It is a world where ambition and delivery are never quite clearly defined, where a people-system-transparency promise by a leader is the difference between mediocrity and enduring triumph. Paolo Ontalan stands at the edge of excellence. His journey through the commercial tribulations of PickUp USA Fitness is a master class in how fixed leadership on a permanent respect for people and process can take an idea and scale it to a brand of national and global repute.
Building the Backbone: From One Club to a Replicable National System
When Paolo Ontalan first walked into PickUp USA Fitness, he didn’t merely envision a basketball-themed gym. He saw in his mind an untapped possibility. While other individuals may have only fantasized about courts, leagues, and memberships, Paolo Ontalan saw a business model that could be scaled with space for operational design—a framework that could accommodate franchisees, facilitate local teams, and offer a steady, high-level experience to every individual who came through the door.
“I knew immediately,” Paolo Ontalan says, “that with the right systems, this wasn’t just a gym—it could be a national killer brand.”
It wasn’t an accident that cemented Paolo’s belief. His teaching and operating DNA has been front and center in his business. It’s a rare blend that made him the go-to individual for PickUp USA’s growth. He recognized early on that success would never be a matter of flash-in-the-pan advertising. It would be the ability to replicate greatness—club by club, franchisee by franchisee.
And now, PickUp USA Fitness equates to quality, consistency, and premium basketball experience. Underpinning that word-of-mouth is Paolo’s commitment to taking something humble, intriguing, and turning it into a reproducible and scalable system.
Operational Discipline: The Science and Art of Systems
What drives long-term success in franchising, Paolo Ontalan asks, and he won’t apologize: “Systems,” he says flatly, “but systems won’t work without great people.”
It’s that concurrent conviction that has fueled the business model of PickUp USA. Paolo’s possessed it since day one. He has always been focused on creating lean and streamlined processes that make franchisees’ lives simpler. But no less part of that system is the people’s side: the A-Level Squad. In the world of Paolo, people and performances are never in conflict with each other. They’re always aligned.
Early on, Paolo Ontalan rolled up his sleeves to learn the daily cadence of the company’s Irwindale, California, test store. He continues to do so. He believes that his leader-by-doing style isn’t micromanaging; it’s about staying close to the ground. “If we don’t get the guest experience right, nothing else matters,” Paolo Ontalan tends to tell his folks. No matter if it’s a greeting at the front desk, youth clinic, or officiating a league game, every part of operation exemplifies the system Paolo has put in place—and continues to refine.
This philosophy is emotionally engaged in the day-to-day tempo of the company. There are no customs or ideas which are held above criticism. Everything, from membership workflows to members-only training modules, has been stress-tested, taken apart, re-assembled, and optimized, often many times. Paolo’s definition of innovation isn’t just about creating something new but sometimes being an exhaustive iteration.
People First: Building Cultures That Outperform
At PickUp USA, culture isn’t defined by motivational slogans on a wall. It’s modeled daily through behavior and accountability. Paolo Ontalan is adamant about this: “Culture is built through systems, consistency, and people who live the mission every day.”
Spend a day at the Irwindale prototype, and you’ll feel that culture immediately. It’s the team huddle energy, the way the staff greet guests, and the way the club responds to adversity in the moment. This is not merely a prototype club, but a beta test lab. Anything that eventually makes it into the national chain gets tried, refined, and tested here. That field testing emphasis is one of the things that helps make PickUp USA’s franchise model work.
But above all, and most significantly, what really sets Paolo Ontalan apart is an appreciation that systems can only go so far without the appropriate people. He has tried hard to cultivate a sound system of leadership development and training. It’s not just staff induction; it’s creating an ownership and accountability culture at all levels.
Franchisees are not just business owners to Paolo’s mind; they are partners and co-creators of the brand’s future. A lot of credit, he indicates, belongs to them for the success of PickUp USA. “Most of the credit goes to our franchisees. They put in the work, gave us feedback, made the changes, and helped us build the system to what it is today,” states Paolo Ontalan.
The Balance of Empathy and Accountability
The operation of a growing chain of franchises tends to get theoretical, but Paolo Ontalan took the initiative to stay close to the action. He’s talking on the phone with the franchisees, he’s on the dance floor at the prototype club, and he’s in the trenches with the owners battling problems.
“It doesn’t seem lonely to me,” he goes on. “I get energized from that exchange. It reminds me of what works in reality.”
That openness formed a closed loop of feedback that continues to improve itself. Franchisees are heard. Their ideas more likely than not lead to operating insights that get incorporated into the system as a whole. This small action-friendliness—listening carefully, acting courageously—is Paolo’s leadership trademark.
“Empathy and responsibility are not enemies,” is what Paolo Ontalan believes. He states, “They are two sides of the same coin. You have to meet people where they are but never compromise on anything less than the standard. That’s how great progress is made.”
Simplifying Complexity: Growth Without Compromise
For every franchisor, the biggest challenge is going big and remaining able to have quality. PickUp USA, early on, was also grappling with that same question: How do you recreate a high-end guest experience in multiple markets, without putting too much complexity into the hands of new owners?
Paolo’s solution was revolutionary simplicity. He and his team simplified each process that kept the company afloat, cut out redundancies, and re-built training programs from square one. The result is a system that reaches high standards but at work-room simplicity—a template that any serious franchisee can replicate.
But why the system works so well is that it’s not only alive, it’s learning. Unlike stagnant books on a shelf, PickUp USA’s operations playbook grows with each new day. Each club contributes to shared wisdom. Each new idea is tried in the fire of real-world application. It’s a living thing that learns and improves continuously.
This spirit of community encapsulates Paolo’s entire philosophy that innovation happens in increments. “There’s no finish line,” he says. “We do not pursue perfection but aggressively seek progress.”
Collaboration at the Heart: A Unified Leadership Team
Paolo’s leadership is also a team-based one. His working partnership with Jordan, CEO of PickUp USA, is a masterclass in synergy that stems from trust. The whole leadership team runs an open-door policy, where ideas are tested on their merits, and not their position.
“It’s a very collaborative culture,” Paolo Ontalan says. “No ego, no silos—just a commitment to getting better together,” he adds.
This consistency carries over beyond corporate offices. Paolo Ontalan believes the best input typically comes from the ground up—franchise owners running clubs and consumers sampling the product. He credits such input with allowing PickUp USA to respond promptly to changing needs and circumstances in the marketplace.
Being in Touch: The Daily Rhythm of the Business
An ordinary day at Paolo’s job is anything but ordinary. The day starts by reading training modules or walking around the prototype floor observing employees engaging with one another and facilitating employees. Afternoons are spent in strategy sessions, team meetings, and assist calls with franchisees nationwide.
It is not a random rhythm. It’s a conscious decision to remain grounded in the working rhythm of the company. Paolo states, “Leadership occurs in the workflow.” “You cannot repair that which you cannot observe. You need to study where the pieces of information are rubbing against each other, listen to the individuals nearest to them, and collaborate to build solutions,” he adds.
Such a philosophy has built a bond of trust and respect among franchisees across the country. They know Paolo’s not setting standards on paper—he’s to their left, to their right, shoulder to shoulder with them, fighting challenges, and succeeding together.
A Legacy of Usefulness: Systems That Outlive the Leader
“I want to be remembered as a guy who made it easier for other people,” Paolo Ontalan responds. “A guy who developed systems that enabled franchisees to succeed, employees to grow, and customers to have a great experience—without having to reinvent the wheel themselves,” he shares.
It’s a feeling of humility that’s complemented with austere discipline. A decade and a half into the existence of PickUp USA, the operating system Paolo has created is peak—and still evolving. With every new club, it’s refined by shared experience of what does and doesn’t work, streamlined processes, and relationships forged through years of testing, trial, and adaptation.
The Next Generation Takeaway: Stay Connected, Stay Relevant
For the leaders who will follow him, Paolo’s advice is simply elegant: “Stay close to the work. Leadership isn’t about being above the grind—it’s about being connected to it. Know your systems. Know your people. And never stop improving what you build.”
He advises the emerging leaders of tomorrow to stay humble. He says, “If you want to lead, start by being useful.”
The Road Ahead: No Finish Line, Only Progress
While PickUp USA Fitness embarks on its second chapter, Paolo Ontalan remains the backroom quiet architect—solid, humble, and uncompromisingly committed to transformation. His business plan took what could have been another niche exercise concept and turned it into a national powerhouse that fuses toughness with passion.
Thirteen years on, Paolo Ontalan continues to see the journey manifesting. With every new club that opens, every franchisee who succeeds, and every young professional who comes in to retrieve a ball in the PickUp USA ranks, his vision remains the same: systems that elevate, people who thrive, and a culture where performance and humanity cannot be dissociated.
In a firm too often tempted to confuse bigness with greatness, Paolo’s tale teaches that success is built on the humble practice of operational excellence—and the unshakeable faith that individuals at all levels propel the system.