The Intramural Open is a key retention tactic at Brian Foley’s gym, Activate in Ireland.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Brian shares how the event makes his clients three times more likely to stay another year, driving significant indirect revenue.

The Open also directly boosts his gym’s revenue in late winter through pre-competition skill work and retail sales.

Brian breaks down strategies for creating an unforgettable event that builds community without burning out your staff—such as celebrating members throughout the Intramural Open and delegating responsibilities among coaches and team captains.

His top tips for a successful Intramural Open? Make it fun and inclusive and follow the steps in Chris Cooper’s 2025 Intramural Open guide.

The guide lays out exactly how to run the event, generate revenue and improve retention. New for 2025: Coop's even programmed workouts so you can plan way ahead.

Get your free copy via the link below.

Links

Intramural Open Guide

Gym Owners United

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02:03 - The Intramural Open and revenue

07:24 - Goal-setting sessions

09:24 - Leaving an impression

15:02 - Avoiding stress

17:18 - Top tips for a successful Intramural Open

What if one event could help you build community, retain clients and boost your gym’s revenue?

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper explains how to make the 2025 Intramural Open a profitable and meaningful event your members will never forget.

From choosing team captains to creating teams to scoring , Chris outlines exactly how to turn the Intramural Open into a win for everyone.

He also explains how the event can become a huge revenue generator through entry fees, prep courses and merchandise sales. Even better, he lays out a plan to put clients on podiums so they're fired up to train with you for another 12 months.

If you’re ready to celebrate your clients and grow your gym in 2025, this episode is for you!

Links

Intramural Open Guide

Gym Owners United

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00:27 - Where the intramural idea comes from
05:21 - The 2025 Intramural Open guide
13:30 - Set-up activities
17:21 - The workouts
27:41 - Plan to share the load

The ownership group of The Tribe tripled owner earnings—and the quartet did it without frantically dumping new members into the business.

In this episode, host Mike Warkentin sits down with Andi and Ed Conway—who co-own The Tribe along with Nick and Chelsea Vera—to learn how they increased revenue and profit while consistently serving about 160 members.

The Conways share how their Two-Brain mentor, Storm Strout, guided them to increase their average revenue per member (ARM) by eliminating discounts, raising rates and introducing an on-ramp program.

Other secrets to their growth: focusing on coach development and defining ownership roles and responsibilities.

And The Tribe isn’t done growing: Its owners plan to boost revenue even further in 2025 by focusing on personal training and high-value clients.

Tune in to hear practical tips for increasing your gym’s profit without adding more members.

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01:06 - What changed over the past 3 years

03:51 - Getting through the fears

8:50 - Events throughout the year

16:11 - 2025 net owner benefit goal

20:26 - Multiperson gym ownership

Every gym owner can learn valuable lessons from 2024. The key is using them to grow in 2025.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper guides gym owners through a year-end exercise to analyze their wins and losses and lay the foundation for success in the future.

He explains how to review metrics, identify bright spots and turn lessons into actions that will measurably improve businesses.

Want to make 2025 your best year yet? Listen to learn how reflection, clarity and planning can help you grow your gym.

Coop's "Wins and Lessons" PDF is available through the link below.

To get the Annual Plan guide, join Gym Owners United using the link below.

Links

"Wins and Lessons" PDF

Gym Owners United

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00:58 - Reflecting on wins and lessons

06:16 - Looking at BSFs and journals

09:01 - Where was our revenue spike?

13:24 - Big lesson in December

18:13 - What does Chris recommend?

Torben Keller, owner of CrossFit North 579 in Denmark, runs a gym with more than 740 members—he took the No. 1 spot on Two-Brain's recent leaderboard for client count.

In today’s episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Torben shares exactly how he built a thriving gym with multiple revenue streams and an unbeatable client experience.

He explains how he started with 250 members in the first month, scaled to over 700 without relying on ads, and keeps churn at just 3.5 percent by focusing on culture and coaching.

Torben also reveals how mentorship helped him implement systems to manage a nearly 40-person staff and build a roadmap for coaches’ career growth.

If you’re looking to scale your gym or create a better experience for members, don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the world’s top gym owners.

Links

Coach Ascension Model

"Help First" by Chris Cooper

Gym Owners United

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01:31 - How long did it all take?

08:49 - Did Torben do any marketing?

13:20 - Background on Torben’s gym

22:57 - Happy clients don’t cancel

27:55 - Better coaches, higher value

Some gyms have over 300 members and are still growing—but how do they do it?

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper reveals the secrets behind the gyms with the highest client headcounts on Two-Brain’s leaderboard.

These gyms don’t rely on gimmicks or flashy marketing campaigns. Instead, they focus on retention, onboarding and delivering incredible value to their members.

Chris explains why many gyms struggle with client headcount and how systems can help you attract and retain members.

He shares actionable advice to help you reduce churn by improving your client experience and grow sustainably by using the four marketing funnels: referrals, content, social media and paid ads.

Whether you’re aiming for 150 members or 700, this episode is packed with tips for improving your client headcount today.

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Gym Owners United

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00:17 - December leaderboard

03:53 - Sound tactics work in every market

07:18 - What's keeping gyms from these numbers?

11:55 - Being selective with clients

15:29 - Focusing on client retention

Tax season doesn’t have to be a headache; smart planning can reduce stress and save gym owners money.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” former multi-gym owner John Franklin joins host Mike Warkentin to share seven tax strategies every fitness entrepreneur should know:

- Keep your books clean and updated.
- Get a tax estimate.
- Don’t waste money to "save on taxes."
- Hire your kids.
- Use bonus depreciation.
- Max out retirement contributions.
- Open a health savings account (HSA).

John dives into each strategy to help you make smarter financial decisions and reduce your tax bill. Plus, he shares a bonus tip for gym owners who earn over $100,000 per year.

Don’t let tax season catch you off guard—tune in now and take control of your finances!

To get Chris Cooper's model profit and loss (P&L) statement, join Gym Owners United using the link below.

Links

Gym Owners United

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03:26 - Updating your books at tax time?

08:51 - Getting a tax estimate

11:54 - Don’t waste a dollar to save 35 cents

17:47 - Utilizing bonus depreciation

24:46 - A bonus strategy

Gym owners can take control of their businesses with a simple tool: the profit and loss statement (P&L).

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains how to master a P&L to improve retention, increase revenue and grow your gym.

Sharing examples from his own gym, Catalyst, Chris walks you through metrics tracking and expense auditing in a spreadsheet tailored to a coaching gym.

He shows you how to uncover hidden opportunities to improve profitability—whether by raising rates or improving your return on investments in staff—and run “what if” scenarios to predict the results of critical decisions.

Tune in to learn how to use a P&L to avoid financial surprises, make data-driven decisions and plan for your gym’s future with confidence.

To get a copy of the model P&L, join Gym Owners United using the link below and send Chris a DM.

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01:59 - Profit and loss statement

04:28 - Key metrics to track

08:46 - Breaking down expenses

16:28 - Running “what if” scenarios

19:59 - Taking control