Coaching classes is almost always on the to-do list of a new gym owner. And while it might be one of the main reasons you opened your doors, gym growth can truly accelerate if you prioritize business-related tasks over time.
Welcome to the Gym Growth Blueprint Series! We asked gym owners, “What’s the one piece of advice you’d give a new gym owner?” As gym owners ourselves, the PushPress team is passionate about helping others succeed.
Sarah Elizabeth Heimer, long-time owner of CrossFit Unforgiven in Ada, OK and 580 Barbell Club said, “The business side needs as much attention, development and growth as the coaching side.”
The business side she refers to includes things like managing finances, marketing, nurturing leads, developing coaches and more. For the most part, it doesn't matter how great of a coach you are. If the business tasks aren’t a priority, you might sacrifice gym growth in the long run.
Five Ways to Prioritize Ownership Tasks for Gym Growth.
Ultimately, choosing to tackle your ownership and business-related duties first will ensure that your business runs smoothly and effectively. And this will only enhance the quality of your coaching and client experience. So, where do you start?
Here are five steps to get the ball rolling.
1. Put it On Your Schedule.
The first step is equal parts availability and accountability. Schedule your business-related tasks to prioritize them on your calendar and help you make sure they get done.
Start by making a full list of your gym growth tasks. Next, block of time throughout your week to get them done. This step is a “know thyself” situation. For instance, if you’re a morning person, schedule the tasks you find more challenging before noon. You can set yourself up for greater success by scheduling your workload during times when you’re able to best be productive.
Here’s a sample schedule:
- Monday 7am-8am: Financial Tasks. Review financial reports, check upcoming invoices and ensure there are no delinquent payments.
- Wednesday 7am-8am: Content. Plan out and schedule the upcoming week’s gym social media calendar, or write and schedule a new blog post.
- Friday 7am-8am: Lead and Member Nurture. Evaluate the leads in your gym CRM like PushPress Grow in all stages of the funnel. Celebrate member wins and contact at-risk members to help avoid churn.
2. Build a Team to Help You.
One of the most helpful transitions you can make through your years of gym ownership is going from running the show solo to hiring a GM or team of coaches.
“Start with a team,” said Stacy Kim, owner of Kuma Fitness in Maine, a multi-location, women’s-only gym. “Otherwise, you'll be tempted to do everything yourself and it will be harder to transition out of the day to day.”
When you first open your doors, you might not have a choice but to wear all the hats yourself. And throughout gym growth, it can be tempting to hold onto too many tasks. But the sooner you can start developing a team you trust, they’ll be able to take some of the load off your plate.
First, having a reliable team allows you to coach less and focus on the business more. And second, it gives you the ability to delegate certain tasks that you really don’t enjoy, or aren’t in your wheelhouse. If you’re unsure as to which ones these are, consider hiring a business mentor as well.
3. Utilize Technology for Efficiency and Gym Growth.
It’s not unheard of in the fitness industry for gym owners to start off managing things like billing and scheduling with spreadsheets. Because let’s be honest: At the beginning, sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know.
But to truly control gym growth, you need gym management software that saves you time and reduces manual work. For example, PushPress Core can help you with everything from billing and scheduling to membership management and even retail sales. Further, PushPress Grow helps you nurture leads properly. From the moment someone inquires, to years down the road when you’re celebrating their 1,000th class!
Pro Tip: Want to learn more about the PushPress solutions that can help your gym run more efficiently and thrive? Book a demo with our team today!
4. Streamline Systems, Policies and Procedures.
The right systems, policies and procedures can make all the difference from the time you open your doors to navigating gym growth. They can enhance efficiency, provide a consistent member experience and contribute to building a stronger team. In addition, they can even improve member retention and help with scalability for the long run.
Five systems to start with as your foundation include financial management, lead nurture, performance tracking, general communication and staff scheduling. From there, evaluate some of the critical policies and procedures for your gym. These include a code of conduct, policies for membership holds and cancellations, and procedures for health and safety, member feedback and staff operations.
By investing in these aspects of the business, you not only enhance daily gym management, but you’ll be positioned for sustainable gym growth and success.
5. Outsource Less Impactful Tasks.
The goal with hiring a team is to take some of the workload off your plate. But there’s a difference between delegating tasks to your team and outsourcing. After all, you and each person on your team will have strengths and weaknesses. So everyone should have their own specialty tasks, then there are a few that you might want to hand over to the pros.
For example, outsource your bookkeeping if accounting isn’t your jam. Or save time by exploring the variety of gym programming options on the market. You could even trade a membership for help with creating gym content. These things will not only free up your time, but will also ensure these tasks are handled efficiently.
In Summary: Your Role as the Gym Owner in Gym Growth.
Coaching might always be a passion of yours. But when it comes to long-term gym growth - and having a community of people to coach - prioritizing business-related tasks is critical.
To get started, schedule these tasks into your weekly calendar. When you’re able, hire an effective team to help. Utilize gym software to save you time and manage your gym more efficiently. Streamline your systems, policies and procedures. And finally, evaluate some of the tasks that you might be able to outsource.
The goal is finding that perfect balance between coaching excellence and business management. It’s how your business will grow, your member experience will be enhanced, and you’ll secure long-term success in a competitive industry.
