Your Gym Business Doesn’t Care About You

The Brutal Truths of Running a Fitness Busines

Author

Cardy Brothers
June 30, 2024

Read time: 2 minutes

Dear Fitpreneurs,

Owning a fitness studio comes with its challenges.

There are times where members quit on you.

And there are moments where you sit alone in the gym and stare at the door after yet another “no-show”.

It’s in these times where it feels like an uphill slog.

But here’s a simple reframe we use:

“Your gym doesn’t care about you”.

Let me explain…

NEW EPISODE

Breaking Down The Costs Of Our Fitness Studio

This episode is all about the costs of running our fitness studio. We share some numbers and give you a full breakdown of what it takes to keep everything running smoothly. We talk about everything from the equipment we use to the little things that add up. Plus, we share some tips on how we could have saved money and what we've learned along the way. If you're thinking about starting your own gym or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of ours, this episode is for you!

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • The hidden costs of running a fitness studio unveiled.

  • A deep dive into the initial expenses - what you need to know.

  • Clever ways we could have slashed costs - learn from our mistakes.

  • Essential lessons and insider advice for aspiring gym owners.

Diagnose Overwhelm

When people become burnt out, it’s because they lack clarity.

So if you’re finding yourself overwhelmed by the business, there’s a simple solution:

Figure out what you’re unclear on and…

Get clear on it.

For example:

If you can’t keep on-top of customer service, hire a VA to help.

If you’re unsure of your finances, keep track in a spreadsheet every month.

When you take back control, operating the business will become easier.

Learn the 80/20 Principle

This is basically when you get the best returns (80%) for the least effort (20%).

Instead of the worst returns (20%) for the most effort (80%).

Example:

We spoke with a gym owner who has two product offerings.

One is a simple £20 per session option.

The other is a 6 Week Challenge priced at £300. This then converts into a monthly membership at £220 p/m.

Instead of focusing on his main revenue product, he wanted to promote his £20 per session product.

Because he felt it would attract more people.

When he flipped his attention to the actual money-making product, his business exploded.

Know Your Numbers

The easiest way to know what needs fixing is by tracking the numbers.

It makes me laugh how many studio owners don’t adopt this daily ritual.

Yet they scramble around, buy flyers, boost Instagram posts and never know what’s working.

These are also the people that say they “need clients”, yet have no idea their churn is through the roof.

So my advice? Get used to tracking all the metrics that matter.

  • Leads

  • Appointments

  • Appointments Sat

  • Front-End Sales

  • Members

  • Churn

Knowing this stuff reveals the hidden secrets in your studio. You no longer have to rely on your gut.

If you need more leads, market better.

If you need more appointments, nurture better.

If you need more sales, sell better.

If you need more members, deliver better.

Remove Yourself

Let’s face it, us personal trainers are often blessed with a healthy-sized ego.

I see this as a feature, not a bug.

It’s this ego that allows us to lead and educate our clients with confidence.

But sometimes ego can be our worst enemy.

When you decide to open a gym, the business is no longer there to serve you.

It’s there to serve your community.

So this means taking a step back, getting out the way and doing what’s best for the company.

Instead of thinking you “can do it all”, find someone who can do it better.

Final Words…

When things get hard, learn to be objective.

Your gym doesn’t care about how many hours you’ve worked this week.

It doesn’t care you’ve had two “no-shows” in a row, when you could have been at your mate’s birthday drinks.

Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and blaming someone/something else…

Be accountable. Figure out what needs fixing. Fix it.

And watch your studio grow.

That’s it from us. Reply any time…

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