Peter Taunton didn’t follow the usual script. He didn’t finish college. He grew up poor, in a two-room schoolhouse in small-town Minnesota. He battled Attention Deficit Disorder, learned business fundamentals by bagging groceries, and worked every hour that was available to him to turn around a failing gym. From those humble beginnings, he went on to build Snap Fitness — one of the largest wellness franchises in the world, with over 6,000 locations in 28 countries.
His story is a masterclass in grit, belief, and the power of showing up every day. Here are the biggest lessons from Peter’s journey and what they teach us about how to succeed in business and, by extension, in life.
How to Succeed in Business from Scratch, Like Peter Taunton
Peter’s entrepreneurial journey began not with a business plan, but with popcorn. His father made him start working at age eight, selling popcorn at the family’s grocery store. It wasn’t optional. Early in his life, Peter’s father wanted to inculcate in his son the values of responsibility, discipline, and hard work.
This foundational experience planted the seeds for Peter’s understanding of business. He watched his father lead from the front — bagging groceries, stocking shelves, and shoveling the sidewalk alongside his staff.
“He never put himself above anything,” Peter says. “The reason he got people to work for him, and really pull deep on the oars for him, is because they knew that he had their back.”
That lesson would define his own leadership style: be visible, be humble, and never ask people to do what you wouldn’t do yourself.
Peter’s first breakthrough in business came when he took over a failing health club that was losing $200,000 a year at the time. The owners offered him $16,000 a year with a buyout clause — if he could turn it around, he could own it. Over the next eight years, he made it profitable and bought them out using the profits.
That turnaround became the launchpad for Snap Fitness.
Why Self-Belief Is Important in Learning How to Succeed
Peter’s story reflects what many successful entrepreneurs — myself included —emphasize: self-belief isn’t optional; it’s foundational.
From the racquetball court to the business battlefield, Peter never let setbacks define him. After being “completely decimated” in his first national racquetball tournament, losing 21–3 and 21–2, most people would have quit. Not Peter, who instead doubled down. “Once I saw how the game could be played, I knew what I needed to do.”
He believed he could match the pros, so he trained like one. Within three years, he was a touring professional.
That same mindset carried him through risky business decisions, like launching Snap Fitness with $3 million in the bank — a modest amount considering the scale of his vision.
“Get in the game, and don’t be afraid to fail, and believe in yourself. Believe that you are capable, and most important, believe that you are as deserving of success as the person next to you.”
These are the same principles that I teach to my coaching clients: top performers — or the ones who belong to the elusive 2% of people who are estimated to operate at their full potential — don’t just hope that things will work out. They believe they will. And that belief fuels their resilience.
Failure Is Not Fatal
Peter doesn’t sugarcoat it: life is unpredictable. The difference between winners and quitters is how they respond when things fall apart.
In Peter’s words:
“If you haven’t failed, you’re not trying hard enough.”
This mirrors my own principle of “productive discomfort.” Success doesn’t come from playing it safe. It comes from embracing challenges that stretch you. According to McKinsey & Company, not only do traits such as drive, resilience and risk tolerance make CEOs more successful, but CEOs are also expected to play a central role in building resilience into their organizations to fuel growth.
Peter echoes this when he says: “Anyone can be an all-star if you set the bar at your ankles.”
Real growth only happens when the bar is high, the path is hard, and you’re willing to fall a few times.
And fall he did. From professional losses to betrayal by a trusted employee who embezzled $3.5 million, Peter had more than his share of setbacks. But he always rebounded.
Failure wasn’t final. It was simply a data point that he learned from to correct course.
Hard Work Works
In an era when hustle culture is frowned upon and quick wins are celebrated, Peter is refreshingly grounded and candid: “Hard work works. There are no shortcuts.”
This isn’t some motivational fluff. It’s backed by academia. According to Harvard Business Review, truly smart leaders focus on execution first and strategy second. Because frameworks and tools can only do so much when the game is played, and won, on the field.
Peter lived that ethos. For 20 years, he built clubs one by one. When he launched Snap Fitness, he poured every dollar back into the business. “I knew every time I put a dollar in, I was getting five out. So it made no sense to put it anywhere else.”
By showing up relentlessly as he did, he compounded his efforts. Over time, the grind fed into the momentum that made him unstoppable.
Be the Leader Who Naturally Makes People Want to Follow
Peter’s leadership philosophy is simple: lead by example and show people that you care.
His employees didn’t follow him because he had a fancy title. They followed him because he was right there, in the trenches, and they knew he had their back.
“Winning in business is a team sport,” he says. “You’ve got to have great people that share the same passion and are willing to walk on fire for you.”
This is exactly what I describe in my framework on authentic leadership: people follow leaders who embody humility, integrity, empathy, and accountability — not ego.
According to a Gallup report, employees who feel seen and valued by the company’s leadership are 70% less likely to experience burnout. Emotional intelligence and integrity matter far more than charisma alone.
Peter’s father role-modeled this kind of leadership. Peter continued it — and so should any entrepreneur who’s serious about succeeding in business.
Financial Discipline: A Critical Ingredient in How to Succeed
A huge blind spot for new entrepreneurs? Financial discipline.
Peter warns against the temptation to pillage the company when the money starts flowing.
“I see people who sell a business for $10 million, and five years later they’ve got $5 million left — and nothing to show for it.”
His rule? Don’t invest more than 10% of your net worth into risky ventures. That way, even if they all fail, your life wouldn’t fall apart.
Even when Peter made $47 million selling a portion of Snap Fitness, he stayed grounded. He understood that sustainable success comes from protecting your downside.
I often reinforce this through my work with high-performing CEOs — financial health is a safety net that allows leaders to make bolder moves without fear.
The Ultimate Lesson in Learning How to Succeed: There Are No Shortcuts
Perhaps the most powerful theme in Peter’s story is this: there’s no elevator that goes to the top — you have to take the stairs.
He built Snap Fitness slowly, iteratively, and strategically. He didn’t just sell a dream — he built a machine. From day one, he obsessed over customer relevance, operations, and adaptability. That’s why Snap evolved from unstaffed gyms to heart-rate-based training, group fitness, and community-driven experiences.
Opportunity didn’t knock. It whispered. And Peter was listening.
Final Thoughts
Peter Taunton’s journey proves that the path to success is often unglamorous. It’s about outlasting doubt, betting on yourself, and doing the work — every day.
So, if you’re trying to figure out how to succeed — in business, in life, or both — start by doing what Peter did:
- Believe in yourself, even when nobody else does
- Work like hell, even when the outcome is uncertain
- Stay grounded, no matter how high you rise
- Learn from failure, because it’s inevitably going to happen
- Lead with humility, and people will follow
Because success isn’t a destination. It’s a discipline.
If Peter’s story resonates with you, check out The Ultimate Guide to CEO Coaching to explore how high performers invest in accountability and personal growth.
And if you’re serious about leveling up, consider applying for The Founder & CEO Accelerator.
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