Ruchika Makkar, Business Owner, F45 Training studios Dubai
In a city that never sleeps, where ambitions move fast, and expectations run high, women entrepreneurs are reshaping what leadership looks like in Dubai, one bold decision at a time. The rise of women-led ventures doesn’t just compete; they simply redefine the rules. With a perfect balance of grit and grace, vision with vulnerability, and hustle with heart, the city has become a place where entrepreneurial women aren’t waiting for doors to open anymore. Instead, they’re building their own brands and communities from the ground up.
One such force riding this wave is Ruchika Makkar, a corporate-turned-entrepreneur, leading three of the city’s most vibrant F45 Training studios as a franchise business owner. Ruchika didn’t step into the fitness realm with prior formal training or a clear plan. What she did have was conviction, rooted in her experience as a corporate professional, and a woman who witnessed the transformative power of wellness firsthand.
Her story began when the COVID-19 pandemic hit pauses on the world, and she rediscovered the world of fitness. This led her toward F45 Training; honestly, she has never looked back. Ruchika’s journey mirrors not just the rise of boutique fitness across the city but also resilience, reinvention, and the rising might of women-led ventures that are changing the face of entrepreneurship in Dubai.
When Passion Finds a Way
Long before F45 Training became a business idea, fitness and wellness played a consistent, background role in Ruchika’s life. Between her corporate job and raising a young family, she carved out time for movement, always valuing its role in health and balance.
But when the 2019 pandemic came, everything shifted for Ruchika. With gyms closed and routines disrupted, her family experimented and devoted quality time toward yoga, hiking, cycling, and functional training. It was also during this period that she stumbled across F45 Training, not as an entrepreneur but as a member. The format, the high workout energy, and the community spirit struck a strong, personal chord within her.
The idea to become a franchise business owner wasn’t even immediate, but one that grew steadily. After taking a sabbatical from her corporate job to focus on her family, Ruchika began searching for a career comeback, especially one with control, flexibility, and purpose at the core. Then, as if by fate, F45 Training appeared right in front of her, welcoming her and meeting all her expectations. F45 checked every box, so she took the leap.
Three Studios and A City That Never Slows Down
Dubai is no easy market for any business, let alone fitness. Its fast-paced lifestyle, discerning clientele, and surges in wellness ventures meant new studios need more than a good workout; they need a clear identity and a spirited community. It’s a well-known fact that the city doesn’t wait for anyone, and neither did Ruchika.
She didn’t just dip her toes in but took the full plunge. With the decision to launch three studios in Dubai Hills, Umm Suqeim, and Jumeirah, there was commitment to scaling up from day one. “I knew that without scale, you risk becoming irrelevant over time. So, we launched a new branch every 3 – 4 months,” she states. That level of intensity called for resilience. From finding the right collaborators and building strong teams to staying hands-on in the early stages, every move demanded focus. And in a city flooded with fitness options, differentiation became a top priority. “Dubai is competitive, no doubt. You have to work harder to earn credibility. Our edge is our member experience, where we don’t just deliver workouts; we build relationships and communities,” Ruchika reflects.
With every studio launch and challenge overcome, she gained more confidence, knowledge, stability, and a clear vision on how she would offer value and a great experience to clients. Ruchika felt lucky to have built a supportive ecosystem. A capable team, service providers, marketing agencies, invested in the studios’ success helped keep her grounded. But managing a healthy work-life balance also challenged her in many ways. “My husband is my biggest cheerleader. We found a new balance together as two working parents, raising our young kids. It wasn’t always smooth, but it was always worth it,” she opines.
Turning 45 Minutes of Fun into Belonging
“For us, customer experience starts the moment someone inquires with us. It begins with how we present ourselves, be it our social media presence, print material, messaging, and even that very first conversation with our team. All of it adds up to a consistent brand experience,” Ruchika shares. She’s acutely aware that taking the step to join a gym, especially a group fitness setup, can feel intimidating to some. And that’s why her team leads with eagerness, empathy, and encouragement at F45 Training. “We invest in tools that build consistency, like CRM and tech platforms, and train our team to deliver that brand promise,” she expresses.
It’s not about efficient workouts, although members love the fun, in-and-out 45-minute model. It’s also about location convenience for many residents, where tracking real progress becomes easy and creating a fun, inclusive environment where people can find their tribe. “Our studios are places where members connect and build friendships with coaches and the wider community, and feel like they belong,” Ruchika affirms.
Global Brand, But Local at Heart
F45 Training’s strength lies in its global business model. But in a multicultural hub like Dubai, localization is the secret to longevity. Ruchika’s studios are built around a simple principle: community first. There are no front desk staff or barriers, just coaches welcoming members like friends. From fitness competitions with Hyrox to personalized guidance on nutrition, sleep, and recovery, her team goes above and beyond teaching workouts and routines.
“We’ve made our studios to be more than just well-equipped places to exercise. They’ve become safe spaces where people show up not just for their physical fitness, but also for their mental well-being,” Ruchika explains. Her approach to leadership at F45 reflects this ethos as well. Coaches aren’t mere employees with a job; they’re passionate professionals who view fitness as a calling. And that sense of purpose radiates to every member who walks in through the doors.
Leading with Heart and High Standards
In the early days, Ruchika led from the helm, getting involved in studio management to sales conversations. But with growth came evolution, transitioning from a hands-on problem-solver to a strategic mentor. Today, she leads by empowering her team. “I value collaborative leadership, where we come together as a team and make key decisions with our members interest at the core. My role now is to create an environment where my team can thrive and shine,” she says.
Ruchika’s leadership is one that’s anchored in two core pillars: the right people and the right processes. On one hand, she hires managers and coaches who lead with both skill and emotional intelligence. And on the other hand, she builds systems and processes that create consistency so that the business has resilience, and can function well when there is a change of hands. That kind of trust and mindset has allowed her to focus on innovation, big-picture strategy, and “earning good karma” by being part of people’s health journeys.
Innovating Beyond the Studios
Looking toward 2026 and beyond, Ruchika sets her sights firmly on the future. As the fitness industry leans more into technology, she’s presently exploring how AI can enhance both business operations and member experience, while maintaining the personal touch. She’s also planning to go further into wellness space, to offer members a broader suite of services from recovery, nutrition and performance hubs, where her community-first fitness philosophy can flourish even more.
To women entrepreneurs eyeing their leap, Ruchika keeps it real: “There’s never a perfect time or formula. You learn to swim when thrown into the deep end. We women bring empathy, endurance, and intuition to business, especially in people-first industries like health and fitness.” With this advice, she encourages women to embrace their authenticity, trust their instincts, and not get boxed in by outdated definitions of leadership.
Ruchika Makkar didn’t grow up dreaming of owning fitness studios. But in choosing passion, purpose, and people over predictability, she’s created more than a business; she’s forging a movement. One where women lead, teams thrive, and health transformation begins—one rep, one member, one studio at a time.