The Hall of Shame: Huge Gym-Owner Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
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.✅ Abdicating instead of delegating.✅ Discounting rates.✅ Chasing shiny objects instead of caring for "the golden goose."Corey explains how mentorship helps gym owners see past emotion to make decisions based on data. For example, if a gym owner is avoiding a much-needed rate increase, Corey will run the numbers, lay out the plan and provide accountability. He's successfully guided dozens of Two-Brain clients through this process: None lost all their members, and all made more money.Don't make mistakes that will take years to fix. And don't avoid correcting your errors because you don't have a plan. Get help, make smart decisions and reach your Perfect Day sooner.Use the link below to get free tools to help you run a profitable gym!Don't have a gym yet? Start one with help from Two-Brain—just click the link below.LinksFree ToolsStart a GymGym Owners UnitedBook a Call2:33 - Expanding too soon5:44 - No systems and poor retention10:17 - Promoting staff who aren’t ready13:09 - How to avoid costly mistakes20:59 - Resources to start a gym
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12 Mistakes That Feel Good Now But Will Kill Your Gym Later
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 downstream operational headaches.You’ll hear how ego-driven decisions to criticize competitors or train to be the best athlete in your gym steal focus from the systems that actually grow revenue.Coop also discusses retention and pricing errors, and he explains how three major growth traps—expanding too early, trying to serve everyone and buying failing gyms—create more problems than they solve.Tune in to learn the sustainable strategies top gyms use to avoid these mistakes and make smart decisions that pay dividends for decades.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call1:23 - Discount death spiral8:07 - Staff and space nightmares14:40 - Ego-driven mistakes21:33 - Retention and pricing errors24:50 - Growth without foundation
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Use This Data to Grow Your Gym in 2026: Sales and Marketing Deep Dive
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 the numbers behind pricing, sales and average revenue per member, and they list simple changes gym owners can make to dramatically increase revenue.To help you close more sales at your gym, Chris and John role-play common scenarios, demonstrating how to handle objections—such as timing, price and spousal concerns—and help clients take action. They also provide tips to help you survive the slowest months of the year so you stop getting crushed by seasonality.Watch this episode, then take action to generate more leads and add more clients to your gym every month. If you want to dig deeper into the numbers, download the full “State of the Industry” report for free via the link below.LinksState of the IndustryGym Owners UnitedBook a Call1:08 - Lead generation and nurture12:38 - Seasonality and planning18:07 - Live sales role-play30:03 - Pricing strategies and psychology41:42 - Sustainable gym ownership
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The 2026 Annual Plan for Gym Owners: Your Monthly Guide to Growth
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 member.✅ Reduce stress.✅ Inspire and retain staff.✅ Put more cash in your personal bank account.Customize Coop's plan or use it verbatim. But get something in place right now so you control your destiny in 2026.To get Coop's "Essential 12-Month Gym-Building Plan for 2026"—including a customizable event calendar—use the link below to send him a DM through our Gym Owners United group.Links👉 Message Coop here: Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:01 - Intro3:43 - January, February, March14:32 - April, May, June27:17 - July, August, September35:09 - October, November, December40:22 - Grow your gym in 2026
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Why Youth Training Is the Fastest Growing Segment in Fitness
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 and likeness) deals have motivated parents to invest in training: Top college quarterbacks now earn seven figures!He also discusses the pros and cons of early specialization for young athletes and compares average metrics from youth-training gyms and the fitness industry as a whole.To help gym owners capitalize on demographic shifts, Bill and Chris share practical strategies: how to use events to generate referrals, how to balance seasonal variations in retention, and how to hire and keep quality coaches. Check out this episode to discover how youth training could boost your gym's revenue and help you create a greater impact in your community.To get more gym business data on demographics, rates and revenue, use the link below to download Two-Brain’s 2025 “State of the Industry” report.Links"State of the Industry"Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call1:01 - Why youth training is exploding12:04 - The early specialization debate19:45 - Youth training metrics33:28 - Retention in a seasonal business37:41 - Hiring & retaining quality coaches
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.