Claim OwnershipRun a Profitable Gym
Subscribed: 673Played: 22,140
Subscribe
© 2025 Run a Profitable Gym
Description
Run a Profitable Gym is packed with business tools for gym owners and CrossFit affiliates. This is actionable, data-backed business advice for all gym owners, including those who own personal training studios, fitness franchises, and strength and conditioning gyms. Broke gym owner Chris Cooper turned a struggling gym into an asset, then built a multi-million-dollar mentoring company to help other fitness entrepreneurs do the same thing. Every week, Chris presents the top tactics for building a profitable gym, as well as real success stories from gym owners who have found incredible success through Two-Brain Business mentorship. Chris’s goal is to create millionaire gym owners. Subscribe to Run a Profitable Gym and you could be one of them.
1110 Episodes
Reverse
Colby Knepp's gym revenue more than doubled in fewer than 12 months. In this video, he explains exactly how he did it. So how did he generate incredible growth at his PT studio in Colorado? According to Colby, Step 1 was hiring a mentor, and Step 2 was doing everything she told him to do. Of particular note, Colby researched mentorship as part of his business plan to open a gym. Instead of flying solo and making mistakes, he used Two-Brain's data, resources and tactics to open with members...
You won’t build a successful gym by guessing what people want. You just can't read minds—but every entrepreneur tries to do that, and it's costly. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper provides the simple fix: Start using the “just ask method"—a proven way to boost every single metric in your gym. Chris walks through exactly which questions you must ask to improve your gym’s marketing, sales, retention, pricing, ROI on expenses, staff development and net owner bene...
In 2015, Corey Lewis expanded to a second gym before he was ready. He ended up with two failing locations instead of one thriving facility. This mistake nearly sunk his business. Now, as a Two-Brain mentor, Corey helps gym owners avoid feels-good-in-the-moment traps that come with severe long-term consequences. In this episode, Corey joins Mike Warkentin to break down some of the most costly mistakes gym owners make: ✅ Expanding before systems are in place. ✅ Promoting staff too quickly. ✅...
Just because a decision feels good now doesn’t mean it’s the right one for your gym’s long-term success. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper breaks down 12 choices that seem smart in the moment but can sabotage a gym's profitability down the line. He explains how mistakes such as paid-in-full deals and monthly discounts erode value and bleed out revenue, and he shares how short-term conveniences, such as hiring friends or subleasing to trainers, create ...
How do you turn 13 leads per month into sustainable gym growth? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper and chief marketing officer John Franklin analyze new data from Two-Brain's 2025 “State of the Industry” guide and show you how to use it to grow your gym in 2026. John, who is also co-founder of Kilo, explains why most gyms still struggle to get enough leads, what high performers do differently and how to make the most of every lead. The pair dig into t...
A year from now, your gym will be better or worse. That is a hard truth. And “better” doesn’t happen by accident. It only happens if you, the CEO, choose a direction, set priorities and execute today. To help you thrive next year, Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares the exact annual plan he's using at his gym, Catalyst. It's 12 months of simple, battle-tested activities that will: ✅ Improve retention. ✅ Produce leads and new clients. ✅ Generate revenue. ✅ Boost average revenue per ...
Why is youth training the fastest-growing segment in fitness? Today on "Run a Profitable Gym," Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper sits down with youth performance expert Bill Parisi to analyze the explosion in sports and fitness training for kids. Over the last 35 years, Bill has built a network of more than 100 Parisi Speed Schools, with most locations averaging $20,000 in revenue per month while operating only four to five hours per day. In this episode, Bill explains how NIL (name, image an...
What does it take to earn the top spot on Two-Brain’s revenue leaderboard? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin interviews gym owner Brandon Stratton to discuss the upgrades and operational systems that have allowed Bell House Training Co. to gross $1.2 million annually. Brandon explains how a strategic rebrand, smart price adjustments and the removal of outdated discounts produced an immediate 10-15% revenue jump with minimal member attrition. You’ll learn how B...
Good news! Revenue is up in gyms worldwide from 2024 to 2025. And for the first time ever, the average monthly revenue across Two-Brain’s Top 10 leaderboard has crossed US$83,500—over $1 million annually. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper reveals what the highest-grossing gyms are doing to generate between $70,000 and $119,000 per month in consistent, sustainable revenue. He shares insights from mentors working with these top-performing gym owners an...
This episode features important visuals. For the best experience, watch it on YouTube. Gym owners, if you need more clients, this training is for you. In this detailed video, Two-Brain Business founder Chris Cooper breaks down his bulletproof system for fixing your leads problem forever by creating a never-ending stream of people who are eager to join your gym. You’ll learn the exact strategies top gyms use to keep their sales pipelines full—and even receive plug-and-play lead-nurture scr...
The skills you’ve learned through fitness training can help you grow your business—if you know how to apply them. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper explains why workout habits directly translate to gym ownership and entrepreneurialism. Every gym owner already has 11 critical fitness skills, such as resilience, adaptability, discipline and virtuosity, and Coop provides a plan to use those assets to grow your business. Coop also details his si...
The data every gym owner needs is finally here! Two-Brain's sixth annual “State of the Industry” guide was released on Nov. 10 on "The Sevan Podcast." Check out this rebroadcast as hosts Sevan Matossian and Matt Souza break down key gym business stats with Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper. The free 72-page guide delivers critical benchmarks and insights from thousands of gyms worldwide, giving you the clarity to make confident decisions about pricing, staffing, retention and growth in 2...
How many clients should your gym have? What should you charge? When’s the best time to run classes? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper shares highlights from Two-Brain’s 2025 “State of the Industry” report—a comprehensive analysis of stats from gyms around the world, including thousands of Wodify clients. Chris is joined by Wodify’s CEO, Brendan Rice, to discuss what the numbers reveal about gym performance as we move into 2026. They discuss trends in retention, attend...
If you want to improve lead flow, add more high-value clients and generate more revenue, these three simple words can work wonders: “Bring a friend.” In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” gym owner and chiropractor Dr. Braeden Cordts shares his secrets for using bring-a-friend events to replicate his very best clients and grow his membership. Braeden walks through his plan to get red-hot leads into a workout at Kôr Fitness & Performance in Minnesota, and then he lays out his air-t...
The holidays are coming—and for most gyms, that means fewer check-ins, more cancellations and panic about cash flow. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares five simple tactics gym owners can use to boost year-end revenue without falling into the discount trap. He explains how smart, seasonal offers—such as holiday retail presales, meaningful gift cards and “save your spot” promotions—can generate real income while keeping y...
What does it take to run two thriving gyms and serve more than 900 clients? Tyler Quinn has the answers: He operates two Denver fitness studios with nearly 1,000 members combined. But here's the surprising part: He didn’t reach these members with paid ads or gimmicks like discounts. Seventy percent of his new clients come from referrals. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Mike Warkentin asks Tyler about the systems and strategies behind building high-volume gyms that actually work...
The average big-group gym has 129 members—but some Two-Brain gyms are thriving with 300-700 clients. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper breaks down what the Top 10 gyms for client headcount are doing differently. Coop explains how five critical systems allow these gyms to retain clients for over 24 months, deliver a consistently high-quality experience and attract new members month after month. He also shares real insights from the leaders on how they reactivated former clients...
In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with gym owner and Two-Brain mentor Tim Caputo about a simple idea that brought in $720 in one hour—and generated six new leads. It all started with a client suggestion that evolved into a “moms and kids” pop-up class. The event sold out quickly, generated profit right away and opened the door to a steady stream of high-quality referrals. Tim explains the strategy behind his pricing and promotion, how he used the class to ...
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 yo...
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. ...
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
To run a profitable gym, prioritize member satisfaction, offer diverse fitness programs, maintain top-notch equipment, and employ skilled trainers. Focus on customer retention, marketing strategies, and operational efficiency. Regularly assess and adapt offerings to meet evolving fitness trends and member needs for sustained profitability.
heavymug.co
..., . ..,. ml. ....
Good stuff. Thank you 👍
I can totally relate. I am making the shift from trying to build my credibility by flaunting my knowledge to building an emotional connection with my clients.
Do you have any resources for how to implement Habits Based coaching for nutrition? This sounds good but I am having a hard time picturing exactly how this might look in practice.