Fitness Franchise Undefeated Tribe Hits Inc. 5000 at No. 746

The Undefeated Tribe, a Crunch Fitness franchise operator, landed at No. 746 on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, the firm said Thursday. The ranking reflects three-year revenue growth of 300% through 2025, enough to place it in the top 15% of the 5,000 honorees.

Chief Executive Tony Hartl, who founded the company in 2018, said in a statement that the company plans to expand to 100 gyms by 2028. The Undefeated Tribe currently operates more than 60 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, New Mexico, and Minnesota, with additional sites under development. Hartl oversees cultural excellence for the franchised Crunch locations and was named Franchisee of the Year in 2021 by Crunch Fitness, an award recognizing business performance and community engagement. The company also earned the Brand Builder Award in 2023 and 2025.

“Our purpose is to enrich the lives of others through the power of well-being,” Hartl said. He thanked members, partners, and team members for making the growth possible.

The Undefeated Tribe started as a single gym. Its expansion rate has accelerated in recent years, with roughly 60 locations opened or in development as of mid-2026. The 2028 target of 100 gyms implies a build-out pace of about 15 to 20 new locations per year, though the company did not specify how many of the current 60-plus are already open versus under construction. Crunch Fitness operates as a franchise system, with independent operators like Undefeated Tribe owning the individual gyms. The brand competes in the value-priced fitness segment alongside Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness, where monthly memberships typically run under $30 and rely on high volume to sustain margins.

The Inc. 5000 list ranks companies by percentage revenue growth over the three prior calendar years. To qualify, companies had to be privately held, for-profit, U.S.-based, and generating revenue by March 31, 2022. Minimum 2022 revenue: $100,000. Minimum 2025 revenue: $2 million. This year’s honorees posted a median three-year growth rate of 130% and collectively added more than 627,000 jobs. Past companies that appeared on the list before going public include Microsoft, Meta, Chobani, Oracle, and Patagonia.

For Undefeated Tribe, the Inc. 5000 recognition provides a marketing credential that can help attract new franchise partners and members. It also adds a data point for the broader fitness industry, which has seen a steady shift toward low-cost, membership-heavy models since the pandemic. Larger franchise groups in the space, such as those operated by Planet Fitness franchisees, have used similar growth awards to build credibility with lenders and landlords.

The gala for honorees will be held Oct. 14–16 in Dallas. The top 500 companies will be listed in the fall issue of Inc. Magazine.