Run a Profitable Gym

Chris Cooper has a gift for gym owners who want to crush it in 2025: a complete, step-by-step annual plan.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris breaks down the exact strategies you can use to grow your gym next year. From kickstarting the year with a habits challenge to boosting retention with client goal reviews, he explains how a clear plan can help you stay consistent and avoid overwhelm.You’ll also learn about building effective marketing funnels, performing coach evaluations and using community events to generate leads. Plus, Chris shares how Two-Brain mentors help gym owners tailor plans to their strengths and opportunities to achieve long-term success.Whether you follow this annual plan exactly or tweak it to fit your gym, it lays the foundation for you to thrive in 2025. Listen now and start building your best year yet!To get the free guide, join Gym Owners United using the link below and send Chris a message.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call  01:51 - The 2025 plan03:24 - Month by month05:00 - January to March14:41 - April to June25:03 - July to September28:03 - October to December

Amanda Buckner’s gym, Untamed Fitness in Washington, recently earned a spot on Two-Brain’s leaderboard for average revenue per member (ARM)—with top performers hitting between $500 and $821 per client per month.Since opening her gym just a year and a half ago, Amanda has scaled her monthly revenue from $6,000 to $15,000. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin digs into how Amanda achieved such impressive numbers without relying on traditional group classes.Amanda explains how mentorship, rate increases and a focus on personal training contribute to her high ARM. She also shares how her expertise in functional fitness and commitment to delivering results have set her gym apart from the competition.Tune in to hear Amanda’s full story and get her advice for gym owners looking to boost their ARM.Links2024 "State of the Industry"Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call  01:06 - Group classes to private08:37 - Two-Brain can change your ARM17:34 - Changing your rates21:33 - How Amanda gets clients30:06 - Small but strong ARM boost

Cynthia Fotti, Two-Brain mentor and owner of CrossFit Rush, helps gym owners turn healthy habits into thousands of dollars in revenue.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Cynthia explains how she helped her gym generate front-end revenue of $3,500 in just four weeks with a healthy habits challenge—and an additional $1,800 in ongoing revenue.Cynthia lays out everything you need to run your own challenge this January, including how to price, structure and market it. She also explains why focusing on simple habits such as eating more vegetables and adding protein to meals leads to powerful results for clients and higher retention for gyms.To boost revenue and set your members up for success, tune in to get the tools you need to hit the ground running in 2025.   LinksThe Prescriptive ModelAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Licensure Map and Statutes by StateGym Owners UnitedBook a Call  01:28 - Rewards for healthy habits challenge10:23 - Setting up a healthy habits challenge15:08 - Working out your pricing22:20 - Continuing with nutrition coaching26:57 - The #1 tip for success

Mike Monaco took his gym from parking lot workouts to a thriving 5,000-square-foot facility that generates over $420 per member per month. How? He switched to a PT-focused model with an emphasis on relationship building and holistic wellness.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks to Mike Monaco, owner of RX FIT in New York State, who shares how he skyrocketed his ARM with the help of a mentor.Mike’s approach centers on quality, not quantity: He’s focused on high-value clients who receive individualized attention through personal training, recovery services and nutrition coaching. His gym thrives on word-of-mouth referrals, driven by strong relationships with members and local physical therapists.Tune in to hear how Mike scaled his PT program to represent 60 percent of his fitness revenue and how he keeps his members coming back—all with zero marketing costs. LinksThe Prescriptive ModelChris Cooper's "Help First"Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call  00:52 - ARM change since Two-Brain04:26 - Driving ARM up fast07:42 - What a package can look like12:24 - Referrals & high-value clients18:22 - Good relationships & retention23:52 - Role of a mentor 

Imagine if every client paid you between $500 and $800 every month. That’s a reality for the gyms on this month’s leaderboard. In today’s episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper shares the Top 10 leaderboard for average revenue per member (ARM). With a mean ARM of $608 and an average client headcount of 58, our leaders are focusing on high-value options beyond group training, such as one-on-one and semi-private coaching. These options help high-value clients get to their goals faster, while boosting your ARM. And if a group client isn’t happy with progress, it's easy to offer them more attention by suggesting premium options in goal review sessions.Tune in to the full episode to hear more tips for boosting your gym’s ARM.  LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call  00:23 - ARM and 1-on-1 coaching02:12 - ARM leaderboard04:14 - Showing what is possible07:58 - Response from top gyms10:55 - Confusing method with model

Want more gym members without slashing your prices? Discounts can undermine your gym’s value, hurt your profit margins and attract the wrong clients. There’s a better way.In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," host Mike Warkentin is joined by John Franklin, chief marketing officer at Two-Brain and Kilo.John shares four proven strategies to help you attract and retain new clients without offering discounts: events, holiday challenges, New Year’s Day check-ins and black card referral campaigns. He lays out examples of each tactic and offers practical tips for implementation at your gym.John’s advice is clear: Focus on attracting high-value members who will stay for years instead of using discounts to lure in low-paying coupon clippers who won’t stick around.For more support on running a profitable gym without discounts, get Chris Cooper’s free guide "The Gym Owner’s Guide to a Discount-Free Black Friday" by joining Gym Owners United, linked below. Links Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call  01:10 - Get more clients before 202506:08 - Holiday nutrition challenge09:09 - New Year’s Day check-in12:55 - Duplicate your best members16:05 - Execution matters the most

Slashing prices for Black Friday is a mistake if you sell coaching. Discounts attract the wrong clients and teach the right clients to wait for sales instead of renew memberships at full price. Worse, the discount comes out of your profit. The government still gets paid if you cut your rates, and so does the landlord. But you take home less money. In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Chris Cooper explains exactly what to say when people ask for discounts—use his lines word for word. He also tells you what to do instead of gutting your profit. Hint: Build value so you attract great clients who will pay full price and stay for years. LinksChris Cooper's e-book "The Gym Owner's Guide to a Discount-Free Black Friday" is available here: Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call  2:40 - Stay away from discounts9:28 - The discount snowball13:35 - "We don’t play those games"18:23 - Discounts can stop you from giving24:11 - "Feeling the discounts"

Two-Brain's annual industry-defining report is out! The 2024 "State of the Industry" guide is packed with the essential data gym owners need to grow their businesses. This year, it even contains 13 ratings scales fitness entrepreneurs can use to evaluate their businesses and target areas for improvement. How many clients does the average gym have? How much revenue? What do gym owners pay staff? How many classes do they run? How large are gyms, and how much of their revenue is used to cover fixed costs? How fast are gyms responding to leads, and how many clients are they adding each month? How long are they holding those clients, and what's the lifetime value of each one? How much do gym owners take home each month? Every question is answered in the guide, which is packed with data from Kilo, Wodify and a huge survey of gym owners. The guide was released on Nov. 12 on "The Sevan Podcast." Check out this rebroadcast as hosts Sevan Matossian and Matt Souza discuss key stats with Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper. Use the link below to get the guide and analyze your gym's performance. Links2024 "State of the Industry" GuideGym Owners UnitedBook a Call  1:53 - The success rate 7:27 - Political landscape and health 15:45 - "State of the Industry" report 37:01 - Shrinking the sample size 1:05 - Sales in health & fitness 1:21 - The OG spark 1:26 - Video contest winners 1:47 - Two-Brain Summit 

Two-Brain’s fifth annual “State of the Industry” report is out, and it’s more useful than ever. It’s not just a collection of statistics but a practical tool designed to help gym owners assess their strengths and weaknesses and make strategic decisions.Kilo and Wodify kicked in stats from thousands of gyms around the world, and our greatest survey response ever filled the guide with data on average revenue per member, expenses, client retention, profitability and more. The numbers are broken down by gym type, with visual references to help you determine how your gym is performing in comparison.  Tune in to this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym” to hear Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper highlight key takeaways from the report with host Mike Warkentin.  Then, get the 64-page “State of the Industry” report through the link below and use its data to evaluate and improve your business. Links2024 "State of the Industry" GuideGym Owners UnitedBook a Call  02:14 - State of the Industry 202408:07 - Big group gyms and revenue21:39 - Improving good numbers31:33 - What is left?38:32 - The best plan for gym owners

Dana Fouche is busy.In addition to running Reach Athletics, she’s a mother and the owner of a farm. To ensure she never lets her business falter—even when the cows escape again—Dana uses Chris Cooper’s Golden Hour concept: Every day, do one thing to grow your business before you do anything else.To start her days, Dana goes to a quiet place, clears her head, works on simple but effective marketing tasks and then addresses larger projects. She ends after an hour and makes a plan for the next day. No matter what happens after that, her business has already received a great push forward.To her, the Golden Hour provides the same accountability she provides to fitness clients. If she tells them they can find an hour to take care of themselves, she can find an hour to focus on her business.Host Mike Warkentin has Dana run through her exact plan and provide tips for gym owners who are struggling to move their businesses forward. Dana is clear: One hour a day is more than enough to grow your gym if you focus on the right tasks.To take part in Chris Cooper’s Golden Hour Challenge and build essential entrepreneurial habits, join Gym Owners United using the link below.And to dig into the concept on your own and set up your own 60-minute plan, get “The Golden Hour," also linked below. Links"The Golden Hour"Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call  01:21 - Business momentum in one hour04:24 - Rundown on Dana’s gym07:09 - Dana’s Golden Hour11:36 - Lead with marketing reps17:21 - Tips for those who are struggling