What 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 now generates a third of the gym’s total revenue!

Mike and Kenny talk about how to evaluate and mentor coaches to build long-term careers at your gym, how to shift from a transactional to a relationship-based coaching practice, and how to establish a structured training system for your staff.

To hear interviews with some of the top coaches in the fitness industry, subscribe to the “Strength Coach Collective” podcast, using the link below.

Links

Coach Ascension With Karl Solberg

Strength Coach Collective Podcast

Gym Owners United

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01:13 - All coaches delivering at A or A+

05:02 - Good coaching helps all

09:33 - Evaluating your coaches

13:10 - Improving your coaches

18:14 - Get results today

Good coaching is necessary but insufficient for a world-class fitness business.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper breaks down why a gym owner must first focus on building a strong foundation for their business before working to improve their coaching.

In the early stages, most gym owners are good coaches but weak entrepreneurs, so they must upgrade their business skills first. Once strong business systems are in place, gym owners can pivot to service delivery as the next big opportunity for growth.

Chris shares six key client outcomes that define great coaching and explains why earning more certifications isn’t always the best way to achieve these results.

He also introduces the “Strength Coach Collective” podcast and free public group, designed to help coaches bridge the gap between advances in training science and real-world application.

Use the links below to check out the “Strength Coach Collective” YouTube channel and join the collective’s free group to connect with other coaches, share insights and help your team grow. Invite your coaches to join, too!

For more support on the business side, join Gym Owners United, also linked below.

Links

Strength Coach Collective Podcast

Strength Coach Collective Group

Gym Owners United

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02:18 - How important is coaching?

04:17 - When to elevate coaching

05:33 - Getting clients results

10:39 - The gap between science and coaching

12:05 - Strength Coach Collective

Raising 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 how he overcame his fear of upsetting clients.

He and Mike also discuss common pricing mistakes, how to phase out discounts and why keeping rates too low actually hurts both gym owners and members.

If you’re hesitant about increasing your prices, tune in to hear this gym owner’s top tips, then get a mentor's help to plan a rate increase that will improve your P&L statement so you can serve members better.

To learn more, check out our episode with Greg Strauch, a Two-Brain mentor who has helped nearly 100 gym owners implement successful rate increases, linked below.

Links

Greg Strauch Episode

Gym Owners United

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01:45 - Real rate increase numbers

08:24 - Planning the rate increase

13:38 - How members responded

17:11 - Why remove discounts?

19:52 - No. 1 tip for gym owners

Most gym owners don’t make enough money—not because they need more clients but because their rates are too low.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper explains how to set your prices the right way so your gym becomes profitable and pays you what you deserve.

Too many gym owners copy their competitors’ pricing or assume their clients can’t afford to pay more. Chris walks you through a better approach, starting with using the Rule of 50 to determine your minimum membership price.

He explains how to set a target for average revenue per member (ARM) and why constantly chasing more clients won’t increase your gym’s profitability if your rates are too low. Using a profit-and-loss statement (P&L), he shows you exactly how to calculate rates that cover your gym’s expenses with 50 members so you can build a strong, profitable business.

To download Chris’ sample P&L, join Gym Owners United.

And find out what other gyms are charging in our “State of the Industry” guide, linked below.

Links

"State of the Industry" Guide

Gym Owners United

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03:35 - Find your break-even point

08:17 - Average revenue per member (ARM)

14:12 - Do you need more clients?

18:00 - Increase ARM without raising rates

20:29 - Recap: How to set rates

When 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 mindset: He and his staff focused on helping displaced members keep their fitness on track, without being pushy or “salesy.”

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with Matt, who details the exact steps he took to ensure a seamless transition, from initial communication with the previous gyms’ owners to adjusting his systems to handle rapid growth.

You never know when a gym near you might be forced to close, so tune in to ensure you’re ready to help.

Links

“Help First” by Chris Cooper

Gym Owners United

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01:08 - Helping displaced gym members

08:12 - Mechanics of outreach

14:15 - Prescriptive Model with groups

20:46 - Avoiding staff overwhelm

23:51 - Long-term lead nurture

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper reveals the monthly leaderboards for set, show and close rates in top gyms around the world.

These gyms aren’t just getting a ton of leads—they’re following through by booking appointments, getting people to show up and closing sales.

Chris shares the exact strategies these top performers are using, from lead-nurture systems to high-converting sales processes.

He also highlights four owners whose gyms landed on all three leaderboards. You’ll hear from one of them, Matt Michaud, in our next episode, airing Feb. 27.

Tune in to learn how some of the best gyms in the industry are dominating sales and marketing, then take action to improve your sales funnel.

Links

Gym Owners United

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00:51 - Key marketing metrics

03:44 - Leaderboard breakdown

07:36 - Gyms on all three leaderboards

11:37 - Tips from the leaders

18:54 - Where to learn more

If 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 episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," gym owner and marketing expert Kieran O’Dwyer joins host Mike Warkentin to present a simple but incredibly effective four-post content cycle fitness entrepreneurs can use over and over to warm leads fast.

If you follow Kieran’s detailed instructions, you’ll build trust, earn better leads and dramatically improve conversion rates in the sales office.

Links

"The Golden Hour" by Chris Cooper

Gym Owners United

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0:43 - Are there bad leads?

5:32 - Great organic marketing

7:54 - Social-media content plan

19:29 - Content production and AI

24:08 - Next-level content

Want to get 30 new leads for your gym in 30 days without spending a dime on ads?

Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper walks you through 10 proven no-ad tactics for generating more leads—including selling by chat, making "5130 posts," actively generating client referrals and creating lead magnets.

Chris breaks down each tactic step by step, showing you how to use them to start more conversations, generate interest and bring in clients organically.

You might decide to try all 10 or go all-in on just one. The key is to take action, track your results and repeat what works.

If you’re a gym owner who’s tired of chasing after leads and coming up empty, tune in now and grab your free guide in Gym Owners United, using the link below.

Links

Gym Owners United

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01:13 - Sell by chat & 5130

04:08 - Generate referrals

09:38 - Old leads & former members

12:44 - Happy clients & lead magnets

15:33 - Host a seminar or event