Podcast
Run a Profitable Gym
Hosted by Chris Cooper · EN
Run a Profitable Gym is packed with business tools for gym owners and CrossFit affiliates. This is actionable, data-backed business advice for all gym owners, including those who own personal training studios, fitness franchises, and strength and conditioning gyms. Broke gym owner Chris Cooper turned a struggling gym into an asset, then built a multi-million-dollar mentoring company to help other fitness entrepreneurs do the same thing. Every week, Chris presents the top tactics for building a profitable gym, as well as real success stories from gym owners who have found incredible success through Two-Brain Business mentorship. Chris’s goal is to create millionaire gym owners. Subscribe to Run a Profitable Gym and you could be one of them.
43episodes
Episodes
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How to Run Your First HYROX Competition in Your Gym
2w ago00:20:04Tap to summarizeHYROX is everywhere right now, and your gym doesn’t necessarily have to become an affiliate to cash in on the trend.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain Business CEO John Franklin breaks down the “mini sim,” a scaled-down HYROX-style competition any gym can run without paying affiliation fees or buying new equipment.John walks through the exact blueprint: cutting the running volume, running it as a doubles event to build in referrals and setting a financial target (Two-Brain gyms have made $2,500-$6,000 from their first event). He covers the week-by-week promotion plan, including real examples of gym posts that sold out events fast. He also details race-day logistics (staffing, heats, avoiding bottlenecks) and how to turn one-time event revenue into new recurring members.Tune in to get a complete playbook for running your first HYROX-style event and building an ongoing program members love.Use the link below to access our complete HYROX toolkit for gym owners!LinksHYROX Toolkit Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - Why every gym should pay attention to HYROX1:02 - The low-risk way to test the HYROX trend2:09 - The hidden growth opportunity most gyms miss4:06 - Planning your first HYROX-style event5:46 - Where your first participants will come from7:00 - Real gym marketing examples that worked8:40 - The promotion mistake that kills event sales9:26 - Race day secrets for a smooth event13:35 - The email every gym owner should send17:02 - Turn one event into long-term members
Transcribe →How Smart Gym Owners Beat the Summer Slump
2w ago00:12:25Tap to summarizeSummer hits gym owners hard. Revenue drops, leads dry up and members cancel.In this episode, Chris Cooper shares five strategies gym owners can use to generate revenue during the slow summer months.Coop knows the pain firsthand. In 2009, he was juggling two locations and the summer slump almost put him out of business. He swore he’d never let that happen again. Now, after working with over 3,000 gym owners through Two-Brain Business, he knows exactly what works.The summer slump is predictable. But that means it’s beatable. Tune in to hear the plan smart gym owners follow to stay profitable all summer long.Want to earn $100,000 a year from your gym while working under 20 hours a week? Click the link below to access the free training. Links$100K Income TrainingGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - The summer slump that almost killed my gym1:13 - The September revenue strategy3:41 - A seasonal offer that brings in new clients5:22 - The most overlooked summer revenue source6:48 - Why members cancel in the summer8:57 - The vacation plan most gyms never offer11:05 - The real reason gyms don’t survive summer
Transcribe →From $300k in Debt to Millionaire Gym Owner
3w ago00:30:34Tap to summarizeBraeden Cordts bought a struggling gym with $300,000 in debt, no marketing knowledge and everyone telling him it wouldn’t work.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Braeden, who was just certified as a net-worth millionaire.They talk about Braeden’s five-year journey from a 28-member gym losing money to a 230-member gym generating over $55,000 every month.Braden opens up about a rough stretch in college and how finding CrossFit—and eventually buying a gym—changed his trajectory. He breaks down the order of operations that got his gym to where it is today:- A year of consuming free content before he could afford mentorship- Putting real systems in place- Pouring into his team and promoting his first full-time coach- Building out personal training and semi-private as major revenue streamsHe also opens up about how mentorship gave him clarity on his finances outside the gym—turning two accidental rental properties into a real wealth-building strategy, diversifying into syndications and buying into another gym.If you’re a gym owner in the thick of it right now wondering if any of this is actually possible, Braeden’s story is proof that it is.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - They Told Him Not to Buy This Gym1:09 - From Train Wreck to Gym Owner5:37 - The Risk That Changed Everything8:18 - The First Breakthrough9:38 - The Difference a Mentor Made11:31 - The Systems That Fueled Growth13:21 - The Move That Changed the Business17:39 - The Revenue Stream Most Gym Owners Miss21:34 - How Gym Owners Build Real Wealth24:05 - The Growth Formula Most Owners Ignore27:26 - The Question Every Gym Owner Must Answer29:28 - His Message to Struggling Gym Owners
Transcribe →How to Turn Your Gym’s DMs Into a Client-Closing Machine
3w ago00:15:22Tap to summarizeLearn how to build all four marketing funnels with our Never-Ending Leads training for gym owners, linked below. Nearly 15% of gym owners don’t contact their leads at all. The interest is there. The hands are raised. But nobody sends the message.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains why your DMs might be the most underused sales channel your gym has, and how to use them without sounding pushy or salesy.He shares a real story of how a comment on an old photo turned into a member walking back through his doors, and one about a post that didn’t land as intended and how he fixed things with a simple conversation.Chris introduces a simple eight-step framework for turning casual DM conversations into booked consultation, and also gets into why the slowest leads sometimes become the most loyal clients and how to keep warm leads from going cold without a fancy system.Tune in to turn your next follower, like or comment into a real gym lead.LinksNever-Ending Leads TrainingGym Owners UnitedBook a Call00:00 - Why Your Gym’s Social Media Isn’t Turning Into Members01:06 - How One Instagram Comment Brought Back a Former Client03:28 - The Missing Link Between Social Media and New Members05:46 - The DM Framework That Builds Trust (Without Being Salesy)08:08 - The 8-Step Process for Turning Followers Into Clients10:01 - How to Nurture Warm Leads Who Aren’t Ready to Buy11:59 - The Post That Almost Cost Chris a Client
Transcribe →Steal These 8 Content Ideas From a Viral Gym Owner
4w ago00:43:31Tap to summarizeThis episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Get a comprehensive, AI-powered audit of your gym’s Instagram at GymIG.com.Joe Strada just won Two-Brain Business Gym of the Year. Here’s exactly how he built one of the best content strategies in the gym industry.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Joe Strada of Unleash’d Strength to break down his content playbook.They cover everything from his early TikTok trend-hopping days to the storytelling and conversion-focused content that’s growing his gym today.Joe walks through real examples from his own feed, including the meme-style video that got him five million views but zero followers and the carousel that finally broke his streak of flops and brought in nearly 200 new followers.He also shares his exact process for using AI to script and edit videos for his gym based on viral videos he admires.John and Joe dig into the difference between content that goes viral and content that actually converts, why getting your community involved in your videos pays off in ways views never will, and why finding the content style you genuinely enjoy making is the only sustainable way to stay consistent.Tune in, steal Joe’s best ideas and adapt them for your own gym.LinksAI Gym Instagram AuditGym Owners UnitedBook a Call00:00 - Why Most Gym Owners Never Post Content00:51 - Meet the Viral Gym Owner of the Year02:50 - How Joe Started Creating Content Before Opening His Gym05:08 - The Trend-Hopping Strategy That Got Millions of Views07:54 - Brand Positioning: Why "Strength Is for Everyone" Works09:14 - Top-of-Funnel Content vs. Content That Sells11:31 - Meme Content: Turning Members Into Creators12:47 - Viral Content: How to Repeat a Winning Format16:27 - Educational Content: Build Authority With Simple Tips18:22 - Community Content: Show the Personality Behind Your Gym21:18 - Content Planning: Never Run Out of Ideas Again24:23 - AI Content: Adapting Trends for Your Audience28:49 - Interview Content: Let Your Members Tell the Story31:20 - Conversion Content: The Carousel That Added 200 Followers36:44 - Storytelling Content: Create a Pin Post That Converts42:26 - How to Start Creating Content Consistently
Transcribe →How I Get More Leads From Facebook Than Paid Ads
4w ago00:11:22Tap to summarizeBefore you spend another dollar on ads, listen to this episode. Chris Cooper is getting more leads from free Facebook posts than almost any other marketing channel.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Coop shares how he writes Facebook posts that start real conversations, bring back lapsed members and attract new clients.The core idea is simple: Start capturing what’s already happening in your gym. The breakthroughs, the mistakes, the 6 a.m. class where only three people showed up and everyone crushed it anyway. Chris also challenges you to make your clients the star of your content—just a good photo and two to four sentences that make everyone who knows them stop scrolling. These posts cost nothing and don’t require a social media manager or a fancy content strategy.You’ll also hear about the posts that kill organic reach (like unfiltered rants) and why protecting your reach matters more than making a point.Your gym’s best Facebook content is already happening in front of you every day. It’s time to start capturing it.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - Intro0:50 - Why organic Facebook still works4:04 - Capture, don’t create5:57 - The posts that perform best6:45 - What kills your organic reach7:20 - Make your clients famous9:40 - How personal posts juice the algorithm
Transcribe →How to Make Your Gym Stand Out Online in 2026
Jun 1500:15:48Tap to summarizeThis episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Is your gym’s Instagram converting members? Audit it with our custom AI tool: https://GymIG.com/If you stripped your gym’s name and logo from your website and social media, would anyone know what makes you different? For most gym owners, the honest answer is no.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin lays out the five steps gym owners need to take to become the obvious choice online in 2026 He walks through real-world examples of gyms that have nailed their online positioning, including a gym serving underrepresented women in fitness, a bodybuilding facility that hunts down and restores rare equipment, a performance center that built its reputation entirely around baseball players with shoulder injuries and a personal training gym that targets exclusively the 50-plus crowd.Each example illustrates the same core principle: a specific promise to a specific type of person beats generic messaging every time.John also explains why simplifying your service offering is just as important as clarifying who you serve, and he outlines how your Google Business Profile, website and Instagram should all tell the same consistent story to turn curious searchers into booked consultations.Tune in to learn how to make your gym impossible to ignore online.LinksAI Gym Instagram AuditGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - Intro0:38 - Be the "obvious choice" online1:00 - Real gym example—underrepresented women2:19 - Real gym example—world-class equipment4:35 - Real gym example—baseball niche6:04 - Real gym example—personal training7:51 - Get clear on who you serve9:55 - Simplify your service offering11:50 - GBP, website and Instagram consistency13:49 - Show undeniable proof
Transcribe →The Future of CrossFit With Bruce Edwards
Jun 1100:33:10Tap to summarizeBig news: CrossFit is not for sale. Bruce Edwards, the new CEO made that a condition of taking the job.At the 2026 Two-Brain Summit in Chicago, Chris Cooper sat down live on stage with Bruce for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of CrossFit.Bruce isn’t a newcomer to CrossFit. He was an original client of Greg Glassman in the late 1990s, one of the early guinea pigs who helped shape the methodology. He later owned CrossFit Aptos, served as COO of CrossFit and has now returned as CEO with a clear mandate: Fix the perception problem, rebuild affiliate value and bring the movement back to its roots.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris asks the big questions affiliate owners are asking, and Bruce shares his honest vision for what comes next for CrossFit.Tune in to hear a candid conversation about CrossFit’s future under Bruce’s leadership.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - Intro0:20 - Why Bruce almost said no to the CEO role6:43 - CrossFit’s North Star8:46 - The Games vs. the affiliate story13:22 - The future of CrossFit media15:00 - Do GLP-1s have a place in fitness?20:25 - Bruce's stance on partnerships28:15 - A message to de-affiliated owners30:07 - What affiliates should do right now
Transcribe →The Only 3 Types of Social Media Content Gym Owners Need
Jun 800:12:49Tap to summarizeThis episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym."Get a free audit of your gym’s Instagram with our custom GPT tool: GymIG.comIf you’re a gym owner who wants to post more content but doesn’t know where to start, this episode is for you. Many gym owners have the misconception that they simply need to post more. But getting the right mix of content actually matters more than how often you post.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin breaks down the three types of content every gym owner needs to be posting on Instagram.He shares real examples from gyms who are doing this well and walks through exactly how to replicate their posts. You’ll learn how to use your gym’s Instagram page to make people like you, trust you and move closer to doing business with you. Tune in and walk away with a simple three-post-a-week plan you can start this week.LinksAI Gym Instagram AuditGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - Intro0:55 - Why variety beats volume on social media1:07 - Posts that get people to buy from you2:43 - Social proof that actually works7:30 - Building connection through Instagram10:10 - Becoming a trusted voice11:31 - Your exact weekly posting plan
Transcribe →Is HYROX Here to Stay? What Gym Owners Need to Know
Jun 400:46:34Tap to summarizeHYROX just crossed 4,500 affiliates in North America. A year ago, that number was under 1,500.In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin sits down with Eric O'Neil, Head of Affiliates for HYROX (Americas), to talk about what’s driving that growth, what the best training clubs are doing differently and what’s coming next for gym owners who want to capitalize on the HYROX opportunity.Eric explains how the affiliate program works, including the pre-sale ticket process and how HYROX markets affiliate events through their regional newsletters.He also shares what separates the training clubs bringing 50-plus members to race day from the ones that never quite find their footing.The conversation covers the full picture for gym owners who want to run a profitable HYROX program:- Running sims and camps- Adding personal training as an upsell- Building a 365-day HYROX calendar around local race weekends- Tapping into the massive pool of non-members who show up to these eventsEric also addresses the elephant in the room: Is HYROX here to stay, and how should gym owners think about the investment?If you’re HYROX-curious or already affiliated and want to get more out of it, this episode is worth your time.Get the full toolkit for generating ROI from HYROX affiliation via the link below. LinksHYROX Toolkit Gym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:00 - Intro0:40 - HYROX affiliation growth6:00 - HYROX trends in Europe and the Americas12:37 - How the pre-sale ticket process works14:32 - Sims, camps and monetizing events21:56 - Youth HYROX35:50 - Building a 365-day HYROX calendar44:34 - Is HYROX here to stay?
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