The Small Group Gym Pod

Stuart Aitken

The podcast where gym owners who mainly run a small-group personal training model share their stories, struggles, and strategies so you don’t have to figure it out alone.

  1. 4 days ago

    #47 How to Make Your Coaches Better at Coaching (w/ Nick Winkelman)

    Nick's Sept 26th Edinburgh Seminar Details Nick Winkelman is one of the world's leading experts on coaching communication and the author of The Language of Coaching. In this episode, we explore his work through a very specific lens: How can group training gym owners help their coaches become better at the actual craft of coaching? We talk about why coaching quality isn't separate from retention and business performance, how the language your coaches use shapes the experience members have in your gym, and why great coaching shouldn't simply be left to chance. Nick explains how to spot the subtle "echoes of understanding" that tell you when a cue has landed, why different clients respond to different types of language, and how coaches can move between managing the energy of an entire group and giving one individual exactly what they need. We also cover: Why "if they're laughing, they're listening"How to create better and more personalised coaching cuesThe difference between global and local communicationWhy asking more questions can improve your coachingA simple way to discover how your clients prefer to be coachedWhy filming one session could dramatically improve a coachThe one question every coach should ask when watching themselves backHow gym owners can build coach development into their businessHow AI could eventually provide coaches with personalised feedback on how they communicateIf you own a small-group gym and care about making the coaching inside it genuinely world-class, you'll get a lot from this one. Find out more about Nick: InstagramHis BookEdinburgh Seminar

  2. 5 Aug

    #46 The Systems That Allowed Sean McKirdy to Take a 3-Week Honeymoon

    Most gym owners think getting from 100 members to 200 is about finding a better marketing strategy. Sean McKirdy disagrees. In this episode, Sean breaks down the lessons he's learned from growing Elevate 98 in Edinburgh from a one-man PT business into a 220-member small group personal training gym with seven staff. We discuss why every gym seems to hit "sticky points" at certain membership numbers, how Sean gradually removed himself from the day-to-day coaching, why he believes investing in staff beats investing in equipment, and the marketing system that's helped them grow consistently for five years. You'll learn: Why 50, 75 and 100 members often become growth plateaus.The mistake gym owners make when trying to push through those plateaus.How Sean built a gym that continued running while he disappeared for a three-week honeymoon.Why your marketing channels should work together rather than in isolation.How to make your messaging resonate with everyday people—not other coaches.The surprising reason Sean keeps doing every new member consultation himself.How case studies outperform generic testimonials.Why consistency beats novelty when competing against bigger gyms. Find out more about Sean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmckirdy98/His Gym: https://elevate98.co.uk/

  3. 29 Jul

    #45 What 25 Years In Business Teaches You About Running a Gym (w/ Alwyn Cosgrove)

    How does a gym survive, and thrive, for more than 25 years? Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California, has been one of the most respected gyms in the world since 2000. In this episode, I sit down with Alwyn Cosgrove to unpack what has allowed Results to keep growing while so many gyms have come and gone. We discuss the three pillars every successful gym needs, the KPIs every owner should know, why "price objections" are usually value objections, how to evolve your business without losing your identity, and why the future of fitness marketing may have far less to do with fat loss than many coaches realise. We also cover: The People, Process, Product frameworkThe three KPIs every gym owner should trackWhy most coaches are white belts at businessSales, guarantees and overcoming objectionsMarketing in a GLP-1 worldReinventing your gym without chasing trendsWhy systems make average coaches greatThe importance of hiring your own coach Find out more about Alwyn: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwyncosgrove/

  4. 22 Jul

    #44 Coaching Lessons Every PT Should Steal From Therapy (w/ Krista Scott-Dixon)

    This week I'm joined by Krista Scott-Dixon, one of the most respected coaching educators in the world and author of Applied Nutrition and Coaching: Counselling. Rather than talking about programming or nutrition, we explore something that's arguably far more important: the coaching relationship. We discuss what PTs & in-person coaches can learn from counselling, why remembering the little things can transform client retention, how to repair fractured coaching relationships, and why trying to "fix" clients is often the wrong approach. You'll learn:Why the coach-client relationship matters more than technical knowledge.The simple behaviours that make clients feel genuinely cared for.The biggest mistakes that quietly damage coaching relationships.Why behaviour always serves a purpose (even unhealthy habits).How to help clients create better habits without relying on willpower.Why experiments beat advice.How to stop caring more about your client's goals than they do.Practical lessons from counselling that every PT can use immediately. Find out more about KSD: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stumptuous/ Website: https://kristascottdixon.com/Her new book (Applied Nutrition Coaching Counselling Practice): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Applied-Nutrition-Coaching-Counseling-Practice/dp/B0GYQM4SP1/

  5. 8 Jul

    #43 This Women's Gym Added 70 Clients Before it Opened (w/ Lisa Jarratt)

    This week I'm joined once again by Lisa Jarratt from Downham Ladies Fitness, just weeks after opening the doors to her brand-new facility. We discuss why she decided to move gyms, how she generated 70 new trial members before the doors even opened, the systems she's put in place to protect the coaching experience as the business grows, and why she's chosen retention over squeezing every last penny out of the gym. You'll learn: How Lisa signed up 70 new trial members before opening her new facilityThe Meta ad strategy generating a strong return without a complicated funnelHow to create marketing that answers your clients' biggest objectionsWhy one-to-one inductions have helped her onboard dozens of new members successfullyThe programming system allowing clients of all abilities to train togetherWhy she believes protecting service and retention is more valuable than increasing coaching ratiosThe biggest lessons she learned from investing nearly £50,000 into a new gym space Find out more about Lisa: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/downhamladiesfitness/

  6. 1 Jul

    #42 Hiring, Retention & Marketing: A Masterclass w/ George Branford

    This week I'm joined once again by George Branford from Intent 91 to discuss what's working inside one of the UK's fastest-growing gym businesses. We dive into the marketing strategies bringing in members today, how George uses AI and sales-call transcripts to create better content, the retention systems keeping clients for nearly two years on average, and the hiring process that's helped build a strong team across five locations. If you run a personal training business or small-group gym, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can implement immediately. You'll learn: How to create marketing that actually sounds like your ideal clientsWhy recording sales calls is one of the best business decisions you can makeThe retention system that's keeping members for 18–20 monthsHow to personalise coaching inside a group settingGeorge's hiring process for finding coaches who genuinely fit the cultureThe biggest lessons he's learned from scaling to five gyms Find out more about George: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgebranford/

  7. 24 Jun

    #41 What Successful Gym Owners Are Doing Differently in 2026 (w/ Michael Keeler)

    In this episode, Stuart sits down with Michael Keeler from Business for Unicorns to discuss what separates thriving gyms from struggling ones in 2026. The conversation centres around a simple idea: successful gyms aren't usually doing magical things... they're doing the basics consistently. Michael explains that the best-performing gyms have: Reliable lead generation systems instead of hoping referrals magically appearMultiple "poles in the water" for attracting clientsStrong retention systems built around meaningful relationshipsWeekly leadership meetings that keep the business on trackClear metrics they review every weekSimple, low-barrier offers that make it easy for prospects to get startedRegular referral campaigns and seasonal promotionsProcesses for keeping long-term clients motivated and engaged One of the standout lessons is Michael's "Mission Control Meeting"—a weekly 30-90 minute meeting where owners review key metrics, identify opportunities and issues, stay accountable to quarterly projects, and make decisions based on data rather than feelings. The episode also covers: The 3 marketing numbers every gym should trackWhy most gym owners become the bottleneck in their businessThe best low-barrier offer they're seeing right nowHow often to change your offersWhy "Momentum Coaching" can dramatically improve retentionThe difference between leading and lagging indicators in business Find out more about MK: BFU Website: https://businessforunicorns.com/

  8. 17 Jun

    #40 The Financial Habits Every Gym Owner Should Start Today (w/ ESG)

    In this episode, Stuart interviews Emma Storey-Gordon (@esgfitness & @afmentors) about personal finance, investing, pensions, and financial freedom for PTs and gym owners. Emma's core message is simple: Financial freedom isn't about getting rich quickly. It's about creating security, options, and peace of mind through consistent, boring financial habits. She explains why coaches should stop ignoring money, start building emergency funds, contribute to pensions, invest regularly, understand tax basics, and educate themselves on personal finance rather than outsourcing all responsibility to accountants or financial advisers. The conversation covers: Building a 3-6 month emergency fundThe "Coffee Match" investing habit (£1-£5/day invested automatically)Why pensions are often overlooked by PTsISAs and tax-efficient investingAvoiding lifestyle creep as income growsWhy financial freedom beats flashy purchasesThe impact of inflation on savingsWhen to hire an accountantRecommended books including The Psychology of Money and Die With ZeroEmma's goal of becoming financially independent by 30 and how she achieved itOverall, it's a practical guide to the financial habits most coaches wish they'd started 10 years earlier. Find out more about ESG: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esg_afm/

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About

The podcast where gym owners who mainly run a small-group personal training model share their stories, struggles, and strategies so you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Information

  • Creator
    Stuart Aitken
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Explicit

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