All in the Family: Mother-Daughter Duo Finds Success as Fitness Franchise Owners

Patrice and Melissa Elnicki are helping expand the Burn Boot Camp empire as franchise partners in Arizona

Burn Boot Camp, the rapidly growing group fitness franchise, is a “family business” in the truest sense of that term, even while boasting 400+ locations and 550 territories.

Of course, there’s Devan and Morgan Kline, the husband and wife duo who founded the brand almost a decade ago. But those familial ties extend beyond the executive level. Patrice and Melissa Elnicki, a mother and daughter pairing, are helping expand the Burn Boot Camp empire as franchise partners in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

“When I first joined Burn as a member it was seven years ago,” said Melissa. “I was in college looking for a fitness routine. I’d been an athlete before but once you’re not playing sports anymore you lose all of that community. Going to Burn, you instantly get that the second you walk in. I convinced my mom a couple of years later to join me and we started working out together. That created that bond between me and my mom at Burn.”

After finishing grad school, Melissa knew she wanted to work with Burn and became a trainer. Four years after that, she became a franchise owner before recruiting her mother to join her as a partner.

“I don’t think I would have ever imagined being able to work side by side with my daughter in a franchise,” said Patrice. “But back in 2018, she tried hard to convince me to come work out with her. I kept saying no, and then finally when I did, I fell in love with it.”

Building Confidence in Every Aspect

As former members, Melissa and Patrice know how Burn Boot Camp builds confidence within its members , meeting them at whatever fitness level they’re at and encouraging them with comradery and positive energy.

Burn workouts feature personal training in a small group setting, giving individuals distinct attention in an uplifting, team-oriented environment. Members undergo 45-minute “camps” combining strength and HIIT training — all on floating floors to protect joints and prevent injury. No camp is ever the same, as each day offers new workouts.

What the Elnickis didn’t know was how that attitude translates to the business side as franchise partners.

“Burn as an entire company focuses on building people’s confidence,” said Melissa. “As a member, you feel that. I was not expecting to get the same thing from headquarters but you truly do. Your confidence is built when you’re a member in your workouts, but when you go to headquarters and you start working with them, it is the same culture. Anything you need help with, they’re there,  from the most basic questions to the finest details.”

A Unique Approach to Franchising Education

Franchise partners learn the necessary skills to succeed as franchisees through Burn University, a one-week training program run by Burn Boot Camp HQ. All aspects of how to run a gym are covered to help franchise partners evolve into expert owners. Burn provides additional education options throughout the franchising experience.

“They touched everything from A to Z to make us the best franchise partners we could be,” Patrice said of her experience at Burn University.

The caring, family-like culture Burn has established in its business model shined through even during those initial stages of the process, the Elnickis shared.

“I was amazed when the Klines invited us to their home, brought us in and spent a whole morning with us just building that relationship,” Patrice added. “I thought that was special. The fact that they were willing to invite us into their home and show us that they were in this for the long haul with us was important to me.”

A Dynamic Duo

With their trust as mother and daughter, as well as their offsetting skills as business owners, Patrice and Melissa have developed into a finely tuned franchising machine behind the support from Burn.

“My mom and I are very different,” said Melissa. “I’m more in the gym. I like interacting with all the members, working with the staff, team building, making sure we’re efficient, executing all of the member experience and making sure everyone is getting the best Burn experience. My mom is much more behind the scenes.”

While Melissa leans on her athletic background to help her run in-gym operations, Patrice does the same with her business-oriented background. Before and during her time as a franchise partner, she’s served as the Director of Financial Accounting for Niagara Community College.

“We’re entirely different because she’s very outgoing and I sit at my desk, put on my little accounting hat and do all the work behind the scenes,” explained Patrice. “Melissa is out with the community and that’s great. What she does is absolutely fantastic in that aspect but I’m here to keep her in check, making sure that things are all in line.”

While the two were obviously close even before putting pen to paper with Burn, the franchising opportunity has brought the Elnickis together to an extent they never imagined.

“I get a little emotional because what I learned in this process is that my beautiful little girl has quickly grown up into a beautiful, intelligent and confident adult who is working to transform lives,” Patrice said. “Just the fact that we can partner together and go through this is something that I never imagined that I would be able to do with her. I can’t count the number of times that members have come up to me and talked to me about how special she is and what she has done to help them in their fitness journey.”

As they build their Paradise Valley location, both Melissa and Patrice mentioned purchasing additional franchise locations as a goal for the future. Having recognized what Burn has done for them, they want to extend its offerings to as many people as possible.

“Burn changed my life, they’ve changed my family members’ lives, my friends, and now the hundreds of members that I’ve worked with,” Melissa said. “I’m excited to get as many people into Burn as we can.”

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