9Round Franchising, LCC, was recently ranked number 112 in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500. This is the highest ranking the kickbox-fitness franchise has received on this list to-date in its seven consecutive years of inclusion in the list. 9Round also claims the fifth highest ranking out of a total of 21 brands in the Fitness Businesses category that made this year’s list.

Since its inception 40 years ago, the Franchise 500 has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors as well as a primary research tool for potential franchisees. 9Round’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

“Inclusion in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 ranking is one of the most highly sought-after honors in the franchise industry, so to have been featured on this list now for seven out of the 10 years since our brand was founded is thrilling,” said Shannon Hudson, founder and CEO of 9Round. “As we progress into 2019, we anticipate more success for the 9Round brand through continued international expansion of our network, beneficial updates to our current franchise model, and more.”

More than 1,000 brands applied to be included in the 2019 Franchise 500 list, making this year’s ranking one of the most competitive in the list’s history. The key factors that go into the evaluation for the Franchise 500 ranking include franchise costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranking order. 

“As we celebrate 40 years of producing the Franchise 500, it’s a good opportunity to step back and look at how much has changed since that first ranking in 1980,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur. “While the franchise business model has changed little, the strongest franchise brands are constantly evolving and innovating to keep up with changing trends and technology.”