Gym World Worldwide

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?la...) talks to Greg Morrone, a gym owner who believes franchising is the best path for him to reach financial freedom. Together, they break down Greg's gym (https://thefitlabhoboken.com/), why he chose to become a franchisee, and the process behind opening 10 locations in the next 5 years.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Greg Morrone

(3:49) What is The FIT Lab?

(8:11) Packaging, pricing, onboarding, and growth

(16:00) Coaching and retention

(20:49) Investing in a fitness franchise

(24:36) Opening 10 locations in the next 5 years

(32:07) Why scale a fitness business via franchising?

(36:37) Franchise costs and lease agreements

(40:07) Financing options for fitness franchises

(46:50) Selling gym franchises and wealth-building exit strategies

(54:29) Opening a franchised gym with SBA loans

(56:37) The process of opening Greg's first franchised gym

(1:02:49) Being strategic with future franchised locations

(1:10:24) Advice for gym owners wanting to start from scratch

(1:14:12) Where to go if you want to find Greg

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?la...) and Mateo Lopez chat with Michael Keeler from Business For Unicorns (https://www.businessforunicorns.com/), a company specializing in gym mentorship. They dive into the shared characteristics of the most profitable gyms and discuss strategies for running a more successful fitness business.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Michael Keeler and BFU

(2:29) What is the Gym Owner Benchmarks Report?

(5:40) Rates, services, and profitability

(10:12) Selling small group classes

(12:15) Client engagement and marketing strategies

(22:09) What keeps clients coming back?

(28:29) Members, revenue, and profit margins

(33:07) Do gyms use management software?

(34:58) How do gyms get leads?

(37:39) Referral marketing strategies

(43:23) Leading and pitching low-barrier offers

(53:27) Biggest challenges for gym owners

(58:57) Financial benchmarks for gym owners

(1:04:32) Which gyms are most profitable?

(1:07:16) Final takeaway for gym owners

(1:10:18) Where to go if you want to find Michael

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?lang=en) chats with Curtis Christopherson (https://curtischristopherson.com/), the owner of Innovative Fitness (https://www.innovativefitness.com/). Together, they break down the exact business model that's helped Curtis scale 17 locations, each averaging $100k/mo.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Curtis Christopherson

(1:32) What is Innovative Fitness?

(4:05) Packaging and pricing

(5:54) Economics of a personal training location

(11:41) Marketing and retention strategies

(15:21) Community-building in the gym

(24:00) Adapting to COVID in the fitness industry

(30:27) Client engagement and programming

(34:37) The hiring and onboarding process

(44:39) Additional studio operations and systems

(48:03) Customer service in the fitness industry

(50:21) Finding a work-life balance as an entrepreneur

(55:40) Where to go if you want to find Curtis

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?lang=en) and Mateo Lopez caught up with Chris Cooper, the CEO of Two-Brain Business (https://twobrainbusiness.com/), to delve into the powerful insights from the latest State of the Industry report.

This fancy guide tells us what the best coaching gyms are doing, so you can make smarter, data-driven decisions for your gym. If you haven't already, download a FREE copy of the report here: https://twobrainbusiness.com/data/

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Chris Cooper

(1:41) What is the State of the Industry?

(7:39) Thoughts on CrossFit HQ

(14:53) Average Net Owner Benefit

(18:54) Gym revenue and expenses

(23:14) Average membership and profitable models

(32:53) Training models vs. class sizes

(37:05) Are most gyms running a broken model?

(41:46) Effective Hourly Rate for gym owners

(45:20) Why data-driven insights are important for gyms

(48:18) How Chris turned around his struggling gym

(51:55) How to run a successful gym

(54:35) Identifying weaknesses and improving operations

(1:00:16) Marketing insights

(1:03:19) Where to go if you want to find Chris

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?lang=en) and Mateo Lopez talk to Giancarlo Regni (https://www.instagram.com/realgstrength/), the owner and CEO of G-Strength Philly (https://g-strength.com/). From broke gym owner to making $200k/yr, Giancarlo shares how a rideshare gig turned into a lead machine, and a referral program that boosted his monthly revenue by $10,000.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Giancarlo Regni

(2:47) Getting paid to get leads

(7:02) Moving from a bedroom to a facility

(10:32) Growing the business

(12:25) Opening the first location

(16:30) Evolving his model

(18:48) Packaging, pricing, and scaling

(26:05) Hiring & staffing locations

(30:12) Location economics and lessons learned

(35:24) Marketing and sales strategies

(38:57) Revenue per location

(41:31) Why are small group training models profitable?

(43:39) What's next for Giancarlo?

(46:15) Advice for those who want to start a gym

(47:49) The best referral campaign for gym owners

(51:30) Using social media, reviews, and SEO

(58:28) Where to go if you want to find Giancarlo

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?lang=en) and Mateo Lopez reunite with Dan Trink (https://www.instagram.com/dantrink/?hl=en) from The Fort NYC (https://www.thefortnyc.com/). Last time we talked about their content strategy. Now, Dan's unpacking the strategy that drives their gym's profits.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Dan Trink

(2:20) CrossFit dreams and career paths

(8:33) How Dan got his start in the industry

(11:10) Hiring good people and staff treatment

(16:24) Challenges of creating career stability

(21:23) Do gym owners need to be present in the gym?

(25:42) Training, packaging & pricing at The Fort NYC

(27:59) Discussing 2-week paid trials

(29:53) The sales process and nurturing strategies

(35:33) Setting client goals & building community

(40:47) Opening The Fort flagship location

(43:16) Buildout and rent costs in NYC

(51:12) Small group personal training design & philosophy

(1:00:22) Creating content for social media

(1:05:38) Using paid ads & expanding business with paid traffic

(1:10:09) What's next for The Fort?

(1:12:54) Where to go if you want to find Dan

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/johnisbuilding?lang=en) & Mateo Lopez chat with Andrew Frezza, a gym owner who ran a profitable location that generated $95k/mo in a 6,000-person town. Despite the success, Andrew walked away. What made him leave it all behind?

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Andrew Frezza

(3:01) Starting and growing a CrossFit gym

(7:11) Buying real estate at the right time

(10:07) Expanding the business

(13:17) Providing good careers for coaches

(15:45) Structuring offers, prices, and hiring staff

(21:06) How would Andrew start a gym today?

(23:46) The impact of COVID on the gym and its recovery

(28:19) Deciding to sell the gym

(30:59) Challenges of scaling a single location

(37:24) Experiencing burnout as a gym owner

(39:40) Approaching the conversation with his team

(42:40) Evaluating his worth of shares

(44:08) How does Andrew feel now?

(45:17) What's next for Andrew?

(48:00) Advice for gym owners feeling stuck

(51:06) Where to go if you want to find Andrew

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ and Mateo Lopez sat down with Dane McCarthy, the owner & Founder of The Athletic Clubs–a series of unique training gyms in NYC. His unconventional approach to training drives younger clientele through his doors, so what makes it attractive?

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Dane McCarthy

(2:10) Creating communities through group fitness

(5:06) What are The Athletic Clubs?

(9:38) Marketing via user-generated content

(12:58) Who do The Athletic Clubs target?

(14:37) What is squad training?

(20:30) What do Gen Z want the most?

(25:28) Managing a full-time job on top of running 3 gyms

(27:43) Funding and growth strategies for a fitness start-up

(32:19) Challenges of running a gym in a basement

(34:02) Marketing and selling squad training to Gen Z

(38:58) The only gym to have a dress code

(41:03) Is this model replicable everywhere?

(43:27) Managing and setting boundaries for squads

(48:46) Using paid ads to find ideal clients

(51:53) What makes The Athletic Clubs cool for Gen Z?

(57:12) Opening a gym during COVID & finding an effective space

(1:01:53) What's next for The Athletic Clubs?

(1:09:06) Do squads compete against each other?

(1:13:01) Where to go if you want to find Dane

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ and Mateo Lopez sat down with Oskar Johed, the owner of two CrossFit gyms in Sweden, to discuss the strategies he's using to scale across multiple locations and achieve impressive metrics.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Oskar Johed

(2:11) Scaling cash flowing gyms in a multi-location setting

(10:22) Staffing locations & quality control

(13:56) The secret to creating an amazing product

(16:14) Attracting & retaining gym members

(18:17) Why Oskar doesn't use social media

(21:26) Creating efficient programming

(24:27) Advice for gym owners: why it's better to simplify operations

(34:25) What are goal reviews & why are they important?

(37:49) How Oskar keeps track of his clients

(40:09) Sponsored message: Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

(43:59) The challenges of running a successful CrossFit gym

(56:13) How to run a more successful CrossFit gym

(1:01:25) Does coaching certification impact a gym's success?

(1:04:40) How to improve CrossFit coaching quality

(1:11:06) Where to go if you want to find Oskar

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with gym owner Jared Byczko (https://www.instagram.com/jabyczko/), about how he was able to land a monster deal in real estate that included multiple years of FREE rent. His story proves you can make mistakes in business and still win big if you do a few key things right.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introducing Jared Byczko

(3:54) What is functional retirement?

(8:46) The secret wealth-building hack

(9:54) Starting & growing a CrossFit gym in Indianapolis

(12:07) Buying a building with SBA & refinancing

(17:24) Navigating the SBA loan process

(19:08) Putting together the down payment

(21:20) Picking a location on the path of progress

(24:25) Scaling a fitness business with multiple programs

(27:04) Simplifying his gym operations

(30:16) Sponsored message: Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

(32:12) The impact of COVID on the business

(34:03) Getting approached to sell & negotiating deals

(40:05) Where Jared's new facility will be located

(43:31) Discussing THE deal

(47:24) Renegotiating the deal & re-trading at the last minute

(50:55) Ending a business partnership

(57:45) What's next for Jared's gym business?

(59:55) Where to go if you want to find Jared

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ and Mateo Lopez sat down with Cale Owen (https://www.instagram.com/caleowen/?hl=en), the CEO of Gym Launch (https://www.gymlaunch.com/), to talk about the state of the fitness industry and what gym owners can do to run a better business.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(00:00) Introducing Cale Owen

(2:02) Who is Cale and how he got his start with Alex Hormozi & Gym Launch

(7:32) Lessons learned transitioning from sales to management

(11:57) What data do gym owners need to make better business decisions?

(20:39) Challenges with tracking data

(24:49) How has gym business education changed over time?

(28:37) The best marketing strategy for fitness businesses

(34:37) Sponsored message: Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

(39:15) How should gym owners think about content?

(44:32) How should gym owners approach running ads?

(48:14) Discussing Gym Management Software

(50:52) Rebuilding Gym Launch after Alex left the company

(54:30) Building a good hiring strategy to find the best staff

(59:53) What happened after Alex launched $100M Leads?

(1:03:34) Will there be another gym-specific book?

(1:04:46) Is cold outreach a waste of time?

(1:08:01) What's next for Gym Launch?

(1:08:56) Where to go if you want to find Cale

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ and Mateo Lopez sat down with the Founder of Fitt Insider (https://insider.fitt.co/), Anthony Vennare (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vennare), to discuss what's next in the fitness industry how gym owners can prepare for future business.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(00:00) Introducing Anthony Vennare

(4:08) How Anthony got his start in the fitness industry

(8:35) Marketing strategies to get people in the door

(10:52) What kept people interested in Anthony's gym?

(13:45) Pivoting to online programming and the startup world

(19:24) Building a brand and media company in the fitness industry

(22:46) Discussing sponsored content and how to stay informed in the industry

(26:29) Sponsored message: Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

(28:34) Who does Fitt Insider's content target?

(30:52) Industry trends every gym owner needs to know

(37:32) How can gym owners boost their online presence?

(40:53) What the best gyms in the industry are doing

(44:22) What are other opportunities for growth in fitness?

(48:41) The fitness industry and consumer behavior is changing

(52:39) What are the biggest challenges in business?

(55:49) How can gym owners create a sellable business?

(58:36) Where to go if you want to find Anthony

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Stu Brauer, a retired gym owner, about how investing in real estate can help other gym owners retire in 10 years or less.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(00:00) Introducing Stu Brauer & how he got to where he is today

(7:06) Why Stu de-affiliated & started a new concept

(13:16) How to run a profitable gym in a smaller footprint

(16:09) Learning how to make sales

(20:40) How to prove to the bank that you're bankable

(23:47) Explaining Stu's high op cap model

(30:57) Sponsored message: Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

(32:51) How Stu bought his building

(36:17) Why small biz owners are valuable to investors

(37:51) Planning out your space before buying the building

(40:45) Shifting your mindset from gym owner to real estate investor

(44:08) Common struggles with leasing

(48:28) How to not make costly mistakes with leasing

(52:52) Other tips to consider when buying or leasing

(59:18) Different ways to buy a building

(1:04:09) How do you know when you're ready to buy a building?

(1:07:04) How should gym owners think about content?

(1:16:49) Where to go if you want to find Stu

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠, Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (@markfisherhumanbeing  ) sat down with Rick Mayo (https://www.rickmayo.com/), the CEO of Alloy Personal Training, to talk about simple business model that more gym owners are using to scale multiple successful locations.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(00:00) Introducing Rick Mayo and why Mark loves the model

(5:24) What is Alloy?

(8:17) How many employees are needed at a location?

(9:27) Why the language you use matters

(12:15) What does the programming look like?

(18:53) The importance of how you position services

(27:00) Sponsor message: Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

(30:23) Running the only small group personal training franchise

(36:16) The economics of a good location

(37:27) Finding the perfect location

(39:52) Discussing Alloy's marketing strategy

(48:59) What Mark looked for to find the right location

(54:20) Rick discusses pricing anchors

(57:43) The importance of brand design

(1:06:22) Who makes an ideal franchisor?

(1:09:07) Where to go to find Rick and Alloy

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ and Mateo Lopez sat down with Melissa Shevchenko (https://www.instagram.com/fitgirlsrock.melissa/), an online fitness coach whose business profits $500k/yr, to talk about how she grew a big business without having a big following.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://blog.johnisbuilding.com/subsc...) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(1:29) Introducing Melissa & how she started her online coaching business

(3:27) Peak in-person training revenue vs. online coaching

(5:29) How to get clients on social media

(7:50) Who does Melissa target?

(8:46) How Melissa packages and prices her services

(13:39) Using Facebook and top-notch customer service to convert leads into clients 

(17:58) How Melissa draws people into her Facebook Group

(20:21) How Melissa's husband got involved in the business

(22:45) Why Melissa transitioned from in-person training to online coaching

(28:50) How does Melissa retain clients after her 6-week challenge

(32:08) Does a target market help build a better community?

(33:10) What Melissa's long-term program entails

(35:14) What are Melissa's goals for the business?

(38:54) What does Melissa's marketing look like?

(39:34) What skillsets do you need to be an online coach?

(41:15) What does the sales process look like?

(43:31) Overcoming imposter syndrome

(47:34) Melissa's advice for starting an online business

(49:59) Where to go if you want to find Melissa

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Andrew Charlesworth, the Midwest Affiliate Representative from CrossFit who ensures 800 affiliates in the Midwest don't go out of business, about how affiliates can do better financially.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://blog.johnisbuilding.com/subsc...) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(0:32) Introducing Andrew

(2:35) The state of Affiliates at the CrossFit Games

(4:03) What is an Affiliate Representative?

(5:58) Running a gym in a humanitarian way

(7:41) How Andrew helps CrossFit Affiliates

(11:44) Are people in the CrossFit community in it for the money?

(16:00) CrossFit HQ is helping Affiliates make more money

(20:24) Why do Affiliates underprice?

(24:21) How many members does Andrew have?

(26:30) Consistent quality of class experience matters

(29:28) How Affiliates can be more passionate about programming

(31:09) What if Affiliates are too passionate about programming?

(33:48) The difference between passion for training vs. business 

(40:49) How to get a model to get cash flow

(43:45) The importance of having a strong network in the community

(44:47) What stand-out CrossFit gyms are doing

(50:37) What are commonly held beliefs in the community that are wrong?

(52:09) Quality control and helping Affiliates

(57:21) Where to find Andrew

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ sat down with the CEO of the largest gym mentorship companies in the world, Chris Cooper (https://twobrainbusiness.com/), where he talked about how using data can help small coaching gyms make better business decisions.

If you're a gym owner and want to help shape the future of fitness, fill out this 5-minute survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-_BMYyDvoic6bw8HcuBMotZrAnOqy3bXEMIl0oMl0S7rrjw/viewform

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://blog.johnisbuilding.com/subsc...) so you don't miss out.

Show notes:

(1:24) Introducing Chris Cooper & the State of the Industry

(4:50) What is industry best practice?

(9:22) What separates a successful gym from others?

(15:00) Why kids/youth programs are underrated

(19:53) Why the State of the Industry Survey is important

(22:25) What makes this report different from others?

(28:17) Other lessons learned from 2022 data

(35:48) Why gyms don't price their group training properly

(44:08) Debunking the CrossFit member myth

(46:40) What does the data say about being a gym owner?

(52:40) Where do gym owners go to learn more about Chris?

(53:37) Chris talks about the Meta Program

(56:51) Final word from Chris

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠, Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpI_I0QUkOsTOVi-HYS-y1g) sat down with James Pratt from Pratt Personal Training (https://www.instagram.com/prattpersonaltraining/) to talk about how his small group training facility is on track to make $1.9M from a shared space.

P.S. If you like our show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://blog.johnisbuilding.com/subsc...) so you don't miss out!

Show notes:

(2:20) What is Pratt Personal Training?

(5:16) How James got started with personal training

(9:01) How sharing a space with another facility works

(12:32) How much does the gym rent cost?

(15:18) Growing the business organically and lessons learned

(21:57) Why believing in yourself and having confidence as a coach matters

(28:21) Discussing CrossFit affiliates and approaches to business

(33:54) What was James's hiring process?

(39:29) What James would have done differently in his business

(48:44) A common mistake gym owners make

(54:12) James's advice to gym owners

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with fitness recruiter, Jessie Stackhouse (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-stackhouse/) from Just Fitness Staffing (http://www.justfitnessstaffing.com/), about what gym owners can do to improve their hiring process and attract ideal candidates.

P.S. If you like our show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://blog.johnisbuilding.com/subsc...) so you don't miss out!

Show notes:

(1:19) Tips to improve your job description & posting

(6:20) Why gym owners should consider working with recruiters

(9:06) How and where to find quality candidates

(11:18) Crafting an outreach message to potential candidates

(12:58) Outbound vs. inbound candidates

(13:59) How many candidates should you interview?

(16:06) Red and green flags to look out for when screening candidates

(21:03) The best platforms for sourcing talent

(23:26) Advice for recruiting at in-person events

(27:57) The most difficult position to fill in fitness

(31:49) The importance of keeping a talent pipeline open

(36:44) How to position your gym to be a place where people want to work 

(40:36) How to improve your gym's website to attract talent

(44:59) Finding high-caliber candidates and filling roles efficiently

(51:15) Where to contact Jessie

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with fitness entrepreneur, Matt Wilber (https://mattwilberofficial.com/), about how he scaled to 10 locations, including four that bring in over $1M each.

Show notes:

(1:42) Introducing Matt Wilber & his start in the gym business

(10:21) Opening his first location and hiring his first coach

(12:42) Scaling to four locations using challenges

(15:22) The cost of opening multi-location

(16:43) Packaging & pricing bootcamp classes

(18:23) What Matt did to stand out from other gyms

(25:54) Hiring key players to your business

(34:24) Who is coaching the coaches?

(39:30) Scaling to 10 locations at the worst time possible

(46:00) Transitioning from a large to small group training model

(50:36) Packaging, pricing, and marketing a new model

(55:15) Matt's internal upselling process

(56:43) The challenges of switching business models

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez talk to strength historian, Dr. Conor Heffernan (https://twitter.com/PhysCstudy?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor), about the history of fitness and why fitness marketing hasn't changed in the last 100 years.

P.S. If you like our show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://www.johnisbuilding.com/subscribe) so you don't miss out!

Show notes:

(0:51) Introducing Dr. Conor Heffernan

(2:51) The grossest protein powder or bodybuilding supplement

(6:16) Who was the first personal trainer?

(10:57) The history of physical culture and gyms in the 1800s

(15:32) The evolution of gyms in the 1800s–who went to the gym?

(21:16) Fitness marketing over the last 100 years

(26:06) The first runaway success in strength advertising

(29:53) Everyone wants rare workout sets

(33:39) How co-operative gyms have evolved over time

(39:24) Creating community with "the badge"

(44:00) The first real fitness entrepreneurs

(49:53) Are there any truly new fitness concepts or modalities?

(54:24) Is lifting weird objects the future of strength training?

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Lindsey VanSchoyck (https://www.instagram.com/lindseyvanschoyck_whnp/), the Founder of Rejuvenating Health (https://www.rejuvenatinghealth.net/), about her journey overcoming imposter syndrome while building an online nutrition coaching biz that's generating $100k/mo.

Show notes:

(1:10) Introducing Lindsey VanSchoyk & Rejuvenating Health

(5:07) Generating $1M in online nutrition revenue

(6:29) What sparked Rejuvenating Health?

(7:43) How Lindsey cultivated her audience on social media

(11:08) How Lindsey structured her offer

(13:00) How do you build a strong team?

(14:16) How Lindsey structured her sales process

(18:18) How Lindsey refined her sales process

(20:29) Leveraging Facebook Groups

(23:45) The importance of following up with leads

(25:13) Publishing strategy for e-books

(27:34) Secret strategies to get more clients & semaglutides

(32:49) Lindsey's advice for building a nutrition empire

(36:30) How much of Lindsey's business comes from her personal vs. brand page

(40:28) What happens at the end of Lindsey's program?

(44:07) Lindsey's biggest tip–find creative ways for your clients to finance

(47:13) Lindsey's goals for Rejuvenating Health

(51:12) Organic vs. paid advertising

(54:57) Lindsey's final advice

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Mike Doehla (https://www.instagram.com/mikedoehla/?hl=en), the former CEO and Co-founder of Stronger U Nutrition, about how he bootstrapped a nutrition business and sold it for 8-figures.

Show notes:

(1:26) What is Stronger U Nutrition?

(2:49) How Mike got into the nutrition business

(6:28) Pricing nutrition programs & client numbers

(11:29) How the business grew without paid marketing

(15:20) Mike's system to managing thousands of clients

(17:43) How do you have a work-life balance when scaling a biz?

(19:31) What made Stronger U more successful than anyone else?

(24:08) Mike discusses his social media strategy

(29:02) How Mike hired the best coaches for Stronger U?

(35:33) Advice for gym owners trying to add nutrition to their biz

(38:40) Selling Stronger U Nutrition for 8-figures

(43:16) The importance of doubling down on your strengths

(45:54) How do you sell healthy habits?

(54:55) Why Facebook is the best platform & how to use it

(1:02:27) Navigating life after retiring & selling a business

(1:04:16) Predicting opportunities in the fitness/nutrition industry

(1:09:20) AI in the fitness industry

(1:12:26) What's next for Mike?

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez talk to Angelo Medici, a senior VP at Live Oak Bank (https://www.liveoakbank.com/), where he reveals exactly how gym owners can use the bank to build their wealth really fast.

Show notes:

(1:39) What is Life Oak Bank and SBA lending?

(6:12) What makes a gym bankable? (aka, good target to get a loan)

(9:09) What is the debt service coverage ratio?

(11:48) How can gym owners value their business?

(13:33) Example of a deal structure as a buyer with SBA

(15:51) Benefits of SBA lending

(17:47) How can gym owners qualify for an SBA loan?

(18:47) What do payments & rates look like for a $1M loan?

(23:17) How do interest rates affect a business's value?

(25:53) Can you borrow from other lenders to put equity into an SBA?

(28:17) What does the SBA timeline & process look like?

(33:41) Can you have multiple SBA loans?

(37:35) If you're not profitable, can you still qualify for a loan?

(39:06) How do banks calculate a gym's EBITDA number?

(42:31) The BEST use of an SBA loan

(46:27) If I profit more, am I obligated to pay off the loan faster?

(48:15) What is a line of credit and how does it work?

(52:49) Where should gym owners look for a broker?

(55:10) I have no experience in business, can I still qualify for a loan?

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Jeff Schumacher, the Co-Founder of Engage Personal Training (https://engagepersonaltraining.com/), about how he opened 3 gyms in 10-months. Jeff provides insight for gym owners on how to run and scale multiple profitable gyms.

Show Notes:

(0:36) Introducing Jeff Schumacher

(3:47) The most difficult part of running multiple gyms

(5:19) Explaining Engage Personal Training–why it works so well

(9:38) The economics of Engage locations

(15:00) The secret to obtaining high profit margins

(17:00) How do you run a gym successfully with 2 staff members?

(23:26) Jeff's strategies & offers to get bodies in the door

(27:49) Why great customer-service is important

(30:44) How Jeff finds the right operator & staff for his gyms

(33:44) What's the onboarding process like?

(36:23) Where does the cash come from to open a new facility?

(37:58) How are staff members compensated at Engage?

(42:26) Breaking down the costs of opening multiple locations

(44:18) Would Jeff ever consider franchising?

(47:05) Buying real estate vs. renting for multi-location

(49:16) Launching a new location Out-of-State

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠, Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpI_I0QUkOsTOVi-HYS-y1g) sat down with David Thomas Tao (https://twitter.com/d_tao?lang=en) to talk about how he built and sold BarBend.com (https://barbend.com/) – the next great fitness content brand in the industry.

Show notes:

(00:58) Introducing David & being on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list

(05:26) What it's like being a Spirits writer 🥃

(09:33) What is BarBend.com and how did it start?

(13:10) How did David know starting a media company would work?

(16:08) Explaining Pillar4 Media and what they do

(23:09) Flying under the radar while building a massive brand

(27:39) What to do to drive more traffic to your page

(33:36) How can gym owners become the go-to source for training content?

(36:58) Quality vs. quantity of content

(40:03) Choosing the right social platform to post

(43:25) How to balance posting content across different socials

(46:06) What parts of the fitness industry are on an uptrend?

John Franklin (⁠https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding)⁠ & Mateo Lopez are joined by Mark Fisher  (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing) to discuss semaglutides–diabetes drugs that are creeping their way into the fitness industry.

Show Notes:

(0:42) What are semaglutides?

(2:20) WeightWatchers buys a telehealth company

(5:01) Semaglutides will be easier to market

(11:18) Mark's hot take on Ozempic

(15:05) Will these drugs disrupt the fitness industry?

(18:26) Pharmaceuticals are a big business

(22:03) Beachbody's in an ideal position to hop on this opportunity

(24:41) Why gym owners should care

(31:25) Get a free shirt from Mateo

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Vince Gabriele (https://www.instagram.com/vgabriele71/?hl=en) – gym owner, author, and a marketing expert with a whole host of fitness business projects on his resumé – about how he structured his small group training model to generate 7-figures in revenue.

Check out https://www.vincegabriele.com/ to snatch a free copy of The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Your Gym.

Show notes:

(1:11) Introducing Vince & how he got started in the gym space

(6:07) Becoming a gym consultant to help other gym owners

(8:42) Generating 7-figures in revenue

(10:19) Packaging & pricing a small group personal training model

(15:54) The importance of your gym's footprint & efficiency

(17:56) How do you successfully transition from large- to small-group?

(20:55) Making the max amount of $ with the least amount of people

(24:35) What it means to "showcase your steak"

(26:49) Vince explains the "squirrel marketing" mindset

(28:15) Facebook ads can still work for you

(31:18) The marketing glove – important pieces in your marketing

(36:19) How to get more leads & turn around a gym for the better?

(39:59) Three components of a solid marketing plan

(41:43) What are today's most successful offers to attract clients?

(46:45) 6-week challenges will get people to come to you

(48:01) Advice to build wealth outside the gym

(51:39) Building a second revenue stream

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) sits down with Brian Bott (https://www.instagram.com/brianbottfitness/?hl=en), the Founder of Aspire Fitness, to talk about the fundamental business processes behind running multiple gym locations that generate 7-figures and owning 7-figures in real estate.

Show notes:

(0:44) Introducing Brian's gym & his training structure

(2:52) The transition from one to two gym locations

(5:53) Packaging agreements & pricing memberships

(8:16) Brian talks margins – explaining the 44% model

(9:53) Pros and cons of the 44% model

(12:35) How do you track all of your client data?

(16:12) Monitoring coaching, responsibilities, and compensation

(20:42) How to successfully run multiple gym locations

(23:26) The problem with large group gyms & mistakes they make

(29:57) Brian discusses the process of buying his building

(34:39) The importance of having an agreed-upon price

(36:16) What is a Right of First Refusal in real estate?

(37:27) Coming up with $1.1M to purchase a building

(40:27) The hardest part of the buying process

(41:59) Next steps – opening a 3rd location vs. buying a struggling gym

(45:35) Finding a way to make the gym work in your town

(49:44) Can you run a fitness business with zero overhead?

(51:57) Fitness entrepreneurship – take big risks when you're young

(56:00) Final words of advice from Brian

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Kaleda Connell (https://twitter.com/KaledaConnell) – the CEO of Kilo (https://usekilo.com), a gym software with marketing and website automation to make gym owner's lives easier – about lessons learned over the years when growing a business and the importance of updating your Google Business profile.

Show notes:

(1:26) Introducing Kaleda & Kilo

(4:01) How John & Mateo connected with Kaleda

(6:27) What are SOPs?

(8:23) Lessons learned over the years as a gym owner

(10:55) How to approach hiring people with no experience

(14:58) Tips for gym owners to improve their online presence

(16:52) The biggest mistake gym owners make on their socials

(19:33) Why updating your Google Business profile matters

(21:39) The first thing people look for before looking at a business' website

(25:14) How to bump your biz to the top of Google

(28:11) The biggest mistake on gym websites that hurt leads & how to fix it

(30:55) Should gym owners hide or share their pricing?

(32:22) Are gym owners passionate about their websites?

(36:07) How to stand out in a crowded market & get more leads

(38:11) How to have the most success with software

(40:20) A new service to help rank your gym #1 on Google

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez talk with Andrea Savard (https://www.instagram.com/asavard_firepower/) – a Two-Brain Business mentor and the co-owner of Reebok CrossFit FirePower – where she shares the ups & downs, and twists & turns of using real estate as a financial lever.

How Andrea got started in real estate (1:18)

The economics of buying a large gym (6:20)

What Andrea wouldn't do when buying a gym (11:33)

Top- and bottom-line for the gym (16:59)

The beginning of Andrea's 7-year nightmare (18:02)

How much goes into finding a sufficient property to buy (23:43)

What happens when a deal falls through (25:53)

Finding money again for a new building (30:46)

I bought a space right when the pandemic hit. Now what? (34:11)

What if we bought a farm and moved our gym to a rural setting? (42:46)

Selling yet again. The gym still needs a home… (46:19)

Real estate strategies from a real estate veteran (50:19)

Advice for gym owners wanting to get into real estate (56:13)

The importance of starting small (59:05)

The one thing gym owners should never do (1:02:17)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez chat with Cassie Day (https://www.instagram.com/cassiedayyy/?hl=en) — an award-winning personal trainer and the Founder & CEO of All Day Fit — about all things social media and how to make big money by creating organic content.

Introducing Cassie Day & her gym All Day Fit (1:53)

The inspiration behind a lane gym & what it is (5:38)

How much money does ADF bring in? (10:54)

Getting clients through organic social posts without using ads (12:15)

Planning out marketing content for the full year (15:27)

Why creating content that provides value to others is important (19:04)

How to create high-quality content (24:04)

Biggest lessons learned from having a digital marketing/content creation background (27:39)

The four-week cycle of content & content team (32:05)

How to turn leads into clients via social media (36:13)

Offering a "hot commodity" service that sells out (40:50)

Building a personal brand vs. a gym brand (45:35)

Be the expert & stand out — where do you find inspiration? (51:02)

Mateo Lopez dives in deep with Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing) to discuss Mark's own super successful fit biz: Mark Fisher Fitness (https://markfisherfitness.com/)

What is Mark Fisher Fitness MFF? (2:55)

Getting snatched in a 6-week program (6:52)

Mark discusses the ups and downs of revenue from the 6-week challenge (10:10)

Charing premium prices for a premium experience (12:09)

Making millions by providing value (19:06)

What gym owners should think about according to MFF (26:26)

How MFF gets people to come into the gym (30:52)

There's a way to be persistent and not be annoying (34:00) 

Getting people to sign up for free offers (38:12)

Why it's important to understand the sales process (44:27)

Selling a high-ticket program (47:52)

Awesome trainers in your gym matter (50:02)

The most common problem people are coming to MFF (51:23)

The best way to do email marketing (56:21)

Using ChatGPT to write content (1:02:06)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez talk to Nick Page (https://www.instagram.com/nickpage_ttp/?hl=en), the owner & founder of The Trainer Page, about undervalued Instagram strategies that help him generate over $15k/mo.

Introducing Nick Page (0:35)

How Nick's business evolved (1:09)

Nick talks Instagram strategies (7:16)

Just DM your followers and take action (12:03)

How do you get people to follow you? (18:36)

Why running a contest is effective when done right (21:07)

Instagram will stop you at some point (26:32)

The importance of having social proof & a social presence (29:29)

How do you come up with post ideas? (33:01)

Getting more leads on social (40:10)

How do you manage all the leads? (47:29)

What kind of reply rate should a gym owner be expecting? (51:08)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) & Mateo Lopez talk to Jack Wheeler (https://www.instagram.com/360fitnesspt/?hl=en), the founder, CEO and co-owner of 360 Fitness Personal Training.

Introducing Jack Wheeler (0:30)

Running a 7-figure gym that makes $100k/mo (2:29)

Jack’s VIP shake program (6:44)

Sales numbers per month (14:01)

Social proof on all sides of the gym (20:19)

Why Jack’s Facebook Ads work so well (30:10)

Jack explains his marketing process to get leads (38:18)

How to use social proof photos as a part of your ads (48:34)

Jack talks conversion rates & client retention (57:02)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing) discuss LifeTime Fitness’s transformation and a viral gym that claims to be “the best gym in the f***ing world.” 

LifeTime Fitness increases prices (0:50)

LifeTime’s dynamic pricing (3:45)

How gym owners should price their services (9:20)

Why do people pay $300/mo to workout LifeTime (13:15) 

LifeTime’s pickleball strategy (17:18)

What gym owners can learn from Lifetime (24:00)

The greatest gym in the f***ing world (27:08)

Fusion Gym’s big opening  (31:08)

Fusion Gym’s response (33:30)

 Fusion Gym expands to the fitness capital of the world (40:35)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing) discuss a viral gym that claims to be “the best gym in the f***ing world.”

The best gym in the f***ing world (0:42)

The front man for the best gym in the f***ing world (9:05)

The economics for the best gym in the f***ing world (17:07)

Financing the best gym in the f***ing world (23:19)

The business plan for the best gym in the f***ing world (26:02)

Takeaways for gym owners (35:43)

Kilo gym management software tattoos (36:15)

Selecting a profitable niche in fitness (39:10)

The Glute Guy (39:55)

Knees Over Toes Guy (48:55)

The Vertical Jump Guy (52:20)

Metal Workout (59:40)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHu...) talk about the business of fitness with Pete Dupuis (https://www.instagram.com/pete_dupuis/), the co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance.

Show notes:

Pete’s relationship with Sahil Bloom (2:36)

How to get successful people to work with you? (5:35)

Pete’s content strategy How to be the Seth Godin (15:06)

How to set boundaries and say no (21:36)

Where Pete gets inspiration (24:20)

Pete’s writing process. (41:20)

Twitter vs. Instagram for growing an audience (43:56)

Using Twitter to test ideas (50:57)

What kind of gym Pete would build if he was starting today? (55:06)

The misconception about social media followings (59:15)

How to hire coaches and personal trainers (1:09:26)

Othership raises $9M to expand their social bathhouse concept (1:11:48)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mateo Lopez, and Jay Wein (https://www.instagram.com/dicey_mcsorely/) bring you the best (& worst) stories from the Gym World.

Show notes:

Can you be a fat personal trainer? (0:23)

Is there a market for overweight personal trainers (6:50)

Planet Fitness’s new marketing campaign was inspired by dick pill commercials (10:44)

The Bear Cave releases a short report on Planet Fitness (16:56)

LA Fitness’s new concept is a mall food court but for fitness studios (21:38)

Virtual reality fitness app FitXR wants you to sculpt in the metaverse (33:07)

ISSA’s TikTok ad campaign. Do certifications matter in fitness? (43:45)

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John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHu...) talk about Zumba and bad price increases.

Strava’s weird price increase (0:20)

How not to raise prices at your gym (9:14)

The worse price increase in fitness history (11:52)

Zumba’s 6 Week Transformation Program (26:31)

Is Zumba the best fitness business of all time? (35:24)

Zumba Instructor Network + Zumba’s music business (50:44)

Beto Perez (55:18)

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John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing) rank the best fitness influencers doing short-form vertical video and break down their businesses.

Mr. Beast on short form vertical video (0:30)

Daddy Noel Deyzel (4:47)

PapaSwolio (15:10)

Joey Swoll (20:23) 

Greg O'Gallagher (31:55) 

The winner (49:20)

Megsquat's $3M+ business (49:37)

How gym owners can make money with vertical video (1:08:00)

John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding) and Mateo Lopez sit with Jay Wein (https://www.instagram.com/dicey_mcsorely/) to share their craziest stories from the NYC gym scene.

“Seeking real CrossFit gossip” (0:46)

The CEO of Garage Gym TikTok (30:18)

NOBULL Lands investment from NFL (51:39)

The male crop top is back (59:24)

Episode 10: John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mateo Lopez, and Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing) sit down with the co-founder of Deadboys Fitness, Joshy G ([https://instagram.com/joshyg27?](https://www.instagram.com/joshyg27/)).

Show notes:

• Tom Brady’s TB12 teams with Brandon Marshall’s House of Athlete (1:17)

• CorePower Yoga launches its first strength-based class (25:40)

• Gary Gaines is the sixth executive to leave CrossFit HQ in the last year (32:28)

• Bedros Keulian’s $15,000 alpha male bootcamp (44:00)

• High ticket wellness retreats (1:06:08)

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Episode 2: John Franklin (https://twitter.com/JohnIsBuilding), Mark Fisher (https://www.youtube.com/@MarkFisherHumanBeing), & Mateo Lopez talk about  Plant Fitness’s 16.6 MILLION members, CrossFit competitions CanWest and European Championships stiffing their athletes, a lawsuit involving Equinox, and our favorite influencer gym, Alphaland.

______________

Show Notes:

1/ Planet Fitness massive scale (1:12)

2/ CrossFit competitions can’t afford to pay prize money (29:54)

3/ Ex-cafe vendor sues Equinox & calls it “a morally bankrupt company” (45:28)

4/ Christian Guzman’s Alphaland is making $1 MILLION per month (52:26)

______________

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•Using Kilo for your gym's website, marketing automation, and gym management software

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•Reading John's newsletter on the business of fitness