While the majority of weight loss brands focus on just those who need to lose significant weight, this growing franchise offers solutions for everyone; eyes more growth on heels of big franchise agreements.
Article By Alex Lockie 1851 Franchise Editor
BeBalanced, a 25-location, holistic, non-medical weight loss and stress-management franchise, didn’t wait for the competition to make space for it. Instead, the brand propelled itself into uncharted territory to create a whole new business category in what its owners call a “blue ocean strategy.”
“In our business, you have weight loss, which always focuses on obesity,” said David Cutillo, CEO of BeBalanced. “But we’re not targeting obese clients. The average woman over 35 years old has 15 to 40 stubborn pounds they can’t lose. They also have other symptoms that don’t relate to weight loss, like hot flashes, lack of sleep, low energy, mood issues, etc. Our blue ocean strategy is much bigger than weight loss — it straddles two multi-billion dollar industries: the hormone therapy industry and the weight loss industry. We combined both industries but made it totally natural to appeal to a broader audience.”
Instead of fighting to become another forgettable weight loss program or a niche hormone therapy treatment, Cutillo led the company from the “red ocean,” where there’s blood in the water and lots of competition, into an entirely new category, or a “blue ocean.”
The result is that BeBalanced targets a whole new sector of customers that the weight loss industry and the hormone therapy industry have missed out on. While the weight loss industry is clouded with snake oil salesmen and fad diets, the hormone therapy sector suffers from a lack of education and understanding. Simply put, most consumers wouldn’t know how to use hormone therapy to treat weight loss, or that balancing their hormones would lead to weight loss.
Noel E. Koenke, the regional natural hormone balancing specialist with BeBalanced’s Frisco, Texas location, said that she gravitated towards working at BeBalanced because she saw how it successfully mixed hormone therapy and weight loss.
“I know I had considered working for Weight Watchers at one point and had also considered working for other weight loss programs, but BeBalanced is superior, by far!” Koenke said. “Most women don’t understand the missing key to their weight loss is hormone balance, specifically natural hormone balance. So many women here in Texas use bio-identical pellets to help with energy, low libido, vaginal dryness and hot flashes/night sweats, but that treatment can still cause multiple unwanted symptoms like weight gain, insomnia, anxiety, migraines, fluid retention, etc. Natural hormone balancing improves all of these symptoms while also releasing stubborn weight.”
According to Cutillo, outside-the-box thinking has led BeBalanced into an entirely new market segment, where it leads by standing head and shoulders above the rest.
“When we created BeBalanced, we didn’t use competition as our benchmarks,” he said. “Instead, we focused on creating value for our clients. Now, you’re not just losing weight, but you’re also sleeping better and feeling great.”
By creating a new category of business, Cutillo has created something that appeals to people who wouldn’t have even been customers of a typical weight loss brand.
“Our customers have tried diets and exercise, and it didn’t work,” said Cutillo. “They’re not obese women, just women with an extra 15 or so pounds they can’t shake. We’re not targeting the extreme cases with body mass, but the majority of people who could stand to lose a few pounds they picked up over the years. By focusing on this often-ignored sector, we create an entirely new market with our blue ocean strategy.”
The blue ocean model also applied to the brand’s franchise growth. In 2021, the brand plans to open new locations and award new franchisees.
“There are certainly big players in the weight loss industry. We are building a business opportunity that is for those that want in, but missed out on investing in those larger brands,” Cutillo said. “We feel that with a strong point of differentiation on the consumer and product side, we are well-positioned to own a strong share of the ‘what’s next in weight loss’ category through the help of great franchisees.”
About BeBalanced Natural Weight Loss Centers
Founded in 2007 and franchising since 2015, BeBalanced is a Pennsylvania-based franchise of non-medical, Holistic centers, helping women lead their best lives through natural solutions to stubborn weight, PMS and menopausal symptoms. Today, there are 25 centers open and operating throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas, Minnesota, Florida, New York, Arizona and Virginia.
If you have ever considered owning a rewarding business that is helping to change the lives of others, BeBalanced could be the right fit for you! To learn more visit our franchise section today.