WTF Gym Talk

2020 was year that made it difficult enough for established, successful microgyms to survive...but to invest and startup a franchise location is a whole different challenge.⁠ ⁠ Sure, franchises have the added benefit of providing you guidance, proven system and business support...but no one in the fitness industry fully understood how the pandemic would challenge our business model.⁠ ⁠ However, Cindy Bickman braved the storm and continued moving forward as she opened the first Row House location within Charlotte, North Carolina.  ⁠ ⁠ We sat down and discussed the challenges she faced and talked about the Row House franchise model at length.⁠ Check out rowhouse.com for more details about this awesome brand. 

CrossFit showed up on the fitness scene and completely transformed the industry. Even if you've never worked out at a CrossFit facility, wherever you do train - has probably been very influenced by the CrossFit training methodology. However, along the journey there were instances where individuals created a unique belief in fitness that moved beyond CrossFit. While this was sacrilege to the CrossFit purist, it was a breath of fresh for those of us who believed in creating new recipes with common ingredients. Marcus Filly is an amazing example of somebody who saw fitness through a different lens and acted upon it. https://revival-strength.com/

Paul Jarvis is the author of one of my top 3 business books: Company of One.   The concept is simple:  Resist growth in your business when there are smarter ways to increase revenue, without increasing overhead + complexity. Seems simple right?  Well, my guess is that your current business aspirations + actions probably look great on paper, but when you peel back the layers of added expenses, liability and complexity...you'd probably find that you could be making MORE money, by doing LESS. Honored to have the privilege to jam with Paul on his last podcast interview (at least for a while). 

Craig Howard is the owner of Diablo CrossFit in California.   He's been a gym owner for over a decade and while I could probably fill multiple podcast interviews on his experiences as a business owner, this conversation was specifically geared towards one thing:  Craig's effort to keep his business alive during the pandemic, even if it meant defying government orders. In this conversation, Craig shares his story in dealing with his local government, being fined and consistently pivoting to ensure that his business stays open + his members stay safe.  To learn more about Craig's GoFundMe page and what Diablo CrossFit is up to - follow him on Instagram @craighhoward_diablo 

In this limited series segment of the podcast, I interview former gym owners who have transitioned from owning brick & mortar gyms, to now becoming online digital marketing gurus. You know the ads - the ones where a guy is standing on stage with a golden plaque, with gimmicky ad copy that brags about their ability to give your gym "superpowers" and "fill your gym with 349 leads by lunch!". Well, I wanted to know what caused that transition. If you were so successful as a gym owner, why move onto the digital business coach world? What makes your guru skill set any different form the hundreds of other guys in our news feed? So please, listen to these conversations with an open-mind and I just want to give props to guys who accepted my invitation to be on the show and answer the hard questions.

In another segment with the HBIC (Head Bitch In Charge) at Urban MVMNT - Sarah Isaac (aka. Isaac)...we give a very transparent look at how Urban MVMNT handles one of the five functions of our business: ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS. We share the guerrilla marketing strategies that have worked, those that failed and what we learned along the way.  Lots of great pieces here for you to steal and install at your own microgym. Also, if you're liking what your hearing from the Urban MVMNT team and you'd like to own an Urban MVMNT in your city - please check out licensing model and submit your interest!  https://www.urbanmvmnt.com/licensing

Just a quick proposal to my audience to see if you'd be interested in a long-form podcast segment. The idea is simple, I'd travel to meet figureheads in the fitness industry and have lengthy, all-inclusive conversations about business, life, relationships, vices, secrets, gossip, etc.  Think of this as me channeling my inner Joe Rogan or Tim Ferris.   Is this something you'd be interested in? If so, who would you want me to interview? Shoot me a DM on Instagram or send an email to stu@wtfgymtalk.com 

Every great microgym has a unique belief in fitness. It's not the ingredients that are unique, but the recipe. In this episode, Deuce (Head Coach at Urban MVMNT) and I jam on why we chose tempo training as the foundation for our entire training methodology.

With the recent announcement of Urban MVMNT license model, I felt it was imperative to have my two main co-designers of the brand on the podcast to discuss how we look at operations, programming, marketing, HR + team development, and more. On this episode we have Sarah Isaac (just call her Isaac), my senior ride-or-die to discuss how we view operations within Urban MVMNT at a high level.  Interested in opening up an Urban MVMNT location in your city?  Let us know - remember, we are only offering ONE license PER CITY....so move your ass!  https://www.urbanmvmnt.com/licensing

Brie Hollingsworth is an accredited human within the fitness industry. She was a customer turned instructor at Flywheel (prior to bankruptcy, was one of the largest indoor cycling brands in the world) and quickly ascended to the highest tier possible - Master Instructor and Director of Talent Development.   After achieving what most trainers in the fitness industry aim for - making a salary + benefits, $150 per class taught, seniority and local fitness celebrity status  - she decided she wanted to create something new...she realized she had a unique belief in fitness that needed to be scratched.  This is that story, which ultimately leads to her creation of BaseMethod and I greatly appreciate Brie's willingness to share it. @brie_hollingsworth