WTF Gym Talk

Dawn Cone, owner of CrossFit Unparalleled stop by my shop to talk all things fitness biz related - branding, strategic growth, operational capacity and more.

CrossFit HQ as a business is going nowhere. The unknown variable is what’s going to happen to you as a CrossFit affiliate owner in a growing and evolving microgym market. Differentiate or die.

Q4 is a prime time to create content that embodies the stressful social situations we all find ourselves in & hack that understand to create awareness around “damage control” program you offer in Jan.

The guys from Gymbuildr and I jam on converting high volume leads off their 6 week challenge, how to close those leads and retain those new customers even after the challenge is over.

Spent the weekend in Seattle for the first annual Iron+Mortar Summit. An amazing event for gym owners to enhance their business. Here are a few thoughts I had once I got back...

Talking with CrossFit Veneration about the pressure many gyms place on themselves to create handbooks and systems is way overblown IMO. Systems are def. needed at some point in your biz...but...

Set down with James FitzGerald and Jim Crowell of OPEX to discuss their unique view of the fitness industry, where they see the market going and why the group class model is due for an evolution.

Cody Havel, owner of CF Never Broken calls in with a question about starting B2B sales and creating Corporate Wellness programs in his town.

Branding is much more than just the logo or name of your biz, but many CF affiliates are waiving the CrossFit flag as their branding and then trying to become something their not.

Don't start a fitness company until you've actually started a fitness company. Experience as a personal trainer, running a boot camp or working at a globogym is recommended before opening up shop.

Too many of you are trying to dictate what you think the value of your service should be. However, we can only demonstrate the value because the market doesn't give a fuck about your opinion.

Most people will say discounts are the issue with failing gyms...but they're just headline reading. The real issue is the lack of price anchoring and the end price the discount puts you at.

You may have heard of these 6 Week Challenges that many gyms have been running to draw new leads into their business. CrossFit MTZ and I sit down to discuss their experience with Gymbuildr.

If you're currently creating your own paid FB ad campaigns, but you know that you're missing the mark...This is for you. A few common fuck-ups to avoid when spending money on FB ads.

LOYALTY: It's the #1 reason most owners grandfather their customers into below market rates. I respect it, but it's misguided IMO to blend that term in a professional biz relationship.

Having a hard time finding quality employees? Start creating content centered around your ability to professionalize coaches. You need to start branding yourself as a developer of fitness talent.

Looking to add an additional revenue stream but you're capped on time? Individual program design and the use of Fitbot allow coaches to hack the time constraints of personal training. Scale your time!

When it comes to advertising I need you to start thinking like Serta. They aren't selling mattresses, they're selling what the mattress provides - sleep! Start selling the results of fitness, not CF.

Thinking of rebranding your gym? While I'm a big believer in "if it's not broke, don't fix it", there may be some merit under the right circumstances.

You're an owner, not an athlete. This concept, though it seems elementary, is being completely missed by so many. If you opened your gym because you thought it was a hack to train 24/7...👎

You Can't Sell Denim If Your Mannequins Are Wearing Khakis. Does your social media story translate to the prospective customers you're trying to reach? Is your content helping or hurting your biz?

Matt Scanlon from the 321Go Podcast and I jam on diversifying revenue streams and shooting for bunts and sacrifice flys vs grand slams in your business. Check out their podcast if you haven't already!

Stop asking other owners for their employee handbooks or a copy of their policies and procedures. You don't want to reinvent the wheel? Why not!?! It's your fucking wheel! Just do the work.

The differentiator in successful vs. failed gyms used to be coaching knowledge. Now with coaching education available everywhere, the success variable comes down to how well you can run a business.

A conversation w/ an aspiring trainer who has gone the OPEX education route and wants to open an Individual/Personal Design facility. How to enter into this market, build a brand and grow.