CJ Lyons opened the doors to his gym - CrossFit Indiana in Indiana, PA - in January 2022. He had done some research on various gym management software platforms, and decided to start with PushPress.
His decision was partly because of PushPress Free, designed for new gym owners earning less than $10,000 in monthly revenue. Once a gym reaches the $10k mark, it makes more sense to upgrade to the PushPress Pro version. But while on Free, Lyons’ fees were tied to his revenue so he could pay as his gym grew. It made sense and he was happy with it.
The Growing Pains of Gym Ownership.
Even during the early days, CrossFit Indiana was doing well financially. And unfortunately, this resulted in Lyons paying nearly $700 per month in credit card transaction fees. At the time, PushPress didn’t yet offer the Flex Fees option, allowing gym owners to pass transaction fees on to clients.
So in January 2024, Lyons made the decision to leave PushPress for Wodify. He said it seemed a bit cheaper at the time, and was excited about several website features that didn’t turn out to be what he expected. He made the switch and what happened next was nearly a nightmare.
Ultimately, Lyons ended up paying more than he did with PushPress, not less. And worse, he suddenly he found himself having a mountain of website work.
“I was spending hours and hours learning how to code,” he said. “It was awful. I had to do workflow management and HTML stuff. I’m a very tech-savvy person. I don’t feel like I struggle too much with technology, but I didn’t want to be doing all of that.”
After only two months, Lyons knew he had made the wrong decision. So he returned to PushPress, and things started falling into place.
Three Ways PushPress Software Helps CrossFit Indiana.
1. Increased Lead Generation.
Once Lyons switched back, he went all in with PushPress Grow, and saw immediate success with lead generation.
“I have seen a drastic improvement in the leads that come in,” he said. “And the nurture that happens behind the scenes means I do about half the number of phone calls than I otherwise would. It has been incredible from a lead management perspective.”
Lyons added, “Inside Grow, I can see where people are in the lead nurture process and I can manage and keep track and reach out when I need to, or turn them into a cold lead.”
Pro Tip: Want to learn more about how the automated workflows in PushPress Grow can save you time and help your gym grow? Book a demo with our team today!
2. Partnerships Made Easy.
At PushPress, we believe that integrations and partnerships are an integral part of gym growth strategy. Essentially, we seek out partnerships with companies who are experts in their specific area. These opportunities are created either as a software integration or a business-to-business partnership. All with the goal of providing you helpful options to run your business better.
Lyons discovered this when he partnered with Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) for his nutrition coaching program. First, he was able to integrating the HSN content right into his gym website.
Second, he loves that PushPress Grow clients that have accounts with third-party partnerships like HSN get access to exclusive workflows in the Grow Content Library. HSN workflows, for example, are designed to run in parallel with Lyons’ nutrition coaching program. Other partnerships include lead conversion for LASSO clients and a six-month “intro to CrossFit” workflow for affiliates.
3. Gym Insurance Savings.
Earlier this year, PushPress launched an insurance option exclusively for current clients, and aimed at allowing you to establish control over your pricing and coverage decisions. The insurance program covers gym activities that traditional, horizontal-focused carriers aren’t willing to cover. It’s designed to evolve with gyms’ ever-changing fitness operations and client demands. This includes options like coverage for 24/7 access and youth fitness programs. Coverage options will continue to expand based on feedback from the PushPress community.
Once Lyons switched from his previous provider to PushPress insurance, he’s now saving approximately $70 per month.
In Summary: Returning to PushPress for Gym Growth.
As gym owners ourselves, the PushPress team is consistently focused on providing the best solutions for other owners. But what sets us apart is our help-first approach. We genuinely want to see your gym succeed and will do what it takes to help you get there.
For CJ Lyons, July has historically been a slow month. But this year, after switching back to PushPress, July was his highest-grossing month since opening. In fact, he’s confident that the growth has only just begun.
“I feel like I’m back at home,” he said. “Everything is comfortable. Everything flows the way I want it to flow. The management is easier. I understand the reports. The automations are going out the way I want them to. And my members are happy.”
