Shows
Business is Good with Chris Cooper112: The Professional AmateurIn this episode, Chris explores the "professional amateur" mindset - the key to sustaining peak performance without burning out. After a conversation at his local bike shop about retirement, Chris realizes that entrepreneurs need singular professional focus on their business while maintaining amateur curiosity in other pursuits. The episode breaks down why entrepreneurs are particularly vulnerable to addiction and unhealthy coping mechanisms (they're twice as likely to experience depression and three times more likely to struggle with substance abuse), and offers a practical framework: choose ONE thing to be professional at - your business - and maintain 2-4 other...
2025-12-1410 min
Run a Profitable GymFrom Broke to Wealthy: The 4-Phase Gym Owner BlueprintOverwhelmed by conflicting business advice? Cut through the noise with Chris Cooper’s proven system for building wealth as a gym owner. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris explains how to move beyond the passion-first mentality that keeps most fitness entrepreneurs stuck and broke.He breaks down his four-phase roadmap for gym-owner wealth: Founder, Farmer, Tinker and Chief. These phases show you what to focus on right now, what to ignore and how to move toward financial freedom.Coop also shares candid stories from his early years of gym ownership, includ...
2025-09-0825 minRun a Profitable Gym“The Golden Hour”: How This Daily Habit Saved Chris Cooper’s GymWhat if one simple daily habit could help you grow your gym?In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Chris Cooper invites you to join him in his Golden Hour—a daily routine that grew his gym and other businesses. This business-building hour is structured with the GOLDEN acronym:- Go to a place where you can focus.- Open your mind with a brain dump.- Lead with marketing reps.- Do your big projects.- End at the hour.- Next steps.Chris det...
2025-08-0726 minRun a Profitable GymFree Books for Gym Owners: Chris Cooper's Complete Library GiveawayOverwhelmed by business advice and the mountains of fix-your-gym resources?That's common, and overwhelm kills action. To help, Chris Cooper walks through six of his books for gym owners and helps you choose the one that will help you get big-time results today. 👉 You can even get the book you need for free between Aug. 4 and 8, 2025.Maybe you need “Gym Owners Handbook” to help you systemize operations or “The Golden Hour” to build the daily habits that grow your business.If your business is already operating at top speed, it might be...
2025-08-0425 minBusiness is Good with Chris Cooper94: The End of ConsultantsBig-ticket consulting is wobbling. McKinsey, Accenture, Deloitte, EY, KPMG—together they’ve announced tens of thousands of layoffs while clients feed generative-AI the questions they once paid armies of analysts to answer. In this episode, Chris Cooper unpacks the coming “consulting crash,” explains why AI has punctured the information moat, and predicts that only one in ten traditional consultants will survive.But advice-giving won’t vanish. Instead, it splits:Mentors deliver high-level strategy—now super-charged by AI that runs instant market sims.Coaches drive execution—now backed by 24/7 GPT check-ins...
2025-08-0315 minBusiness is Good with Chris Cooper93: CASH vs KASHEarly-stage founders live and die by cash-flow—payroll, rent, survival.But once your bills are covered, the game flips: growth depends on KASH—Knowledge, Attitude, Skills and Habits.In this episode Chris Cooper breaks down:Why cash is king in the Founder phase and how to keep it flowing.Knowledge: created only through action → reflection → adjustment (Jim Rohn quote).Attitude: balancing unshakable optimism with brutal facts (Stockdale Paradox) and daily mindset guards.Skills: how your “tax-proof” abilities must evolve from technician → manager → investor.Habit...
2025-07-2015 minRun a Profitable GymSaving CrossFit: Coop Answers Your QuestionsLast week, Chris Cooper published a blog titled “How to Save CrossFit,” and the response was massive—affiliate owners, coaches and industry leaders reached out with questions and concerns.Today, in this special episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris answers their questions.Coop addresses why he deaffiliated from CrossFit and why the method must evolve, then he digs into a question many have asked him: Would he ever buy CrossFit LLC? Chris also defines what real change would look like in a complete overhaul, including how to rebuild CrossFit Media, redefine the purpose of...
2025-03-2023 minRun a Profitable GymTop Books for Gym Owners: Chris Cooper's Complete ListToday on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper shares his top book recommendations for gym owners in 2025. He unpacks the lessons he learned from these titles and how he applied them to grow his gym and his other businesses.Remember, it’s not how many books you read that matters; what matters is that you put what you learn into action.Ready to learn and take action to grow your gym? Check out Chris’ suggested reading list below: - “The Mountain Is You” by Brianna Wiest- “The Courage to Be...
2025-01-1622 minRun a Profitable GymReflect, Plan and Win: Chris Cooper's Year-End Message to Gym OwnersEvery gym owner can learn valuable lessons from 2024. The key is using them to grow in 2025.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper guides gym owners through a year-end exercise to analyze their wins and losses and lay the foundation for success in the future.He explains how to review metrics, identify bright spots and turn lessons into actions that will measurably improve businesses.Want to make 2025 your best year yet? Listen to learn how reflection, clarity and planning can help you grow your gym.Coop's "Wins and Less...
2024-12-3021 minRun a Profitable GymWant a Thriving Gym in 2025? Here's the Exact Plan to FollowChris Cooper has a gift for gym owners who want to crush it in 2025: a complete, step-by-step annual plan.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris breaks down the exact strategies you can use to grow your gym next year. From kickstarting the year with a habits challenge to boosting retention with client goal reviews, he explains how a clear plan can help you stay consistent and avoid overwhelm.You’ll also learn about building effective marketing funnels, performing coach evaluations and using community events to generate leads. Plus, Chris shares how Two-Brain mentor...
2024-12-0934 minRun a Profitable Gym"We Don't Have Discounts": How to Keep Your Profit on Black FridaySlashing prices for Black Friday is a mistake if you sell coaching. Discounts attract the wrong clients and teach the right clients to wait for sales instead of renew memberships at full price. Worse, the discount comes out of your profit. The government still gets paid if you cut your rates, and so does the landlord. But you take home less money. In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Chris Cooper explains exactly what to say when people ask for discounts—use his lines word for word. He also tells yo...
2024-11-1828 minRun a Profitable GymFocus and Accountability: The Golden Hour for the WinDana Fouche is busy.In addition to running Reach Athletics, she’s a mother and the owner of a farm. To ensure she never lets her business falter—even when the cows escape again—Dana uses Chris Cooper’s Golden Hour concept: Every day, do one thing to grow your business before you do anything else.To start her days, Dana goes to a quiet place, clears her head, works on simple but effective marketing tasks and then addresses larger projects. She ends after an hour and makes a plan for the next day. No matter w...
2024-11-0722 minRun a Profitable GymWhat Exactly Are Gym Owners Doing to Earn Over $16,000 per Month?The average fitness entrepreneur earns between $2,500 and $6,000 per month. The top earning gym owner on our leaderboard brings home six times the high end of that average.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper presents the Top 10 leaders for net owner benefit (NOB)—profit, salary and anything else a gym owner earns from their business. Then, he shares how they got on our leaderboard. Some focused heavily on retention and raising client value. Others reinvested their profit to become even more profitable—increasing ad spend, developing staff or buying a...
2024-10-2820 minRun a Profitable GymGolden Hour: 5% Client Boost With Just 60 Minutes of Work a DayIn this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Eric Conner shares how he measurably improved his gym in just 60 minutes a day using Chris Cooper’s Golden Hour framework:Go to a place where you can focusOpen your mindLead with marketing repsDo your big projectsEnd after one hourNext steps Eric sets aside a Golden Hour every morning in which he focuses on high-value, CEO-level work. He puts in marketing reps, such as reaching out to former clients and unconverted leads. Then he works on larger projects, like improving his gym’s 90-day client journey. Finally...
2024-10-2423 minRun a Profitable GymThe Golden Hour Challenge: Grow Your Gym in Just 1 Hour a DayGym owners with the fastest-growing businesses share one specific skill: focus.They have access to the same tools, resources and mentors as everyone else. What sets them apart is their ability to consistently do the key things that are required to improve their gyms without second-guessing themselves or getting distracted.You can learn how to build this entrepreneurial focus by reading “The Golden Hour,” the upcoming book from Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper.In today’s episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris invites you to join in the Golden Hour Challenge, beginning...
2024-10-2137 minBusiness is Good with Chris Cooper71: Why Get Rich at All?Why Get Rich_Chris Cooper discusses the motivations and challenges of gym owners, who often sacrifice higher-paying careers to pursue their passion despite low earnings. He argues that wealth creation is essential for personal and societal progress, emphasizing that wealth enables freedom, problem-solving, and opportunities for others. Cooper highlights the importance of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and democracy, noting that wealth creation is necessary for job creation and tax generation. He advocates for building wealth to solve personal financial issues, compound wealth, create opportunities for others, and ultimately, to give back through philanthropy.Transcript
2024-10-0620 min
Help Best48: Challenges and Advantages in 2025Help Best - Challenges and Advantages in 2025Chris Cooper discussed the 2025 challenges and advantages, focusing on the 96% conversion rate to 73% retention in the growth phase. Key challenges include gym owners not meeting net owner benefit goals, lacking a two-year client retention period, insufficient CEO skills, and lacking a long-term sustainability plan. Solutions include a new coach development program, addressing flat, stalled, and lost avatars, and introducing habits training. Competition is minimal due to Two Brain's unique data-driven approach. Advantages include a comprehensive program delivered in stages, continual coaching improvement, and a focus on client outcomes....
2024-10-0614 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperGolden HourBiG Podcast - Golden HourChris Cooper emphasizes the importance of dedicating an hour each day to growing one's business, citing the benefits of uninterrupted time for focus and consistency in practicing the 'golden hour.' He advises listeners to prioritize their mentor's tasks during this hour and highlights the ease of entering a state of focus with consistent practice.Action Items[ ] Block out a daily one hour "golden hour" time on your calendar to work on your business[ ] Visit Chris Cooper's website (businessesgood.com) and utilize the daily directives and resources provided[ ] Track...
2024-05-0606 minHelp Best24: Programming for BusinessProgramming for BusinessSummaryEffective programming for fitness goals. 0:01Good programming starts with the goal and works backward, breaking down the problem into essential elements with clear steps and achievement points for celebration.Setting and achieving fitness and business goals. 1:33Chris Cooper outlines a goal-setting framework for business success, emphasizing clear goals and measurable progress.Breaking down a large goal into smaller tasks for success. 3:03Chris Cooper outlines a plan to increase NLB by $5,000 in 90 days through monthly goals and task assignments.
2024-04-2004 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperStay In Your LaneStay In Your LaneSummaryLimiting growth by trying to do too many things. 0:01Chris Cooper highlights the common mistake of trying to do too many things at once, leading to watered-down core services and distraction from the main business.Limiting growth by building multiple, mediocre businesses instead of focusing on one great business, resulting in more stress and less money.Chris Cooper shares his struggles with juggling multiple projects and the importance of focusing on one thing at a time.He reveals that he has a tendency to jump on opportunities quickly due to fear...
2024-04-1509 minRun a Profitable GymHow to Add $10k in PT Without Adding a Single MemberIf you’re not selling personal training in your gym, you’re missing out on a lot of revenue.In today’s episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin and Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper show how gym owners can boost revenue by $10,000 or more without adding any new clients. Chris explains exactly how to use Goal Review Sessions and the Prescriptive Model to start selling personal training to your existing members to help them meet their goals more quickly. And he even tells gym owners what to say, word for word, to offer P...
2024-04-0127 minRun a Profitable GymSneak Preview of the 2024 Two-Brain Summit (and Free Books!)In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host John Franklin is joined by Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper.They provide a glimpse into the upcoming Two-Brain Summit, happening June 8 and 9 in Chicago. Some of the incredible speakers for this year’s event include Jonathan Goodman, Jason Khalipa, Brian Chontosh and coaches from Mayhem Nation. Attendees will also get to grill a panel of experts from Kilo, PushPress, WodBoard and Wodify with questions such as “why aren’t gyms keeping clients longer?” and “what’s most important for gym owners right now?”Finally, John and...
2024-03-2146 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperProduct-Market FitSummaryIdentifying ideal clients and product market fit. 0:01Chris Cooper identifies the challenge of identifying ideal clients and explains the importance of product market fit for business growth.He observes that businesses have a small group of loyal long-term clients and a larger group of newer clients with a higher churn rate, highlighting the need to serve the former for optimal growth.Identifying and retaining ideal clients in a business. 2:30Chris Cooper emphasizes the importance of identifying and retaining the right clients for a sustainable business, rather than constantly bringing in new ones who may not have a...
2024-02-2615 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperThe Case for Firing FastSummaryWhy businesses should fire underperforming staff quickly. 0:03Chris argues that it's best to fire people quickly, rather than psychoanalyzing their personal problems or taking on their troubles, and explains why this approach is best for everyone involved.The impact of bad team members on business success. 2:15Chris Cooper emphasizes the importance of removing bad staff members to boost morale and productivity, citing examples of how a single negative team member can demotivate the rest of the team.Staff members look to the leader for guidance and action, hoping to elevate their performance by removing the weakest link...
2024-02-1912 minRun a Profitable GymMillionaire Gym Owners: How They Did It (& How You Can Too)This episode of “Run a Profitable Gym” was recorded live in Dallas, Texas, during a meetup of the world’s best gym owners—some of whom are featured in Chris Cooper’s latest book, “Millionaire Gym Owner."Host John Franklin sits down with Taryn Dubreuil of CrossFit Function and Joleen Bingham of 13 Stripes Fitness. Both Taryn and Joleen are Two-Brain mentors and certified millionaire gym owners. Tune in to hear Taryn's and Joleen’s individual paths to success—from hitting rock bottom to reaching and exceeding $1 million net worth. For both, it all started with building a profi...
2024-02-1543 minRun a Profitable GymWhy Chris Cooper Wants You to Be a Millionaire Gym Owner“How can I stop working 70 hours a week?” “What will I do if an unexpected expense comes up?” “How am I ever going to retire?”As a young gym owner, Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper asked all these questions, and at first he couldn’t find any answers. This led him to search inside and outside the fitness industry for a path that led to freedom of money and freedom of time—aka, retirement. He found that path, and it's the foundation of his latest book, “Millionaire Gym Owner,” which he a...
2024-02-1220 minRun a Profitable GymThe No-Ads Cinnamon-Roll Secret to Huge Average Revenue Per MemberThis month’s leaderboard show is all about average revenue per member (ARM)—how much a gym earns on average from each client in a month. In this episode, host Mike Warkentin is joined by Two-Brain ARM leader Michaela Munsterman. Her gym, Elite Medical Exercise, in Austin, Texas, has a gigantic ARM—but Michaela doesn’t spend any money on ads to attract her high-value clients. Instead, she built a dedicated wellness community entirely through word of mouth and focused local networking, and she’s here to share her strategies with you. Her top tip? S...
2024-02-0829 minRun a Profitable GymThe Vocal Local: How to Create a Referral Web for Your GymTwo-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper is a household name in his community of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where his gym, Catalyst Fitness, is located. He’s a true authority when it comes to dominating your local market. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin prompts Chris to reveal the strategies behind his success in making his gym the obvious choice for people in the community.Chris doesn’t mention huge ad spends and earth-shaking marketing campaigns. Instead, he talks about offering value to potential clients, having genuine conversations and maintaining a “Help F...
2024-01-2229 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperIs Your Business a Democracy?Years ago, I thought about making my gym a co-op. I told myself I wanted to give 'ownership' to the clients and let them guide the future...but really, I was trying to avoid responsibility.In this episode of Business Is Good, I discuss the common - but sometimes unconscious - desire for the owner to say "It's not my fault!"It's up to you to make the decisions and bear the consequences: you get the upside, if you make good decisions. And you also bear the downside, if you make bad...
2024-01-0210 minRun a Profitable GymState of the Industry 2023 Report: Chris Cooper's HighlightsEvery year, Two-Brain Business pours a ton of resources into our “State of the Industry” report, which is regarded by many experts and organizations as the best in the fitness space. We give the report to gym owners—like you—for free every year so they have the info they need to build world-class businesses.In today’s episode, Chris Cooper highlights some of the key takeaways from our 2023 report, which contains data from 13,444 gyms. Chris explains how to compare your gym against the average in six key categories: client headcount, average revenue per member...
2023-11-1316 minRun a Profitable GymHow Chris Cooper Saved His Own Gym in 2023Chris Cooper has helped thousands of gym owners improve their businesses—so what happened when he found problems at his own gym?You'll find out in this podcast.Lots of "experts" paint perfect pictures of their gyms—but true story is often different. Chris has always been open about the realities of his gym since he first started blogging about it in 2008. So, when he found problems had cropped up in 2023, he jumped in to fix them personally—and he's sharing the story with you.In this episode of "Run a Profit...
2023-10-1931 minRun a Profitable GymAI Content Creation: What Gym Owners Need to KnowYes, you can use AI to bring clients to your gym. Gym owner Chris Cooper uses ChatGPT to do that even though he's written seven books and thousands of blogs by hand. But how can you use artificial intelligence effectively without coming across like a misguided robot? And what should fitness entrepreneurs know before getting started with AI?In this episode, Chris Cooper offers his tips for AI mastery, explains how you can misuse ChatGPT and other platforms, and tells you how AI can be a key part of your content marketing funnel....
2023-09-2119 minRun a Profitable GymAsk Coop Anything: Chris Answers Top Questions About MentorshipWhen should I switch mentors? How do I buy my building? How can I get more out of mentorship? Is it even possible to become a millionaire as a gym owner?Chris Cooper answers these and other burning questions about mentorship with Two-Brain Business. If you've ever wondered what mentorship is all about, this is the show for you.If you have a question Coop didn't answer, leave a comment or ask in it our industry forum, Gym Owners United.Links...
2023-07-1330 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperThe Mentor-Coach ModelHow do you scale up a one on one coaching program? I'm Chris Cooper, this is BusinessISGood. Today I'm going to tell you what is in between one on one mentorship and a big group coaching program. In the past, there have been a few different models where people have delivered their mentorship or their coaching, and it started off mostly like one on one -- kind of like a personal trainer, you would have this mentor who would get on a call with you and work one on one. And th...
2023-06-1915 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperRefer, Don't GuessWhat makes a great mentor stand out from an average one? For starters, a great mentor will say, "I don't have experience with that, but I know someone who does. Can I connect you?" Business is Good and Chris Cooper is back, addressing the problem of "guru on the mountain top" – that know-it-all mentor who'll answer any question regardless of whether they have the skill or experience to do so! It's okay not to have all the answers as a mentor, and today Chris is showing us why...
2023-05-2908 minBusiness is Good with Chris CooperWhat to Teach: How I Build CurriculumAs business mentors how do we build curriculum – and how do we create generations of clients whose performances improve upon those that came before them? Business Is Good with Chris Cooper, and today's topic provides insight into how we create content, how we audit that content, and how we then upgrade it.Much like the story of the tortoise and the hare, we need something or someone to compete with and measure ourselves against. Building curriculum that we improve upon with each generation of clients, and then auditing that content and improving upon it, al...
2023-05-1520 minRun a Profitable GymROI Bonanza: The Two-Brain Summit for Gym Owners and CoachesThe 2023 Two-Brain Summit is an investment for entrepreneurs. The annual event is designed to connect top gym owners and coaches with world-class speakers, expert business mentors and forward-thinking peers so they can grow their businesses fast.In this episode, Chris Cooper lays out the agenda at the summit and explains how attendees can use the knowledge they acquire to generate huge ROI. It's all about growing gyms and coaching practices.Chris also goes over some new features for 2023, including social events and workouts led by Jason Khalipa of NCFIT. Links
2023-05-0824 min