As an NCAA Division 1 athlete at the United States Military Academy, Dan Murphy quickly learned the value of a strong team—for success, and for his own sanity: “West Point can be stressful, and the soccer team became my respite.” After graduating and serving in the Army, he was craving that community when he discovered D1 Training, at the time a small gym in Nashville focusing on group training programs and coaching, started by fellow former D1 athlete Will Bartholomew. Murphy jumped at the chance to join the brand, and 16 years later, he is COO of the fast-growing franchise with more than 50 locations and 111 more in development. That early lesson from his military days still holds true as D1 scales: There’s strength in numbers.
Was the plan always to franchise D1?
This story is from the Startups Spring 2021 edition of Entrepreneur.
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This story is from the Startups Spring 2021 edition of Entrepreneur.
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