Dan Visentin: 15 Years, 3 Locations, and What He'd Do Differently

Mateo Lopez and Kaleda Connell tour Dan Visentin's 416 Fitness Club in Toronto, covering how he survived 450 days closed during COVID, the "red shirt" trick he uses to sell personal training, and the mistakes he says he'd never make again.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Kilo (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/kilogyms/Kilo (Website): https://www.usekilo.com/gw/416 Fitness Club (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/416fitnessclub/416 Fitness Club (Website): https://www.416fitnessclub.com📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:0:00 — On the road in Toronto with Dan Visentin of 416 Fitness Club0:56 — Front desk, lounge, and equipment layout walkthrough4:52 — Capping classes at 18: a COVID-era decision that stuck8:56 — The red shirt trick: selling personal training without a pitch11:48 — Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/gw/)12:18 — What 416 means to Dan, and its evolution from CrossFit-only to HYROX14:18 — The real turning point: 450 days closed during COVID16:17 — The rack-per-person layout that outlasted the pandemic19:53 — Giving staff freedom without losing consistency22:36 — Three mistakes Dan won't make again27:54 — Retention in a transient city30:38 — Becoming a dad and how it reshaped the business31:51 — Going HYROX: building a class that teaches the skills36:58 — Dan's unscripted Kilo shoutout37:14 — Wrap-up and sign-off

Kilo co-founder Mateo Lopez is joined by Chris McMahon “Kilo Chris” for a Q&A episode of Gym World, taking questions straight from the Kilo Crew Facebook group, covering why acting technique quietly shows up in coaching, sales, and short-form video content, the moment "growth" can turn into "distraction" once you start chasing a second or third location, and the gut-check test for expansion offers that look great on paper but feel wrong in your stomach.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Kilo (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/kilogyms/Kilo (Website): https://www.usekilo.com/gw/Chris McMahon (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/coach.chrismcmahon/Chris McMahon (Website): https://www.chris-mcmahon.com📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:0:00 — Kicking off with the Kilo Crew Facebook group Q&A1:56 — First question: favorite ice cream flavors4:56 — The one skill with the best ROI that gym owners keep avoiding5:09 — Why improv class builds better coaches6:36 — Short-form video, authenticity, and building a brand voice9:58 — Discovering your authentic self by "playing pretend"11:45 — Real example: a niche gym that found its voice and grew from it13:14 — Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/gw/)13:51 — Next question: when does adding more members, services, or locations start hurting your business15:04 — The "ducks in a row" problem: replicating growth before systems are ready17:24 — Case study: a cross-country expansion deal that looked good on paper20:49 — Gut-check moment: ignoring your instincts under pressure to grow22:28 — Knowing which unsustainable moves are okay short-term24:36 — Accepting that growth always has an unsustainable phase25:54 — Wrap-up and where to find more Gym World

Kilo co-founder Mateo Lopez and CEO Kaleda Connell are joined by All Day Fit's Cassie Day, as they take listeners on a construction tour of Cassie's brand-new standalone gym space in Toronto — covering the lease negotiation that almost didn't happen, the front-desk debate every gym owner has, why she's building a member lounge instead of maximizing square footage, and how the All Day Fit brand is evolving as she moves out of a shared space for the first time in a decade.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Cassie Day (Website): https://alldayfit.com/about/cassie-day/Cassie Day (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/cassiedayyy/All Day Fit (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/alldayfit.co/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes0:00 — Welcome to the All Day Fit construction tour1:39 — Negotiating the shared back space with the landlord3:00 — The great front-desk debate: staffed vs. unstaffed6:14 — Why the community lounge is worth the square footage10:53 — Walking the main training floor and equipment setup14:00 — What Cassie would do differently: lawyers, realtors, and lease red flags15:56 — Why she left a shared space after a decade17:39 — Space-hunting for two years and keeping rent at 20% of revenue18:56 — Building sustainable coach careers with the "Strong Academy" model20:04 — New hires and org structure24:52 — Paternity leave in Canada and folding a partner into the business26:32 — Rebranding from anti-diet-culture messaging toward "capability"29:11 — The content strategy experiment: cutting all content for two years30:29 — A Romania trip sparks the idea for parent-and-child classes33:13 — Final thoughts and where to find Cassie and Kilo

🌎 Centr CEO Andrew Sugerman joins Mateo Lopez to talk about his jump from running Marvel comics and Disney's social channels to building the equipment behind Hyrox, why 92% of Hyrox finishers are already gym members, and what it actually takes to build a brand gym owners can be proud of.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.For gym owners and operators interested in Centr x HYROX commercial opportunitiesTry the Centr App (includes the only HYROX-certified digital training programs)📱 Socials:Centr (Website): https://shop.centr.com/Centr (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/centrfit/🎙️ Listen On:Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/gym-world-worldwide/id1659702465Spotify - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/gymworld📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes0:37 — Mateo introduces Andrew Sugerman, CEO of Center1:39 — Andrew's 12 years at Disney, running Marvel comics and digital/social2:43 — Why he left Disney for health and fitness7:11— Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/gw)9:16 — The identity and community hook that keeps Hyrox athletes coming back13:37 — Center's equipment now inside 4,000+ gyms15:04 — How the Hyrox partnership started at a 2023 race in Anaheim18:43 — How gym owners can bring Hyrox in, even non-competitors24:00 — The growth numbers: 2.5M athletes and US cities doubling in 202626:26 — What actually makes a brand partnership work29:37 — Brand advice for gym owners without a Disney budget33:19 — Where AI fits into coaching, and where it doesn't

🌎 Kilo co-founder Mateo Lopez and Kilo Chris, take listeners behind the scenes of Kilo while at the Two-Brain Business Summit, the customer-care culture that keeps gym owners coming back, and the people on the team who make it happen.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Kilo (Website): https://usekilo.com/gw/Kilo (Instagram): https://usekilo.com/kilogyms/Book a Demo: https://usekilo.com/book-call📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide\🔥Show Notes0:00 — Kilo's female-led company culture and team vibe0:38 — Mateo Lopez introduces Kilo and the Summit1:14 — First-time Summit impressions and gym-world perspectives2:10 — Why Kilo's booth is so packed3:37 — Customer care as Kilo's biggest differentiator5:04 — Shout-outs to standout team members6:03 — Chris on joining the Kilo team7:29 — Elsie's impact on marketing and onboarding8:55 — Team goal for the Summit9:51 — Background in coaching, CrossFit, and gym ownership12:02 — Listening to users and building better features13:16 — Final messages to the team and the Kilo crew

🌎 Mark Fisher, former owner of Mark Fisher Fitness, now a gym business coach and partner at Business for Unicorns, joins Mateo to break down what separates today's top-performing gym owners from everyone else; covering vision setting, knowing your numbers, and building systems that scale.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Mark Fisher (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/markfisherhumanbeing/Mark Fisher (Website): https://www.businessforunicorns.com📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes0:00 — Intro & meet Mark Fisher, former owner of Mark Fisher Fitness3:08 — What's changed (and what hasn't) since coaching gym owners instead of being one8:06 — Inside a room of 50 gym owners who collectively own 135 gyms9:29 — Luck, timing, and why you shouldn't copy every successful gym owner11:54 — Trait #1: successful gym owners have a clear vision14:33 — The identity shift from "trainer" to "owner"18:41 — Mark's "set it and forget it" approach to goal setting22:40 — Run a successful gym with Kilo23:18 — Trait #2: successful gym owners know and track their numbers24:38 — The weekly and monthly numbers every gym owner should track28:40 — Trait #3: successful gym owners are dialed in on systems29:01 — The end of the "boiler room sales" era in gym marketing31:46 — Leadership as the most important system of all33:26 — Where to find Mark: his Perform Better talk and how to reach him34:08 — Outro

🌎 Chris McMahon, Kilo's Content and Partnerships Specialist, joins Mateo for a rapid-fire tier-list episode ranking 15 of the most common gym growth strategies from S-tier to F-tier; covering everything from referral programs to six-week challenges.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Chris McMahon (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/coach.chrismcmahon/Chris McMahon (Website): https://www.chris-mcmahon.com🔥Show Notes: - 0:00 — Intro & the tier-list concept- 0:28 — Meeting Kilo Chris AKA Chris McMahon- 1:59 — Defining "growth" for a gym business- 2:20 — Free clients for testimonials- 3:59 — Getting family to pay as proof of concept- 5:41 — Facebook groups and online communities- 7:35 — Six-week challenges as a front-end offer- 10:26 — Building an email list- 12:31 — Partnering with other creators and businesses- 14:16 — Paid ads on Facebook and Instagram- 16:43 — Organic social media posting- 18:06 — Referral programs- 18:59 — Hosting local events- 20:36 — Cold outreach, directories, and free consultations- 22:28 — Podcasting and YouTube- 24:14 — Discounted challenges and raising prices- 25:54 — Final thoughts- 26:47 — Outro

🌎 Greg Morrone , owner of The FIT Lab in Hoboken, NJ, joins Mateo to break down the "PT-first" onboarding model that converts 90-95% of leads, and the hospitality lessons from his years in nightlife that shaped a gym with a stellar community.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:The FIT Lab(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/thefitlabhoboken/The FIT Lab (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/theFITLabInc/The FIT Lab (Website): https://thefitlabhoboken.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes0:00 — Intro & meet Greg Morrone of The FIT Lab2:29 — Greg's backstory: nightlife, culinary school, and Danny Meyer's hospitality playbook3:55 — Why hospitality lessons are hard to systemize in a gym setting5:53 — Inside The FIT Lab's "PT-first" model5:59 — Run a successful gym with Kilo 7:48 — The new fast-track offer: 6 one-on-one sessions for $4008:17 — Results so far: 28 signups, 25 conversions, capacity by October9:44 — Why pricing PT and small group dollar-for-dollar kills sales friction10:13 — Meet coach Jason, and why Greg's staff sticks around for a decade-plus11:12 — The trade-off: 6% rent factor, higher payroll, investing in people over space13:36 — Greg's tagline: "high value personal training"14:29 — The FIT Lab's 13-year anniversary and why community isn't a sales pitch15:25 — Run clubs, Hyrox, and the rise of IRL connection as a selling point16:20 — Designing around busy parents with limited time17:16 — Fitting 180 members into a 2,300 sq ft (1,600-1,700 usable) odd-shaped space17:45 — How members find The FIT Lab: paid ads, Google search, ~250 testimonials20:03 — Advice for gym owners stuck in the same spot for years23:38 — Outro

🌎 Erik Zeyher , owner of Warlock CrossFit in Poughkeepsie, NY, joins Mateo to break down how his semi-private program grew into a $20-25K/month revenue stream and the story behind Help First Fitness, the personal training studio he built inside a local tennis club's old squash court.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Erik Zeyher (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/growwitherik/Warlock CrossFit (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/warlockathletics/Help First Fitness (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/helpfirstfitness/🎙️ Listen On:Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/gym-world-worldwide/id1659702465Spotify - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/gymworld📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes0:00 — Intro & meet Erik Zeyher of Warlock CrossFit2:20 — Warlock's backstory and the secret to lasting 10+ years as an affiliate4:11 — How the semi-private program got started4:59 — Inside the 6,000 sq ft space: class vs. semi-private layout5:59 — Run a successful gym with Kilo 6:31 — Launching semis internally: the "red rope method" and goal reviews8:05 — Day one results and scaling to $20-25K/month9:44 — Coach pay under the semi-private model11:25 — Retention: injury referrals vs. class-to-semi upgrades13:21 — Building Help First Fitness inside a tennis club's old squash court14:52 — Funding the build-out with a 0% interest credit card16:04 — Lessons from nightlife: why gym is a hospitality business17:38 — The most common problem gym owners bring to sales calls20:44 — Erik's own $23K/month wake-up call before finding Two-Brain21:12 — Where to find Erik

🌎 Josh Maranian, owner of Regen Fitness Club in Fort Collins, Colorado, joins Mateo to break down how he built a semi-private training gym out of his garage and grew it into a 40-member facility in just one year. They get into his 4:1 semi-private model, why he splurged on a sauna and cold plunge while cutting costs elsewhere, how he prices and packages sessions, and his plan to roll out a belt-style pay structure for coaches.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here, so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Josh Maranian (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/josh.maranian/Regen Fitness Club (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/regenfitnessclub/📺 Watch On: https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes- 0:00 — Intro & meet Josh Maranian of Regen Fitness Club- 1:22 — Inside the 4:1 semi-private model, sauna, and cold plunge- 3:00 — How sessions are run and customized within a small group- 3:39 — From a corporate burnout to getting a personal training cert- 4:54 — Getting let go and going all-in on training out of his garage- 6:20 — How template-based programming works for each member- 9:11 — Outgrowing the garage: pairing clients up and the birth of the 4:1 model- 10:42 — Run a successful gym with Kilo- 11:08 — Funding the build-out with an intra-family loan- 11:48 — What to spend big on (equipment) vs. cut aggressively on (design)- 13:00 — Why the sauna and cold plunge were non-negotiable- 14:12 — Growing from 10 to 40+ members in year one- 15:28 — Pricing, packaging, and four-week billing cycles- 16:26 — Why Josh started hiring coaches early instead of waiting- 17:38 — Coach pay, the path to a "belt"-style pay structure, and growth tracks- 19:54 — How on-ramp and the intro package set member expectations- 20:19 — Year one wins and what's next for year two- 20:36 — Why an operations manager matters more than another coach- 23:27 — Where to find Josh