American fitness brand gets slow customer traction in Lahore F45, an American fitness brand represented by leading Hollywood stars and international sports personalities, started its operations in Lahore this month. The brand has a global footprint, with 3,682 franchises sold in 74 countries, including 2,042 studios.
However, it has yet to gain customer traction in Lahore. “I had been an F45 member back in the US, so I got excited after seeing their Instagram page and decided to visit the place. However, I was disappointed to see the chaos, especially with customer service, said Ahmed Raza (name change on request), a retired banker who lives in Gulberg Lahore.
According to him, F45 in Pakistan has yet to be able to match the caliber of the international brand he was expecting. “I realized poor services make most startups fail,” he said. Raza also said he is not the only one who has had this experience. “Everything is there except the right team.”
F45 is one of many foreign brands facing a bumpy ride in Pakistan. Around 90 percent of startups fail in Pakistan because of wrong priorities and people. The situation has led to a bigger question: why do otherwise successful brands in other parts of the world fail to survive in Pakistan?
Aly Fahd, the founder of Pak Launch, says the success of any venture depends on the team it hires. “One of the most common mistakes from the startup founders I have observed is that when they can raise funds, some forget why they started the venture in the first place and start spending in the wrong areas instead of people and process development,” says Fahd.
According to him, the venture grows or dies based on the team working on it. Hence, making good early hiring decisions and empowering the team is imperative. “Staying focused on the strategy and understanding your customer is also extremely important,” he says.
F45 Lahore response is yet to come.
