Forrest Walden

FORREST WALDEN is the Founder & CEO of Iron Tribe Fitness, the fastest growing, limited-membership, group fitness franchise in North America. Recognized by Entrepreneur, The Wall Street Journal and CRM Magazine, his model has captivated the business world with its uncompromising vision, operational excellence, lightning-fast growth and commitment to giving back.

Fitness is in Walden’s blood. A former Auburn University cheerleader, he’s made fitness a career since 1996. After organically gaining 30 pounds of muscle in college, others starting asking him how to get into shape. Before he knew it, he was in the personal training industry. He learned his craft as a franchisee of Fitness Together operating the top performing studios in the country. He then sold those locations to become a three-state area director. He grew his territory to 55 studios before selling the business.

In 2007, after finding no fitness facility that would allow the type of exercises he wanted to do, he purchased some equipment and converted his 400-ft.2 garage into a gym. A small group of his friends starting working out together. With amazing results and more fun than any other workout routine in their lives, Walden soon ran out of room. He knew the concept could scale and transform even more lives.

Walden founded Iron Tribe Fitness in 2010 with its first location in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, AL. It set growth records in the micro gym industry rocketing to 200 clients in six months and reaching its capacity at the 8-month mark. As of this printing, Iron Tribe has grown to six corporate gyms with nearly 60 franchise territories sold from Naples to Denver.