Run a Profitable Gym

Chris Cooper
  • 4.7 (94)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

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.

  1. 7h ago

    How to Turn Your Gym’s DMs Into a Client-Closing Machine

    Learn 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. Links Never-Ending Leads Training Gym Owners United Book a Call 00:00 - Why Your Gym’s Social Media Isn’t Turning Into Members 01:06 - How One Instagram Comment Brought Back a Former Client 03:28 - The Missing Link Between Social Media and New Members 05:46 - The DM Framework That Builds Trust (Without Being Salesy) 08:08 - The 8-Step Process for Turning Followers Into Clients 10:01 - How to Nurture Warm Leads Who Aren’t Ready to Buy 11:59 - The Post That Almost Cost Chris a Client

    15 min

  2. 3d ago

    Steal These 8 Content Ideas From a Viral Gym Owner

    This 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. Links AI Gym Instagram Audit Gym Owners United Book a Call 00:00 - Why Most Gym Owners Never Post Content 00:51 - Meet the Viral Gym Owner of the Year 02:50 - How Joe Started Creating Content Before Opening His Gym 05:08 - The Trend-Hopping Strategy That Got Millions of Views 07:54 - Brand Positioning: Why "Strength Is for Everyone" Works 09:14 - Top-of-Funnel Content vs. Content That Sells 11:31 - Meme Content: Turning Members Into Creators 12:47 - Viral Content: How to Repeat a Winning Format 16:27 - Educational Content: Build Authority With Simple Tips 18:22 - Community Content: Show the Personality Behind Your Gym 21:18 - Content Planning: Never Run Out of Ideas Again 24:23 - AI Content: Adapting Trends for Your Audience 28:49 - Interview Content: Let Your Members Tell the Story 31:20 - Conversion Content: The Carousel That Added 200 Followers 36:44 - Storytelling Content: Create a Pin Post That Converts 42:26 - How to Start Creating Content Consistently

    44 min

  3. Jun 18

    How I Get More Leads From Facebook Than Paid Ads

    Before 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. Links Gym Owners United Book a Call 0:00 - Intro 0:50 - Why organic Facebook still works 4:04 - Capture, don’t create 5:57 - The posts that perform best 6:45 - What kills your organic reach 7:20 - Make your clients famous 9:40 - How personal posts juice the algorithm

    11 min

  4. Jun 15

    How to Make Your Gym Stand Out Online in 2026

    This 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. Links AI Gym Instagram Audit Gym Owners United Book a Call 0:00 - Intro 0:38 - Be the "obvious choice" online 1:00 - Real gym example—underrepresented women 2:19 - Real gym example—world-class equipment 4:35 - Real gym example—baseball niche 6:04 - Real gym example—personal training 7:51 - Get clear on who you serve 9:55 - Simplify your service offering 11:50 - GBP, website and Instagram consistency 13:49 - Show undeniable proof

    16 min

  5. Jun 11

    The Future of CrossFit With Bruce Edwards

    Big 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. Links Gym Owners United Book a Call 0:00 - Intro 0:20 - Why Bruce almost said no to the CEO role 6:43 - CrossFit’s North Star 8:46 - The Games vs. the affiliate story 13:22 - The future of CrossFit media 15:00 - Do GLP-1s have a place in fitness? 20:25 - Bruce's stance on partnerships 28:15 - A message to de-affiliated owners 30:07 - What affiliates should do right now

    33 min

  6. Jun 8

    The Only 3 Types of Social Media Content Gym Owners Need

    This 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.com If 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. Links AI Gym Instagram Audit Gym Owners United Book a Call 0:00 - Intro 0:55 - Why variety beats volume on social media 1:07 - Posts that get people to buy from you 2:43 - Social proof that actually works 7:30 - Building connection through Instagram 10:10 - Becoming a trusted voice 11:31 - Your exact weekly posting plan

    13 min

  7. Jun 4

    Is HYROX Here to Stay? What Gym Owners Need to Know

    HYROX 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 events Eric 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. Links HYROX Toolkit Gym Owners United Book a Call 0:00 - Intro 0:40 - HYROX affiliation growth 6:00 - HYROX trends in Europe and the Americas 12:37 - How the pre-sale ticket process works 14:32 - Sims, camps and monetizing events 21:56 - Youth HYROX 35:50 - Building a 365-day HYROX calendar 44:34 - Is HYROX here to stay?

    47 min

  8. Jun 1

    This ONE Gym Instagram Mistake Is Costing You Leads (& How To Fix It)

    This episode contains several visual examples. For the best experience, head to our YouTube channel "Run a Profitable Gym." Is your gym’s Instagram actually getting you members? Or just likes? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain CEO John Franklin reveals the five Instagram mistakes gym owners make that silently kill their lead flow. Then he shows you exactly how to fix them. And fixing just ONE can completely transform your business. John walks through each mistake with real examples from gyms that are getting it wrong and gyms that are getting it right—including a breakdown of one of the best gym Instagram pages in the business and why it works so well. One gym got 50 million views on a single post, but zero clients from it. Don't make the same mistake. If your Instagram isn’t converting leads, watch this episode and then get an instant audit of your page at GymIG.com. Links AI Gym Instagram Audit Gym Owners United Book a Call 0:00 - Intro 0:43 - Mistake 1: No pin post sequence 4:04 - Mistake 2: No conversion content 8:35 - Mistake 3: Only posting, never talking 13:08 - Mistake 4: No personality 16:06 - Mistake 5: Chasing vanity metrics

    19 min
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4.7
out of 5
94 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Cooper
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Run a Profitable Gym
  • Show Website
    Run a Profitable Gym

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