36 hours Of Pain
One of the hardest parts of running a business is “ripping off band-aids.” The band-aid in question can be any number of situations demanding a change: A pricing model that won’t allow for profitability A long term employee that’s no longer working out A new hire that...
Episode 96: Bonus Episode Michael and Mark Reflect on the Importance of Stepping “Out” of the Business
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Simple Marketing Calendar For a Training Gym [Easy]
I hope this missive finds you well and drinking something seasonal including but not limited to a pumpkin spice latte, apple cider, or a pumpkin ale. #basic If you haven’t already put some thought into leveraging Black Friday/ Cyber Monday, now’s the time to get...
Should You Bill Weekly or Monthly?
You know, it’s very rare that I speak in absolutes when it comes to success as a training gym owner. But this is one of those moments. Virtually all members of the Unicorn Society have made or are making this change. I promise you, this is a move you need to make...
Does Offering Discounts (or free trials) Devalue Your Services?
No, offering discounts or free trials does NOT devalue your services. In fact, they can be a powerful tool to grow your business. But it’s not always wise to hurt your revenues by reducing prices. And if you’re looking to create an incentive to inspire action by a...
Episode 95: Mark and Pete Discuss All Things Facility
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
I Changed My Mind
In today’s missive, we’re going to cover five topics where I’ve changed my mind over the past 10 years of running MFF. But first, I wanted to remind you we’ve got a truly awesome virtual event coming up. If you’ve ever wanted to peel back the curtain and go behind...
Episode 94: Michael and Mark Announce Inside the Unicorn
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
What Are The Best Business Finance Books For A Training Gym Owner?
In that particular missive, I made an important point: once you’re making money with your training gym, you need to know how to leverage it over time. And I stand by that logic! BUT To make money in your training gym, you need to have a basic understanding of business...
Thank you
Keeping today short because I hope you’re enjoying your last week of summer. Long time readers know I’m usually in the desert this time of year at Burning Man. I’m skipping this year’s “Rogue Burn,” so no desert for me, alas. But I’m nonetheless semi-off grid. And I’m...
What Are the Best Books on Money for a Training Gym Owner?
Having a successful training gym means you have a comfortable margin of profit after expenses. This means you receive an appropriate take home income for your efforts.
Episode 93: Mark and Pete Talk Recruitment and Onboarding
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 92: Pete and Mark Answer Rapid Fire Questions Part Two
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
I Messed This One Up…
Let’s discuss something I could have done better during MFF’s first 9+ years. You see, I will forever identify as an artist. I want MFF to be the most human business possible. I don’t want to overly constrict our operations by forcing people into the straight jack of...
Episode 91: Pete and Mark Answer Grab Bag Rapid Fire Questions
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
![Why MFF Closed a Location [$500k Lesson]](https://www.businessforunicorns.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/tim-mossholder-C8jNJslQM3A-unsplash-400x250.jpg)
Why MFF Closed a Location [$500k Lesson]
Got a personal story today with some takeaways for your training gym… As a lot of you know, MFF was shot out of a cannon from the moment we hit the ground running. We hit $1m in our very first year in business. And by year four, we broke $4m in a single location. We...
Should You Name Your Business After Yourself?
Great question. The answer is a strong maybe with a side of “Probably not!” Obvious context: my name is Mark Fisher, and I own a gym named Mark Fisher Fitness, hi, it’s very nice to meet you, thrilled to be visiting you here in your inbox. A question that comes up...
How Many Services Should Your Training Gym Offer?
2. Maybe 3. Ok, great talk, happy Thursday {Contact}! .... I kid, I kid. Well, I’m sort of kidding. I actually do think “2-3” is usually a good answer in many situations. But you know how I roll; I shan’t leave you hanging without context! Let’s start by analyzing...
Best Market for a Training Gym? (NOT What You Think)
And it’s totally upside down from conventional wisdom. (I’d sincerely love for you to give this a read and respond one way or the other ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT TO CONFIRM I’M CORRECT jkjkjk.) Ya ready? “The easiest market to build a sustainable and high-margin...
Why Your Marketing Sucks (And How to Fix It)
It’s ok. Don’t beat yourself up! Not all of us had the good fortune to receive a BFA in musical theater, the widely accepted gold standard for education in fitness business excellence. *Mark humbly bows to you with a flourish of his top hat* Furthermore, the confusion...
Should You Offer a Free Trial?
Let’s dive head first into this hornet’s nest and answer another of the most common questions in all of Training Gymdom… Should you offer a free trial? Here’s how I suggest thinking about this… First off, we need to appreciate that unless you have some low barrier way...
Should You Increase Rates for Long Time Members?
Yes. Yes, you should! Listen, I’m all about loyalty; at times, to a fault. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned (the hard way), it’s this: When you prioritize individuals over the group, the group suffers, and then it’s still a bad outcome for individuals. This is a...
Should You Have Your Prices on Your Website?
Let’s talk about prices and websites. The Fitness Business Thought Leader Industrial Complex has many strong — and conflicting — opinions on this topic. Here my personal take. In a vacuum, your best bet is often something like this: “Prices start at X, but depend on...
Number One Missing System…
Today I want to highlight the most common missing system I see in training gyms and micro gyms… And that’s the follow-up. Let’s assume you’ve got... A compelling low barrier offer that makes it easy to get started and removes all risk Communication channels to make...
How Much Should You Charge for Your Services?
If you’re in a market where the other options are low priced, volume gyms where people rent access to equipment. Now we know that’s not a fair comparison; you’re not selling equipment access, you’re selling coaching and accountability
Episode 90: Bonus Episode Pete and Mark on Being Effective with Public Speaking
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
How Can I Make Sure My Team Follows Our Systems?
Want to cover a pretty common challenge for training gyms (and frankly, all businesses)… Whether you’ve got a larger facility with 10+ staff, or just hired a part time trainer and/or admin, the only way for you to have true peace of mind is with a well-trained team....
![Fitness Business Coaches [The Truth]](https://www.businessforunicorns.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/element5-digital-7QYd1VxLRbM-unsplash-400x250.jpg)
Fitness Business Coaches [The Truth]
Here’s a common point of debate in the Fitness Business Guru Industrial Complex: Do fitness business coaches need to be running their own training gym? (Longer one today… get a cup o’ joe to sip on…) One side of the issue says: “Yes. If you’re not (currently) running...
BOCTAOE
BOCTAOE.
This is an acronym popularized by Scott Adams that stands for “but of course there are obvious exceptions.”
Why Should You Start a Business?
My dearest, please indulge me as today we’re getting semi-philosophical. There are lots of reasons to start a business. To help more people. To be the captain of your professional fate. To have fun. To increase your earning potential. To learn and grow as a human...
How Do I Know What to Work on in My Business?
One of the most common challenges we face as training gym owners is deciding what to work on next. After all, we have constraints of time, energy, and money. And being a business owner can make you feel like you’re snorting crushed up crazy pills, so it can be...
Episode 89: Pete Dupuis and Eric Cressey Give the Fit Biz Lowdown on CSP
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
How Do I Get More Referrals?
Quick suggestion for you to get more referrals for your training gym… Long time readers know we’ve covered this topic in depth (article HERE), but in the spirit of giving you a quick takeaway, here’s your move: Instead of bribing clients to get you paying members,...
Episode 88:The Truth About Motivating Your Clients with Dr. Lisa Lewis
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 87: How and Why to Advocate for the Fitness Industry with Brett Ewer
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 86: Michael & Mark’s Super Service Principles
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 85: How to Get Sh*t Done with Wendy Shafranski
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 84: Rachel Cosgrove Shares How to Think Bigger as A Gym Owner
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 83: Cultivating Team Members to Think Like Owners with Mark Fitzgerald
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 82: How to Make Evidence-Based Decisions in Your Business with Stu Brauer
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 81: Michael and Mark Share the Most Powerful Tool Every Gym Owner Needs
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 80: Systematizing Your Training Experience with Brittany Welk
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 79: Alwyn Shares His Predictions for a Post-COVID Training Gym Industry
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 78: Michael and Mark on Navigating Change
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 77: Good vs. Great Nutrition Coaches with Laura Poburan
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 76: Pete Dupuis on How to Get The Most Out of Your Team
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 75: Bonus Episode with Michael, Mark… and Pete!
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 74: Jess Shares Her Systems to Creating her Gym Culture
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 73: Building An Online Sustainable Fitness Brand with Sam Leicht
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...
Episode 72: Michael and Mark Demystify MFF’s Successful Referral Initiative
What if you were friends with a bunch badass business leaders and entrepreneurs and could ask them about their successes, challenges, and most valuable advice? That’s exactly what Business for Unicorns delivers. Join business coach and entrepreneur Michael Keeler as...