On the Circuit This couple exercises skill in owning a gym.

It had worked for Kim Gore, 36, but she wasn't sure if Curves for Women was the right opportunity for herself and her husband, Rick, 43. "Both of us have always enjoyed working out," says Kim, 36. "I had worked in a health club before, but I really had no interest in owning a gym. It hadn't even crossed our minds."

But the more she discovered about the Curves program, which includes 30 minutes of circuit training as well as an aerobic workout, the more she became interested in the business's potential. A trip to the franchise's Waco, Texas, headquarters sold the couple, who had previously ran a home improvement and landscaping business together.

The Gores opened their St. Augustine Beach, Florida, Curves in April 2001. Within a year, they moved from their initial 1,000-square-foot center to a 2,400-square-foot center to accommodate their growing client list. Now, the Gores have two complete equipment circuits to serve their 800 members.