Unhappy Franchisee – Curves founder Gary Heavin and his wife Diane will be featured in an episode of the new “inspirational” ABC series “Secret Millionaire.”
We ask: Do Curves franchisees perceive Heavin’s Secret Millionaire participation as positive brand exposure that will benefit existing clubs?
Or do they perceive it as a slap in the face, an ego-fueled insult to the thousands of failed or failing Curves franchise owners who are now, themselves, suffering financial hardship by investing in Heavin’s franchise?
Feel free to share your view below.
There’s more to this story than it seems… – Gary Heavin
The promo clip for the episode begins with ominous music and a dramatic voiceover:
[Narrator:] “Tonight… A couple who has created a health club empire…
[Gary Heavin:] “We’re kind of the McDonald’s of fitness…”
[Narrator:] “…Will experience life in one of the nation’s poorest cities…”
[Diane Heavin:] “I’m not sure I understand poverty in America like this…”
[Narrator:] “…For six days days they will be stripped of all luxuries…”
[Gary Heavin:] “Six dollars and fifty cents a day… Wow…”
[Narrator:] ““…And assume new lives as secret millionaires… Looking for deserving people who need their help… In the end they’ll surprise community heroes with tens of thousands of dollars of their own money…”
[Diane Heavin:] “We really want to do something special…”
[Narrator:] “After revealing their secret identities as…”
[Gary Heavin:] “There’s more to this story than it seems…”
[Narrator:] “The Secret Millionaire.”
For six days they will be… looking for deserving people who need their help… – Narrator
A television show about the founders of Curves having to search for deserving people in financial crisis may strike some as a tad ironic.
The Wall Street Journal reported 1000 franchises Curves clubs failed in 2009 (Read CURVES: 1000 Franchise Clubs Failed Last Year). Since 2007, 2/3 of Curves domestic franchises – more than 2500 clubs – closed their doors. The financial toll on many franchise owners has been devastating.
On UnhappyFranchisee.com, failed and failing Curves franchise owners have reported that instead of receiving assistance and support from their philanthropic franchisor, they have received threatening letters, demands for closing fees and payments, and been mercilessly harrassed by an IL law firm/collection agency claiming to represent the Heavin’s company.
Curves franchisees, many of whom were “stripped of all luxuries” long ago, have voiced their discontent in more than a thousand comments on UnhappyFranchisee.com (Read CURVES: Robert Lay’s Story and CURVES: Curves Posts on Unhappy Franchisee).
None have, so far, reported receiving a call from Gary or Diane Heavin offering to do something special for them.
We really want to do something special… – Diane Heavin
The Secret Millionaire series will debut on Sunday, March 6 at 9/8c.
The short clip above is a teaser from one of the first episodes of Secret Millionaire, which features Diane and Gary Heavin, scheduled to air on April 3.
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I agree with the comments previously posted. The news media needs to be educated about what Gary and Diane's real "secret" is: They are liars. They steal and cheat thousands of innocent people every day. They definitely don't deserve one bit of positive recognition for giving money to the poor when they're stealing from the poor franchisees every day! This is so unethical and morally wrong. I understand the money they donate is going to help people in great need and for that I'm thankful, but the Heavins have a moral obligation to help their "family" of franchisee's first! I hope ABC does their homework before airing this episode.
What is the URL for posting on the ABC network re: The Secret Millionaire?
Thanks.
Whenever I even see the "Curves" name, it makes me cringe. I feel so sorry for ALL of us having to go through this. I closed my last club in May 2010. I have so many unresolved issues, but I feel better now, then I have in years. Stay strong!!!
I truly hope that the Heavins' get what they deserve!
There should be a show, "Secret's of Millionaires" that exposes Gary and Diane, and other millionaires who have benefited at the expense of others.
Maybe someone out there will hear us (LOL) and call Dateline or 60 Minutes and tell what is really going on in the Curves universe.
At this point I am convinced that CII is NOT at all interested in their francisees they are only interested in SELLING franchises. That is where the money is. I'm sure Gary Heavin figured out 10 years ago that having sucessful franchisees is not the point. IF he valued the franchisees that made him rich he would not have opened clubs on every street corner to the detriment of the sucessful clubs that were already in operation.
IMO he is going to open another frachise based on his idea of a weight-loss system. All of his focus has been on the weight-loss program, that way he can sell home based exercise and make women pay to lose weight. Gary Heavin is OBSESSED with Weight Watchers. He wants to take them down. He is a egomaniac without a conscience. PLEASE call/e-mail ABC about this program. Maybe we can stop it. Has anyone thought about a Facebook campaign?
Curves franchisee sent this by email:
"I just went to abc.com and entered a comment. I suggested that just prior to the show they run a 20/20 segment on Gary and Diane and how they've made their millions and how they've treated the owners of closed Curves. Suggest you advise all of your mailing list to do the same. Told abc it would definitely keep people tuned in to see this GENEROUS and GIVING couple...."
Great idea. Don't forget to link back to this post.
Cat wrote: "Has anyone thought about a Facebook campaign?
There is a Secret Millionaire facebook page that could be "Liked" and posted to, but probably not anonymously.
So many of my fellow franchisees have said exactly what I feel - and so eloquently! Thank goodness that my husband and I did not depend on our failed Curves (gave it 3 years of blood, sweat, tears, and hundreds of thousands of dollars!) for our livelihood. I'm an elementary schoolteacher who gave my whole teaching paycheck every month to the vampire called Curves! I worked 14 hour days and my husband did backbreaking work 7 days a week. I'm all about the fight baby! I am in the process of fighting Curves Legal for the contract "buy-out." My word for it is "extortion." Thanks for the great advice, I too am going to write to ABC. Have already planned to facebook my friends about this, just need some tech. help to really spread it. Curves is seriously deranged if they think they are getting another dime from me (I still have a huge loan to pay off!) or that they think they are entitled to any of my family's personal assets. Come on people, it's time for a revolution! Let's all write to ABC! Thanks to all who are fighting back, you inspire me!
Ok people .... sirously I feel for you all that lost it all because of someone..but even if you are all right and it was 100% because of GH why deprive someone of getting monitary help from him .. just close the chapter!! if GH is the crook you all seem to say he is, life will take care of him.. but one way or the other you will not get any $$ back from wrighting on this blog .. wishing harm to someone will just keep you from reaching your own goals..
Think about this... could the reason for the curves closure be the ressession, the fact that too many copy of curves oppened , the fact that larger Gyms incorporated Women only sections with circuit trainning , lady express , shape express, shape for women , fit express and a lot more 30 min concept virtualy do not exist anymore.. does all of those franchisor crook's ??? can you blame it all on them only?? well I did a personal test to see by calling 30 different club owner 15 of them from Curves my calls where all done between 8 Am and 10 Am on Monday
Wednesday and Friday from the same week of march 14th and the 18th
funny stuff.. only 18 owner where on location 12 where never there during those hours some of them only came in on friday's PM... I did not get any numbers but if you look at the failure rate 12 out of 30 is 40% wich supprisingly is the % of clubs closing during 2008 and now... look at it anyway you want do a similar test and you will see for yourself that if you add all the stated fact + an absenty franchisee
there is a big problem that no business can survive..
Gary H , is he realy 100% responsible?? probably not...
Marc,
We never said GH was 100% responsible. But he IS the FOUNDER of Curves International, representative of the entire business, and the one who is making the profit from charging us the franchise fees (5% of all franchise gross) and the advertising fee (3% of all franchise gross). With the ENTIRE LACK OF ADVERTISING, I believe we are entitled to an accounting of where our money is going--which GH does NOT believe we have any right to know.
Owners not present at the club?
You only called 30 of the over 4000 (of the original 10000 ) clubs left in the U.S.--18 owners were there. That was a damn good percentage of owners on the premises at the particular time that you called. Let's see why--it's because most of us are at another job, since the Curves is not supporting us. I am there 30-35 hours a week. I also spend another 5-10 hours a week marketing my Curves on my own-since we have no national advertising. We are EXPECTED to drive around the territory, handing out flyers and cards to every business in the town (each and every time the "special" changes!) We certainly can't afford to pay our employees to do it! We also have young children that have to be taken to school, picked up, taken to doctor's appointments, etc. Some of us have elderly parents we care for part-time. As in my case, I have a grown son with special needs to care for. No, I am not there every hour that we are open. I do have responsibilities in my life that are beyond my business. Some owners are there 16 hours a day, several times a week. Either way, the club does not make enough to pay its own bills. Most of us are using the money from ANOTHER JOB to pay the Curves' bills.
Would I like to close my Curves down and "just close the chapter" as you say?? YES! But my Franchise Agreement specifically states that I would owe Curves International a fine of $1190 a month for each month I close early. Let's add that up--I would owe a fine of over $20,000 if I closed right now. If I HAD $20,000, I would not have to close! This company has and continues to persecute those owners that owe the fine.
This company does NOT try to innovate or try anything new to increase membership. (When I use the word "company", I AM referring to Gary Heavin.) Clubs that went 24/7 hours of operation are being told at this moment to stop it or be shut down in May of this year. For many of these clubs. it is the only way they have been able to stay open at all.
The mistakes this company has made, and are still making, are not ensuring the survival of its franchisees. It is only interested in opening more clubs outside the U.S., over-ranchising there as well. In my case, there were originally 12 Curves in a 15 mile radius, five of which are closed. The rest of us haven't been able to pay ourselves a dime in 3-5 years. Is Gary Heavin responsible for over-franchising? YES, he is.
Yes, there are many factors that merge to cause the failure of a business. But a franchise has a responsibility to its franchisees to do its best to ensure their profitability. Listening to new ideas from those doing the grunt work should be of utmost importance and taken seriously. It has a responsibility to use the advertising money it collects for ACTUAL ADVERTISING. Franchisees should have the right to know where their fees are being spent. They should have a right to expect that the FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY would be interested in their success.
By the way, I am NOT AGAINST Gary Heavin giving money to those who are in need, nor am I wishing "him harm"! We, and I am speaking for many Curves owners out there--just want the world to know that Gary Heavin is NOT what he pretends to be. This show only perpetuates the fact that he enjoys the spotlight and notoriety, without having people know how he really runs his business, or what kind of person he really is.
Is he 100% responsible for the demise of Curves clubs in the U.S.? Pretty darn close!
Wow!!,
I see that I am right on the money when I say that problems like the one you have arent cause only by the founder of Curves but more because of many factors,
1 -is the fact that most owners have lost the passion (with reason or not) and the feeling that things will work out and the money will start rolling in.
2- Absenty franchisee will never have a triving business even if it was a Mcdonald!!
3- Familly , stress, money trouble , it's all real but understand that a business does not care about all this.. it has no hart, no brain but it will fail once it has reach the bottom.
4 - The territories This one I give it to you hand's down, to much of a good thing is never good.
5- Advertizing.. In their Disclosure Document 2010 it is writen that they recieved more than 20 Millions from their franchisees and that they spent only 1.8 million
you need to know where this money is!! a franchisor canot spent this kind of money anyway he choose, it's not his .. speak to an attorney..
6- the supporting role of a franchisor would be to find new way's for you to make money like the Curves smart..lol.. funny story is that Curves did make 2.3 millions out of the sales from Curves Smart!!! it could have worked but not with the hydraulics.. no way ever.. !!! I feel that If Curves want to implement some new product or services and let's say it a amazing idea and you have to spent 5 K no one would.. or would you ..??? Curves tomorow calls you to say we have the perfect way of brigning many new costumers to you .. send us 5K and it will work.. would you trust them?? I think NOT.. so Curves is at this point where eighter the 4000 franchisee joined forces and give it a final push or it will simply fail .. GH is doing exactly what any business man would do .. if there is no more fish in the pond find another one.. and another... this is why they dont sell in North America only in forein contries that dont ask to see the disclosure documents with all 43 pages fulle of closures...
Is there any way for you to make an offer to Curves to settle I have heard that 5K will do the trick.. then just start your own concept..!!
I feel seriously bad for anyone in this business.. you alwa'ys need to make some change , improove , take care of costumers all the time ,
On Thing no one has ever thaught of is that all Curves are opperated by triving women with a dream and for most of them they also have a family to take care of !!! Family will alway'S come first for a women and the men will rely on them to do so adding a stress wich besomes unbarable and will affect the business..
Good luck...