From Harvard Law to Crunch Fitness: Chequan Lewis on Leadership, Franchising, and Building Belonging
About this episode
Dr. Kathy Gosser interviews Chequan Lewis about his leadership journey and insights on franchising and building a culture of belonging at Crunch Fitness.
Today Dr. Kathy Gosser sits down with Chequan Lewis , President of Crunch Fitness , to discuss his remarkable leadership journey from Howard University and Harvard Law School to the helm of one of the world's fastest-growing fitness franchises. Originally aspiring to a career in public service, Lewis began as a litigator before joining Pizza Hut as a franchise attorney, where a pivotal conversation with Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs led him into operations. That decision ultimately propelled him to become Pizza Hut U.S. Chief Operating Officer and the company's first Chief Equity Officer before taking the reins at Crunch Fitness. Drawing on his unique blend of legal, operational, and strategic leadership experience, Lewis shares how learning the business at the unit level shaped his leadership philosophy and why building repeatable systems, listening deeply to franchisees, and leading with humility and intentionality are essential for sustainable growth. He also explains what sets Crunch Fitness apart in a crowded marketplace, from delivering high-value experiences at affordable prices to fostering a culture of belonging through the brand's signature "Crunch-isms." The conversation…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Kathy Gosser
Guest: Chequan Lewis
Topics covered
- leadership
- franchising
- fitness industry
- operational excellence
- franchisee engagement
- organizational culture
Keywords
- leadership journey
- franchising
- Crunch Fitness
- operational leadership
- franchise growth
- culture of belonging
- Pizza Hut
- Yum! Brands
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Crunch Fitness, Howard University, Harvard Law School, Pizza Hut, Yum! Brands, Pizza Hut U.S.
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