Run a Profitable Gym

What are the most important things gyms should do when it comes to programming? What was it like to compete on champion teams CrossFit Mayhem and CrossFit New England? What's it like to have your mother beat you at Isabel? CrossFit Games veteran and longtime CrossFit Seminar Staff member James Hobart is here with the answers to all that and more on this episode of Two-Brain Radio.James has competed at the Games five times as part of a team and thrice as an individual, winning the Affiliate Cup three times with two different teams. He's also co-owner of CrossFit ONE Nation Boston, and after nearly a decade on the Seminar Staff, he now runs gym programming service The HAM Program with Games vets Spencer Hendel and Austin Malleolo. In this episode, he shares some of his favorite memories from his competition and Seminar Staff days, what makes for good gym programming and how to get your loved ones into fitness.Links:CrossFit ONE NationThe HAM PlanFree ToolsContact: Instagram: @jameshobartTimeline:1:56 – From the kettlebell scene to CrossFit.4:22 – James’ first CrossFit Level 1 experience. 6:39 – The evolution of the CrossFit seminars over time.9:28 – Safe-for-work seminar stories.11:30 – Falling into competition. 14:54 – What makes a great team in CrossFit competition. 18:44 – Training with Rich Froning and CrossFit Mayhem: “We’re gonna work out till one of us dies or we win the CrossFit Games.”20:57 – Highlights from CrossFit Games competition. 23:26 – Stepping back from competition. 26:20 – The HAM Plan.28:07 – What does good gym programming look like? 31:30 – How to become a good programmer.32:45 – The mysterious appearance of an AbMat, a 45-lb. plate and a barbell: James’ mother becomes a CrossFitter.35:46 – How to get your loved ones into fitness.37:33 – Coaching—and being coached by—James’ mother.39:25 – Looking to the future: Running an affiliate, programming for Sanctionals and competing with his wife. 41:51 – Top lessons learned after more than a decade in the CrossFit community. 

Two-Brain Radio: How to Turn Prospective Clients Into Paying ClientsToo many gym owners spend precious time and money acquiring leads only to leave money on the table. Maybe they don't feel like responding to a request for info at 9 p.m. Maybe they give up after the first call goes to voicemail. Maybe they just don't like selling.But just a little extra time and effort spent pursuing those leads—people who have opted in and asked for more info—could lead to great reward.In the second installment of our special series, Two-Brain Media's Mike Warkentin interviews digital marketing expert Mateo Lopez—our regular host. This week, the two are all about those digits. Specifically, what to do with 'em once you've got 'em.Links:Free Help KitUpLaunchContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:40 – Mike tries to swipe Mateo’s digits.4:33 – The point of digital marketing: to get contact info.6:27 – What should you do after someone opts in to an ad? 7:26 – The need for speed.9:19 – Uncomfortable selling? Remember, they’re asking for it.11:29 – Being a real person in the age of marketing bots.15:00 – Not everyone will want to talk to you—but you don’t need everyone.17:16 – It’s like baseball: Fail seven out of 10 times and you’re an all-star.19:12 – What’s a good conversion rate? 20:41 – Putting it into perspective: LEG.22:38 – Netflix and the loss leader perspective.24:07 – Speed and persistence.25:15 – When should you give up on a lead?27:24 – How often should you reach out to a lead?28:57 – Whether it’s you or someone else, dedicate a role to immediate response.

Ever thought about what you can learn about risk management from a brothel? As it turns out, a lot—and that's just one of many risk-management examples author Allison Schrager uses in her book "An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk."In this episode of Two-Brain Radio, Chris speaks with Allison to understand how the risk-management principles that guide other high-end service providers can apply to microgym owners.You'll also learn how to compete with big chain gyms charging $10 a month, how the commoditization of fitness training with technology could actually help your business and how to best position your offerings in the face of a recession.Links:"An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: An Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk."Contact:Allison SchragerTimeline:1:59 – Allison’s passion for teaching risk management.3:02 – Risk management: Lessons from the pro poker world.6:31 – How to mitigate risk when opening a gym.8:12 – Don’t just take risks for risks' sake: You need a clear goal.9:26 – Defining risk.11:07 – There’s a recession looming. Should gym owners be worried?13:42 – In the face of an economic downturn, focus on high-touch services.14:39 – How Equinox got Allison hooked.17:40 – The industrial revolution and personal training.19:33 – There’s no escaping Jeremy.21:21 – On differentiating yourself in a commoditized market. 26:37 – Virtual personal training: a high-touch service at a more accessible price.28:52 – The second wave of industrialization: technology.31:43 – Eliminating the mediocre and how technology can enhance your service without replacing it.33:34 – Allison’s first trip to the brothel.36:27 – Learning negotiation and risk-management tactics at Bunny Ranch.39:34 – Balancing the personal and the technological in fitness service.

Two-Brain Radio: Tanya Wagner—Athlete, Analyst, Affiliate OwnerTanya Wagner was the third woman to win the CrossFit Games and the last to do it at the historic ranch in Aromas, California. She and her husband Josh also own CrossFit Apex in Souderton, Pennsylvania.Tanya and Sean talk about how she got into CrossFit, what the competitive landscape looked like more than 10 years ago, what it was like to be a color commentator for the CrossFit Games and how she incorporates fitness into raising her two children today.Links:CrossFit Apex"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief""Two-Brain Business""Two-Brain Business 2.0""Help First"Free ToolsContact:Instagram: @tanewagnerTimeline:1:48 – Before CrossFit: Tanya, the aggressive goalie.2:52 – Filling the post-collegiate competitive void with CrossFit.4:15 – She never meant to open a gym … 6:13 – The 2008 CrossFit Games: unknown names and redlining workouts.8:54 – Taking second in 2008. 11:30 – Winning in 2009: $5,000 and a golden sledgehammer.13:34 – Witnessing the birth of a new era in the Sport of Fitness.17:32 – Joining the CrossFit media team.18:57 – Donning the headphones at the 2012 Central East Regional: “It was a mess.”20:19 – Learning how to be a CrossFit analyst.22:56 – Remaining neutral when you’re friends with the athletes.25:39 – Motherhood: a new season of fitness.28:40 – Kids who tire-flip the cat-food bag.30:40 – What Tanya misses most about competition.32:42 – The best part of it all: sharing CrossFit with others.

Two-Brain Radio: Marketing Podcast Take-Over With Mike WarkentinThis week, we're turning the tables on you. Mike Warkentin of Two-Brain Media is hosting this episode of Two-Brain Radio, and his guest? None other than digital marketing expert Mateo Lopez. Mike owns CrossFit 204 in Winnipeg, Canada, so he understands the problems small-business owners face: tight budgets, lack of marketing expertise and fear of seemingly complicated ad algorithms. He grills Mateo on how digital marketing works, which advertising mediums are best and how to understand the numbers behind it all.If you're a small-business owner struggling to see the value of paid advertising or are simply confused by it, this is the episode for you.Links:Free Help KitAffiliate GuardContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:4:07 – Horror stories from inside the radio biz.6:33 – Two-Brain Marketing’s humble origins.11:09 – Mateo’s first Facebook ad campaign.13:50 – Calculating ROI and the magic matrix: “It’s just math.”17:12 – What you need to do before you turn the ads on.19:29 – How to tell if a marketing platform is worth the investment.22:42 – The advantage of digital marketing: You can tweak it in real time based on real results.25:23 – Branding vs. direct response marketing.

Food for Thought Friday - Are You Doing Your Clients a Disservice? Is your on-ramp program more assembly line than training tool? Many gyms put new clients through an on-ramp class and then shuffle them to group classes after the on-ramp program is over—regardless of that client's actual abilities. The trainer might not even know what the new client's abilities truly are. Here's why you should consider PT for newbies instead. 

Two-Brain Radio: Fat People on MarsIn this quick and dirty episode of Two-Brain Radio, Chris Cooper tackles the goal of all of humanity: the pursuit of happiness. And to be happy, you've got to be healthy.That's where you come in. Fitness professionals are leading the pursuit of fitness—and therefore happiness.That's why our goal is to produce 1 million fitness entrepreneurs: to lead our species forward and produce more healthy, happy people.Links:Paying Attention to Mental Health With Colm O'ReillyCraig Hysell's daily blogBonnie Skinner on depressionDaily directive exercises with Mark DivineContact: chris@twobrainbusiness.comTimeline:00:32 – The wealth of modern humankind.2:37 – Losing the fight to conquer ourselves.3:31 – Happiness: the ultimate goal.4:28 – To be happy, you need to be healthy.5:20 – Fitness professionals: leading the pursuit of health—and therefore, happiness.

Two-Brain Radio: Reporting on Fitness With Niki BrazierIn this episode of Two-Brain Radio, Sean Woodland talks with CrossFit Games sideline reporter Niki Brazier.Niki has been involved with CrossFit media since 2013. Before that, she was a reporter, anchor and producer for a local TV station in Maine. Niki is one of the most experienced sideline reporters covering the Sport of Fitness right now. She talks about how she got involved with the media team back in 2013, some of the unique challenges of being a sideline reporter and where she thinks the coverage of the sport is heading for the rest of the year and beyond.Links:Two-Brain Business Free Tools"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief""Two-Brain Business""Two-Brain Business 2.0""Help First"Contact: Instagram: @reporternicoleTimeline: 1:55 – Before CrossFit: Niki’s work as a local TV news multi-media journalist.2:52 – What’s really like to work in TV news.3:48 – Why Niki chose a career in news—and why she left it behind.4:42 – Finding CrossFit like a true journalist: via a news story.6:10 – How life in front of a camera prepared her to be a coach.7:34 – Joining the CrossFit media team in 2013.9:01 – From canned stories to sideline reporting.10:02 – Sideline reporting: What it is and what the biggest challenges are.12:29 – How Niki’s TV news chops prepared her for CrossFit media coverage.13:35 – Terrifying emails from Sean Woodland.16:30 – CrossFit Christmas: Late-night drinks and early morning call times.17:49 – That time Lukas Högberg really had to take a dump.19:38 – Dealing with the unexpected during live broadcasts.21:15 – Preparing for a live broadcast.22:57 – Post-CrossFit Inc. media: being the sole sideline reporter for the 2019 CrossFit Games.24:34 – Continuing to freelance in the sport of fitness.27:46 – Predicting the future media landscape of the sport.31:26 – More than event coverage; it’s about inspiring people.

From Gas-Station Gym to 5,000 Square-Foot-Facility With Jonathan WattJonathan Watt opened Townie: A Fitness Community in an abandoned gas-station garage. He painted the walls, made a post on Facebook and showed up at 5:30 a.m. the next day, praying someone would show up.Someone did, and the gym soon expanded to the 5,000-square-foot facility it's in today. But when Jonathan found himself still wearing all the hats just before the birth of his first child, he knew he needed to "legitimize our business, and we needed to be able to hire coaches and, you know, really step up our game."In this episode of Two-Brain Radio, you'll learn how mentorship helped Jonathan build a staff, establish a gym culture and shift his mindset on sales and marketing.Links:Townie: A Fitness Community Level MethodContact:Instagram: @towniefitnesscoTimeline:3:07 – Why “Townie,” and why the name rebrand away from CrossFit.5:28 – Finding CrossFit in 2010: “It was grungy; it smelled like a gym locker room, but I loved it.”7:24 – Discovering a passion for helping people through fitness.9:21 – The first location: an abandoned gas station.11:53 – Affinity marketing in the early years.13:54 – Why sign up for mentorship?15:41 – Putting marketing on hold to solidify procedures and staffing first.20:07 – From Day One client to first staff member: the culture of the gym.23:18 – On selling happiness and confidence.24:24 – Taking the plunge into paid advertising: “It was kind of a big shock.”26:55 – Shifting perspective on sales.29:33 – Eliminating staffing frustrations with written SOPs.31:52 – Reducing No-Sweat Intro no-shows with text-message follow-ups and confirmations.32:32 – The InBody as a tool for selling nutrition.33:49 – The key to success? Mentorship and community. 

Food for Thought Friday - How Often Are You Communicating Your Values, Mission or Vision?You know the values, mission and vision of your business. You're pretty sure your staff knows, too—but are you sure?Even if they do, is it something they think about often? To keep your vision at the forefront, make sure you're communicating it to your staff regularly.