Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby & Rachel Bryant.
Hi Abby & Rachel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We never really planned on owning a gym, but somehow, this is exactly where we’re meant to be.
A few years ago we started working out together at a local women’s gym. It became our thing. We’d go early in the morning, complain about being tired, then leave feeling like new people. Eventually, we started talking about how much we loved a space that was just for women.
So when the chance came to franchise that gym, we took the leap. We had no clue what we were doing, but we figured it out together. Signing papers we barely understood, painting walls ourselves, and praying people would actually show up. And they did.
But as time went on, it became clear that the support we needed wasn’t there. There was a lot of disorganization behind the scenes, drama within their staff, and decisions being made that didn’t reflect the values we believed in or the way we wanted to treat our members. So we made the scariest decision, we dropped the franchise and rebranded everything to become Thrive. Our own name, our own rules, our own way of doing things.
Thrive became exactly what we wanted from the start: a place where women feel comfortable, strong, and supported. A true women owned gym, built by women. We added small group training, and it’s still us running it all together. We build every workout ourselves, we know every member by name, and we care, probably way too much, but that’s the reason this place works.
We didn’t start with a big plan. We just loved fitness and believed we could create something better. And now, here we are, still unlocking the doors every morning, still figuring it out as we go, and still so grateful that we get to do this together.
We’re not going to pretend we have it all figured out. We’re still learning every day. And yes, we still need new members to keep this journey growing and alive. But we believe in what we’re building. We believe in this community. We are grateful to our loyal members who have stuck by our sides through everything. And we’re just getting started.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. We’re proud of where we are, but it came with a lot of learning the hard way. And we still have a long way to go.
In the beginning, franchising sounded like a safer route, but it turned out to be one of our biggest challenges. There was very little support, the leadership and staff dynamics were messy, and we often felt like our values didn’t match the direction we were being pushed in. It was stressful trying to build a community we believed in while also operating under a system that didn’t support us the way we expected.
Leaving the franchise and rebranding to Thrive was both terrifying and freeing. We had to figure out everything. From legal paperwork to new systems, branding, memberships, and making sure our members stayed with us through the transition. We questioned ourselves a lot and had moments where we wondered if we had made a mistake.
On top of that, running a gym is just hard. It’s early mornings, late nights, constant problem-solving, keeping members motivated, maintaining equipment, managing finances, and still trying to show up as our best selves for every woman who walks through the doors. And we’re still learning, we don’t pretend to have it all figured out.
But every challenge pushed us closer to building the gym we truly believed in. And that’s what makes it worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about THRIVE Fitness & Training?
Thrive is a women’s small group training gym with 24/7 access built on community, accountability, and real results, not just fitness trends or fancy equipment. We specialize in small group training and structured workout programming that’s designed, tested, and coached by us and our trainer, Tamra. Every workout has intention behind it, different muscle focus, different style, but always doable, challenging, and results-driven.
What sets us apart is how personal it is here. We know our members by name, we know their goals, their injuries, their wins, and even their bad days. You’re never just a key tag or a membership payment, you’re part of something. We’re in the workouts with you, coaching, encouraging, adjusting form, and pushing you in a way that feels supportive, not intimidating.
We built Thrive to be the opposite of the typical gym experience, No judgment, no walking in and feeling lost, and no pressure to “fit in.” Instead, it’s real women, real bodies, real progress. Whether it’s someone’s first time stepping into a gym or they’ve been training for years, we make sure they feel comfortable, capable, and seen.
Brand-wise, we’re most proud that we stayed true to who we are. We left a franchise to create something that actually aligns with our values, and our members feel that difference the second they walk in. The environment is welcoming but structured, friendly but focused, and built on genuine care, not sales or numbers.
For anyone reading this, we want you to know Thrive isn’t just a gym. It’s a place to get stronger physically and mentally, to be held accountable, to laugh, to sweat, and to be surrounded by women who want to see you win.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes us happiest is watching women walk into our gym unsure, nervous, or doubting themselves and then watching them grow into confident, strong versions of who they are. Seeing someone lift more than they thought they could, show up even when life is hard, or finally say “I’m proud of myself”. Those moments make everything worth it.
We’re happiest when the gym feels like more than just a gym. When someone stays after class to talk, when friendships form between members who didn’t even know each other a few weeks ago, when someone tells us this is the first place they’ve ever felt comfortable working out, that’s when we know we’re doing something right.
It’s not about numbers, sales, or being the “perfect” business owners. It’s about knowing we created a space where women feel safe, strong, and supported. We’re happy because every day we get to wake up and do this together, just like we started, and be part of these women’s journeys in a real, meaningful way.
That’s what keeps us going. That’s why we love what we do.
Pricing:
- $50/mo for 24/7 access
- $125/mo for unlimited classes & 24/7 access
- $50 for 4 sessions
- $100 for 10 sessions
- $175 for 20 sessions
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thrivefittrain.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivefittraining/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567984258294#
