They didn’t just build a gym, they built a movement. Doug and Thea Wood are the powerhouse couple behind The Hive, Scottsdale’s most talked-about gym and a hub for high-performing entrepreneurs. But that’s just the surface. In this episode of Behind Gym Doors, Doug and Thea share how they turned personal transformation into global impact, building a $6M gym, launching an international online school, and funding orphanages around the world… all while being unapologetically bold about their faith, brand, and message.

We dive deep into building niche communities, creating content that actually converts, and why most gym owners play too small. If you’re afraid of standing out, raising prices, or showing up authentically, this episode is your wake-up call.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(01:14) Building a school for entrepreneur families
(07:06) From weight loss to a global brand
(10:13) The $6M vision behind The Hive
(13:47) Why their niche gym blew up on social
(16:16) Deal flow and networking inside workouts
(24:01) “Everything you want is on the other side of fear”
(27:16) Being raw and bold on social media
(33:13) Creating a gym culture people pay a premium for

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

Connect With Doug & Thea Wood
Website: https://hivefitclub.com/
The Hive Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehivefitclub
Doug Wood Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdougwood
Thea Wood Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theawood

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

If your content isn’t bold, it’s invisible. Brady Edwards went from selling pest control to the Video Director for YouTube’s biggest creator, MrBeast. Now he’s helping business owners rethink how they create content that scales trust, drives attention, and builds brand authority. In this episode of Behind Gym Doors, Brady breaks down the exact mindset, strategies, storytelling structure he used to grow massive online audiences and how gym owners can apply the same methods to dominate their local market. This isn’t about likes. It’s about leveraging content as a sales tool that works 24/7.

You’ll learn why short-form posts aren’t enough, how to build “one-sided best friendships” with future members, and how podcasting and YouTube unlock long-term visibility in a world driven by AI search and behavior tracking. If you run a gym or studio and want more of the right members, this episode will change how you think about marketing forever.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(02:03) Entering VidSummit & breaking into YouTube
(05:49) Wild stories from the influencer house
(09:09) Directing MrBeast video & becoming part of one
(13:13) Thinking big & scaling high-impact content
(18:36) Why most brands stop thinking too soon
(21:04) Eye-tracking, metadata & how the algorithm really works
(27:38) Why YouTube is crucial for gym owners
(35:45) How podcasting builds long-term trust with future clients
(40:35) Building loyalty with one-sided friendships
(47:22) Grow your personal brand, grow your business

Connect with Brady Edwards
Instagram: https://instagram.com/bradydeluxe

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

He dragged a 420lb sled 500 miles alone in Antarctic... In this mind-blowing episode, Akshay Nanavati, author of Fearvana (with a foreword by the Dalai Lama), shares the hard-earned lessons he learned from solo expeditions across one of the most unforgiving places on Earth.

His journey from rock bottom to redefining fear itself will change the way you look at discomfort, anxiety, and even imposter syndrome.Whether you're a gym owner resisting expansion, an entrepreneur paralyzed by “what if,” or someone struggling with self-doubt, Akshay reveals a practical mental training framework to help you lean into fear and grow through it.

You’ll learn how to rewire your brain’s survival responses, use fear as fuel for courage and progress and build “mental muscle” through intentional discomfort. If you're ready to stop avoiding fear and start mastering it, this is the episode that flips the switch.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(02:13) The Origins of Fearvana
(06:03) Rider vs. Elephant: Training Your Brain for Leadership
(10:56) Mastering Yourself Through Exposure to Fear
(16:53) Acceptance of Is-ness and Taking Control of Reality
(20:49) Solo Trip Through Antarctica
(28:55) Imposter Syndrome: Why It’s a Sign of Progress
(32:04) Cold Pitching The Dalai Lama
(38:05) What Fearvana Actually Means & How To Use It

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

Connect with Akshay Nanavanti
Get His Book: https://www.amazon.com/FEARVANA-Revolutionary-Science-Health-Happiness/dp/1630476056
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearvana
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Fearvana
Website: https://fearvana.com

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

Most gym owners start with a fitness passion, instead Sheetal started with a tech background and a structured business plan, and it worked. He built three Club Pilates studios that together do over $100K/month with 50% profit margins and scaled without him onsite. In this episode, you’ll hear how he built the system, sold the portfolio, and walked away with a multi-seven-figure exit.

We break down the real numbers behind his sale, how “add-backs” boosted his valuation, why clean P&Ls attract better buyers, and how NPS helped him grow without ads. Whether you're building for freedom, scale, or a future exit, Sheetal’s approach proves you don’t need to be a fitness expert to run a wildly successful studio, you just need to think like a business owner and implement the right systems.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(07:05) Scaling to A $100K/Month Portfolio
(11:10) Why Great Product Is the Best Marketing
(15:55) Using NPS and Online Reviews to Drive Growth
(23:12) Health Scare & When He Started Thinking About Selling
(27:24) Preparing for Exit: Financials, Add-Backs, Clean P&Ls
(36:01) Valuation Multiples: Portfolio Size & Profit Matter
(42:50) The Value Of Using A Broker vs. DIY Sale
(48:17) Why Future Gyms Must Adapt

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

In this powerful episode of Behind Gym Doors, Loud Rumor CEO Mike Arce joins Michael Benso on the Sweat Success podcast to share what truly separates thriving gyms from those that struggle to survive.

Mike goes deep on why marketing, sales, and retention strategies alone aren’t enough, and how building a high-performing team with clear standards can transform your fitness business. You’ll discover:

• Why 81% of gyms fail in their first year (and how to avoid it)
• How to get the right people in the right seats in your business
• How to tie compensation to outcomes
• How to raise your team’s standards so they self-correct, execute consistently, and win
• Why NLP and effective communication can unlock buy-in from your staff and members

If you’ve ever struggled with marketing campaigns that flop, team members who aren’t fully bought in, or retention issues that drain your profits, this episode is a must-watch. Subscribe to Behind Gym Doors for more real conversations with top fitness industry leaders who’ve built million-dollar gyms and businesses.

Check out Michael Benso’s Sweat Success Podcast: / @sweatsuccesspodcast 👉

Download Mike’s new book, The Standard, here: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA 👉 Join the next GSDCON fitness business conference: https://gsdcon.com/

Tai Kyon, owner of one of New York's most successful F45 studios, reveals how he turned his startup gym into a $100K/month powerhouse, without ads or gimmicks.

Formerly a 275-pound tech executive, Tai's personal transformation fuels a studio culture built on empathy, excellence, and elite service. Today, his team leads the most positively reviewed F45 franchise globally, powered by a $250/month kindness budget and a mindset rooted in “unreasonable hospitality.”

In this episode, Mike Arce covers how Tai mapped every member touchpoint, from the first walk-through to cancellation, to eliminate friction and create delight. From snow removal and childcare to handwritten holiday cards and birthday celebrations, this is a masterclass in how small moments drive massive results.

If you're ready to build a gym experience tailored to the customer that sells itself, this episode is for you.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(03:18) Tai’s 100 LB Weight Loss Wake-Up Call

(08:15) Stoicisms major Impact on Tai’s Life

(12:04) Random Acts of Kindness: The $250 KPI Explained

(21:09) Mapping the Member Journey To Remove Friction

(27:44) Specifics of Tai’s Unique Onboarding Process

(32:23) Why This F45 Is The Highest Rated In Network

(44:36) The Importance Of Creating Intangible Moments

(51:46) Time Is the Most Valuable Currency To Share

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

More From Loud Rumor Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

Mike Arce sits down with Megan and Scott Hanson, the founders of High Ride Cycle, to reveal how they’ve built a cult-like studio brand through next-level marketing automation, three iconic promotions a year, and an unforgettable in-studio culture.

They’ve grown to 800+ members across three locations while keeping their ops lean, their campaigns personal, and their customer journey fully mapped out from lead nurture to milestone celebrations to cancellation saves.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(01:55) What Makes High Ride Culture So Addictive
(04:56) Automating the Customer Journey: Where to Start
(08:46) The Tools They Use: BrandBot & Mariana Tek
(13:05) Celebrating Members and Turning It Into Marketing
(19:17) The Cancellation Save Sequence
(25:00) How One Marketer Runs It All
(28:26) Inside Their Six-Figure Black Friday Campaign
(34:05) Targeted Promos That Actually Convert
(40:26) Scaling Automation Without Losing Your Mind
(46:04) Final Advice: Start Simple, Build Over Time

Enjoyed this episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest strategies from top fitness entrepreneurs.

🔔 Hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of The GSD Show!

🔗 Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Connect with Scott & Megan
Website: https://www.highridecycle.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@highridecycle2859
Megan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megan_hansonn
Scott's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smhanson1

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor