Shows
Run a Profitable GymAsk Clients These 3 Questions to Boost Revenue Today!The fastest way to figure out what people want is by asking the right clients the right questions.Today, Mike Warkentin sits down with gym owner Toni Roy of Breathe CrossFit to break down how the Pumpkin Plan transformed her business.Following the steps, Toni created a list of clients who bring her the most joy and a second list with her highest-value clients. Typically, a gym owner circles the clients on both lists to ID the members they want to replicate. In Toni's case, the groups had zero overlap. This insight pushed...
2025-12-1821 minRun a Profitable GymWhen Your Coaches Don't Suck: The Rewards for Developing StaffWhat happens when every coach at your gym operates at an A+ level? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Two-Brain Business mentor Kenny Markwardt to discuss the massive rewards of developing your training staff.As the owner of Sandpoint Strength Conditioning in Idaho and co-host of the “Strength Coach Collective” podcast, Kenny is passionate about coach development and shares how investing in his staff’s growth transformed his gym. He breaks down how coach ascension improves retention, gym culture and revenue—in fact, one of his coaches...
2025-03-1322 minRun a Profitable GymRaising Rates Without Losing Clients: It Can Be DoneRaising rates at a gym can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be—if you have help from a business expert. When done correctly, a rate increase can strengthen your business and allow you to provide greater value to your members. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with Chris Lomen, owner of Ripple Effect Community Fitness, who raised his rates by 15 percent and didn’t lose a single member. Chris shares exactly how he planned and communicated the price change, why annual increases are a smart business move, and...
2025-03-0623 minRun a Profitable Gym0 to 60 Percent of Fitness Revenue: How a CrossFit Gym Added PTMike Monaco took his gym from parking lot workouts to a thriving 5,000-square-foot facility that generates over $420 per member per month. How? He switched to a PT-focused model with an emphasis on relationship building and holistic wellness.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks to Mike Monaco, owner of RX FIT in New York State, who shares how he skyrocketed his ARM with the help of a mentor.Mike’s approach centers on quality, not quantity: He’s focused on high-value clients who receive individualized attention through personal training, recovery services...
2024-11-2727 minRun a Profitable GymCoach Ascension: How Top Gym Owners Create Careers for StaffA link is missing between credentials and careers in the fitness industry—and it’s costing gym owners a lot of great people. Common story: A trainer starts making $20 per class and works up to coaching 40 sessions a week. But the trainer isn’t making enough money and can’t see a way to make more without burning out. So the coach leaves the fitness industry to “get a real job.” The gym owner shrugs and tosses another coach into the cycle. Sound familiar? If so, this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym" is for you.
2024-09-1640 minRun a Profitable GymThe Exact Cure for Summer Slumps in Gym Revenue in 2025Most gym owners experience a revenue slump during the summer months. But today’s guest posted his greatest monthly revenue total of the year in June.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin digs into summer revenue with Stan Skolfield of Skolfield Sports Performance in Maine.Stan’s gym focuses on youth sports performance, and his summer programs—perfect for kids who are out of school—generate front-end revenue and downstream revenue for rest of the year.In summer, Stan runs camps and events that target under-serviced demographics. These outdoor camp...
2024-09-0530 min
THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!Ep. 036 | CrossFit Journal Review - Wait a Second: Perfecting the Jerk, Part 2On this episode James and Miguel read and discuss part 2 of the CrossFit Journal article " Wait a Second: Perfecting the Jerk." Part 1 and 2 of the article was published on October 25th, 2016. It was written by Mike Warkentin based on an interview he did with Coach Mike Burgener - a longtime weightlifting coach and CrossFit Weightlifting subject matter expert.
Click here to read Part 1:
https://journal.crossfit.com/article/burg3-warkentin
Click here to read Part 2:
https://journal.crossfit.com/article/burg4-warkentin
Click here to read "The Split Jerk: Start to Finish":
http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ...
2024-08-261h 30Run a Profitable GymThe Evolution of Gym Programming: Jason Khalipa and MDV of NCFITAn undeniable truth in the fitness industry: If your athletes aren’t getting results, they’re going to go somewhere else. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with two of the minds behind NCFIT, a programming and coaching development provider for CrossFit affiliates. Jason Khalipa, a CrossFit Games champion, is NCFIT’s founder and owner. Matt DellaValle, aka “MDV,” is the company’s chief fitness officer.The trio discuss the evolution of gym programming over the last 15+ years and explain how you can ensure your programming generates results. Many gy...
2024-08-2244 minRun a Profitable GymBeyond "Spicy": How to Ensure Your Programming Gets Results for ClientsIn 2024, workouts shouldn’t be hard for the sake of being hard.You must ask, “What outcome is this workout designed to produce?” and “What are my clients’ goals?”In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Mike Warkentin sits down with Chris Cooper, Two-Brain founder and owner of Catalyst Fitness, to talk about what good programming looks like.One way to ensure you’ve got strong programming is by outsourcing it to an expert provider like NCFIT, Mayhem or CompTrain.But whether you outsource your programming or create it yourself, the key is being i...
2024-08-1932 minRun a Profitable GymPaid Marketing Secrets: Colm O'Reilly's Tips for Gym OwnersWhat do your prospective clients need to see one week before joining your gym?In this episode, host Mike Warkentin and marketing expert Colm O’Reilly talk about how to build a direct-response campaign that stops the scroll and brings in new members.A direct-response campaign asks people to take action and makes it easy to do so: “Do you want to get fit? Here’s how to get started.”Colm—a Two-Brain mentor and the owner of CrossFit Ireland and We Do Your Paid Marketing—explains the importance of knowing who you are targetin...
2024-08-1635 minRun a Profitable GymBrand and Direct Marketing: Essential Tactics for Gym OwnersWhen you think of a business with an iconic, unforgettable brand, what comes to mind? What sets this brand apart?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Two-Brain CMO John Franklin to talk about how gym owners can use brand and direct-response marketing to grow their businesses.Brand marketing is all about telling your story: why you do what you do, and for whom.Direct-response marketing is all about creating offers to get people to do something specific “right now.” Two examples: Paid ads that give people a...
2024-08-1529 minRun a Profitable GymHR Horror Stories: Does Every Gym Owner Have Staff Problems?Theft, fraud, lies and messy affairs—these are just some of the reasons why staff members get fired from gyms. So how do you deal with severe staff stress?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks HR horror stories with Two-Brain mentor Andrea Savard, who has co-owned her gym, FirePower Fitness and Wellness in Ontario, Canada, for 20 years. Over the years, Andrea has had to part ways with staff members, and even clients, who did not live up to her gym’s standards.She shares some of her w...
2024-08-0841 minRun a Profitable GymStaff Members: Who's Savable and Who Needs to Be Fired?How do you know when it’s time to part ways with a coach?To answer that question, “Run a Profitable Gym” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Josh Martin, former gym owner, Two-Brain mentor and owner of The Refined Art of Coaching.Often the issue isn’t actually with the coach—it’s caused by a lack of clear and reasonable expectations.The key is to get your expectations out of your head because people can’t read your mind. Josh shares tactics for ensuring your coaches are hitting standards and explains h...
2024-08-0543 minRun a Profitable GymGoing for Groups: How Rob Sowden-Taylor Filled His GymsTwo-Brain’s Top 10 leaderboard for client headcount in May ran from 341 to 941 clients at single-location gyms.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with Robin Sowden-Taylor, owner of the large gym Ion Strength and Conditioning in Wales, as well as a smaller gym that’s on track to follow the same path to growth. Ion’s mission is to have a positive impact on health and wellness in the local community. With 430 members and impressive length-of-engagement (LEG) stats, Sowden-Taylor’s business is on the right track. Ion specializes in group tra...
2024-08-0141 minRun a Profitable GymMillion-Dollar Gyms Don't Have 10-Cent CoachingIt doesn’t matter how good your sales are if you’re losing clients due to poor coaching. People just won't stay and pay if your product—coaching—is lacking.As a gym owner, you sell results. Results help clients become healthier, and they increase retention—one of the most important metrics in your business. No million-dollar gym has poor retention.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks coaching with Oskar Johed, co-owner of CrossFit Medis and CrossFit Sickla in Sweden and a member of CrossFit's Level 1 Seminar Staff. According...
2024-07-2941 minRun a Profitable GymHe Had 270 Members But Earns More Now With Fewer Than 200!If you doubled your average revenue per member, how many clients would you need to pay yourself $100,000 per year?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Kieran O’Dwyer, Two-Brain Business mentor and owner of two gyms in Australia. Prior to joining Two-Brain, one of Kieran’s gyms grew quickly from 100 to 270 members, and his systems were totally overwhelmed: The gym couldn’t manage the clients and major retention problems appeared. When Kieran found himself bleeding more members than he could replace, he sought out the support of...
2024-07-2530 minTHE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!Ep. 031 | CrossFit Journal Review - Wait a Second: Perfecting the JerkOn this episode James and Miguel read and discuss the CrossFit Journal article " Wait a Second: Perfecting the Jerk." Part 1 and 2 of the article was published on October 25th, 2016. It was written by Mike Warkentin based on an interview he did with Coach Mike Burgener - a longtime weightlifting coach and CrossFit Weightlifting subject matter expert.
Click here to read Part 1:
https://journal.crossfit.com/article/burg3-warkentin
Click here to read Part 2:
https://journal.crossfit.com/article/burg4-warkentin
Click here to read "The Split Jerk: Start to Finish":
http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Jerk_Vaughn...
2024-07-181h 16Run a Profitable GymEssential Retention Tactic: The Client JourneyWhat are the rewards if you create an outstanding client journey at your gym? Better retention, greater lifetime value, lower marketing costs, higher profit and vastly improved results for clients.On today’s episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin chats with Peter Brasovan, former owner of Myriad Health + Fitness. Now a Two-Brain mentor trainer, Peter explains exactly how to build a strong client journey.Key highlights include using the Prescriptive Model, No Sweat Intros and goal review sessions.A critical mistake gym owners make? Not getting every single client...
2024-07-1837 minRun a Profitable GymRetention: What Really Matters and What's Completely IrrelevantThe longer members stay at your gym, the better your chances of changing their lives. So how do you get clients to stick around?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin and Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper discuss key tactics for improving retention.They also reveal the frivolous things that don’t actually make a difference. The foundation for improving length of engagement is simple: Every client needs to have a clear goal, a plan and accountability.These essential elements are built into the Prescriptive Model, which...
2024-07-1529 minRun a Profitable GymScenario Solutions: Say Exactly This to Grow Your Gym!Do you ever wish you had a script that would tell you what to say to members and prospective clients?Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin and Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper discuss several common scenarios gym owners face, and Coop tells you exactly what to say in each one.How do you say “no” to discounts? How do you start more conversations and get more leads? How do you sell more PT?He also shares exactly what to say to get genuine testimonials and generate more referrals.This episode...
2024-07-0833 minRun a Profitable GymEasy Ways to Earn More Per Client Starting TodayIf you multiplied your client count by an average revenue per member (ARM) of $500, what would the number be? What would that number do for your gym and your family?Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with a fitness entrepreneur whose ARM is well over $500: George-Anthony Dulal-Whiteway of Brainstorm Fitness in San Diego, California. George-Anthony shares actionable strategies—both big and small—you can use to start boosting your ARM today. After starting mentorship with Two-Brain, George-Anthony dialed his focus down to personal and semiprivate training, and he started...
2024-07-0430 minRun a Profitable GymThe Race to the Bottom: How to Set Your Gym Apart From CompetitorsMany gyms are “racing to the bottom” with lower and lower prices that destroy their value. This happens because of commoditization: When clients can’t differentiate between options, they choose the cheapest one, so many gym owners feel pressure to compete on price.But this approach shrinks the profit margin until the gym is forced to go out of business.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin discusses how to battle commoditization with Chris Cooper, Two-Brain founder and CEO.Chris shares how gym owners can use the Prescripti...
2024-07-0135 minRun a Profitable GymPT & Small Groups Drive Huge Average Revenue Per MemberThis month’s Two-Brain leaderboard tracked average revenue per member per month (ARM), with the Top 10 running from $508 to $1,203 USD. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with ARM leader Yoni Levitan, owner of 3 Seasons Personal Training in Toronto, Canada, to learn the secrets behind his massive ARM. First of all, Yoni’s gym focuses exclusively on high-value services, such as personal and semi-private training. But the real key to Yoni’s success is an overwhelming commitment to clients. He invests greatly in professional development and is dedicated...
2024-06-2742 minRun a Profitable GymThe Rate Increase: Exactly How Fit One Five Got It RightRaising rates can be scary—but you won’t bleed members if you follow the right plan.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Tim Rainer, owner of Fit One Five in Franklin, Tennessee, to discuss the ins and outs of raising rates at a gym.Tim tried raising rates on his own three times, but none of the increases had a noticeable impact on his business. The he brought in an expert to get it right.With the help of a Two-Brain mentor, Tim was able to...
2024-06-1328 minRun a Profitable GymEvery Single Thing You Need to Know to Increase Rates at Your GymEvery gym owner must raise prices at some point—and it can be nerve wracking.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” you’ll learn exactly how to implement a rate increase, step by step, without generating a flood of cancellations.In this episode, Mike Warkentin chats with longtime Two-Brain mentor and former gym owner Greg Strauch, who shares Two-Brain’s battle-tested plan.Greg has helped 81 fitness entrepreneurs increase rates and stabilize their businesses so they generate profit and allow the owner to earn a good wage.This episode lays out everything you need t...
2024-06-1043 minRun a Profitable GymSimple Income-Boosting Tactics From a Top-Earning Gym OwnerImagine paying yourself $16,000-$38,000 per month as a gym owner. Today’s guest on “Run a Profitable Gym” does just that. In this episode, host Mike Warkentin sits down with top-earning gym owner Darren Thornton of Defy Functional Fitness in Toronto, Canada. Darren, a regular on Two-Brain’s leaderboards, shares actionable steps you can take right now to grow your business and pay yourself more. For starters, he says to figure out how much you need to earn, then work backward to determine how many clients you need and what you need to charge t...
2024-06-0626 minRun a Profitable GymExactly How to Offload Every Task You Hate Doing at Your GymIf an emergency pulled you away, could your gym operate without you?In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," host Mike Warkentin and Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper dive into one of the most crucial aspects of running a successful gym: systemization—aka, building a business that runs smoothly even when you’re not there.They lay out the steps you need to take to create effective standard operating procedures (SOPs) for every task from cleaning to sales, and they explain why these systems are essential for freeing up your time and protecting your focus. ...
2024-06-0325 min