Andy Anderson is on a mission. His health and fitness franchise, Ultimate You, is determined to conquer ill health and an unconditioned mindset and inspire extraordinary change in one million lives across Australia.
He has quite the fight ahead of him. According to recent data:
- A whopping 60 per cent of Australians are overweight or obese.
- 8 people a day commit suicide in Australia.
“The stats are staggering,” says Anderson, a former carpenter who hails from humble beginnings in rural Australia. “Our mission has always been about providing the condition and discipline people need in order to stay consistent and sustain long-term results in health, fitness and wellness.
And that rate is impressive. In the span of four years, Ultimate You has grown from one location, founded in Melbourne in 2012, to 18 locations across the country and more than 5,000 members, becoming one of the fastest-growing health and fitness franchises in Australia.
Even more impressive is Ultimate Your’s success story during a time of great upheaval. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia in early 2020, rather than close its doors like many of its competitors, Ultimate You sprang into action, creating the UY University for members to experience online classes, not only for physical exercise and health but for their mental health as well. The company provides daily classes, mindset coaching, educational seminars and events, inspiring interviews
“Rather than wallowing and focusing on the negatives, my team and I have committed to taking massive action so we are stronger, faster and more agile coming out of COVID and charging into the future,” he says.
In 2021, as life begins to return to normal and the COVID-19 pandemic winds down due to the development of vaccines, Ultimate You will be ready. Its facilities are set to open 24/7and will introduce new “cutting-edge” programming, including:
- Boss Shred: to shred fat while building lean muscle.
- Boss Fit: to increase muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
- Boss Strength: to increase muscle strength and muscle mass.
- Alpha Shred: offering mindset, nutrition and training coaching specifically for men “who want to become the alpha of physical and mental wellbeing,” Anderson says.
- Shred Queen: similar to Alpha Shred, but designed specifically for women by Ultimate You managing director Andrea Hui using methods and techniques that have helped her win multiple awards in body-building competitions.
“We have always tried to evolve both from our years of experience and the feedback we have received from our clients,” Anderson notes. “Today, our workouts are more tailored, depending on the goal of the client: Do they want to build muscle? Do they want to shape their physique? Do they want to focus on endurance? We have specific programs for all of these goals.”
In addition to the programming side, Ultimate You is constantly improving and innovating the business end to ensure franchisees can thrive in a competitive marketplace. In the past year, the company has reduced overheads, streamlined operations, and automated sales and marketing systems—all aimed at coming out of the pandemic leaner, more efficient and more competitive than ever.
“We’re so passionate about providing unparalleled results, advanced tools, and scientific-based strategies,” Anderson notes. “Now more than ever, we realise how important our vision is and will do anything to make this a reality.”
That includes reality television. To help expand the company’s philosophy and reach, Ultimate You will be launching a mainstream TV show to be aired nationally across Australia called The Ultimate Transformation, which will focus on clients and their results.“Often the greatest companies use challenging times to break the mould and rise to a new standard,” Anderson says.