Shows
Run a Profitable GymHow $18K Months Became $30K Months in Just 3 YearsStruggling to pay yourself enough as a gym owner? James Harris of Brentwood Barbell went from barely scraping by to generating $30,000 a month in revenue—and today, he’s sharing exactly how he did it. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with James to unpack his journey from burnout to six-figure success. A former physical therapist turned gym owner, James reveals how Two-Brain Business helped him triple his revenue in less than three years. He also shares how ego nearly cost him his business and explains why “goi...2025-04-0430 minRun a Profitable GymStop Using Free Trials at Your Gym and Do Exactly This InsteadFree trials might seem like a great way to attract new members, but they’re actually hurting your gym.Instead of bringing in long-term, high-value clients, they often lead to price-based decisions and short retention—and they have low conversion rates, too. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin and gym owner and mentor Nick Habich break down why free trials no longer work and lay out exactly what to do instead. They explain why shifting to the Prescriptive Model—where you meet with clients to identify their specific goals and prescribe a...2025-03-2022 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 GymWhen a Nearby Gym Closes: How to Help Its MembersWhen a nearby gym shuts down, its members risk losing their momentum—but you can step in to offer them a welcoming community where they can continue their fitness journeys. That’s just what Matt Michaud, owner of EverProven, did when two gyms in his area closed their doors. This influx of new members helped his gym earn a spot on all three of our sales leaderboards: set, show and close rates. In one month, Matt's gym closed a whopping 22 sales in 28 appointments. The key is that Matt led with a Help First mind...2025-02-2731 minRun a Profitable GymHow to Use Organic Content to Get Better LeadsIf your leads are “bad” but you aren’t publishing solid organic content regularly, you're missing a key part of your marketing plan.Why should complete strangers give you the time of day? They don’t know you, like you or trust you. The solution: Use organic content to build trust before your conversation starts. Leads who have already seen your face, your business and your happy clients will be much more inclined to respond when you reach out and offer help. And when they need help, they’ll come to you first.In this epi...2025-02-2027 minRun a Profitable Gym7 Tax Strategies to Save Big Money as a Gym OwnerTax season doesn’t have to be a headache; smart planning can reduce stress and save gym owners money.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” former multi-gym owner John Franklin joins host Mike Warkentin to share seven tax strategies every fitness entrepreneur should know:- Keep your books clean and updated.- Get a tax estimate.- Don’t waste money to "save on taxes."- Hire your kids.- Use bonus depreciation.- Max out retirement contributions.- Open a health savings account (HSA). John div...2024-12-1930 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 Gym4 Surefire Ways to Get More Gym Members Without DiscountsWant more gym members without slashing your prices? Discounts can undermine your gym’s value, hurt your profit margins and attract the wrong clients. There’s a better way.In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," host Mike Warkentin is joined by John Franklin, chief marketing officer at Two-Brain and Kilo.John shares four proven strategies to help you attract and retain new clients without offering discounts: events, holiday challenges, New Year’s Day check-ins and black card referral campaigns. He lays out examples of each tactic and offers practical tips for implementation at your g...2024-11-2120 minRun a Profitable GymState of the Industry 2024: The Data You Need to SucceedTwo-Brain’s fifth annual “State of the Industry” report is out, and it’s more useful than ever. It’s not just a collection of statistics but a practical tool designed to help gym owners assess their strengths and weaknesses and make strategic decisions.Kilo and Wodify kicked in stats from thousands of gyms around the world, and our greatest survey response ever filled the guide with data on average revenue per member, expenses, client retention, profitability and more. The numbers are broken down by gym type, with visual references to help you determine how your gym i...2024-11-1248 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 GymClosing King Shares Secrets of Airtight Gym Sales Funnel“We've documented absolutely everything in our sales process,” says closing king Brian Foley, owner of Activate gym in Killarney, Ireland.Brian and his team at Activate were on the July leaderboard for close rate, which ran from 22 to 34 new clients.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin grills Brian on his impressive sales funnel to find out how his gym closes so many new members. For starters, Brian has processes for absolutely everything, from the moment a lead enters the funnel to handling objections in the sales office to onboardi...2024-10-0332 minRun a Profitable GymLife-Saving Lessons: Gym's Instant Response Keeps Member AliveAlthough fitness training is incredibly safe, injuries and emergency situations are unavoidable.The best plan: Be prepared. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Erik Zeyher, owner of Warlock Athletics in New York.In mid-August, one of Erik’s clients had a heart attack at the gym. Coaches and other members quickly worked together to administer CPR and resuscitate the member using the gym’s AED.At the hospital, the member's wife said that if her husband had been anywhere other than the gym, he would...2024-09-0936 minRun 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 minRun 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 min