Health and fitness has always been a big part of my life. I was a competitive swimmer and netball player all of my schooling life through to my late teens. Working out then took over my life and I found myself spending the better parts of my day at the gym. I feel like it is only natural therefore for me to say, I have always seen myself opening and running a gym. The idea of working for myself, being my own boss and in control sounds appealing. By nature, I take extreme amounts of TIME to simply move one step forward. Therefore, making the decision to go out on my own, is a big one and one I won’t take lightly. I have committed hours upon hours of research, why? There are niche gyms popping up everywhere, I need to ensure my model will stand out. My research and conversations with current gym owners has brought me to the below conclusions. Opening a gym is not impossible, you just need the right steps in place first before you can move forward.
Find your niche
One of the biggest mistakes individuals make when attempting to open a gym is to try and cater to the needs of everyone. Let me tell you, that is never going to happen. You will never be all things to all people, therefore locate your target market and go from there. You can always build upon your business model down the track. As a professional in your chosen field you will be able to provide a successful level of service. Furthermore, you know those attending your gym, will do so because they love what you have to offer.
Don’t underestimate the power of social media marketing
Start letting people know 2 months out was is coming. Set up social media accounts, advertise pre sale memberships at discounted rates, create a sense of urgency. You will want to sell as many memberships as you can prior to opening your doors. Create interest, capture their details and follow them up. Social media is how small businesses are made, so do your research.
Find a system that works for you
This is my current line of work. Creating a platform for users to make their business lives simpler. Having spoken to many gym owners, I understand the importance of an operating system. There are systems on offer that will do all the hard work for you. They will integrate with your payment gateways, alert you to when members have not shown up in a while and get people to book into classes. Of course, with anything these systems don’t always come cheap but the hours it saves in administration time is well worth it.
Be prepared
Understand you probably won’t bring in a huge income the first couple of months. You will need to account for an equivalent of 3–6 months worth of income, to pay wages and the small things that pop up like cleaning tools. Opening a new business does not just happen overnight, a lot of hard work goes into it. Don’t procrastinate, give it all the time and attention is deserves. The early stages of any new business are critical and the end result will be an indication of the effort you have put in.
If you’re like me and have a dream to someday open a business in the health and fitness industry, take note of what I have mentioned, but ensure you have committed yourself to research the market. There will be long days and nights ahead but if you are passionate it will never really seem like work, rather stepping stones towards achieving you goal. For any of my readers who own their own business, what were some of the tips you have took on board when deciding to go out on your own?
