Run a Profitable Gym

To move from owner-operator to CEO, you'll have to develop staff, and gym owner Chris Williams of CFT Fitness has cracked the code.In fact, Williams earned an award for Coach Education and Opportunity at this year's Two-Brain Summit for fitness entrepreneurs.In this episode, Chris explains how he built up his staff and prepared them to take over gym operations, coaching, customer service, client retention and other aspects of the business. By developing a system and delegating to team members, Chris freed himself to spend more time with his family and grow his business.Chris also shares some of the mistakes he made as an inexperienced gym owner so you can avoid them.To take your first step toward being the CEO of a thriving fitness business, listen to this show. Then focus on developing your staff.LinksThe Value LadderBook a CallGym Owners United5:08 - Owner-operator to CEO8:11 - Departmentalization and tasks14:00 - Staff development22:36 - How to start

If you want to move into the CEO role, you must offload lower-value tasks to staff. As each task comes off your plate, you'll have more time to grow the business.So how do you start buying back your time? Chris Cooper has the answer.In this episode, he explains how he offloaded tasks at his gym, and he provides a plan to help you create standard operating procedures and a priority list for hiring.Once you have people in place, you've got to keep them—so Coop's got details on a Career Roadmap plan that's designed to help you retain staff members and help them earn more. Finally, Chris lays out a Staff Ascension Model that will help you invest in your team’s growth and provide clear pathways for advancement, If you follow this plan, you'll create a strong culture that ensures team members buy in, understand and implement the vision of the business, know how to grow the business and generate revenue, and stay in your business for years to come.LinksGym Hiring Plan and Job DescriptionsThe Case for Part-Time CoachesIntrapreneurialism 101 guideBook a CallGym Owners United1:19 - Who to hire first5:14 - Climbing the value ladder6:55 - Creating careers10:44 - Ascending staff

When should I switch mentors? How do I buy my building? How can I get more out of mentorship? Is it even possible to become a millionaire as a gym owner?Chris Cooper answers these and other burning questions about mentorship with Two-Brain Business. If you've ever wondered what mentorship is all about, this is the show for you.If you have a question Coop didn't answer, leave a comment or ask in it our industry forum, Gym Owners United.LinksBook a Call1:56 - When to switch mentors7:13 - How to be more coachable14:34 - 1:1 vs. group coaching21:05 - How do I buy a building?25:37 - What's a certified millionaire?

In this episode, you'll learn all about the four main personality types you'll see in your gym: 1. Fact-based extroverts2. Fact-based introverts3. Relationship-based extroverts4. Relationship-based introvertsTwo-Brain founder Chris Cooper and mentor/gym owner Brian Bott discuss the defining characteristics of each personality type so you understand what members of each group need and want.First, Chris and Brian will give you everything you need to know to make more sales.For example, fact-based introverts need and want information, but they can also struggle to make decisions when they get overloaded. To close with this group, you're going to need to zero in on prime concerns and then provide clear solutions to problems. You'll have to take a different approach when a fiery relationship-based extrovert wants to jump into a workout within 30 seconds of entering the building.Next, Chris and Brian will tell you how to coach different kids of people—and manage them if they're on staff.If you learn about these four personality types, you'll be a much more effective gym owner.LinksBook a CallGym Owners United2:03 - Fact-based extrovert3:25 - Fact-based introvert5:29 - Relationship-based extrovert7:53 - Relationship-based introvert10:29 - Selling to each personality type24:34 - Coaching each personality type37:19 - Managing each personality type

Should you buy another business or replicate your existing business when expanding your gym empire?The answer is "it depends." Both paths can be successful. But they have unique pros and cons that will influence different kinds of entrepreneurs.To give you a roadmap to expansion, Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper sits down with Swedish gym owners Per Mattsson and partners Karl Solberg and Oskar Johed to discuss the bright spots and challenges found on each route to a multi-gym empire.Karl and Oskar choose to replicate a very successful model over and over in startup gyms, while Per prefers to buy other gyms. All are having great success expanding their influence and serving more clients, and they'll provide inside tips that will help you make smart decisions yourself. If your first gym is stable and profitable and you're thinking about taking the next step, this episode has essential info that will help you avoid mistakes and grow your business faster.LinksBook a CallGym Owners United1:30 - The Swedes3:14 - Building with Karl and Oskar8:49 - The "150 Model": Overlap and systems19:15 - Buying with Per26:12 - Fixes and overlaps27:32 - Staff training33:24 - Two paths: pros and cons

How can you become a millionaire gym owner and build a lasting legacy? The key is using a four-stage approach to create an airtight business: systemize, optimize, grow and scale.If your business is a chaotic mess, your first step is systemizing everything so each client gets excellent service every single time. With basic systems in place, you can then audit and refine them so they're perfect.At that point, you add fuel to the well-oiled machine and move faster. The growth phase is less about experimentation and more about doubling down on the things that are producing measurable results. The final stage: scale. Will you add a second location or expand your current one? What's the next step to building your empire?In this episode, Two-Brain Business founder and CEO Chris Cooper walks you through all the stages and shows you what to do to ascend. Even better, he'll point out the traps that can kill momentum or even send you back to a previous stage. Listen, take action and build a world-class gym.LinksBook a CallGym Owners United1:34 - Stage 1: Systemize4:34 - Stage 2: Optimize7:24 - Stage 3: Growth11:39 - Stage 4: Scale12:54 - The Traps18:31 - Recap

How did Nate Muller's gym earn spots on three of our Top 10 leaderboards for sales in May 2023?Today, Nate shares his secrets for getting more leads, booking more free consultations, getting people to show for those meetings and closing sales. The best part: Green Lake Strength and Conditioning isn't using complex sales systems and gimmicks. Nate's got simple, clear systems in place, and they work like a charm. They're so simple that you can easily replicate them at your fitness business.Generating referrals and online reviews, offering convenient appointment slots, solving problems for prospective clients and tracking metrics—it's all simple. But most gym owners don't do this stuff, and their sales suffer. To boost your numbers today, check out this episode and then take action in your gym, studio or affiliate.Links"The Prescriptive Model"Book a CallGym Owners United1:44 - Organic SEO and referrals4:26 - Reviews10:38 - Nate's gym and ideal client13:58 - Key systems for increasing show rate16:17 - The sales process and measurable improvements21:24 - Training salespeople23:46 - Do this today

Want real sales stats from the world's top microgyms?Chris Cooper has them, and he'll give you three leaderboards in this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym." You'll hear the exact set, show and close rates for our Top 10 gyms in May 2023.Even better, Coop will tell you what these owners did to get these numbers, and he'll give you tips to help you improve your own stats.For example, if people are booking consultations but not showing up, you can send video confirmation messages to boost your show rate. Struggling to close? Maybe you need to practice clarifying the prospective member's problem and offering a precise solution.Most gym owners didn't get into the business to sell, but if you don't learn how to acquire clients, you can't help anyone become fitter. Check out Coop's tips, then unplug your marketing funnel so you can change more lives.LinksBook a CallGym Owners United0:26 - Four key sales metrics3:08 - Free consultations booked5:15 - Shows for free consultations8:18 - Top closers10:59 - How to get more leads11:40 - Get more appointments booked14:28 - Get more people to show17:46 - Closing more sales

Can you use a gym business to become a millionaire?Yes! In fact, you can do it in three different ways. In this episode, Chris Cooper lays them out for you and answers all the common questions that pop up. Here are the paths:1. Build and scale the gym business you have.2. Reinvest your profit.3. Leverage your audience and start another business.Coop will provide the pros and cons of each strategy and explain which ones are best for different kinds of entrepreneurs. He'll also give you tips to help you succeed with the strategy you select. Listen to this episode and take clear, calculated action. If you do, you'll be on the path to wealth.LinksBook a CallGym Owners United0:48 - Strategy 1: Build and scale23:51 - Strategy 2: Reinvest your profits37:08 - Strategy 3: Start another business

Gym owners make the best millionaires. Here's why:They dedicate their lives to helping others get fit and healthy. And when they achieve financial success, they use it to dramatically improve their communities.Yet so many hardworking gym owners can't see a feature that includes wealth—or they question why they should aspire to be wealthy at all. Isn't it more noble to serve and sacrifice?The reality: If gym owners don't generate profit and create businesses that support their families, they'll leave the industry and clients will be left without leaders. It's happened too many times to count. But stable businesses that reward their owners serve clients for decades, and successful, happy fitness entrepreneurs can use their extra income to help others to a greater degree.Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper has a mantra: Make lots of money and give it away. In this episode, he explains why you should become a millionaire and how you can use that success to improve your town.LinksBook a CallGym Owners United0:40 - Is it realistic?2:51 - Why should you care?5:28 - What does “wealth” mean?8:32 - Life changes12:44 - Why only some succeed15:13 - Millionaire problems17:31 - Greed?