With Franchise Partners Roni Lewis and Shambrey Walker
Roni Lewis and Shambrey Walker are Franchise Partners of our Fayetteville, AR location, and Roni is the sole Franchise Partner of Springdale, AR. This duo packs a punch and has a fire within to make a difference in the lives of those around them. Whether it’s bringing an incredible workout to their members or raising thousands of dollars for charity, there is no ceiling to these women making an impact in their communities. Today we are diving into their business partnership, how they made it through these past two years opening their gyms, and Roni vulnerably shares about a very difficult season of life she endured.
How did you two find one another?
“We worked together in the apparel division for Walmart! We went to the very first pop-up camp hosted by the first Burn in Arkansas. We were totally bitten by the Burn bug. We went every day at noon. It was my happy place and it changed my life forever, for the better. I was just so excited to join another community.” -Shambrey Walker
What was the moment that you both decided to become business owners?
“Shambrey is the one that got me into Burn, but I’m the one who left corporate America first. I died after the first pop-up camp and couldn’t go back for 6 months! At the time, I was a plus-size apparel buyer while simultaneously planning my Burn workouts, meal prepping, and goal setting. I truly believe that to be good at something, you have to be all-in. I realized I needed to do something different because my professional work and my personal work were suddenly very divided” – Roni Lewis
What have you learned going into business with a friend and fellow coworker?
“It’s so nice working with someone who genuinely cares about you, because when we have to pour into other areas like our kids or family, the other one picks up the slack. We also have defined responsibilities and you have to let the other person truly own the process and do it their own way. You have to have trust in your partner that even if they don’t do it the way you would, you still support them. Don’t both try and do the same thing. Figure out your strengths and complement one another.” -Roni Lewis
Does one partner handle specific tasks and responsibilities, and the other handles what the other can’t? How do you balance the to-do’s based on your strengths and weaknesses?
“I am super Type A, task-oriented, organized and I love lists, numbers, and results!! I am driven by numbers and it’s how I lead my team. It gives me a competitive edge. I struggle with creativity, larger vision, and event planning. That’s all Roni. It’s been a learning curve to step back and let people flourish in their role and be hands-off and just let people do their job” –Shambrey Walker
Why Burn?
“Burn changed my life. I went to another gym that provided quote-unquote “childcare” and I ended up leaving within a few days. Burn’s childwatch was the big differentiator for me. I could soak in that 45 minutes for myself, I wasn’t running to the room to check on my little one. I trusted them.” –Roni Lewis
“Having the forums we do as Franchise Partners, and being able to connect with other owners in the system is huge. We can all learn from one another and grow as a collective to make each Burn location even stronger.” -Shambrey Walker
What do you attribute your success at Burn to?
“My passion. I know I’m in the right place. When I heard Devan’s speech when the lockdown started, and he encouraged all of us to hold the line, I just knew I was right where I was supposed to be. I texted Roni and she felt the same way in the same moment” –Shambrey Walker
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