Why Strong Studios Start with Solid Foundations

A couple of weeks ago, I took a three-hour drive to visit one of our studio owner clients, Matt.

Matt recently launched his studio, and our meeting was all about giving him the tools to maintain his momentum and build for the long term.

We spent the better part of the morning together, and I came away with one clear realisation:

The Trap of Decorations

When I met with Matt, not once did we:

• Pull out Canva to design social media posts.

• Debate the "perfect" font for his landing page.

• Tweak the banner in his Facebook group.

Those are decorations. They look nice but don’t make the business any stronger.

Instead, we focused almost entirely on building his foundations:

• We created a bulletproof profit-and-loss projection.

• We mapped out a detailed, step-by-step Q1 plan.

• We reverse-engineered his goals into clear, actionable steps for the next three to four months.

Why Decorations Don’t Matter Without Foundations

It’s easy to default to "busy work" that feels productive. Things like a nice-looking Instagram grid, designing perfect email sequences, or swapping out logo designs can make you feel accomplished.

But those decorations will crumble if your foundation is weak.

• What’s the point of lowering your cost-per-lead if your business isn’t profitable?

• Why obsess over an automation if your members aren’t sticking around?

So many studio owners fall into this trap. They polish the surface without addressing what’s underneath.

The Shift We Made

At the end of last year, we asked our Fitpreneur clients:

Their answers were foundational:

• Hands-on support with tech.

• A central hub for call recordings and key resources.

• Done-for-you ad campaigns.

• More planning-focused coaching sessions.

• Instant support through WhatsApp.

These weren’t "decorations" to make things look better. They were foundational changes to make things work better.

We made the shift, and the results have been undeniable: our clients are more focused, confident, and equipped to grow.

Foundations First

Decorations have their place—but only when the foundations are rock solid.

Think of it like a house. No one cares about the colour of the walls or the new curtains if the house is built on sand.

Your studio business works the same way. It needs a foundation strong enough to support growth:

• Clear metrics and financial planning.

• Retention systems that keep members engaged.

• A strategy that keeps you moving in the right direction.

The decorations will come later. And when they do, they’ll actually matter—because they’ll be built on something that lasts.

In this episode, we share everything we’ve learned from launching two studios in a single year. From finding the perfect location to pre-selling memberships and building a thriving community, we break down every step to help you hit the ground running.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why now is the best time to transition from renting space to studio ownership

• How to secure favourable lease terms and avoid common pitfalls

• Our proven systems for hitting capacity before your doors even open

• Tips for building a strong team, nailing sales consultations, and retaining long-term members

You’ll also hear inspiring success stories from our clients who’ve launched studios of their own—and the exact strategies that got them there.

If you’re ready to take the leap, this guide will show you how to make it happen in 2025.

Or listen to the audio only

Want to launch your own fitness studio?

We recently introduced our reimagined coaching programme, Launch Kit.

It’s designed to help you open and fill your studio to capacity before you open your doors. It’s the exact process we’ve used to launch and fill both of our own studios—and now, we’re sharing it with a small group of clients.

We’re keeping this programme limited to just 10 spots, so if this sounds like the right move for you, join the waiting list to be the first to know when spaces open.

That’s it from us. Reply any time…

Cardy Brothers
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