UBX has taken the world of fitness by storm, blending the intensity of boxing with the versatility of functional training to create a unique experience for all. Co-founded by Tim West and four-time world champion boxer Danny Green in 2014, UBX has quickly expanded across 7 countries, redefining what it means to train like a boxer.
With a unique no-timetable format and accessible training for all fitness levels, UBX is building the world’s largest boxing community. In this interview, Tim shares insights into the brand’s origins, franchising journey, and the vision driving its global growth.
How did you enter the franchise business?
UBX began franchising after launching its first pilot gym in Brisbane in 2015. The innovative blend of boxing and functional training quickly gained popularity, leading to multiple requests from members to open their own clubs. Recognizing the potential, co-founders Danny Green and Tim West systemized the operation to ensure consistency and scalability.
They opened a second pilot gym to test the repeatability of their model. The success of these pilots confirmed the viability of franchising. By 2016, they sold the first 15 franchises to members or friends of members from the initial clubs. This grassroots approach laid a strong foundation for UBX‘s rapid expansion, making it one of the fastest-growing boxing franchises globally.
Where and how did the idea of your concept come from?
UBX was co-founded in 2014 by Tim West and four-time world champion boxer Danny Green. Tim, with a background in gyms and tech start-ups, approached Danny with the idea to combine boxing with functional training. Tim noticed that while boxing was popular in fitness, it hadn’t scaled like other boutique gyms. Traditional boxing gyms were often intimidating and focused on getting people into the ring. With UBX, Tim aimed to bring authentic boxing training to the masses without the fear of getting hit, making it accessible to everyone. Danny was intrigued and insisted on authenticity, replicating the training he did for world title fights.
They tested the concept with a pilot gym in Brisbane in 2015, which quickly gained popularity. By 2016, the first UBX franchise was launched. pilot gym in Brisbane in 2015, it quickly gained popularity, and by 2016, the first UBX franchise was launched.
What inspired the brand name?
The name is phonetic “You-Box” and aligns with our mission to become the world largest boxing community. We believe everybody should include boxing into their fitness mix so statements like “you should box” and “you can box” naturally morphed into “You Box”, then UBX as it is both a symbol and phonetic representation of the intent of the brand.
Given we believe boxing is universal we believe the name shouldn’t be an english word.
What is the story behind the brand’s logo?
The logo was designed to be simple and clearly articulate the product. The elements of the UBX logo is simple, clean and works in all applications and Boxing + Strength is simply what the product is.
What makes your brand different from your competitors?
UBX stands out from competitors by rethinking both boxing and group training to create a unique, inclusive experience. Unlike traditional gyms, UBX combines boxing and strength training in an ultra-flexible format, eliminating class timetables and bookings. This allows members to work out on their own schedule.
Our workouts cater to all fitness levels, from professional athletes to new mums. We offer non-contact boxing training that replicates professional methods without the intimidation of getting hit. Our goal is to democratize boxing, making it accessible to everyone and building the world’s largest boxing community.
What are the essential qualities that you look for in a franchisee?
At UBX, we believe that the success of our franchisees is integral to our overall mission. Therefore, we look for individuals who meet our criteria of Competency, Capital, Capacity, and Culture Fit.
1. Competency: We seek franchisees who demonstrate the ability to effectively run a business within their targeted operational model, whether as an active investor or owner-operator. This includes skills in building, leading, and inspiring a team, completing all business tasks outside of coaching, utilizing software platforms, following a structured game plan, and excelling in sales and relationship-building both in-person and digitally.
2. Capital: Franchisees must have the required capital, which includes cash, finance, and incentives, to cover the total capital requirements. Additionally, they should have an extra 3-6 months of working capital to ensure stability during the initial phase of their business.
3. Capacity: We assess the potential franchisee’s external interests, such as full-time jobs or other businesses, to ensure they have the time to properly set up and manage their UBX franchise. This is particularly crucial during the three months before and after opening.
4. Cultural Fit: Given that UBX is a service-oriented business, we value franchisees who can empathize with members and staff. Naturally combative individuals may not be the best fit. We also look for those who understand our ambition and intention as a franchise, appreciate our proven business model, and recognize that not every element needs to be reinvented.
By focusing on these qualities, we ensure that our franchisees are well-equipped to contribute to the growth and success of UBX.
How long does it take, on average, for your franchisee to realize their investment?
We design our clubs to reach breakeven with 120-130 members. Typically, our pre-sale efforts secure over 100 memberships before the club opens, so most clubs start close to the breakeven point.
From there, the speed of return varies based on the capital outlaid, financing, and performance. There are instances within our network where clubs have opened above breakeven and realized their investment within the first 18 months.
What was the major challenge you faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
In 2002, I launched a product called Fittxt, essentially a pre-smartphone fitness app. I designed this to address the scalability issue of personal training, which is limited by available hours and revenue capacity. Fittxt, marketed as “The personal trainer in your pocket,” was an instant success, with large fitness brands and companies like Virgin Airlines piloting and promoting it.
The app offered a free week and then transitioned to a $2.50/day subscription. Six months post-launch, we had thousands of subscribers, strong partnerships, and significant growth.
However, a major challenge arose. The product was not only pre-smartphone but also pre-mainstream online credit card purchasing and pre-capped mobile plans. Our subscription fees were added to the mobile phone plan and paid through the telco. When telcos decided to cap plans and ended this payment method called “premium SMS,” we lost our charging mechanism. With no runway or funds to pivot, the product became unsustainable.
Eighteen years later, when COVID-19 hit and shut down 80% of our business overnight, this experience enabled us to respond swiftly. We launched our UBX Train-on-Demand fitness app within 48 hours, leveraging the lessons learned from the Fittxt experience to adapt quickly and effectively.
What is your best achievement?
In business, my best achievement is building the team that we have. Not only is the team highly skilled, diverse, and committed, but some of my team members have been a part of my past business ventures and have come full circle to be a part of building UBX with me.
UBX as a brand is an authentic extension of my love for sport and the camaraderie that comes with it, and our team shares those same values. The culture of our company has organically developed from our collective passion for what we do, and a vision to share that with as many people as possible.
How does your business day start?
Simple; I am up at 5am and train before heading into the office.
What was your best moment throughout your franchise career?
My best moment throughout my franchise career was launching UBX Japan. It was incredible to see UBX authentically adapted to the Japanese culture. This achievement validated our global aspirations in a way that opening in another Western market couldn’t.
There was a significant risk that it wouldn’t translate, but we trusted in the universal appeal of boxing and strength training and partnered with a team that truly understood our vision. They had the skills, resources, and integrity to preserve and enhance the essence of UBX, making only the necessary changes to appeal to the Japanese market. Today, Japan is one of our strongest markets, and this success has been very satisfying.
Where do you see your brand in the next 5 years?
Achieving its goal to become the world’s largest boxing community and the first brand that comes to mind when someone wants to try boxing.
Any tips you want to impart to our readers who want to be in the franchise industry?
For those looking to franchise an idea, I would suggest they thoroughly examine their business to see if the key attributes that contribute to their success can be systemized. This means ensuring that the critical aspects of the business can be replicated to at least 70% of their original quality by someone else. It’s essential to consider whether the processes, operations, and customer experience can be standardized and maintained by franchisees. Some businesses that don’t lend themselves well to franchise levels of systemization are better off remaining as great owner-run lifestyle businesses.
For those looking to purchase a franchise, I recommend they first decide whether they want to follow a system and plan. The more consistent a franchise is, the better. Success comes when franchisees and franchisors work as a team.
To know more about UBX, visit https://worldfranchisecentre.com/franchise/ubx/
