Run a Profitable Gym

Say you've got a great idea for a killer event in your community. Maybe it's a local competition. Maybe it's a networking or continuing-education event. How do you get people to actually attend?Just do what Per Mattsson did.Per is a Two-Brain Business mentor and the founder of Coaches Congress, a multi-day event in Sweden for gym owners and coaches. The Congress is attended by fitness professionals from around the world, and it features world-class speakers and exhibitors. But the Coaches Congress started just like any other event—as an idea. Per grew it from the ground up, sourcing speakers from his personal networks and personally inviting people to attend. Without little to no real marketing efforts, he grew his audience from around 80 people the first year to nearly 300 in 2019. In this episode, he'll tell you step by step how he cultivated his audience and established so much trust that when last year's keynote speaker backed out—Greg Glassman himself—only two people asked for a refund.Links:Buy tickets to the Coaches Congress 2020"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief"Timeline:2:06 – What is the Coaches Congress?2:59 – Where did the idea come from?5:33 – Why not pair a business event with a competition? 7:30 – Diving in without worrying about potential problems.8:50 – How to get people to show up.10:39 – Engaging the audience before and after the event.12:59 – Finding great speakers.15:09 – How to attract sponsors and exhibitors.18:27 – Why people come to the Coaches Congress.19:54 – What to do when your key speaker backs out.23:12 – Coaches Congress 2020: More world-class speakers, workshops and value.26:17 – The key to building a robust, trusting audience: communication.

What would you do if in a single moment, everything you had worked so hard for was wrenched from your grasp forever? Scream? Cry? Give up?Kevin Ogar may have screamed and cried after the accident that left him—a lifelong athlete —paralyzed from the waist down, but he didn't give up. He rolled with it, finding purpose in helping adaptive athletes, veterans and able-bodied people alike change their lives through fitness.After the accident, Kevin went on to become a member of the CrossFit Seminar Staff, teaching the Adaptive Training specialty course (he now works with the independent Adaptive Training Academy, which teaches a CrossFit-preferred course). He opened his own gym, CrossFit WatchTower, and co-founded the Reveille Project, a nonprofit that uses fitness, nutrition, community and faith to help veterans post-active duty. Kevin also competed on the U.S. Paralympic Powerlifting team.Listen to Kevin's interview with Sean Woodland to learn how he stays positive and driven—and get his advice for how you can do the same.Links:CrossFit WatchTowerAdaptive Training AcademyThe Reveille ProjectOGAR: Will of SteelContact: Instagram: @kevinogarTimeline:1:24 – Kevin Ogar, pre-CrossFit: a “meathead.”2:28 – His first CrossFit workout and the “Kevin-sized hole in the wall.”4:17 – Becoming a competitor.5:58 – The accident.7:27 – Rehabilitation at Craig Hospital.8:52 – Getting through the low moments.10:32 – The response from the CrossFit community. 12:20 – Moving forward.13:13 – Opening an affiliate and the power of coaching.14:52 – The Reveille Project17:03 – On the power of helping others.17:59 – Joining the U.S. Paralympic powerlifting team.19:12 – On the adaptive-athlete community. 20:55 – What it’s like to be an inspiration.22:17 – Helping others get through similar struggles.23:33 – Where does his positivity come from?24:54 – Helping people understand what it’s like to be disabled.26:20 – On being a newlywed: “I get less of my bed now.”28:24 – Lessons learned since that fateful day in 2014.29:05 – Refining a sense of purpose.29:54 – Why he wouldn’t trade everything that’s happened for the ability to walk again.

Did you resolve to read more in 2020? We've got you covered.Chris Cooper reads for at least an hour every day—often via audiobooks on Audible—and in this special, extra episode of Two-Brain Radio, he shares highlights from his bookshelf in 2019.He shares summaries of his favorites and honorable mentions—as well as some that he didn't like, but you might—and which phases of entrepreneurship the books are best suited for. Links:View full reading list here. Contact: chris@twobrainbusiness.comTimeline:2:00 – Top tips for buying and learning from books.4:08 – “This Is Marketing,” Seth Godin4:54 – “Scaling Up,” Verne Harnish5:27 – “Never Lose a Customer Again,” Joey Coleman6:09 – “Leadershift,” John Maxwell7:25 – “The Courage to Be Disliked,” Ichiro Kishimi8:07 – “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on it,” Chris Voss9:12 – “Clockwork,” Mike Michalowicz10:30 – “Rebook,” Jerry Colonna11:37 – “The Alter Ego Effect,” Todd Herman12:54 – “12 Rules for Life,” Jordan Peterson14:10 – “Turning the Flywheel,” Jim Collins14:58 – “Atomic Habits,” James Clear15:28 – “Turn the Ship Around,” David Marquet16:07 – “The Like Switch,” Jack Schafer16:30 – “Principles,” Ray Dalio17:10 – “This I Know,” Terry O’Reilly17:40 – “Building a Storybrand,” Donald Miller 18:20 – “Simple Numbers,” Greg Crabtree18:56 – “Vivid Vision,” Cameron Herold19:39 – “Can’t Hurt Me,” David Goggins20:04 – “The Zappos Experience,” Joseph A. Michelli20:59 – “Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief,” Chris Cooper22:06 – “Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become,” Michael Schrage22:48 – “Competing Against Luck,” Clayton Christensen23:42 – “Abundance,” Peter Diamandis23:57 – “Contagious,” Jonah Berger24:29 – “The Infinite Game,” Simon Sinek25:45 – “The Culture Code,” Daniel Coyle26:49 – “Resilience,” Eric Greitens

"Sorry, I can't make it to our appointment tonight; my dog is sick.""I just got called in to work.""I lost my job between last night and this morning ... "Sound familiar? If you own a gym, you've probably heard all these excuses and more for why a lead—who has willingly clicked on your ad and opted in—suddenly can't take your call or book an appointment. Sometimes it's legit. But take a look at your lead sheet and note the frequency with which sudden emergencies, tragedies and wild, unpredictable obstacles occur, and you'll notice a pattern.Here, Mike Warkentin of Two-Brain Media and digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez open the valve and vent. You can take comfort in knowing it isn't just you who gets the last-minute excuses or gets ghosted all together.You'll also learn why in the grand scheme of things, it's not that big a deal—and how to reframe rejection into an opportunity for future success.Links:Free Help KitBook a Free CallContact: mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:03 – Free gifts, Jay-Z and Will Smith.5:53 – Ghosts are real—and they won’t return your call.8:03 – Working past the hyperactive ad-clickers.9:51 – Why people make excuses.10:18 – I don’t always have kids, but when I do, they’re sick.10:52 – Still, ghost leads aren’t money down the drain.11:08 – Sudden divorces and the lead who wouldn’t stop crying.13:49 – If it were really a bad time, they wouldn’t have picked up the phone.14:56 – They can’t come in? Make the pitch on the phone.16:20 – The midnight firing.17:27 – Weed out out-of-staters by making sure your ad settings are accurate. 18:56 – Treacherous weather (i.e., light winds and a sprinkling.)20:06 – The doctor’s “note.”20:44 – When they can’t come in, but want free stuff anyway.21:51 – The influencer epidemic.24:20 – Glitching calendars and flat tires.25:01 – And then there’s spam. 26:20 – Bait-and-switch gyms are ruining it for everyone. 27:46 – Lost keys and perpetual errands.30:00 – When they cancel AFTER you’ve already made the sale.31:05 – They made an appointment, but they don’t know how it happened.32:19 – How to weed out no-shows before they happen.33:17 – Think like a quarterback.33:47 – Stay professional: Today’s excuse-maker could be next year’s new member.

January.It's the time for resolutions and goal setting, and many gyms see an influx of new or re-committed members in these first days of the year.But what happens when the novelty wears off? When temptation creeps in and setbacks occur?This episode of Two-Brain Radio is all about human behavior. Chris Cooper speaks with Ty Krueger, owner of Packerland CrossFit and founder of the Behavior Change Collective, which helps families with children struggling with behavior issues.Ty has a master's degree in applied behavior analysis, is a board-certified behavior analyst and previously served as clinical director for an autism treatment center. In this episode, he brings his expertise to the gym, sharing how owners can help clients make positive behavior changes and stick with them for the long haul. Links:Behavior Change CollectivePackerland CrossFit"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief"Contact:behaviorchangecollective@gmail.comFacebook: The Behavior Change CollectiveInstagram: @behavior_change_collectiveTimeline:1:00 – Finding a passion for studying human behavior.3:29 – Joining CrossFit after gaining “sympathy weight” during his wife’s pregnancy.4:20 – Opening Packerland CrossFit.5:29 – What is behavior analysis?6:36 – Bringing behavior analysis to the gym.8:05 – It’s all about building personal relationships with clients.9:03 – Why most resolutions fail.10:06 – Seven layers of “why.”11:54 – Turning “can’t-do” goals into “can-do” goals.14:37 – How to set clients up for success.16:07 – How to keep clients on track.18:12 – The importance of check-ins and follow-ups—even with longstanding clients.20:32 – Maintaining one-on-one relationships during in influx of new clients.22:10 – The importance of treating every client as an individual.24:15 – All about the Behavior Change Collective.27:56 – Three things gym owners need to do to improve client behavior and retention.

Chris Spealler was the underdog of CrossFit, competing against men weighing up to 70 lb. more than him and holding his own. That's what made him relatable—that and his big heart and tremendous work ethic. "Speal" is an eight-time CrossFit Games competitor (7 individual, 1 master). He stood on the podium three times during his individual career. Time after time, he won fans' hearts and earned their cheers as he struggled against heavy weight, the last man standing on the floor.He retired to a standing ovation in 2014 and now focuses on his affiliate, CrossFit Park City in Utah, running the Icon Athlete online training program, and using his fitness to enrich his life outside the gym with his wife and children.You'll get to hear about some of the memorable moments from Chris' competitive career, how he transitioned from training for competition to training for life and what good programming looks like.Links:Two-Brain Business Free ToolsIcon Athlete ProgrammingContact:Instagram: @cspeallerTimeline:1:40 – Athletics before CrossFit: a little bit of everything.2:54 – Why Speal loved wrestling.3:34 – Learning work ethic from wrestling, “the hardest sport in the world.”4:54 – After wrestling, finding purpose in CrossFit.6:21 – Why wrestlers make the best CrossFit athletes.7:16 – Competing at the first CrossFit Games in 2007.8:57 – How his training changed as the Games evolved.10:13 – The dog sled in 2011: It wasn’t the shoes’ fault.11:52 – Qualifying out of the 2012 Regional: “old-school CrossFit to a T.”13:45 – On missing the Games in 2013—and deciding to try one more time.15:24 – The “elder statesman” of 2014.16:53 – The 2014 CrossFit Games: a farewell tour.19:04 – On being the underdog.20:27 – Dealing with intimidation.22:01 – On being the strongest man in the world—according to the sixth-graders at his son’s school.23:34 – Why go masters in 2017?24:31 – Trading training for competition to training for life.27:22 – Starting Icon Athlete.30:27 – The difference between good and bad programming: volume.31:56 – Advice for aspiring competitors.32:54 – How to train well as a masters athlete.35:06 – Lessons learned from 13 years of CrossFit.

Mike Warkentin is writing his memoir, and he needs a new pen to do it. Can Mateo Lopez give him the perfect pitch?Your prospective clients probably don't need pens, but they do need fitness—and in this episode of Two-Brain Radio, Mateo will show you what an effective sales pitch looks like. You'll learn what to say and when, how to get in touch with the client's "why" and why your programming and community aren't going to seal the deal.You'll also get to observe an effective sales funnel in action as Mike opts in for more info on two gyms' websites live on air.Links:Building a Sales EngineBook a Free CallTwo-Brain Business Free Tools"Help First"Make More Money: The Secrets of Ad TargetingForever FierceContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:57 – Putting real lead funnels to the test.5:40 – Who’s checking your notifications?7:29 – Jack Wheeler’s automated texts.8:57 – It’s not enough to be a great coach—you have to learn how to sell.10:30 – Current vs. desired situations.12:41 – You’re not selling community.14:07 – After the desired situation is achieved.15:31 – Julie Johnston and the double dial.19:00 – You need to constantly re-evaluate the desired situation.20:22 – How Jack Wheeler builds a sales-friendly environment.25:43 – Matep Lopez’s sales process: Step one—build rapport.27:16 – Take the lead.28:23 – Find the “why.”29:14 – Connecting past obstacles with what your program has to offer.30:23 – Kicking the bruised knee.32:19 – Offering the solution.35:03 – Identifying obstacles and filling the void.38:06 – Sell results, not programming.41:24 – Dealing with objections.45:00 – How to get better at sales.46:24 – Selling the pen.

You opened a gym because you wanted to help people improve their lives with fitness.But lately, you've been more stressed than passionate. The gym is short-staffed and you've been working 12-hour days. You lie awake at night worrying about cash flow and coaching feels like a chore. What used to be a source of joy now feels like a burden. How did you get here? And how do you get happy again?Psychotherapist Bonnie Skinner will tell you in this episode of Two-Brain Radio.Links:Book a Free CallContact:Bonnie SkinnerTimeline:0:53 – The connection between physical fitness and happiness.1:36 – The long-term effects of exercise on happiness.3:52 – The best workout for depression? Just move.5:01 – Anxiety and depression: imbalances of input and output.6:09 – The difference between situational and long-term anxiety.8:18 – Depression and the mental bank account.10:25 – Increased output during the holiday season leads to increased anxiety.12:13 – Defining depression: What is your brain responding to?16:26 – Managing anxiety.19:50 – Prioritize meaning and engagement.21:45 – What to do when the thing that brings you meaning is also the thing making you anxious.23:31 – Paying attention to the cues your body is sending.25:33 – Check your baseline.27:37 – Practice self-awareness with regular personal check-ins.31:36 – Balancing your flywheel.

Matt Chan has done a lot of things.He's taken second at the CrossFit Games, owned a gym, traveled the country in an Airstream trailer, survived a nearly deadly mountain-biking accident—oh, and that time he sharted 5 minutes before his heat at Regionals.In this episode of Two-Brain Radio, Matt tells Sean Woodland all about those experiences and more, reflecting on his six-year CrossFit Games history, his programming company, Train for the Win, and how fitness enables him to experience life to the fullest.Links:Train FTWTwo-Brain Business Free Tools"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief""Two-Brain Business""Two-Brain Business 2.0""Help First"Contact:Instagram: @matt1chanTimeline:1:55 – Finding CrossFit through firefighting.4:12 – Becoming a competitor.5:33 – The early days of the Games at the ranch in Aromas.7:38 – Taking second in 2012.8:57 – The importance of having a supportive partner while competing.10:06 – On being the oldest individual to podium at the CrossFit Games.11:22 – Sportsmanship and breaking ground in competitive CrossFit.14:03 – Starting Train for the Win.15:32 – Reflecting on the evolution of the CrossFit Seminar Staff and the Level 1 course.20:30 – Top mistakes aspiring competitors make today.24:08 – Training as a master.26:06 – Selling his house, moving into an Airstream and becoming “trailer trash.”29:50 – How Matt qualified for the 2013 Games out of the Airstream trailer. 31:18 – The crop-dusting incident.32:43 – Taking fitness outside the gym.34:42 – The bike accident that almost killed him and the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum.37:00 – The next stages in Matt’s fitness career. 

Facebook marketing. You know you need it, but that's about all you know.Should you target your ads as widely as possible in the hopes of reaching more people? Should you tighten the focus on certain demographics? What's more important, gender or age?Digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez is on Two-Brain Radio to demystify Facebook ad targeting and teach you which net you need to catch the fish you're looking for.Links:Free ToolsBook a Free CallHealthy Steps NutritionContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:27 – Narrow or broad targeting: Which is better?5:26 – Sorry, but you’re probably not as smart as the computer.8:00 – Geographics: Why you might not want to target by radius.10:37 – You already know your target market—it's your current clients.12:10 – Don’t get too specific.14:25 – Ad sets by gender.16:26 – Let Facebook do the work for you.17:50 – You might not always want to target to your own postal code.19:50 – Want to become a digital-marketing expert?20:42 – First steps for the ad-targeting newbie.22:08 – Costs and competition.24:47 – The moral of the story: Experiment, track and revise.25:40 – The strategy Mateo is too chicken to try.