Our franchisees come from a variety of backgrounds, but share one common trait: they have a passion for helping others.
This couldn’t be more true for Major Tommy Dunaway, a Marine Corps veteran and owner of the North Arlington, TX club.
The day after graduating from high school, Tommy left for Recruit Training. In over a decade of service, he served in Iraq, Bahrain, and Thailand. During his time in Iraq, Tommy started browsing postmilitary career options. “I read a lot about the Veterans Franchise Initiative, which led me to fitness franchises,” Tommy said. “In the process of researching fitness center franchises, I came across Snap Fitness and fell in love with the Snap brand.”
For Tommy, running a fitness-focused business played perfectly into his strengths. “As I moved up the ranks in the Marine Corps, I was in charge of physical training in different units,” Tommy said. “I’m naturally entrepreneurial and had a strong desire to be self-employed.”
After leaving the Middle East in March 2012, Tommy opened his club in April 2012. Two benefits of being a Snap Fitness franchisee are the flexibility and freedom this career provides. Tommy said he’s had more time to spend with his growing family and complete his MBA – something that “wouldn’t be possible with a more traditional 9-5 job.” “Running a Snap Fitness club is full of challenges, but the rewards are great,” Tommy said. “I am my own boss and have a front row seat to watching people transform their lives.”