Jamie Weeks, entrepreneur and investor, today announced the launch of Founders Row, a new investment platform anchored by the Founder Partnership Vehicle (FPV) — a deal-by-deal model designed by Weeks to back founders in their earliest, most difficult years. The FPV combines the discipline of traditional private equity with the timing of venture capital, while providing the hands-on support founders need during the most critical stage of growth.

Weeks spent decades on Wall Street advising family offices and entrepreneurs before turning operator himself. He opened his first Orangetheory Fitness studio in 2014, ultimately selling the franchise group to private equity in 2017. The business then expanded to more than 140 studios over the next four years under his leadership, making it the largest Orangetheory franchisee in the world. In 2019, Weeks founded SweatHouz (SWTHZ)and followed a similar path, building it into one of the fastest-growing wellness brands in the United States before selling a majority stake in 2022. Today, SweatHouz (SWTHZ) has more than 65 locations open and is on a path to reach more than 100 by early 2026.

"Traditional private equity is a multi-trillion-dollar industry, but it has always focused on mature businesses," said Jamie Weeks. "While VCs can write the early checks, they rarely provide real operational support. Founders Row was created for the stage in between — the first three to four years, when the founder needs just as much operational support to scale their vision, as they need capital."

Founders Row is launching with three companies already under LOI and the support of a private equity anchor partner, bringing capital strength and structural alignment from day one. While the first three investments are in health and wellness, Weeks emphasized that sector focus is secondary to founder focus. "At Founders Row, we back the founder as much as the brand," Weeks said. "The DNA of the founder is the key to this model. We've seen what happens when you strip the DNA of the founder from a company. You change it completely. The founder and their vision are as important – if not more important – than the balance sheet in the early years of a company's growth."

The firm will provide pivotal, hands-on support to founders in those early years through its dedicated eight-person team with expertise in marketing, operations, development, and finance. "The difficulty for founders is being on that island all by yourself," Weeks said. "People don't realize how lonely it can be when you have the vision of what you want to achieve, but don't have the support to achieve it. It's not always about capital; it's about the structure to support the vision. Providing this to founders early will be category-defining."

Founders Row is also defined by its operator-first team. Weeks has recruited trusted leaders from his earlier ventures to help build the platform. Mike Mehr, Weeks' first hire at Orangetheory Fitness and the key leader who helped him scale Orangetheory as a franchisee, joins as Chief Development Officer. Tori Woodhull joins as Chief of Staff, having been Weeks' personal and business right hand through the growth, exits, and pivotal moments of his entrepreneurial journey over the last decade.

Also setting Weeks and Founders Row apart is FR Advisory, the consulting arm of the firm that will operate as an incubator for brands with the potential to be backed by a fund. FR Advisory will be dedicated to working with only four companies at a time. "The key to what we are doing is not about fundraising and building a firm where we collect a 2% fee for a decade-plus, this is clearly becoming a problem for LPs" Weeks said. "We've proven our speed to exit over the last 7 years with multiple brands. The FPV model and FR Advisory greatly increase the odds of success at the earliest stage of growth."

Weeks sees Founders Row as the beginning of a new category. "I created Founders Row because this is what founders truly need – vision alignment, an operating partnership, and a structure that finally puts GP, LP, and Founder on the same side of the table. As traditional private equity firms grow even larger, it becomes difficult for them to invest at the earliest stage of a brand's growth cycle. This is exactly where the unicorns live — just as Orangetheory and SweatHouz once did."