Ten Things I’ve Learned as a Gym Owner

Five years ago I wrote an article “10 things I’ve learned in 10 years of being a kettlebell instructor.” It’s now been ten years that I’ve owned a gym so I figured it was time that I write this piece.

Before we begin, let me first say that my gym, Baltimore Kettlebell Club, is a private training studio. We are a StrongFirst accredited gym, that offers group classes and personal training only. This is not the kind of gym where people can just walk in off the street, pay a drop-in fee, and do whatever they want. Given that we are a smaller club, we have much more “control” over our culture. So, some of the points listed below may not apply to big box gyms who rely on the quantity of memberships sold. We are more focused on the quality of memberships.

In no particular order:

1. Community is of Utmost Importance

We don’t just want bodies in and out the door. We want people who take their training seriously and who are respectful. If you can do that, you’re probably a good fit for us. We have a family/friendly vibe here. You do not need to be a social butterfly, but you need to be ok with saying hello.

The leader sets the tone but it’s the people who create the culture. As the leader you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the culture and direct it. Do you want people who text between sets? What about the use of vulgar language? Political activism? Do dudes take their shirts off at the first bead of sweat? Some things are going to feel right to you, and some aren’t.

Figure out a way to promote what you want in your gym and curtail the things you don’t want. As always, have difficult conversations (the sooner the better) privately, politely, and in-person whenever possible.

2. Smaller is OK

Everybody thinks bigger is better but that is not always the case. In addition to having the right people, a smaller gym allows you to be more flexible to meet people’s needs.

For example, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, being a smaller gym allowed us to cater to our community. We set our rules to comply with the law, but then we offered times where restrictions were a little tighter for those who were more cautious or more at risk. We also created “timeshares,” where family groups could have the gym to themselves. Also, during the shutdown (about three months) we lent out all of our equipment to our members.

Having a smaller, close knit community that’s built on mutual respect, allowed us to do that and have everything returned in a timely manner when it was time to reopen.

3. It’s not About You

When you go from being a trainer to a gym owner, there needs to be a shift away from you. This is going to put your ego in check. If you think you are God’s gift to the fitness industry and that no one can train people as good as you, it’s probably best you don’t open a gym.

As a trainer, you want people to train with you, obviously. As an owner, you want people to train with the other trainers in your club. Sure, you may still take appointments and teach classes, but you need to spend time training your trainers and getting them business, too. Otherwise, you will become the bottleneck in your own business.

Develop leaders in your gym the same way you develop fitness students. Give people direction, the tools they need to grow, and encourage them along their way.

4. Define Your Market

When you’re first starting out you cast a wide net because you need the business. However, the sooner you can narrow your market the better.

That does not need to be one of the common demographics of age, gender, or athlete vs non-athlete. I think a better target market is people with a specific goal like getting stronger, learning to use kettlebells, etc. It helps to have a student body that has a shared common interest. Not surprisingly, our target audience is interested in strength, kettlebell, barbell, or strongman training. Our members range in age from elementary school to elderly. We have soccer moms and soccer players. We have people who have never used a barbell and we have state powerlifting champions.

Although we don’t market to them anymore, we occasionally get people with weight loss goals. We can certainly help them but because we don’t currently offer nutritional services, our program is only half of the equation. These folks are often a great fit into our community but to advertise to them as having a weight loss program would result in frustration for both parties.

You cannot be all things to all people. Figure out what you’re best at and find the people who are looking for that.

5. New Trainers Need Personal Training

It’s best for new trainers to hone their coaching skills with personal training students. If possible, get them as many one-on-one appointments as possible before they start teaching classes.

It takes time to develop the “coach’s eye” and it’s easier to identify flaws in one person’s technique than it is in a group setting. Once your trainers start teaching, give them feedback as much as possible. Trainers do not need to teach exactly like you would but should still operate under the same set principles. However, while there might be room for individuality within the training sphere, you will need standard procedures for onboarding, first visits, etc. that your staff follows to a T.

Spend time developing your trainers, and systems. And give them ample opportunity to practice their craft. It goes without saying that your trainers should be qualified and preferably StrongFirst certified.

6. More Time Working on the Gym and Less Time Working in It

You need to spend time marketing, accounting, planning, and developing the business.

It’s easy to get caught up in the exciting stuff like training competitors and writing programs but set aside time to crunch numbers and do the financials. Learn how to run reports, evaluate business software, and create systems. These things are essential in any business and unless you are “big time” and can afford to hire a CFO and COO, you’ll need to do it yourself. The same goes for marketing. You could have the best gym in town but if nobody knows about it, well, you know how that ends…

Just like you spend time building your body, spend time building your business.

7. Take One Day Off a Week

You need a rest day. Period.

You will be working long hours, 12- to 14-hour days for the first couple years is pretty much the norm. Vacations longer than two days are unlikely. Though you may be strong and physically fit, 70- to 80-hour workweeks are unrealistic for an extended period of time. A small business can easily consume every minute of every hour. If you don’t take time off, everything else in your life will suffer.

Take one day a week to rest, spend time with your family, and enjoy some leisurely pursuits. Recharging your batteries will ensure you bring your best to the gym, whether you’re teaching or training.

8. Continue Training and Leading by Example

If you can be in great shape all the time, that’s great. Power to you!

But it’s more important to be real. Practice what you preach. Life throws curveballs at everybody. When they come your way, in the form of injury, loss, or pandemic, be sure you take your own advice. What do you tell your students when unforeseen circumstances affect their training? “If you can’t make it to the gym, do something at home… Something is better than nothing… Just try to stay active…”

Be consistent in your training and your message.

9. Continuing Education

Keep reading books, attending seminars, and seeking out mentors.

This goes not only for training but for business. I attended every training clinic, technical seminar, and coaching certification I could for years before realizing there is a lot of value in attending quality fitness business seminars. My first one was an eye opener for me that helped step up my game immediately. From sales, to lead generation, to relationship marketing; all things that I knew little about. However, beware of the gurus who can help you get “47 new students in 17 days” or whatever. There are a lot of snake oil salesmen out there.

10. Create the Right Experience

People don’t just come to your gym for the training. They come for the experience. The people, the look and feel, the atmosphere, the energy… it’s all of that. Put some thought into the decor, signage, how you and your trainers dress, how you greet people both in person and over the phone. What is the “customer experience” like? What does the onboarding process consist of? How do you keep people engaged? What other things outside of training do you align with?

These are all questions to consider about creating the right environment.

Your gym is not going to be “right” for everybody, but it should be welcoming to everyone. It goes without saying that your gym should be a place for any person regardless of race, color, or creed. But it should also be a place for the new or experienced lifter. The young man or the old woman should be able to train there and if they can train together, you’re doing something right.

I’ve often said that “training is the stuff that changes lives” and when you have an environment where lives are being changed daily, you’ve got an awesome thing.

Keep that going!