How Mayara Neeraj Sharma Built A Brand That Made Fitness Fun

Mayara Neeraj MultiFit, Director at MultiFit, bagged SheThePeople's Digital Women Award 2024 in Hyderabad recently. The Digital Women Awards recognised Sharma for building MultiFit into what it is today - a premier functional and strength training brand. MultiFit gyms are the UK’s elite and India's largest functional and strength training brand. MultiFit was founded in the United Kingdom in July 2015 with the noble purpose of fostering a vibrant community of fitness enthusiasts dedicated to sharing and embracing the essence of fitness with everyone.

MultiFit's mission is to develop a broad community of fitness lovers who inspire others to adopt fitness as a practical and integral part of their lives. This functional fitness chain in India has a holistic approach toward the wellness of the individual's mind, body, and soul. Since its inception, MultiFit has rapidly expanded its presence to the UK, India, and the UAE, aiming to deliver its services globally. Sharma spoke with SheThePeople about her journey as an entrepreneur, why her fitness-focused mantras are key to her brand's success, and more. 

Here are some excerpts from the interview 

What role do you play at MultiFit, and what drives you toward the idea of fitness?

I am the Director at MultiFit, India's premier functional and strength training brand. Alongside my role at MultiFit, I excel as a national-level golfer, a TEDx speaker, and a former talk show host. In the 2020-21 season, I achieved the pinnacle of Indian golf rankings, leading the Order of Merit, and proudly represented India in tournaments held in the USA.

How did you use digital platforms and tools to build your business?

Technology and digital innovation have played a significant role in the growth and expansion of MultiFit. By leveraging these tools, we’ve enhanced the overall customer experience, expanded our reach, and created new revenue streams.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics within the app has allowed us to offer tailored fitness journeys, enhancing member engagement and retention.

We have leveraged social media platforms and digital marketing strategies to grow our community. From running fitness challenges on Instagram to engaging with fitness influencers, we’ve created an active online community that helps promote our brand. Additionally, our targeted ad campaigns have allowed us to reach potential franchisees and customers in new markets, contributing to our overall growth.

How do you envision your future with MultiFit?

Our future business strategy for MultiFit is rooted in aggressive growth and innovation, aiming to expand our presence both domestically and internationally. Over the next three years, our goal is to establish 100 new gyms, further solidifying MultiFit’s leadership in the fitness industry. We’re also bringing MultiFit workouts directly to our customers' doorsteps through advanced digital platforms, ensuring that our unique blend of functional fitness and holistic wellness is accessible to people anywhere.

Additionally, we are rapidly expanding MultiFit as a franchise label, both in India and overseas. This approach allows local entrepreneurs to partner with a trusted global fitness brand while offering the same high-quality, functional training experience that has become synonymous with MultiFit. Our international expansion is a key priority, ensuring that we continue to shape the future of fitness across borders.

What does your business model look like?

MultiFit operates on a dual business model comprising company-owned centres and franchises, allowing for both direct control and expansion through partnerships. This hybrid model ensures that MultiFit maintains its high standards of functional training and holistic wellness while leveraging the entrepreneurial spirit of franchisees to scale the brand rapidly.

To establish 100 gyms in the next three years, MultiFit is committed to growing its footprint in India and internationally. Franchisees benefit from MultiFit’s established reputation and support while helping the brand expand into new markets and communities.

Can you mention the funding you started with?

We are a self-funded company with the vision of developing a broad community of fitness lovers who inspire others to adopt fitness as a practical and integral part of their lives.

What are the key challenges you faced in this journey?

Building MultiFit came with its fair share of challenges, especially in the initial stages. One of the key hurdles was establishing ourselves as pioneers in functional training in a market dominated by traditional gym models. Educating people on the benefits of functional fitness and breaking their preconceived notions about conventional workout methods required time, effort, and a lot of innovation.

Another challenge was scaling the business while maintaining the same level of quality and personalization across all our centres. With rapid expansion plans both in India and internationally, ensuring consistency in our training methods, staff expertise, and customer experience was critical but complex.

The pandemic was another significant obstacle. We had to pivot quickly to digital platforms, offering virtual workouts to keep members engaged and adapt to changing circumstances. But these challenges only made us stronger, pushing us to innovate and continually improve our offerings while staying true to our mission of holistic wellness.