The Discount Death Spiral (And How to Avoid It This Black Friday)

Feeling pressured to run a Black Friday deal at your gym? Don’t do it.Your gym is a premium service provider, and it should compete on results and relationships, not price.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper breaks down the dangers of discounting and explains why most gym owners who offer sales end up trapped in the “discount death spiral.”Black Friday deals attract the wrong clients and weaken your brand, and you have better ways to grow your gym during the holiday season.Coop shares simple, high-value alternatives, including running bring-a-friend events and adding bonus offers that don’t undercut your pricing. Tune in to learn how to make this Black Friday your most profitable yet—without slashing your rates or cheapening your brand.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call1:20 - Why not offer discounts?2:43 - 5 dangers of discounts7:26 - Focus on value instead8:07 - Run alternative promotions13:36 - Use the Prescriptive Model

Can a gym be profitable with just 15 to 20 members? The answer is yes—and Oskar Johed is proving it.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Oskar, co-owner of two thriving CrossFit facilities in Sweden, to talk about why he chose a different path for his third gym: a small-group training model.Oskar breaks down the advantages of small-group training, from lower overhead and reduced staff burnout to higher client retention and stronger profitability.In a small-group model, gyms with limited square footage can break even with just a handful of high-value members—and scale up to major profitability with 80 to 100 clients.Oskar also explains why individualized attention in small-group settings produces better results and how he uses affinity marketing and community partnerships to grow without relying solely on ads.Listen and find out how to blend the best of group and personal training to build a sustainable, profitable gym.LinksThe Prescriptive ModelSemi-Private Launch PlaybookGym Owners UnitedBook a Call2:46 - The burnout problem7:52 - Pricing small-group training14:20 - Using the Prescriptive Model18:40 - Advantages of small group27:32 - Oskar’s marketing strategy

If you try to scale your gym the wrong way, you might kill it.In this episode, Two-Brain founder and gym owner Chris Cooper shares how his first attempt at scaling nearly bankrupted his family. But you don’t have to guess like he did.Today, Coop walks you through safe, profitable scaling using small-group and semi-private training.He explains the difference between the two services and how to transition existing clients into them, whether they’re coming from one-on-one or big-group training. You’ll also learn how to price small-group training correctly and connect members to fill sessions quickly. If you’re looking for a tested method to grow your gym without burning out or going broke, tune in to hear the exact steps.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:18 - Coop’s big mistake3:10 - Going from PT to small groups8:13 - The data on small groups10:17 - Going from big to small groups13:22 - Advertising small group training

Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with attorney and former gym owner Matthew Becker of Gym Lawyers PLLC about how to use AI safely in your business without creating massive liability.Matthew breaks down the legal risks gym owners face when using AI tools, including operating outside their scope of practice, violating privacy laws and infringing on copyright.Improper AI use can even increase exposure to lawsuits and eliminate liability protection.So how can gym owners use AI without endangering their businesses?Matthew recommends fitness entrepreneurs use AI as a research and education tool, not as a substitute for professional services, and leverage it to streamline admin work, generate ideas and polish client-facing materials.Check out the full episode to find out how to save time with new technology while keeping your gym insulated from legal risk.You can get in touch with Matt at Gym Lawyers PLLC via the link below. LinksGym Lawyers PLLCGym Owners UnitedBook a Call3:06 - Scope of practice dangers7:32 - Increasing exposure & liability14:23 - Skipping professional support17:12 - Uploading confidential information25:34 - How to use AI safely

CrossFit changed the fitness industry forever—but with affiliate numbers declining, gym owners are asking, “What’s next?”In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper digs into why affiliate numbers keep shrinking, where former CrossFit gyms are going and what gym owners can do right now to stay competitive.He explains how novelty-driven methods such as Hyrox are pulling attention and why the lack of clarity from CrossFit HQ has created uncertainty for affiliate owners.Coop lays out a solution for managing methods and giving clients what they want in confusing times: adopting the Prescriptive Model. Instead of just selling class packages, he shows you how to actually coach clients with tailored prescriptions that blend strength, aerobic and high-intensity training to get results. Done right, this approach improves retention, helps clients accomplish goals and ensures your gym thrives no matter what brand name is on the door.Tune in to learn how to implement the Prescriptive Model in your gym and build a business that wins—whether it is affiliated with CrossFit or not.  LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call3:03 - Why affiliates leave CrossFit6:36 - Hyrox taking over competition9:09 - Who has the best classes?11:46 - Why ClassPass doesn’t work13:57 - Solution: The Prescriptive Model

The key to steady gym growth and stronger retention? Turning your best members into your best recruiters.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper explains how to use affinity marketing to strengthen your community, keep members longer and bring in more people just like your favorite clients.Passive referral programs rarely work, so Chris shows you how to actively connect your clients’ families, coworkers and friends to your gym. He even provides an inside look at Two-Brain’s Affinity Marketing Cheat Sheet, shows you exactly when to ask for referrals and explains how to start those conversations without making them feel awkward or transactional.Tune in to learn how to build a referral system that generates steady growth and improves retention at the same time.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call1:18 - When to ask for a referral5:53 - Duplicating your best clients13:35 - The goal review conversation20:52 - Hosting group events24:35 - Affinity marketing highlights

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper presents hard numbers and explains why the gap between 3% and 5% churn can be the difference between stability and collapse.He shares lessons from two decades of studying the science of retention, showing how most gyms don’t fail because they need more leads but because they can’t keep the people they already have.Coop explains why contracts aren’t the answer, why chasing Facebook leads and six-week challenges can actually erode your community, and how gyms with 300+ members can get into trouble fast if they’re bleeding members. Chris also breaks down the two key metrics every gym owner should track to boost retention and revenue—length of engagement (LEG) and average revenue per member (ARM)—and explains why retention is really just “sales over time.”Tune in for Coop’s full retention playbook, then apply his tips to keep members longer, change more lives and build a profitable business that lasts.Join Coop’s free retention workshop on Sept. 30 at noon Eastern in Gym Owners United (linked below). LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:19 - When clients stay longer7:10 - 3% versus 5% churn11:29 - A better retention metric13:11 - Onboarding and goal reviews17:24 - Keeping people for 2 years

Kevin Munoz gives his training plans away for free—and still closes 80% of sales! Find out how he does it in this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym.”Today, host Mike Warkentin talks with Munoz about how he built $500+ average revenue per member (ARM) at his gym, Peak PT. Kevin shares the exact strategies that helped him land on Two-Brain's Top 10 ARM leaderboard, which runs from $502 to $854. At Peak PT, Kevin uses Two-Brain's Prescriptive Model to sell, and he'll give prospective clients an entire training plan in free consultations to boost the "know-like-trust factor." He shows so much value that eight in 10 prospects sign up even though they could walk out with a free training plan. There's more: Munoz explains why cutting low-value services boosted his revenue, how semi-private training fits into his business and why overdelivering during his on-ramp program makes conversions to recurring memberships simple.He also details the community partnerships, referral systems and client events that keep new leads flowing into his gym without heavy reliance on paid ads.Tune in for a step-by-step look at how one gym used systems and value to acquire better clients, increase retention and produce ARM north of $500 per month.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:52 - What drove his ARM increase?8:05 - Where to find high-value clients10:56 - High-conversion sales process15:12 - Finding Two-Brain to now25:16 - #1 tip to boost ARM

Ready to find out how the top gyms in the world earn between $500 and $850 per member each month?Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper reveals the latest leaderboard for average revenue per member per month (ARM) and explains exactly how the Top 10 gym owners earned their spots. You’ll hear about 10 proven tactics used by the leaders, including bundling services, offering semi-private training, selling with the Prescriptive Model and using simple billing changes to boost revenue.Coop also shares tips on referrals, pricing and niche specialization, and he explains why showing value is always more effective than cutting prices.Tune in for actionable strategies you can apply immediately to raise your ARM and build a more profitable, sustainable business.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call1:51 - Increase rates, value and referrals2:51 - Add PT and niche down4:21 - Bundle high-value services6:31 - Sell with the Prescriptive Model7:03 - Strategic billing and location

Gym growth is simple when you understand the only six metrics that really matter in fitness businesses.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper breaks them down so you can improve your gym:Average revenue per member (ARM)Length of engagement (LEG)Return on investment (ROI)Effective hourly rate (EHR)Net owner benefit (NOB)Client headcountUsing data from over 15,000 gym owners who contributed to Two-Brain’s 2024 “State of the Industry” guide, Coop presents the industry averages for each metric so entrepreneurs know exactly where they stand in comparison.Then, he equips gym owners with specific tactics to improve each metric and explains why many gyms actually don’t need more members to generate additional revenue. Plus, Coop dives deep into marketing with Two-Brain’s four-funnel system: referrals, content, social media and paid ads. He even shares an exclusive preview of the clients-only worksheet Two-Brain gym owners use to audit marketing performance, and he provides actionable fixes for each funnel.Tune in to learn how to track and improve the critical numbers in your gym business.Want Coop’s $100K checklist? Head to Gym Owners United using the link below and send him a DM.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call2:14 - Average revenue per member (ARM)8:23 - Length of engagement (LEG)14:33 - Return on investment (ROI)21:48 - Effective hourly rate (EHR)27:14 - Net owner benefit (NOB)32:47 - Client headcount37:13 - Four marketing funnels45:13 - Auditing and fixing your funnels59:34 - Getting more leads