Small Business Success Story: Hotworx

Hotworx isn’t your typical gym. That’s what initially drew Jamie and Bridgette Elgie to become members and, eventually, owners of their very own Hotworx franchise in Midvale.

The Hotworx fitness program is focused around infrared saunas, and the Elgie’s franchise has eight saunas where virtual instructors lead their clients through workouts.

Jamie shared insights on their entrepreneurial journey and what makes Hotworx different from a typical gym.

How did your business get its start? Why did you choose to open a franchise?

My wife many years ago got spinal meningitis. She had to get back surgery, and she was in a lot of discomfort. We lived in New England at the time, and there was Hotworx there. She thought that sounded interesting, and one of her doctors recommended exposure to heat as therapy for her back.

That got her hooked. It became a ritual for her, and it got me interested in the sauna and the science behind it. The key part is what saunas do from a fitness standpoint. That’s key part of why we got into this business. My wife was definitely the driving force behind this business decision. 

What do you want people to know about your small business?

It’s an infrared sauna, not a “wet” sauna. In wet saunas, you might find it hard to breathe, but it’s not as hard in an infrared sauna.

It’s semi-private as well. In our location, you’ll generally have a max of three people in them and most of the time you don’t have anyone else working out with you. That’s why we call it a studio and not a gym. When you’re only going to be working out with maybe one or two more people, it helps you feel at ease and more comfortable coming to the studio.

Also, it’s open 24 hours, so if you want to come in when there’s no staff, you have an app on your phone that will unlock the door.

Nowadays it seems are many different gyms and fitness studios, what makes yours different?

The interesting thing about saunas is that the heat stress has been shown to be helpful in terms of longevity. Because saunas increase your body temperature it ups the effectiveness of the workout. Your body has to work that much harder to keep itself cool on top of the exercise, so you burn more calories. I’ve personally noticed that after I work out, I don’t feel as much soreness. Your muscles are naturally warmed up by the sauna.

A couple of the bigger gym chains have started to add infrared sauna rooms for people to work out in, but at Hotworx, it’s much more private. We also tend to cater to women. 90% of our members are women.

How can people help support your small business?

We do monthly memberships. Once you’re a member you get an app. In the app, you can book sauna workout sessions. There’s barre. There’s yoga. There’s HIIT.

You book a session, and then you use your phone to open the door on the studio, come into the studio, and then you do your workout. That’s basically it. 

How has Zions Bank supported you in your journey?

We actually tried to get an SBA loan through Hotworx corporate. We ran into challenges mostly related to the primary lender who decided they didn’t want to lend to any more franchises. I decided to go check out Zions Bank and went to the Park City branch and met with Debbie Bump.

I’ll sing Debbie’s praises. I email her. I call her. It’s an instant answer. Zions Bank has a very big people-focus. Debbie has walked us through everything. She’s had a great support team at the Park City branch. She’s helped us navigate when we’ve run into challenges internally with our SBA loan. It’s been phenomenal.

In the world of banking now, community banking isn’t really a “thing” anymore. The nice thing with Zions Bank and with Debbie is that it’s still a “thing.

”Zions Bank’s team of relationship managers can help you find the right U.S. Small Business Administration loan* for your business. Apply for a business loan online anytime or visit a local Zions Bank branch to learn more.

*Loans subject to credit approval and SBA approval. Terms and conditions apply. See a banker for details.