In 2022, Indiana gym owner Vel Bates attended the Two-Brain Summit and left with a new mindset that transformed his business.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Vel shares how the welcoming community and actionable advice shared at the event helped him take the leap into mentorship.

He details the changes he’s made with the help of his mentor, Peter Brasovan,  such as cleaning up systems and building marketing funnels, and how the adjustments have improved his confidence and his revenue.

Vel has since made the Top 10 leaderboard for marketing and sales metrics, a testament to his growth as a gym owner.

If you’re a gym owner who wants to make positive changes in your business, come to the 2025 Two-Brain Summit. Tickets are $300 off through Jan. 31. Get them via the link below.

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01:18 - Not a client? Why attend?

02:54 - Why sign up for mentorship?

05:45 - What mentorship did for Vel’s business

09:21 - Mentors hold you accountable

11:39 - No. 1 reason to go

The 2025 Two-Brain Summit will inspire and equip fitness professionals to make a difference in their clients’ lives—in other words, to Help Best.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper provides a sneak peek into this year’s summit for gym owners and coaches, happening June 7-8 in Chicago.

He walks through the action-packed itinerary, starting with morning workouts featuring Rogue equipment and coaching from Jason Khalipa and other top pros. Coop also runs through the workshops that will happen in two rooms—one for owners and another specifically for fitness coaches.

Special guests will include Joey Coleman, bestselling author of “Never Lose a Customer Again,” and Jonathan Goodman, owner of the Personal Trainer Development Center and author of the newly released book “The Obvious Choice.” Also taking the stage are Mayhem Nation and Bill Parisi of Parisi Speed School, as well as several of Two-Brain’s elite mentors.

On the coaches side, Khalipa and the NCFIT crew have 2.5 hours to get trainers moving in a hands-on, high-energy coaching workshop.

Tune in to hear the full schedule. Then use the link below to get your tickets before prices go up on Feb. 1.

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Two-Brain Summit Tickets

Gym Owners United

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0:59 - This year’s theme

2:56 - What to expect 

6:24 - Owners: speakers & workshops

18:36 - Coaches: speakers & workshops 

25:31 - Why bring your coaches?

Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper shares his top book recommendations for gym owners in 2025. He unpacks the lessons he learned from these titles and how he applied them to grow his gym and his other businesses.

Remember, it’s not how many books you read that matters; what matters is that you put what you learn into action.

Ready to learn and take action to grow your gym? Check out Chris’ suggested reading list below:

- “The Mountain Is You” by Brianna Wiest
- “The Courage to Be Disliked” by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi
- “High Road Leadership” by John C. Maxwell
- “Tribalnomics” by Justin Garcia
- “Be the Unicorn” by William Vanderbloemen
- “10x Is Easier Than 2x” by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
- “The Obvious Choice” by Jonathan Goodman
- “The Road Less Stupid” by Keith J. Cunningham
- “The Golden Hour” by Chris Cooper

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01:24 - Books 1 and 2

05:53 - Books 3 and 4

11:24 - Books 5 and 6

14:16 - Books 7 and 8

19:05 - “The Golden Hour” by Chris Cooper

Jonathan Goodman, author of “The Obvious Choice,” knows what it takes to keep clients around—and it’s not long-term contracts.

Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper talks with Jonathan about why trust is more valuable than credentials and how creating meaningful connections with clients leads to sustainable success.

Jonathan shares how to transform short-term programs into lasting commitments through quick wins, thoughtful storytelling and genuine connection.

He also explains why gym owners should focus on delivering real-world results instead of chasing social media fame, and he reveals why great coaching will always outshine AI and automated solutions.

This episode is packed with practical advice to help gym owners grow their businesses while delivering life-changing results. Tune in to hear Jonathan’s actionable insights for making your gym “The Obvious Choice.” 

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"The Obvious Choice"

Gym Owners United

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01:21 - Why write "The Obvious Choice"?

05:54 - Understand the games out there

18:24 - A better way to operate

21:50 - Getting new clients hooked

31:16 - Teaching with storytelling

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.

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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!

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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.

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"Wins and Lessons" PDF

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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.
 
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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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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.

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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