Run a Profitable Gym

Ken Andrukow is a Two-Brain Mentor and owner of Reebok CrossFit Ramsay.Ken charges one of his clients over $2,000 per month. He's working on a deal with a major hotel chain. His secret? Ken asks his clients how he can help them.As I wrote in "Help First," it sounds almost too simple. But identifying opportunities doesn't come naturally to most first-time entrepreneurs. We teach and reinforce the practice in our mentoring program, but Ken's been doing it for a LONG time.In this two-part episode, Ken talks about:How to identify opportunities to work with corporationsWhat corporate clients actually WANT from youWhat the first conversation with a busy CEO looks likeSetting up a "corporate challenge"Different ways Ken delivers service to a local hotel chainThe app we're developing can be seen in beta here. We'll be partnering with Two-Brain gyms first, of course, because we already know the operational quality therein.Not mentioned: The hotel chain is working to offer corporate discounts to Two-Brain gyms. You can download our sample Corporate Intro Letter here.Ken and I are working on a big project for training CEOs and business owners remotely, and we mention it in the interview.But first, Ken and I talk about a pet project: CF24, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Athletes. We’re joined by Matt Le Quelenec, who works on the Special Olympics side. This is a very unique challenge with a live leaderboard and even a live video feed between gyms.Cognitive challenges are very close to my heard (I’m also cofounder of IgniteGym.com) and so I’m offering a bounty to gyms who participate: a $1500 credit toward mentorship or the UpCoach program. That’s enough to get you through RampUp, or about six months of mentoring afterward, or really train your coaches to the next level. It’s the most leveragable $1500 you can ever spend (many report a year-over-year ROI of 50Xpurchase) and you can win it by helping these athletes. Go to CF24.ca for details. In the States? More info coming soon.Want to jump straight to the Corporate stuff? Go to 24:15.“No one’s ever going to slap you for thinking too big.” – Ken AndrukowRecorded on June 23 and 25, 2016.

Every Friday, I give you a BIG-PICTURE question to chew on over the weekend. This week: turning Garbage into GOLD.

Michael Scott and Mike Collette are co-owners of CrossFit Prototype in MA. They’ve been open for three years, and now they’re expanding.Instead of opening a second location or adding space to their original box, Michael and Mike are starting to acquire other local boxes. I’m in a privileged position of trust: box owners are more willing to talk openly when I’m in the room as a “broker”. So at the beginning of May, I flew to Boston to hang out with them for a few days, visit other boxes, eat dinner with other affiliates, and sit in on some of these negotiations.In this short interview, Michael and Mike talk about:WHY they’re acquiring other gyms, instead of expandingWHO would make an ideal partner in an acquisitionWHAT they look for when valuing a gymWHERE they’re expandingHOW they determine value.You can use the Business Valuation Calculator. You can download it free here:Rigquipment Finance DCF Worksheet for TwoBrainBusiness.comMichael Scott also refers to EBITDA as another valuation tool.Whether you’re thinking about selling your gym, thinking about BUYING other gyms, or just wondering about what makes your gym valuable, this is the perfect episode for you. We don’t get drug down into the math, but we do identify some key metrics to track.Michael and Mike are completely transparent, even when I ask hard questions. But if I missed anything and you’d like to know about it, email chris@twobrainbusiness.com and I’ll pass your questions along.In the meantime, please visit iTunes and give this podcast a 5-star review if you liked it.In “Critical Questions”, I talk about consolidation vs. expansion, the TwoBrain Summit and the big questions I’m working on right now.  Here’s “Growing Too Fast?”Recorded on June 17, 2016.

Another HUGE question for you to ponder this weekend...are you projecting your OWN fears and biases onto your clients? What's that costing you?

Vaughn Vernon is the guy behind Affiliate Guard.Vaughn insures over 2200 affiliate gyms, and we get together whenever possible to share “War Stories.” Some of these are funny, it’s true. But the point is to identify the potential tripping stones for gyms.This is NOT a boring episode about insurance. It’s a glimpse into the future. It’s a chance to analyze your defense. Vaughn is definitely not a boring guy, and we can leverage the hard lessons learned in the trenches to avoid gym-killing mistakes in our own businesses.The gyms in these stories aren’t owned by dummies. Most of these coaches have the same expertise, same fantastic community and same passion YOU DO. In most cases, they’ve simply run into one tiny instance of bad luck. Sadly, some didn’t survive.Imagine this: you spend ten years learning how to change lives. You care so greatly it keeps you up at night. You’re profitable; your coaches own houses and cars; your clients are off Lipitor. Then one day, a client collapses mid-WOD. Will you lose it all?Some have. But others were prepared and survived. We can learn from both.In a few cases, this is a hilarious conversation. In others, it’s as serious as a heart attack (literally.)0:00 – Vaughn’s background and (funny) intro to CrossFit4:30 – Running events at your gym: are you covered?9:12 – What are the easiest mistakes to avoid in YOUR gym?11:44 – Homemade equipment14:00 – A recent case in CA where a client died of a heart attack, and how it affects YOU16:58 – Blood-borne diseases – does anyone in your gym rip their hands?19:15 – Do waivers REALLY protect you?20:57 – How an OnRamp or Foundations program might save your gym22:20 – Using pictures on your website23:21 – Background checks (download the free form here.)24:06 – Kids getting rides to and from the gym – Download a Child Pickup Authorization form here:Child Pick Up Authorization Article25:30 – Kids’ competitions28:10 – Do we need a written assessment for all athletes at intake? (hint: the TwoBrain family is working on this for you.)30:31 – The absolute basics: taking attendance31:38 – The Big “R” (free rhabdo waiver here, along with a TON of other free stuff)37:37 – Why Vaughn is buying into a CrossFit gym38:48 – You’ll need an AED soon. Here’s what Vaughn is doing to help(Do you need one ALREADY? Click here.)41:20 – Remote programming: are you liable?43:00 – Nutrition challenges and prescriptions: what’s legal?44:10 – Renting space to other coaches47:00 – Why clients sueIn “Coach’s Confessional”, I talk about being proud of the wrong things instead of those that DO matter. Further reading: The Hustle Is A Lie.Recorded on June 7, 2016.

The purpose of this episode is to give you a "BIG PICTURE QUESTION" to ponder over your weekend. It's a doozy!Special bonus: a special signup rate for our TwoBrain Summit, July 15-17, 2016.

AJ and Megan Dwyer own MAD Strength and Conditioning and CrossFit SwampFox. Since December 2015, they’ve affiliated and opened a second location. Their rapid growth is fueled by AJ’s focus on youth athletes, and sports teams. AJ brings a unique approach to intake, testing, prescription and training, and he’ll share his methods in this podcast.00:5:00 – AJ’s story: MMA, bodybuilding, military deployment to Afghanistan and finding CrossFit10:30 – AJ trains his first “sport-enhancement” client12:05 – “Sport-specific” training vs “Sport-Enhancement” training17:00 – How AJ works with local coaches19:30 – Misconceptions athletes have when starting the program22:20 – AJ programs for athletes all day. But he uses BoxProgramming.com for his CrossFit members. Why?23:15 – We start walking through the client experience from the first inception point, through intake and assessment, and then programming. We start with an overview.26:45 – We go back through his process in very small detail, from recommendations to testing to recruitment.34:00 – AJ and I talk about his testing process. He’s currently refining his testing in preparation for rollout to other coaches, so there are some details we skim. But the original model came from mine, which you can read here. Two-Brain Coaching clients are given a copy to use verbatim, but you can replicate the idea without cutting and pasting.You’ll also see the “report card” we give athletes at each test.37:00 – What athletes actually need vs what they don’t41:00 – How “sport-enhancement” programs differ from CrossFit youth programs42:00 – Problems AJ is seeing with kids who play sports, and how he corrects them44:30 – How AJ recommends PT, small group or large group training for different clients46:30 – How AJ would get 50 more kids if he had to49:00 – How AJ describes his program to coaches51:00 – AJ offers to help other gyms assess and program for athletes to build their programIn Critical Questions, I answer, “I have lots of great ideas. How do I actually get the time to DO any of them?” I refer to the “10-Hour CEO” template tool. Recorded on June 6, 2016.

Zach Even-Esh is the founder of UnderGround Strength.I first encountered Even-Esh's work in T-Nation in 2005. The "Old School Training" article was less an epiphany about training methods to me than a potential business model: suddenly, I could foresee a way to own a gym without investing hundreds of thousands of dollars. This guy - Even-Esh - was doing it. He didn't have a pec dec, or treadmills; he had a corner of his dad's garage, some big tires and sandbags. And his athletes were killing it. In this episode, Even-Esh talks about his background, his future, and his commitment to train athletes ONLY. It's not the easy road, but he's never walked the easy road. This podcast is sponsored by Healthy Steps Nutrition and EpicRaceGear.com.Timeline:1:45 - Even-Esh talks about Schwarzenegger's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding as the original source of training information. 4:10 - "I was writing articles probably every other day."5:00 - Zach's online certification is here.9:00 - Zach talks about the "expensive" business course - $25/month - that spurred him to take action and become a "change maker."11:30 - Zach goes to prison and writes about it.14:45 - Zach finds the CrossFit message boards.17:40 - Transitioning from training out of his house to his first location, and selling "Strength and Conditioning" to a market unfamiliar with the term.19:00 - "Convenience and excellence are never found on the same road."20:30 - Tough kids and soft kids.21:00 - Tim Ferriss' "Four-Hour Body."24:15 - How has the training of athletes changed since you started?28:00 - How does Zach get new clients?33:30 - Knowing what he does now, would he have taken the same path?39:00 - How Zach coaches a broad spectrum of athletes in a group setting.41:30 - How athletes are differentiated by physical AND emotional maturity, then separated without discouraging them.44:00 - What advice would Zach give to someone opening a gym today?46:00 - Zach's certification is here.45:00 - In Coaches' Confessional, I talk about the big mistakes I've made when hiring staff and how I now answer the question, "How do I train new coaches?"Recorded on May 25, 2016.

Since I started this podcast six months ago, I've received an increasing amount of questions via email.Originally, I thought I'd answer one or two every few weeks. But as the volume - and quality - of questions increased, I realized the necessity of dedicating one full episode to answering them.These were asked via email, Twitter (@TwoBrainCoach) or on our Facebook page.3:00 - "How Do I Get More Members?"14:45 - "Why Podcasting?"15:55 - "How Do I Break Into The Corporate Market?"20:40 - "What's the Best Seminar Out There?"25:20 - "What's The Best Strategy for Facebook Marketing?"28:35 - "What Happened With 321Go?"29:50 - "What Is The Best Booking and Billing Software?"32:50 - "How Do I Stop Cheating At My Gym?"37:50 - "What's the Best Purchase I Can Make To Attract Members?"43:02 - "How Do I Find A Buyer For My Gym?"Recorded on May 23, 2016.

This episode is sponsored by InBody.Commander Mark Divine is the founder of SEALFit. He’s the author of Unbeatable Mind, The Way of the SEAL, 8 Weeks To SEALFIT and his new book, Kokoro Yoga. In this episode, Mark talks about using Yoga to develop a warrior’s mindset and improve athleticism. This isn’t the foo-foo stretchy-pants-and-fancy-mats yoga from a Lululemon poster: this is the battle-born practice of preparation.0:00 – Commander Divine talks about his background and development: being trained as an accountant, and finding his way to war7:00 – Mark finds CrossFit7:40 – “Yoga is really a personal development system”10:00 – Developing SealFIT, the “working out” program and the “working in” program 10:45 – Kokoro Camp is a test11:40 – “Not everyone in the world is attracted to SEALFit-type training. My desire is to reach as many people as possible.” Mark talks about using his service to approach entrepreneurs and corporate types in a different path from athletes.15:50 – The Flow State20:20 – “Yoga means integration." Mark talks about the functional movements of CrossFit and getting into the “flow state.”21:55 – “Thinking Body, Dancing Mind” by Chungliang Al Huang 25:20 – Why getting “pumped up” for sports isn’t always best – practicing mental power vs triggering the “arousal state”28:00 – How to introduce yoga to warriors and athletes in your gym29:00 – “Mobility and durability are just a side effect of yoga.”30:30 – Mark talks about his first “airline yoga” on a transport into Baghdad33:30 – Stripping down yoga in a war zone40:00 – What yoga REALLY is44:40 – The importance of understanding WHY you’re doing anything45:50 – The best ways for gyms to introduce yoga into their practice49:00 – “Coach” vs “Senior Student”50:50 – Mark’s dog has a dream about snatching51:10 – Why you need mental development to help avoid injury54:10 – How to win the battle before it starts54:55 – The 80/20 rule of starting a yoga practice57:00 – Keeping “the main thing” your main thing1:00:00 – Mark lists his mentors1:02:00 – “Feeding the courage wolf” and teaching the concept to kids1:06:00 – Mark’s advice to CrossFit affiliates