Run a Profitable Gym
Run a Profitable Gym offers practical, data-driven business advice for gym owners, including CrossFit affiliates, personal training studios, and strength and conditioning facilities. Host Chris Cooper shares tactics for turning a struggling gym into a profitable asset, drawing on his own experience as a former broke gym owner. Each week, the show features actionable strategies and success stories from gym owners who have worked with Two-Brain Business mentorship. The podcast aims to help fitness entrepreneurs build wealth and create millionaire gym owners.
Episodes
Close More Gym Sales in 5 Steps
Fill out the State of the Industry survey and get a free report card showing how your gym stacks up.Most gym owners either avoid the sales conversation altogether or waste an hour giving a tour without ever asking for the sale.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain Business CEO John Franklin and founder Chris Cooper break down the No Sweat Intro: Two-Brain’s proven consultative sales
How to Sell Without Feeling Slimy (For Gym Owners)
Get the full resource kit for this series—the exact frameworks and scripts to help you sell gym memberships without feeling slimy.Ever avoided asking for the sale because it felt slimy? You're not alone, but it’s costing you clients who need your help.In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares the three mindset shifts that changed the way he sel
Why Your Gym Isn't Converting Leads Into Members
Steal our Lead Nurture Toolkit—the exact scripts and follow-up cadence to turn “maybe” into a booked consultation.Gym owners constantly say they need more leads. The data says otherwise.The average gym gets 420 leads a year, but only 84 of them ever book an appointment. Fix that gap, and you can add tens of thousands of dollars in revenue without spending another dollar on ads.Today, Two-Brain CEO
The 5 Biggest Sales DM Mistakes Gym Owners Make
Turn social media leads into paying members with our free sell-by-chat scripts.What if your gym doesn’t have a lead problem? What if the real issue is what you’re saying to the leads you already have?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain Business CEO John Franklin presents the five common mistakes gym owners make in lead-nurture conversations and the exact fix for each one.John expl
How to Turn Online Followers Into Paying Gym Members
Turn followers into paying members with our free sell-by-chat scripts. You don’t need a huge following to sell more gym memberships. You need better conversations.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper and CEO John Franklin break down how to turn Instagram followers, commenters, story repliers and even former members into paying clients using simple, word-for-wor
The Gym Owner's Shortcut I Wish I Had 20 Years Ago
Get Chris Cooper's books free on Kindle this week: https://twobrain.co/4bitrbb Chris Cooper has written 10 books, and he says it's not because he loves writing. It's because he kept watching gym owners hit the same walls over and over, at every stage of ownership.In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Chris breaks down which book he'd hand you depending on exactly
Why Your Gym Feels Stuck (And What to Do Next)
Get Chris Cooper’s book “Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Chief” free on Kindle this week (Jul. 27-31): https://twobrain.co/4gLvR5E If you’re a gym owner who feels stuck, you probably don’t need more information. You need focus.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper joins CEO John Franklin to break down the four distinct phases of the entrepreneurial journey, based on hi
Are the CrossFit Games Dead?
Want to run an in-gym event that brings in new members and keeps them around? Download our step-by-step Intramural Open guide. Are the CrossFit Games dead? And should gym owners even care?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper joins CEO John Franklin to discuss the state of the Games, as it heads into its 20th year.Chris has been on both sides of this conversatio
How This Gym's Content System Generates 140 Leads a Month
Use our AI-powered Instagram audit to identify the biggest gaps in your gym’s social media and generate more leads: https://gymig.com/ Isaac Morgado’s gym content system generates 140+ leads per month. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” John Franklin sits down with Isaac to break down his exact Monday-morning process for batching a full week of lead-generating content.Isaac explains why he
How to Know Exactly What to Charge at Your Gym
Calculate exactly what you should be charging with our Revenue Per Session (RPS) Calculator, linked below.Don’t set your prices by copying the gym down the street (and maybe knocking off $10).Instead, there’s a data-backed way to do it, using real numbers from thousands of gyms and one metric that tells you if your price is pulling its weight: revenue per session (RPS).In this episode of "Run
How to Add Small Group Training to a Large Group Gym
Semi-private training is one of the most talked about revenue plays in the fitness industry, but there’s rarely a clear roadmap for adding it to an already packed group training schedule.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” John Franklin sits down with Jamie Warren, CEO of Iron Tribe Fitness, who took his gyms from nearly 100% group training revenue to a 50/50 split with small group—without
How HYROX Affiliates Actually Make Money
Some gyms are struggling to break even on their HYROX affiliation. Others are generating 15X or even 89X return on their affiliation fees.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” John Franklin sits down with Lisa Palmer, a Two-Brain mentor and HYROX affiliate in London.The U.K. is one of the most mature HYROX markets in the world, roughly three years ahead of North America.Lisa walks through how
How to Run Your First HYROX Competition in Your Gym
HYROX is everywhere right now, and your gym doesn’t necessarily have to become an affiliate to cash in on the trend.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain Business CEO John Franklin breaks down the “mini sim,” a scaled-down HYROX-style competition any gym can run without paying affiliation fees or buying new equipment.John walks through the exact blueprint: cutting the running volume
How Smart Gym Owners Beat the Summer Slump
Summer hits gym owners hard. Revenue drops, leads dry up and members cancel.In this episode, Chris Cooper shares five strategies gym owners can use to generate revenue during the slow summer months.Coop knows the pain firsthand. In 2009, he was juggling two locations and the summer slump almost put him out of business. He swore he’d never let that happen again. Now, after working with over 3,000 g
From $300k in Debt to Millionaire Gym Owner
Braeden Cordts bought a struggling gym with $300,000 in debt, no marketing knowledge and everyone telling him it wouldn’t work.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Braeden, who was just certified as a net-worth millionaire.They talk about Braeden’s five-year journey from a 28-member gym losing money to a 230-member gym generating over $55,000 every month.Brad
How to Turn Your Gym’s DMs Into a Client-Closing Machine
Learn how to build all four marketing funnels with our Never-Ending Leads training for gym owners, linked below. Nearly 15% of gym owners don’t contact their leads at all. The interest is there. The hands are raised. But nobody sends the message.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains why your DMs might be the most underused sales channel your gym has,
Steal These 8 Content Ideas From a Viral Gym Owner
This episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Get a comprehensive, AI-powered audit of your gym’s Instagram at GymIG.com.Joe Strada just won Two-Brain Business Gym of the Year. Here’s exactly how he built one of the best content strategies in the gym industry.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain
How I Get More Leads From Facebook Than Paid Ads
Before you spend another dollar on ads, listen to this episode. Chris Cooper is getting more leads from free Facebook posts than almost any other marketing channel.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Coop shares how he writes Facebook posts that start real conversations, bring back lapsed members and attract new clients.The core idea is simple: Start capturing what’s already happening in your gym. Th
How to Make Your Gym Stand Out Online in 2026
This episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Is your gym’s Instagram converting members? Audit it with our custom AI tool: https://GymIG.com/If you stripped your gym’s name and logo from your website and social media, would anyone know what makes you different? For most gym owners, the honest answer is no.In th
The Future of CrossFit With Bruce Edwards
Big news: CrossFit is not for sale. Bruce Edwards, the new CEO made that a condition of taking the job.At the 2026 Two-Brain Summit in Chicago, Chris Cooper sat down live on stage with Bruce for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of CrossFit.Bruce isn’t a newcomer to CrossFit. He was an original client of Greg Glassman in the late 1990s, one of the early guinea pigs who helped shape the
The Only 3 Types of Social Media Content Gym Owners Need
This episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Get a free audit of your gym’s Instagram with our custom GPT tool: GymIG.comIf you’re a gym owner who wants to post more content but doesn’t know where to start, this episode is for you. Many gym owners have the misconception that they simply need to post more. But g
Is HYROX Here to Stay? What Gym Owners Need to Know
HYROX just crossed 4,500 affiliates in North America. A year ago, that number was under 1,500.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Eric O'Neil, Head of Affiliates for HYROX (Americas), to talk about what’s driving that growth, what the best training clubs are doing differently and what’s coming next for gym owners who want to capitalize on the
This ONE Gym Instagram Mistake Is Costing You Leads (& How To Fix It)
This episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Is your gym’s Instagram actually getting you members? Or just likes?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin reveals the five Instagram mistakes gym owners make that silently kill their lead flow.Then he shows you exactly how to fix them
How to Run Gym Ads That Actually Work in 2026
Struggling with paid ads for your gym? Here's what's actually working in 2026.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Colm O'Reilly, Two-Brain's paid ads specialist, for a tactical breakdown of everything gym owners need to know about Facebook and Instagram ads right now.In this episode, Colm covers the real numbers behind paid gym ads: what
The Simple Paid Ads System That Gets Gym Owners More Leads
Paid ads have changed. Here’s what gym owners need to know to make them work in 2026.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin and founder Chris Cooper close out Marketing May with the paid ads funnel. You build this funnel last because it’s the one that amplifies everything else.John explains why the old ads playbook is dead—Meta’s Andromeda update changed how ads are
A Week of Gym Content in 30 Minutes With AI
No time to make content for your gym? Not anymore. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper walks you through the exact system he uses to turn one idea into a full week of content in 30 minutes with AI.Chris demos the entire workflow live, starting with a brain dump audio recording answering a question that came up naturally in his gym.Then he uploads the audio and
The Content Strategy That Gets Gym Clients
Chris Cooper has been publishing content since 1998. It got him fired from one job—but it also built all of his businesses.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin and founder Chris Cooper give gym owners a step-by-step content system that builds trust, brings in leads and keeps working long after you hit publish.Chris shares his personal content creation process: how
Turn Your Gym's Social Media Into a Lead Generation Machine
The average gym gets 28.9% of its leads from social media. Most gym owners leave them on the table by posting the wrong things—or worse, nothing at all.Today, Two-Brain CEO John Franklin walks through a simple social media system gym owners can use to get more prospects onto their page and convert them into paying members.He gives you side-by-side comparisons of real gyms’ pages, showing you what
The Only Social Media Strategy Gym Owners Need
Tune in to get the exact plan for what to post on social media to grow your gym.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin and founder Chris Cooper walk through the social media system that turns lurkers into paying members.They lay out the big three content types every gym owner should be posting: - Conversion content that moves prospects closer to buying.- Connection content th
The Secret Question That Unlocks Gym Growth: How Many Clients Can You Keep?
Does your gym really need more clients? What if you just kept current members longer?In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," host Mike Warkentin sits down with Two-Brain mentor Brian Foley, whose gym Activate has over 360 clients and 27-month average length of engagement. Brian walks through the full retention system that makes his client count possible, starting with marketing to the
How to Get More Referrals for Your Gym
Your best clients already know your next best clients. Here’s how to find them. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin and founder Chris Cooper kick off Marketing May with the most underused growth tool in the fitness business: referrals.Referrals are free, they get results faster than any ad campaign, and most gym owners are leaving them on the table every single d
Bruce Edwards Is the New CrossFit CEO: Chris Cooper's Reaction
Bruce Edwards just became CEO of CrossFit. Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper thinks it’s the right call, and he has a very personal reason for saying so:Bruce fired him. Personally.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Chris for an unfiltered reaction to the April 28, 2026, appointment, following Don Faul’s resignation in March.In 2018, when Bruce trimm
How to Get 300+ Gym Clients: Marketing & Retention That Works
How do the best gyms in the world scale to 300, 400 or even 450 clients without burning out or sacrificing quality?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper presents the leaderboard for client headcount in coaching gyms and reveals what separates these businesses from the ones stuck at 100-150 clients.The Top 10 gyms in Two-Brain have cracked the code: strong system
She Made $6K in 60 Days With 1 Hyrox Class Per Week
Gym owner Lauren DiSessa’s weekly HYROX class has generated $6,000 in revenue in just two months, and she’s not even charging members extra for it. How’d she do it? Two-Brain CEO John Franklin gets the full scoop from Lauren today on “Run a Profitable Gym.”Lauren walks through her V1 mistakes—treating HYROX as an afterthought with no real launch strategy—and explains what she did differently the s
Should Your Gym Become a HYROX Affiliate?
Are you sleeping on HYROX? That's a mistake.In this episode, Two-Brain CEO John Franklin and founder Chris Cooper discuss the hottest thing in fitness right now: HYROX.John, fresh off a race in Miami Beach, had nothing but praise for the event, and Chris Cooper suggests the races give your members a reason to keep training and way to find success and smiles outside the gym.The best part? HYRO
The Alumni Whisperer: How to Win Back Old Gym Members
Most gyms treat old members as if they’re gone forever—but Xtra Mile Fitness brought back 36 departed clients in one year.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Corey Lewis (owner of Xtra Mile Fitness) reveals how he reactivated 36 alumni—comprising nearly 40% of his “new” members—last year. Corey’s philosophy: The client journey doesn’t end when someone leaves your gym.To help you reacquire m
The Future Is Niche: Specialization for the Win in Your Gym Biz
The future belongs to gyms that specialize.The data proves it: Small group training has a 7% higher profit margin than large group training, and length of engagement in niche gyms is double the industry average.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper lays out how niching down will transform your gym. Yes, you can find and own a niche without kicking out existing clients.When you niche down,
How to Buy a Gym Step by Step
Buying a gym can be one of the best business decisions you’ll ever make or one of the most expensive mistakes of your life.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain Business CEO John Franklin and attorney Matthew Becker of Gym Lawyers PLLC walk you through exactly how to buy a gym without overpaying, buying a disaster or landing on legal landmines.Matthew has handled over $50 million in
Gym Owner Burnout Is Real: Here's How to Deal
If you burn out, your gym dies. That’s why taking care of your mental health is the best business decision you can make. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper explains why burnout happens to gym owners and how to prevent it.If you pour your energy into clients all day, manage staff, call leads, clean bathrooms and run your business, then go home and scrape the bottom of the bowl
Coop's Comfort Zone Challenge: How to Deal With Big Biz Changes
Most gym owners stay stuck because of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of confrontation. Fear of making things worse.But here’s what Chris Cooper learned after 15 years of mentoring gym owners: The only thing stronger than fear is love.You have to love the local people who need your help more than you fear publishing that Instagram post. You have to love your family enough to fire that coach who’s hurt
Two-Brain Summit 2026: 2 Days, 16 Speakers, Unlimited ROI
The Two-Brain Summit is back for its 10th year this June in Chicago, and it’s bigger than ever before!Get your tickets via the link below and make June 6-7 the most valuable weekend of your entire year.Headlining the owners side, bestselling author Mike Michalowicz will teach you how to stand out and attract the right customers to your gym. You’ll also hear from fitness business experts such as:-
Exactly How to Sell Personal Training in a CrossFit Gym
For almost a decade, CrossFit affiliate owners followed a misguided mantra:"CrossFit is done in big groups only."In 2026, we know this is false. CrossFit is an incredible tool you can use to get clients fit, and you can deliver coaching one on one, in semi-private groups, in small groups and in big groups. The more individual attention a client receives, the higher the rate.That's c
Top Tactics From Gyms Earning $400+ Per Member Per Month
What if every one of your clients paid $400 or more per month?You probably wouldn't need more clients, staff, equipment or space, right?In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shows exactly how 10 top gym owners have solved the "need more clients" problem by earning world-class revenue from existing clients.In short, they price coaching se
The Referral System That Keeps This Gym Full With $0 Ad Spend
In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," fitness entrepreneur Daniel Purington reveals the system that produced these world-class stats at Woodslawn Fitness in Oregon:170 members$350 average revenue per member36-month length of engagementDaniel serves his members in just 2,000 square feet of space and has capped membership: He accepts just four new members per month.To acquire the cli
How to Find Your Next 10 Clients Without Paying a Dime
When gym owners need more clients, most jump straight to ads, social media or complicated marketing campaigns. Another path will produce much better results faster.In this episode, Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares the zero-cost strategy he used to fill a new program at his gym in less than a week: affinity marketing. Instead of chasing cold leads, use affinity marketing to leverage your best
Don’t Hire a Gym Business Mentor Until You Listen to This
Many gym owners hire the wrong mentor for the wrong reasons. They pick the cheapest option or someone who “really cares.” But "cheap" doesn't mean "effective" and caring isn’t enough.You need results when you invest in mentorship.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper walks you through the Mentor Match exercise, a step-by-step process for identifying exactly the rig
What's the Real Reason Your Gym Isn’t Growing?
You have access to endless knowledge and resources, but you can’t seem to put it all together and fix your gym. Why?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper walks you through the mind of a mentor—showing you exactly how they diagnose problems, prioritize solutions and guide gym owners step by step.He reveals the three reasons gym owners need more money:- Expenses are too high.- Numb
More Leads in 60 Minutes: He Found the Leaks Most Gym Owners Miss
Don’t let potential members slip away! Get the free “1-Hour Marketing Audit for Gym Owners” here. Joe Rouse ran Two-Brain's “1-Hour Marketing Audit” on his gym and uncovered gaps in his funnels—even after 12 years in business.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Mike Warkentin sits down with Joe, owner of Breakaway Fitness & Performance, to find out what he discovered using Chris
The 1-Hour Marketing Audit for Gym Owners
Your gym is leaking leads. But you can fix it in 60 minutes with this marketing audit.Get a free copy of the 26-page audit workbook here.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper walks you through a complete one-hour audit of your gym’s marketing funnel—from lead generation to closing sales.He demonstrates the audit live with his own gym, Catalyst, revealing every problem he finds al
From $0 to $16K Months: How This Gym Owner Became a Top Earner
The median gym owner brings home $61,000 per year, but the owners on Two-Brain’s latest leaderboard earn between $189,000 and $357,000 annually. What’s the difference?In this episode, Mike Warkentin sits down with top earner Ryan McStockard to find out exactly how he secured his spot on the leaderboard.In 2020, Ryan took zero income in some months just to keep the gym alive. Then, in 2021, he inve
What the Highest-Paid Gym Owners Take Home Each Month
The top gym owner on Two-Brain’s leaderboard takes home $29,767 per month. That’s $357,204 per year from a single gym location.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper reveals the Top 10 net owner benefit (NOB) leaderboard—showing exactly what elite gym owners actually take home each month.What sets these owners apart? Chris shares their top tactics, such as nurturing leads, selling
70+ Millionaire Gym Owners: Inside Two-Brain's Tinker Mastermind
When your gym is stable and the fires are out, what's next?Two-Brain’s Tinker Mastermind provides an elite level of mentorship for gym owners who are ready to build wealth, scale their businesses, learn to lead and create lasting legacies.This is the fun part of entrepreneurship—the part where you have choices: build investment portfolios, acquire real estate, franchise your concept, create n
How to Find and Hire Great Coaches (Personality Assessment Included!)
Stop trying to clone yourself when you hire coaches.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains why hiring for personality and training for skill is the smartest path to building a team that lasts.Most gym owners hire based on certifications and technical knowledge. Then they micromanage every rep, correct every cue and watch their coaches burn out within two years. Bu
The Two-Brain Story: 10 Years of Solving Every Problem in the Gym Business
Feb. 13, 2026, is Two-Brain’s 10th anniversary—a full decade of solving every problem in the gym business.In this special episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper tells the complete story of how Two-Brain Business became the biggest mentorship practice in the fitness industry.The journey started long before 2016. In 2005, Chris opened his first gym, and by 2008, he was bro
Which Leadership Books Will Actually Help Your Gym Right Now?
Different gym owners need different leadership books.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares a simple plan to help you use the contents of any book to improve yourself and your business, and then he recommends specific books in each realm of leadership.Self-Leadership (to go fast, go alone):“Think Like a Monk” by Jay Shetty“The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin“C
$5,000 in Extra Gym Revenue in 30 Days—Without Paid Ads
Could your gym use an extra $5,000 in revenue this month?In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares three proven tactics gym owners can use to generate more revenue from clients they already have:🏁 Tactic 1: Run a Hyrox simulation or similar fitness race event. 🏋️♀️ Tactic 2: Launch a specialty program, such as weightlifting or running. ⬆️ Tactic 3: Sell upgr
Why Gym Marketing Agencies Fail & What to Do Instead
In the last year, three marketing agencies have asked Chris Cooper to buy them out—and dozens of others have disappeared.The average lifespan of a gym marketing agency is 18 months: They churn through gym owners, only to vanish, rebrand and repeat the cycle. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Coop pulls back the curtain on why agencies keep failing, and then he lays out a better marketing
The 10th Annual Two-Brain Summit: Headliner and Theme Revealed!
The 10th annual Two-Brain Summit happens June 6-7, 2026, in Chicago, and this year’s theme will change how you think about scaling your gym.Today, Chris Cooper reveals the event’s headlining speaker—bestselling author Mike Michalowicz—and the “Power of 10” theme that will guide every session.The Power of 10 framework covers:How to take your 10 best clients and replicate them.The 10 weekly actions
Mike Michalowicz: What Makes Your Gym "Better"?
Tickets to the Two-Brain Summit are $200 off until Feb. 1. Get yours via the link below!This year's headliner: Mike Michalowicz, entrepreneur and author of multiple bestsellers, including “The Pumpkin Plan,” “Profit First,” “Clockwork” and “Get Different.”Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Mike joins Two-Brain CEO John Franklin to explain why most gyms are swimming in a sea of sameness, invisib
Can MetFix Save CrossFit?
CrossFit taught the world how to move, and now through MetFix, Greg Glassman wants to teach them how to eat.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper sits down with Peter Shaw, former CrossFit flowmaster and current head of the MetFix Seminar Team.The pair explore how MetFix is building on top of CrossFit rather than competing with it by shifting the focus from fitness alone to overa
22 Lessons From 20 Years as a Gym Owner
Twenty years of gym ownership will teach you things no course ever could.Chris Cooper’s gym, Catalyst, recently turned 20, and today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain's founder is sharing 22 lessons he’s learned over the last two decades as a fitness entrepreneur. Chris reveals the early mistakes that nearly cost him everything and the systems that finally gave him stability and freedom. H
Hyrox: How to Use It to Generate Leads, Members and Massive ROI
Hyrox affiliation gives Rob Sowden-Taylor 25 to 40% of his gym’s leads and creates long-term members who stick around for an average of 2.5 years.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Rob, owner of Ion Strength and Conditioning in Wales, to break down exactly how he uses Hyrox as a client-acquisition tool.Rob shares how he structures Hyrox simulations to max
The Gym Competition That Boosts Revenue, Retention and Referrals
If you put all your clients on podiums and celebrate their achievements, they'll stay longer and you'll earn more. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper breaks down the in-house competition he’s refined over 15 years: the Intramural Open. The four-week event can be run completely on its own or combined with the CrossFit Games Open.Two-Brain's signature fun competition is a w
CrossFit's Sale: Stop Watching YouTube, Start Running Your Business
In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains why gym owners need to stop consuming clickbait speculation about CrossFit’s sale and start working on what actually matters: their businesses.Stop paying the “distraction tax”—hours spent watching videos, scrolling comments and worrying about things you can’t control cost you opportunities to generate revenue, buil
10 Reasons 2026 Will Be Your Best Year as a Gym Owner
Industry data reveals that 2026 could be the best year gym owners have ever seen.Revenue is up across every gym model, average revenue per member is rising, and even the lowest-performing gyms are earning more than they were a year ago.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper presents data from Two-Brain’s latest “State of the Industry” report and highlights 10 reasons gym owners sh
Hard Lessons From Nearly 20 Years of CrossFit Gym Ownership
About 65% of small businesses fail by Year 10, so very few gym owners get to see what works across two decades of ownership.But Bill and Staci Russell have endured to achieve something rare: Their gym, CrossFit Cleveland, has been their sole source of income for nearly 20 years.In this episode, Bill shares hard-earned lessons learned from surviving multiple economic cycles, overcoming staff challe
Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Chief: Leadership for Gym Growth
Why do most gyms plateau at 122 members? The answer: leadership.In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper explains how your leadership skills determine whether your gym grows, stalls or shrinks.Your gym will rise to the level of your leadership and fall to the level of your worst staff members. To take your gym to increasingly higher levels, you must evolve as
Gym Funnel Hacking: 200 Leads and 60 Sales Appointments Per Month!
Unleash’d Strength Gym generates 15 times as many leads as the average fitness facility and sets eight times as many appointments. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” owner Joseph Strada reveals the tactics that produce 200 leads and 60 sales appointments per month.He walks through his marketing funnels, explaining how he earns leads through organic social media outreach, paid Meta ads and
40 Appointments, 32 Shows, 23 Sales: World-Class Gym Funnels
Most coaching gyms add just five clients a month—but the world’s best fitness facilities are consistently adding more than 20 with stellar sales systems.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper analyzes the data behind top-performing marketing funnels, and he reveals which tactics landed these owners on our Top 10 leaderboards, from instant lead follow-up to simplified booking proce
Ask Clients These 3 Questions to Boost Revenue Today!
The fastest way to figure out what people want is by asking the right clients the right questions.Today, Mike Warkentin sits down with gym owner Toni Roy of Breathe CrossFit to break down how the Pumpkin Plan transformed her business.Following the steps, Toni created a list of clients who bring her the most joy and a second list with her highest-value clients. Typically, a gym owner circles the cl
Simple Questions That Will Improve Every Single Metric in Your Gym
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 im
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 mistake
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, an
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
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:✅ Impr
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 w
Revenue-Generation Tactics From a Million-Dollar Gym With 600 Members
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
$70K to $119K in One Month: What the Highest Grossing Gyms Do Differently
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, sustaina
How to Build a Never-Ending Pipeline of New Leads for Your Gym
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
11 Fitness Skills That Build Your Fitness Business
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, a
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