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When Kirsten Burns took the leap from manager to owner of Tri Fit Training in Airdrie, Alberta, she stepped into a new phase of her career with confidence and purpose—supported in part by Futurpreneur’s #OwnersWanted Program.
Tri Fit is a performance-focused facility offering strength and conditioning, nutrition services and massage therapy. After managing the business for five years, Kirsten officially purchased it in October 2024. For her, it wasn’t a dream years in the making—but rather the right opportunity at the right time.
From opportunity to ownership
“Business ownership wasn’t on my radar,” says Kirsten. “But after years of helping grow the business on the management side, I saw a chance to make a bigger impact.”
That chance came when the former owners offered her the opportunity to take over. Kirsten was already embedded in the business and had a deep understanding of its culture, clients and potential.
Why buying a business made sense
Rather than building from scratch, Kirsten saw the value in buying a business with an existing customer base, operations and strong community presence. It wasn’t without challenges—especially when it came to understanding finances and navigating the legal side of a share purchase.
But she wasn’t alone. From the early stages of her journey, Kirsten connected with Futurpreneur through a referral from RBC’s small business team.
Tools for confident ownership
Futurpreneur supported Kirsten with startup loan financing, a mentor and access to practical tools and resources. These supports helped her fine-tune her business plan, build scalable systems and overcome early uncertainty around revenue.
Mentorship proved especially valuable. Kirsten’s mentor helped her strengthen her social media strategy and refine how she markets within her local community.
“Identifying my strengths and weaknesses early on helped drive our conversations,” she says. “My mentor’s background in marketing helped me build confidence in areas that didn’t come naturally.”
Listen to Kirsten’s top success strategies for buying a business in this audio clip.
Alberta challenges and community strengths
Running a business in Alberta brings unique considerations—from market volatility linked to the oil and gas sector to challenges in attracting top talent. But it also presents opportunities.
“There’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit here,” says Kirsten. “And Airdrie, while growing fast, still has a small-town feel. The local support for small businesses is incredible.”
Her advice for navigating these complexities? Stay informed and surround yourself with experienced professionals who can help guide your decisions.
Lessons from experience
Kirsten’s journey hasn’t been without hurdles. Two key ones were assessing the financial health of the business and navigating the legal complexity of a share purchase.
Thankfully, she leaned on her network of fellow entrepreneurs, as well as a skilled accountant and lawyer, to feel confident she was making the right move.
She also emphasizes the importance of having a clear transition plan. Working collaboratively with the former owners helped retain staff and maintain trust with clients.
Common pitfalls to avoid
From her experience and conversations with mentors and peers, Kirsten highlights several common mistakes young entrepreneurs should avoid:
- Underestimating the time commitment required to run a business.
- Overlooking the importance of a smooth transition with staff and clients.
- Ignoring the need to manage cash flow, especially in the early days.
A new chapter, professionally and personally
Owning Tri Fit has given Kirsten more autonomy over her career but has also come with its demands. Wearing many hats has helped her grow in areas like leadership, problem-solving and decision-making.
“Being a business owner means rapid development in so many areas,” she says. “It’s been challenging—but incredibly rewarding.”
Thinking of buying a business? Here’s where to start
Kirsten encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to explore Futurpreneur’s #OwnersWanted program for insights, tools and real-world strategies to make business ownership a reality.
You can also learn more about Futurpreneur’s Startup Program, which offers startup loan financing with mentorship and resources—up to $75,000—here.
Want to learn more? Explore how #OwnersWanted helps young entrepreneurs on their journeys to purchase existing businesses in Canada.
Thank you to the Government of Alberta for supporting this initiative.
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