Barbell Business - Podcast For Gym Owners By Barbell Shrugged

If you want to learn how to juggle, you don’t start with five balls. You become proficient with two and add from there.    The same is true for gym owners.  We often see gym owners take on multiple projects and attempt to create multiple revenue streams at the same time. This often leads to a lack of focus, frustration, and sub-par work as projects don’t get completed on time and additional revenue streams fail to materialize. The shotgun approach seldom works.    Ask yourself this…   …in moments of weakness, do you take on a project or a client that is outside your focus zone? In other words, do you say “Yes”, when you should be saying “No”?  This is a common pitfall for business owners that have not defined their core competency and their unique genius.   In this week’s episode, we are chatting with Ron Wilson of Hylete. Hylete is one of the top apparel companies in the fitness industry.  Ron has built a multi-dimensional business with apparel, fitness accessories, and training apps. His vision is set on do

Entrepreneurship is inherently lonely. Not to mention, it can be stressful. Being the only one in charge means you hold all the responsibility, which is why partnerships are often so appealing to experienced entrepreneurs. When executed correctly, partnerships can help bring a business to the next level. At the same time, they can cause more stress, and lead to failure of a business. Like any relationship, a healthy partnership is build on trust and communication. This week, we visited Athletics United to chat with Brian Arthur and Jake Sirokman to hear about how they are working together to build a kick ass gym. Jake and Brian, come from different backgrounds but have come together to build something bigger than they could have alone. In this episode we discuss: The importance of having specific roles in a partnership Why it is vital to understand and respect the strengths and weaknesses of each partner How to make business decisions when multiple people are involved  If you have a business partner or cons

We say it all the time- it is important to communicate to your clients that they are paying for coaching and not just a gym membership. On that note, it is important to charge a price for your service that matches the value you are providing. More often than not, gym owners are not charging what they are worth, and that is problem. Some say, it feels strange to charge a high price for something they are passionate about and others say they have to compete with the cheaper box down the street, but the truth is, you are setting the standard of your fitness service based on how much you are charging, and chances are, you are not charging what you are truly worth. In this week’s episode, we are talking to Aj Rivera. AJ runs a consulting business called PT Freedom where he teaches trainers and gym owners how to set up systems that provide the most value to clients, while at the same time creating more financial freedom for the trainer or gym owner. AJ also founded, operated, and sold two gyms in Chicago. We also d

There is a big difference between working IN your business vs ON your business. No matter what industry you are in, there is a milestone that every entrepreneur needs to hit in order to take their business to the next level. That milestone is systemization.  In this episode, we catch up with Angelo Sisco, our head business coach at Barbell Ethos, and Jason Dunbar, founder of Iron Fire Athletics & CrossFit Poway, to talk about the process of setting up systems in a gym business. model.  If you are currently in a place with your gym where you are coaching classes, doing admin work, managing finances, and struggling to find time to even think about sales & marketing, you are very much in a survival state. It is common as entrepreneurs to assume that the answer is to just work harder. That is simply just not true. In my experience, and what holds true in all business, is creating an environment where  the day to day tasks are outsourced, automated, and systematized. When this is achieved, there is a shift

As gym owners, we are in the business of showing people the value of coaching and investing in their health. As entrepreneurs, it only makes sense that investing in ourselves is equally as valuable.  In this week’s show we interview Marci Lock. Marci is a very successful coach, and you can tell why as soon as you hear her speak in this episode. She works with some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, and charges 1 million dollars a year to work with her. She obviously did not start out that way, and in fact was a waitress at the Olive Garden when she got started with coaching. What elevated her success, was her willingness to invest in herself and make bold decisions even when others encouraged her to take the safe path.  As entrepreneurs we can’t afford to take the safe path, and in this episode you will find some insight into how you can start on a path of growth in your entrepreneurial journey. Enjoy the show, Mike

If you have been watching our show, you have heard us say it many times- We are in a relationship business. With the amount of gyms in the market, that is more more true than ever before. If you want to succeed in building a strong community, you need to focus on connecting with your clients and building an experience that they value. That experience starts the first time they walk into your gym.  In this week’s show, we are podcasting with Jordan Harbinger. Jordan runs The Art of Charm, a podcast focused on helping top performers build advanced social skills. Art of Charm has been around for over 10 years and Jordan has had his fair share of experience diving into the deep psychology of communication and social interaction. Not to mention, Jordan has is a member of a CrossFit gym, and shares his experience of what it was like joining multiple gyms in the LA area, and what each gym felt like from the clients perspective.  In this episode, we discuss,  Tips & Tactics for developing higher level communicat

Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a process in life that could help you rapidly advance your progress? Well there is. It’s called mentorship. Just like a coach or a personal trainer, a mentor is someone who can guide you through the process and show you a clear path to your goals. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to do the work, it just means you have someone who has gone through the same process to help you get there faster, and with more clarity. We visited Mycal Anders at CrossFit PHX to talk about this topic. Mycal is the founder of PHX and also the host of the Feed Me, Fuel Me podcast. Mycal has built an amazing business, and is very focused on giving back and providing opportunities to those passionate about building a career in the fitness industry. In this episode we discuss: The apprenticeship phase and the value of learning from experience How to provide growth opportunities in your community How to find passionate individuals to mentor and work in your gym  Why building a team allows you to be a

If you are like most gym owners, you started a box because you are passionate about fitness. You wanted to turn your passion into a career, and you started a gym on the side in conjunction with your day job.    Now if you are like most gym owners, you also noticed that running a gym and trying to work your day job was a lot harder than you expected. You hit a plateau with how your business was scaling, and you realized that there are just not enough hours in the day to have a day job, and still have your gym grow into what you want it to be.   If this was you, or is still you, you need to listen to this episode. This week, we met with Christian Valencia at his office in Orange County, CA. Christian is the CEO of a company called HIIT Bottle. Although Christian is not a gym owner, his story is very similar to yours.    Christian came up with the idea for HIIT in 2014 after exploding a generic shaker bottle of whey all over himself. He realized there needed to be something better, and he got to work in creating

We are excited to share a special kind of show with you this week. We had Justin Ross of Monkey Reel Media come visit us to teach you about marketing with video. Justin creates high quality video content for gyms and in this episode we talk about why video is the most important type of content you need to have in your marketing strategy.   This is a special show because instead of just an interview, we shot a live demo where Justin shows you how you can create high quality video testimonials with your iPhone. You do not need expensive equipment nor do you need to hire an outside videographer to make videos. It just takes a little know how. We are excited to have Justin on to show you how to make your content stand out.    Since part of this show is a demo, you are going to want to watch this episode instead of listening to the audio version. Head over to the Barbell Business blog, or tune in via our youtube channel to learn how you can stand out in the market, and start shooting high quality videos for your

Hey Business Tribe,  We are coming at you this week from Mesa, Arizona. Our journey takes us through the desert to catch up with one of our good friends, Aj Richards. AJ is the owner of CrossFit Mesa and the founder of Rush Club Nation. He treats his box as a well oiled machine, and has his sights set on changing the game in fitness entertainment with his brand Rush Club.  He shares his tips on success for running CrossFit Mesa, and how he is balancing the life of being the leader in two businesses at the same time.  In this episode we discuss: – Leadership tactics and how to focus on being the visionary – How to automate and outsource and delegate to a team – The story and vision behind Rush Club Nation and head to head fitness competitions – Tips and Insight on running multiples brands at the same time.  Enjoy the show, Mike

Good morning tribe, We are sharing something unique on the podcast this week, and I think you are going to find a lot of value in this episode.  Last week, we recorded a podcast of the crew and I doing live Q & A session on Facebook. Gym owners from around the world tuned in to ask questions about their business including what they are struggling with and how they can take their gym to the next level.  We discuss topics such as: How to reverse engineer membership pricing to reach your financial goals How to begin automating and outsourcing admin work you don't need to be doing How to communicate the value of your service to potential clients who are only focused on price (in the beginning) How to start tracking important data points in your business so you can shift your focus to where it needs to be for growth If you found this episode helpful, the team and I would love to hear from you. What questions did you find most relevant to your current situation? What questions do you have that we did not

This week on Barbell Business, we interview Mark England of Procabulary. In this episode, we dive into how our language effects our success in business, and in our personal lives. Mark provides practical tools to overcome challenges for both individuals and organizations. We discuss  How to communicate more effectively as a coach and as a leader How language plays a large part in your success as an entrepreneur as well as your personal life The difference between CONFLICT language and ARCHITECT language How to focus on language that motivates you rather language that holds you back  

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS we are bringing Guy Ferdman back on the show. In this week's show we discuss: How to treat your business as a game How to tap into consistent motivation and passion in your business Why relationships are the most important part of business How to adopt the process of mastery into your life   If you haven't had a chance to listen to the first show we did with him, you can watch the first episode we did with him here

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS we talk about the Barbell Mastermind. We discuss: The difference between a mastermind, a workshop, and a conference The value of being a contributing member of a mastermind Why Masterminding is one of the best ways to grow your network How we set up our experience at the Barbell Mastermind If you liked this episode and are curious to learn more, head over to barbellmastermind.com and apply to the upcoming event in San Diego, CA on March 7-9  

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS we interview Guy Ferdman. Guy is one of the co founders of a Satori Prime, a company focused on empowering entrepreneurs. Guy runs his own podcast called the Performance Enhancing Podcast, and has worked with some of the top performing entrepreneurs in the game. We discuss: The psychology of change and habit development Why everyone will benefit from working with a coach Understanding the difference between "doing" and "being" in your life How to understand the difference between will power and passion   You can learn more about Guy and his work at satoriprime.com

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS, we interview Drew Girton of CrossFit Pendulum. We discuss How to understand what type of entrepreneur you are When to learn more and when to take action on what you know The process of stepping out of coaching and admin to manage the business and grow How to grow your culture in group class     

  This Week On BARBELL BUSINESS we interview David Newman of RX SmartGear. We discuss: How David built his business on the simple idea of wanting to make a better jumprope How to scale your business on top of what you are known best for Why you need to focus on customer service as the core of your business practices How to think with a reactionary mindset to the market To learn more about what David is up to, head over to www.rxsmartgear.com Instagram: @barbellbusinesspodcast Facebook: /barbellbusiness  

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS, we interview Makena Sage from Online Marketing With Heart. We discuss:    How to shift your marketing from feeling "salesy" to authentic Why good copywriting is essential for connecting with your clients How to strategically understand your potential clients needs and wants How to target the people you want to come in your gym through targeted copywriting

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS we interview the founder of PowerDot, Eric Glader and discuss the entrepreneurial journey. We dive into topics such as: How to strategically think about providing value to your customers The difference between a service and a product based business The purpose of obstacles in the entrepreneurial journey Why building a brand along side your business is important  

This week on BARBELL BUSINESS, we interview Bren Davis and dive into Facebook advertising. We discuss: How to understand the Facebook Advertising Process How to target your ideal type of client on Facebook Why you need to focus on educating your clients on Facebook How to test your ads with a small budget and scale big after Also, if you are serious about using Facebook advertising for your gym business, Bren is offering a free 15 minute strategy lesson with his team. You can reach him at Bren@impactdigital.co