Avoid These Mistakes When Opening A Gym
They say hindsight is 20/20 because it can be easy to look back and see very clearly what we should have done differently. And yet, many still find themselves making the same mistakes over and over again. Now wouldn’t it be nice if we all had crystal balls and could see into the future? Unfortunately, that is not the world we live in. So I believe next best option we have is reflection. Asking yourself: What mistakes have I made and what wouldn’t I do, if I could do it all over again?
After owning gyms for almost 12 years, here are some of my answers:
I wouldn’t have been so cheap with my startup budget and I wouldn’t have started from scratch
My first gym I proudly opened on $17k, rent deposit and all. We didn’t even have enough mats to cover the floor! (Seriously, we painted the floor black to hide the extra space). We did our best with what we had available, but if I could do it again, I would take the time and spend the money needed to start off the right way. As a Greenlight Studio Owner, you are investing in doing it right, right from the start. The upfront costs involved in becoming a franchise are an investment into your future success.
I wouldn’t go it alone
Many would warn you against partners, but I can tell you flatly that I would be nowhere without mine. Was it all roses and sunshine? Absolutely not. But we realized quickly that as long as we didn’t avoid the tough conversations, we were much better off together, facing challenges as a team. I am a strong believer that the right group of people can change the world. As a Greenlight Studio Owner, you gain four of the fitness industries best as your partners, you will never be going it alone again.
I wouldn’t have started without a plan
Early on, like many startups, we worked in a reactive atmosphere, and I had convinced myself that I liked it that way. But it has taken me more time than I like to admit, to realize the wisdom and potential of having a well crafted gameplan. As a Greenlight Studio Owner, you are given our tried and true Training and Operating Systems that have already been proven through years of fine tuning and repetition.
I wouldn’t have waited so long to ask for help
I thought if we didn’t do everything ourselves, then when we did succeed, it would lessen the glory of that success. I can tell you unequivocally that it does not, not one bit. When you become a Greenlight Studio Owner, you gain access to both our network of experienced gym owners through weekly group calls and our ongoing Business Coaching Support Program that will give you the edge on your competition and keep our Movement one step ahead of the rest.
This list could go on forever I think, but when it comes down to it, though I do value the scars and hard earned lessons I have accumulated over the years, I still lay awake at night wondering how many of them I could have avoided by doing things a little differently…
So now I ask you, what would you do differently, if you could do it all over again?
Want to learn more about opening a Greenlight Personal Training Studio? Check out our “Steps to Own a Greenlight” or email jeff@glpersonaltraining.com