Gym Owners Share Your Story

[pudzian2]

Any gym owning entrepreneurs out there? If you dont mind, share your story.

-when did you open your gym
-is it yours or a franchise
-how old were you
-stumbling blocks along the way
-summary of the process involved

ETC...

Just thought I'd throw this one out there. Please feel free to add in anything that I didn't list, That was just for some ideas. I'm curious as to what it takes these days to get your own private gym of the ground so to speak.

 

[pudzian2]

Bump for this, someday i'd like to open a gym.

same here....

 

[Iron Warrior]

This is interesting, I might jump on this band wagon. BTW, I always thought it would be cool if I could go to a gym where they had paid spotters and hot chicks walking around the floor giving massages and protein drinks.

 

[pudzian2]

This is interesting, I might jump on this band wagon. BTW, I always thought it would be cool if I could go to a gym where they had paid spotters and hot chicks walking around the floor giving massages and protein drinks.

I like the way you think......that is like all that is MAN

 

[ReaperX]

This sounds like a good idea on paper, but I don't believe it to pan out well in reality.

At my gym 95% of the individuals do not work out correctly, probably don't follow a decent diet, and probably just go there to say 'that they workout.' Furthermore, it is just a glorified gym with really expensive equipment and tons of it, where rich people who are not serious about fitness and gold digging bunnies go.

I've been to a couple of other gyms where there are more serious individuals, but I consistantly notice that there is usually 80-85% who are not.


Paid spotters/girls who hand out protein drinks would be great and a purely hardcore powerlifting/bodybuilding gym this would be excellent. The reality is that bodybuilding/powerlifting is a small community and the IFBB prize money is a good example of just how small it is.


Unfortunately there is not a large enough market/demand out there to create such a gym catering to the 5-15% of real dedicated bodybuilders/powerlifters out there.



Not trying to be a dlck or anything, just stating reality and the potential to make profit would not make this a good venture.

 

[KingMeso]

This sounds like a good idea on paper, but I don't believe it to pan out well in reality.

At my gym 95% of the individuals do not work out correctly, probably don't follow a decent diet, and probably just go there to say 'that they workout.' Furthermore, it is just a glorified gym with really expensive equipment and tons of it, where rich people who are not serious about fitness and gold digging bunnies go.

I've been to a couple of other gyms where there are more serious individuals, but I consistantly notice that there is usually 80-85% who are not.


Paid spotters/girls who hand out protein drinks would be great and a purely hardcore powerlifting/bodybuilding gym this would be excellent. The reality is that bodybuilding/powerlifting is a small community and the IFBB prize money is a good example of just how small it is.


Unfortunately there is not a large enough market/demand out there to create such a gym catering to the 5-15% of real dedicated bodybuilders/powerlifters out there.



Not trying to be a dlck or anything, just stating reality and the potential to make profit would not make this a good venture.

You are absolutely right. I've been to big named gyms and a lot of the people there just "socially" workout. I've also been to dungeons where there are buckets next to power and squat racks. The latter obviously being the most desirable (for a lot of us), but most, if not all of them I've been to, have closed down due to few lifters in the area, thus meaning no money for upkeep.

Where it sounds like a cool idea (which don't get me wrong, it would be) you'd be better off opening up a bar.

 

[ReaperX]

Yeah a bar is a sure money gainer. Or an alcohol store.

Resturants, supplement stores, gyms, all that crap and you are taking a gamble that your probably gonna lose on.

 

[ReaperX]

My girlfriend's friend is majoring in exercise fitness. She wants to open up a gym designed specifically for pregnant women for exercising. There are several incredibly stupid notions with this idea:

1. How many women who are pregnant really feel like pushing themselves while they are pregnant ? You have a tremendous obesity problem in the US as it is, being pregnant will not help it.

2. Women are pregnant for 9 months. If you open a gym specifically for this, good luck hustling for new cliente all the time.

3. This falls within the 'gym' idea. It is just 'tarded.


It is a good thing that she is hot, b/c she still has a chance to be a hoe and marry some rich dude.


If she really wanted to make some $$$ she'd open up her own naughty website instead. It caters to losers who are willing to spend the cash to watch from their computer. Girls at strip clubs make good cash. Website internet girls probably even make more due to the anonymity the internet offers, not to mention convience. That'll make money for sure.

I don't want to tell her that she is basically wasting a lot of money trying to get a degree for a 'tarded career idea, but I feel guilty not saying it.

 

[Australian made]

My girlfriend's friend is majoring in exercise fitness. She wants to open up a gym designed specifically for pregnant women for exercising. There are several incredibly stupid notions with this idea:

1. How many women who are pregnant really feel like pushing themselves while they are pregnant ? You have a tremendous obesity problem in the US as it is, being pregnant will not help it.

2. Women are pregnant for 9 months. If you open a gym specifically for this, good luck hustling for new cliente all the time.

3. This falls within the 'gym' idea. It is just 'tarded.


It is a good thing that she is hot, b/c she still has a chance to be a hoe and marry some rich dude.


If she really wanted to make some $$$ she'd open up her own naughty website instead. It caters to losers who are willing to spend the cash to watch from their computer. Girls at strip clubs make good cash. Website internet girls probably even make more due to the anonymity the internet offers, not to mention convience. That'll make money for sure.

I don't want to tell her that she is basically wasting a lot of money trying to get a degree for a 'tarded career idea, but I feel guilty not saying it.

the degree itself is not a waste but her idea is terrible. what happens once the baby pops out.....the women get escorted by security and refused entry. i prefer the website idea.

 

[KingMeso]

It is a good thing that she is hot, b/c she still has a chance to be a hoe and marry some rich dude.

I would totally be like this if I was a woman.

 

[ReaperX]

I would totally be like this if I was a woman.

I know, it would make life so much easier yeah ?

 

[ReaperX]

membership=money is correct. There are many successful gyms out there, yeah that's correct too.


My comment was towards the whole paid spotters/women handing out protein drinks.


I also state that most gyms you go to about 80-90% of the individuals are not too serious about fitness/nutrition/etc.

If owning/starting up a gym is your thing go ahead by all means, but that is a venture I'd never think about getting into. There are other surefire profitable ventures out there besides a gym, and yes, it is all about the money in the end.

 

[sdmf45]

What does this have to do with anything? There are many successful gyms out there. They don't give a fukc if the people know how to work out or not, and frankly if I owned a gym I wouldn't either. Why? Because membership = money.

:goodpost: some ppl are content "socially working out" not everyone has to be a hardcore BBer or powerlifter. I didn't know anything about working out when i started, does that mean they can't learn or pay a monthly membership. there is a guy in our gym that watches movies on his laptop while he's working out, is it beneficial for him no but he pays the membership.

 

[ReaperX]

:goodpost: some ppl are content "socially working out" not everyone has to be a hardcore BBer or powerlifter. I didn't know anything about working out when i started, does that mean they can't learn or pay a monthly membership. there is a guy in our gym that watches movies on his laptop while he's working out, is it beneficial for him no but he pays the membership.

Yup, its all about the dollaz in the end. Kinda like Muscle-Tech.

 

[pudzian2]

What does this have to do with anything? There are many successful gyms out there. They don't give a fukc if the people know how to work out or not, and frankly if I owned a gym I wouldn't either. Why? Because membership = money.

Exactly. I was not suggesting starting a hole in the wall POS puke bucket squat rack and bench press gym. I was toying with the idea of a gym that caters to all types of people. For example: the way there are spin rooms at some of the larger gyms, there could be sections. e.g Hardcore section, fitness and wellness section, aerobics section, pool section, cardio section, stretching room, supplement\small health food store attached and affiliated with the gym. YES I KNOW THIS WOULD REQUIRE QUITE THE BUSINESS AND MARKETING APPROACH but it is a dream of mine to open a fitness corp like that and hopefully have it one day grow to the level where Im competing with the big name gyms.. I have a great name for my gym but i will not disclose it becuase im afraid someone will rip it off.

 

[ReaperX]

Exactly. I was not suggesting starting a hole in the wall POS puke bucket squat rack and bench press gym. I was toying with the idea of a gym that caters to all types of people. For example: the way there are spin rooms at some of the larger gyms, there could be sections. e.g Hardcore section, fitness and wellness section, aerobics section, pool section, cardio section, stretching room, supplement\small health food store attached and affiliated with the gym. YES I KNOW THIS WOULD REQUIRE QUITE THE BUSINESS AND MARKETING APPROACH but it is a dream of mine to open a fitness corp like that and hopefully have it one day grow to the level where Im competing with the big name gyms.. I have a great name for my gym but i will not disclose it becuase im afraid someone will rip it off.

And a huge ass loan.

 

[pudzian2]

And a huge ass loan.

if only it were as easy as those 5 words.....