“You thought your customers were lazy on the gym floor. They’re even lazier with their brains.”

That’s how Donald Miller explained the hidden reason most gym marketing doesn’t work: it makes people think too hard.

Donald Miller is the CEO of StoryBrand and Business Made Simple. He’s the author of several books, including bestsellers Building a StoryBrand, Marketing Made Simple, and How to Grow Your Small Business.

At the end of the Growth Summit in Nashville, Tim sat down with Donald for a live fireside chat in front of a packed room of gym owners.

Donald breaks down why most fitness messaging falls flat, why clever doesn’t convert, and how to build a brand message that sticks – not just with prospects, but with your own team. He explains how billion-dollar ad agencies still get it wrong, why presidential campaigns live or die by taglines, and why people would rather stay confused than burn mental calories figuring out your offer.

This conversation is filled with real examples, sharp takeaways, and the kind of clarity most gyms are missing. Give it a listen – and see what happens when your message actually lands.

Hit play.

Key Takeaways:

• Intro (00:00)
• Confusing words waste marketing dollars (02:09)
• Why ad agencies often get it wrong (04:25)
• Training staff on consistent brand message (07:46)
• Fitness doesn’t have to take a long time (10:18)
• Position yourself as the guide, not the hero (18:26)
• Soundbites win political and business campaigns (22:29)
• Use clear, singular offers in your messaging (25:15)
• Words shape your perceived value (29:11)

Additional Resources:

- Schedule your SpringBoard call

- Apply to join The Iron Circle

- Check out our Switch to Semi-Private course

- Get 30 days of Semi-Private Pro on us!

- A tool for deciding on new gym services – 5-Question Matrix

- Tim's new book – Built to Win by Tim Lyons

- ProFit Accelerator: Helping Training Gyms Grow to 30K/month and Beyond Facebook group

---

If you haven't already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Most gym owners open a second location and hit a wall. Devin Gage is building to 100.

In just over two years, he’s grown from one gym in Pennsylvania to eight – all corporately owned, all self-funded, and all running on a lean, scalable model. Small footprint, low overhead, high-touch service, and centralized systems for everything else.

Each location is under 2,000 square feet, costs about $75K to open, and runs on 2.5 staff. Break-even is around 60 members. No in-person sales – all memberships are sold over the phone by one rep using a structured script and handoff process. That single rep is booking 20-30 trials a week across all locations.

In this episode, Tim and Randy sit down with Devin to unpack what’s actually working.

They talk about:

• early mistakes and the failed California test
• how the centralized sales handoff works
• what Devin looks for in a facility leader
• his data-driven accountability process
• and why grand openings are still a work in progress

Tune in and learn what real multi-location growth looks like.

Key Takeaways:

• Intro (00:00)
• Devin’s mission: 100 gyms by 2034 (01:58)
• COVID pivot: small-group model scales fast (03:46)
• First few gym expansions: what worked and what didn’t (04:28)
• Centralized sales process and tech stack explained (10:24)
• Coaches can’t also be great salespeople (13:24)
• How off-site sales work with high-level follow-up (18:16)
• Grand opening strategies and early adopter marketing (26:51)

Additional Resources:

- Little Gym, Big Heart with Devin Gage

---

- Schedule your SpringBoard call

- Apply to join The Iron Circle

- Check out our Switch to Semi-Private course

- Get 30 days of Semi-Private Pro on us!

- A tool for deciding on new gym services – 5-Question Matrix

- Tim's new book – Built to Win by Tim Lyons

- ProFit Accelerator: Helping Training Gyms Grow to 30K/month and Beyond Facebook group

---

If you haven't already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Some gym owners just keep pulling away – month after month, year after year – while others stall out, stuck at the same level no matter how hard they push.

It’s not because they’ve got better software or some secret funnel. And it’s definitely not luck.

It’s who they’re around.

This is the final episode in the 7 Habits of Winning Gyms series – and this one’s the big domino. The habit that makes the rest of the business easier... or sometimes not even necessary.

Because the moment a gym owner starts surrounding themselves with high performers – whether that’s on their team, in a mastermind, or through proximity to other driven operators – everything shifts. The belief system changes. The norm resets. And the ceiling gets shattered.

Winning gyms aren’t trying to pull people up. They’re getting pulled forward by people who’ve already done it.

This episode is about understanding when you’ve outgrown your current circle… and what happens when you step into a room where $70K months are just the starting line.

Tune in.

And yeah… it’s been said a million times, but it’s still true:

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong one.

Key Takeaways:

• Intro (00:00)
• Recap of the first 6 habits of winning gyms (00:52)
• Habit #7: Surround yourself with high performers (02:59)
• Masterminds can reignite growth after plateau (04:44)
• Comfort kills progress – challenge drives results (05:29)
• You’re only as strong as your weakest team member (07:06)
• The Iron Circle’s $70K/month benchmark explained (10:19)
• These 7 habits are a gym owner’s belief system (13:21)

Additional Resources:

- Schedule your SpringBoard call

- Apply to join The Iron Circle

- Check out our Switch to Semi-Private course

- Get 30 days of Semi-Private Pro on us!

- A tool for deciding on new gym services – 5-Question Matrix

- Tim's new book – Built to Win by Tim Lyons

- ProFit Accelerator: Helping Training Gyms Grow to 30K/month and Beyond Facebook group

---

If you haven't already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!