The LIT Method is a brand borne out of the co-founder, Justin Norris’ experience as a teenager. When he was only 15, Justin experienced a life-threatening injury and severed a major artery in his arm. Justin’s life was under threat, and amputation of his arm was considered. However, committed work from the hospital and doctors saved his arm, but he was told that the arm would never regain full mobility, and that high-impact sports are off the table.
Justin spotted a gap in the market for low-impact training when he started using resistance bands during his rehabilitation process, and how it could help people who couldn’t physically cope with high-impact training. Today, Justin and Taylor’s brand has backing from the likes of Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners and MLB All-Star Adrian Gonzalez.
We spoke to Justin and Taylor about the franchise model for LIT Method, the celebrity backing and the pair’s plans for the brand.
RP: Did you ever have to adjust your store plan and model when you approached franchising your concept?
JN: Yes, we had to a little bit due to the size. Our flagship studio in West Hollywood is 5,000 sq. feet, but it serves multiple purposes. We’ve got the showroom, a full production set and multiple team members in there.
So, when we went to franchise this business model, we wanted to maximize every square foot possible. We decided to shrink down that square footage to between 2,000 to 2,500. That way, we can still have 30 to 40 participants per class and maximize the square footage.
TN: What’s unique about our equipment, our strength machine, our proprietary equipment is that it serves all the modalities on one machine. So you’re really not having to circuit train, you have to have your one station, and then you have one client on that one station that entire time. You can perform rowing, pilates, strength training and recovery all on that one station.
JN: I think that also helps with post-pandemic and where we’re currently at with touchpoints. You want to have your own station and touch your own things.
RP: Do you think that you’ve added something really new and innovative to the fitness landscape?
JN: I think we are changing the fitness landscape. There’s a misconception that strength training means weight training, and that’s just not true.
With our proprietary equipment, we have over 100 pounds of resistance using resistance bands. What really makes our brand and our equipment very special is the fact that we’re built on versatility. You can use one piece of equipment for rowing, reforming, strength training, performance and another 500 plus exercises.
“What makes our relationship so great is that we challenge each other and work well together. We stay in our own lanes when we need to”
As a wellness and tech company, we will continue to innovate and change the landscape from the digital side as well.
This is the first of its kind of hybrid model where there is no cap for the franchisee, and you could literally make as much revenue as possible outside of your four walls with our digital memberships.
TN: As entrepreneurs and being a husband-and-wife couple, it was important that we gave our franchisees the opportunities that we did not have. We saw caps where we could only host so many people in class and run so many hours a day.
But by offering to sell our equipment and with a 50 per cent revenue share, and then digital memberships on top of that, we can offer a lot of value.
RP: With the way your brand is growing, do you think that you’ll be an international brand within five to 10 years?
JN: I think more along the lines of the five-year timeline. We already have subscriptions spread out in the U.K., Australia, U.S. and Canada. They’re already requesting that we bring the machines there. As we start to roll out our expansion plans, we know exactly where we want to be.
We will be releasing a new product shortly that will be available globally.
RP: We’ve seen one fitness brand enter the Metaverse, do you think that’s something you may go for in the future?
JN: Never say never with us. We love to challenge each other and I think that nothing is really off the table with our company and our brand. We will listen to our community and we will continue to innovate and explore those opportunities as we feel fit.
RP: Beyond their investments, do you think the celebrity endorsements have helped you reach more people than you would have otherwise?
TN: With their partnerships, they’ve been very hands-on as our partners and investors. So yes, in that respect, and obviously, Jay-Z is a very well-known name, so that can’t hurt.
JN: Yes, and I think it’s really about strategy. Everybody gets caught up on the Jay-Z name and Adrian’s too, but what people don’t realize is how involved they truly are with the companies they invest in.
Adrian has played a massive role in the new product that we’re developing right now and the way that we’re going to launch it too.
“This is the first of its kind of hybrid model where there is no cap for the franchisee, and you could literally make as much revenue as possible outside of your four walls with our digital memberships”
As far as Jay-Z goes, we’re partnered with Marcy Venture Partners, and they have a great team with Larry Marcus, J. Brown, and Jay-Z. They’re very hands-on and they’re really good at strategy and ways to take the company forward. They’ve just been fantastic partners.
Touching on what Taylor says, having Jay-Z be part of this company definitely adds fuel to a burning fire.
RP: How is franchising as a husband-and-wife duo?
TN: We’ve been actually working together for nine years. It’s like second nature to us.
JN: What makes our relationship so great is that we challenge each other and work well together. We stay in our own lanes when we need to. Taylor does all the branding and design for the entire company; I do all the function.
So, if she asked me what paint colors to use, or what this product should look like, we don’t go down that road. You don’t want me making decisions without her, trust me!
We’re really excited to share our story with other husband and wife teams, founders and entrepreneurs. If we can do it, they can do it.
