Garage Gym Startup

The past few years have kept me in a weird state of mind. I still love what I do with a passion, but I sure do hate spending as much money as I do on rent!  Here's an update and one of many episodes to come!

When you own a garage gym, all things are exciting especially a new facility. We are moving the gym to a new facility soon and we've hired a new coach. Both of these things are extremely exciting for us. Hear all about it in today's episode. 

We are considering bringing on a new coach but the pandemic is making us question whether or not we should. But, I think looking and getting feelers out is always a great idea. Here's my outlook on it.    Don't forget to find us on Facebook!

The pandemic has forced many businesses to adapt, pivot and change. The gym industry is no different. Here are my thoughts on what garage gym/warehouse gym owners should be doing right now in order to create a great environment and business for the long term.   

This is a question I have heard come up on few occasions. Should someone open a gym during the pandemic? This is something I answer in my own personal opinion on this episode. Hint: It may not be the best time to tie up in a bad lease, but now is a great time to start building up your community!   This is all about the fitness business and owning a gym. These are my opinions, I am not an expert in any of these subjects :)

A lot has gone on over the past 6 months especially for the gym business. In this episode, I am going to talk about what we've gone through as a business and where your mind should be right now.    This is episode 40, don't miss it! 

Jay Collins is someone I look up to as a gym owner and entrepreneur. As we all have been forced to close our doors, Jay has made crucial decisions not just to get through today, but changes that will change his business model forever.  Learn how Jay faced closing his doors and his pivot into online training. He also closes with amazing words of wisdom. Your gym doesn't have to close forever due to corona virus. You can make this happen IF you are doing what it takes to be in business for the long haul. 

Chase Ingram, owner of CrossFit Big D, was one of the first movers in the fitness industry to shut their doors. Chase had great insight from doctors in Italy as well as within his community. Hear his story on the steps he has taken and plans to take through this pandemic we are all facing.  Gyms will struggle through the corona virus. What are you doing to still be open at the end of this?

This past few weeks have been tough, motivating and inspiring. The Corona Virus, specifically COVID19 is taking it's toll not only on human life but on business as well. Here is our story. Listen, learn and go forward.

I recently received a question from a Garage Gym Start Up listener in regards to scheduling clients and which app we use or suggest (this was in relation to personal training). This gave me the idea of today's episode which is all about apps we use to schedule, run payment/financial history reports, do workout breakdowns and so much more! If you want to be great in your fitness business, I would suggest using these apps, or similar ones, in order to make that happen!  If you own a garage gym or fitness business check out our previous episodes.

Hiring a new coach (this would be our first one not through the gym if we find someone) has been difficult. Not just finding qualified applicants, but getting my ego out of the way.  In this episode I talk about just that, hiring and how I am stopping myself and you may be too. Have you hired before? If so, hit me up on instagram @otlfitness and let me know how it went. Enjoy!

In this episode I cover 4 topics in regards to business, life and a big promise I made to my wife because I want bringing too much negativity! A big issue we are currently facing in the business is construction next to our building and a big lack of communication from our landlord.  If you are a garage gym owner, I think this is a great (and short) episode to check out!

For many years I have used the content and resources Zach Even-Esh has provided both online and in person. From purchasing his books to going through the Underground Strength Coach Certification Zach has really been a go to for me over the years. I believe this conversation in important for anyone who is currently training out of their garage or a small space and looking to expand. We also discuss having a job while owning a gym...you may be surprised what Zach says about this and his new endeavors. I cannot wait for you all to listen to this one!

Miranda Alcaraz may be remembered by those in the CrossFit community by Miranda Oldroyd, her maiden name. Since her time as a star in the CrossFit games, she and her husband Julian Alcaraz have built one of the most amazing online fitness communities around through their business, Street Parking.  I was really excited to have this conversation not only because I think Miranda is awesome, but because we are in a time when online is the way to go. However, it is not for everyone. Not only do you need the smarts for programming, but to truly build an online platform/community you have to have the ability to build brand. You are fighting in a crowded space with a lot of "instagram starts" many of whom are fitness based. Miranda and the Street Parking crews ability to build their brand and their community is truly amazing. I hope you all enjoy this episode!

I sometimes think about what I would have done differently if I could go back knowing what I know now. I wouldn't change much, and honestly, I think it's all a learning process. But, if I could go back, there are a few things I would have done and done differently in order to better prepare myself for the future of OTL Fitness. 7 years will teach you a lot, but I know I still have a ton to learn. I hope you enjoy the episode. Follow our gym @otlfitness on instagram or the show @garagegymstartup. Have a great one!

One thing many forget about the small business owner is we don't have a 401k match by our companies. Many times we pay out of pocket for our insurance. And for many, "retirement" isn't even a thought.   In order for us to be ready for the next phase of our lives, owning the real estate we run our gym on can be a huge life long benefit.  In this episode, Dave Nichols of CrossFit Flower Mound talks about the purchasing of the real estate his gym currently operates on. This is not advice to any listeners to purchase property. This is simply Dave talking about what he's done in his business.    We hope you enjoy!

In February of 2019 we published an episode on changing prices for your gym and or business. This episode did extremely well and made us realize price changes can be difficult but many people are needing to go through them. Well, on March 1, 2019 we went though our official price change. For some, this change was as much as $90 more than what they were previously paying. To say the least, we were scared. We were afraid to lose members or hurt feelings. However, as our rent took another increase, we knew it was necessary in order for us to keep our business alive. This episode is an update on the price changes, the effects it had on our business both good and bad, how we went about it and changes we made to our class times. If you are even considering changes in your pricing, Pt. 1 of price changes and this episode are a must! Please take 1 min. to leave a review!    Coach David and Courtney de Leon

In episode 28 I talk about garage gyms and whether or not I believe they are going extinct and what you can do to avoid taking the wrong road when it comes to starting your gym.    The industry is changing. Will you be ready?

A price change can be one of the hardest things to do as a gym owner. In the process you will lose members, question yourself, and maybe think about changing your mind. However, if done correctly, you could be setting your business up to survive for years to come.  In this episode I talk about the changes we made, why we made them and how we think it will help us become a better business.     

There are a ton of great podcasts out there for business and life in general. As I drove to work, I thought I would share with all of you my favorite go to business podcasts that help keep me informed and motivated!