Franchise
“Just Run the Play”—Why Alloy’s Franchise Model Wins with Leadership, Not Fitness Experience
Escape and Empower Podcast with David Greenberg and Peter Gilfillan
In this episode of Escape and Empower, Pete and Dave sit down with Rick Mayo, founder and CEO of Alloy Personal Training, a fitness franchise transforming the way Americans over 45 invest in their health—and how high-performing executives are investing in Alloy to build businesses of their own.
Rick shares how his three-decade journey—from starting as a personal trainer to scaling Alloy into 100+ open units—has been guided by a single principle: build something meaningful, and make the playbook easy to follow. With a niche focus on an affluent, underserved demographic and an insanely high member retention rate, Alloy is proving that purpose-driven business can be wildly profitable.
In this episode, Dave and Pete discuss:
- From Trainer to Global Franchise Leader
Rick shares his evolution from bootstrapping a single facility to coaching thousands of fitness businesses around the world before launching Alloy’s franchise model in 2019. - A Recession-Resistant Niche That Sticks
Alloy’s focus on clients aged 45–65 gives franchisees a resilient, cash-rich customer base—one that values longevity, personalization, and wellness regardless of economic conditions. - Culture, Retention, and the “Surprisingly Personable” Advantage
With max capacity capped around 150 members, Alloy’s high-touch model and Ritz-Carlton-style customer gifting create deep loyalty and long-term revenue. - Leadership Over Fitness Credentials
The best franchisees aren’t gym pros—they’re people who can attract, hire, and lead a small team. Alloy’s systems, support, and EOS-driven coaching handle the rest. - Franchise Support That Actually Shows Up
With small-group accountability calls, real-time coaching, and a no-fluff Alloy “Bible,” Rick’s team delivers the tools—and the personal attention—to keep owners winning.
Key Takeaways:
- Alloy targets a wealthy, underserved customer base that isn’t price-sensitive
- You don’t need fitness experience—just leadership ability and coachability
- Alloy’s culture of retention applies to both clients and employees
- Their playbook is built from decades of coaching—just follow it
- Franchising with Alloy is about building wealth and leaving a legacy
CONNECT WITH PETER GILFILLAN
Meet with Pete: https://www.hireyourself.com/gilfillan/
Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
CONNECT WITH DAVID GREENBERG
Meet with Dave: https://calendly.com/empoweredfranchisee/virtual-coffee-with-dave-the-empowered-franchiee-web
Website: https://empoweredfranchisee.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-greenberg-entrepreneur/