In the last year, three marketing agencies have asked Chris Cooper to buy them out—and dozens of others have disappeared.

The average lifespan of a gym marketing agency is 18 months: They churn through gym owners, only to vanish, rebrand and repeat the cycle.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Coop pulls back the curtain on why agencies keep failing, and then he lays out a better marketing plan for gym owners.

He explains how agencies exploit gym owners who don’t understand marketing and often provide low-quality leads or clients who are attracted by unsustainable offers.

The solution? Stop renting your marketing and build systems you own.

Chris describes four battle-tested marketing funnels that have been refined across thousands of gyms worldwide: referrals, organic social media, content and paid ads.

These funnels feed each other, and once they’re running, they’re yours forever. You'll have a world-class structure that will outlast any agency.

Dive deeper into your marketing systems with Two-Brain’s free resources for gym owners, linked below.

Links

Book a Call

Referral Funnel Guide

Organic Social Media Guide

Content Marketing Guide

Paid Ads Guide

State of the Industry Report

More Free Tools

Gym Owners United

0:00 - Intro

3:35 - Do you need more leads?

7:15 - Problems with agency results

10:24 - What works? The four funnels

15:06 - Build your funnels with a mentor

The 10th annual Two-Brain Summit happens June 6-7, 2026, in Chicago, and this year’s theme will change how you think about scaling your gym.

Today, Chris Cooper reveals the event’s headlining speaker—bestselling author Mike Michalowicz—and the “Power of 10” theme that will guide every session.

The Power of 10 framework covers:

• How to take your 10 best clients and replicate them.
• The 10 weekly actions that guarantee business growth.
• The 10 core leadership skills every gym owner must acquire.

Coop also explains that scaling isn’t linear. The systems that get you to 10 clients won’t get you to 100, and the business that serves 100 won’t work for 1,000.

At the summit, you’ll work on the systems you need to grow at each stage of entrepreneurship so you can build the biz you want and earn your Perfect Day.

The summit isn't some motivational conference where you sit in the dark and try to stay awake. It's is a workshop: Attendees have created hiring plans, booked sales calls and posted content as speakers directed them during live sessions. You're going to take action in Chicago.

What does your gym need to reach the next level? Come work it out at the Two-Brain Summit, surrounded by expert speakers and 1,000 other gym owners.

Get your ticket via the link below!

Links

Two-Brain Summit Tickets

Gym Owners United

Book a Call

0:20 - Summit background

3:04 - This year’s headliner

4:33 - Your best client x10

7:11 - The work you’ll do

9:19 - Your invitation to summit

Tickets to the Two-Brain Summit are $200 off until Feb. 1. Get yours via the link below!

This year's headliner: Mike Michalowicz, entrepreneur and author of multiple bestsellers, including “The Pumpkin Plan,” “Profit First,” “Clockwork” and “Get Different.”

Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Mike joins Two-Brain CEO John Franklin to explain why most gyms are swimming in a sea of sameness, invisible to potential clients. And of course Mike has a clear plan to make a fitness business stand out and force people do a "double neck turn" when they see it.

You’ll learn the psychology behind what grabs people’s attention versus what our brains filter out and ignore.

Mike shows gym owners how to look for new ideas outside the fitness industry and shares a real-world example of a microgym that differentiated its marketing and quadrupled foot traffic overnight.

He also reveals the “magical, Jedi-mind-trick question” you can ask ideal members to learn what truly sets your gym apart. Then you amplify your advantage to attract more "perfect clients."

The key? Stop trying to be “better” and start being different.

Don’t miss out on your chance to hear from Mike Michalowicz at the 10th annual Two-Brain Summit this June in Chicago. Save $200 on your ticket now through Feb. 1—link below!

Links

Two-Brain Summit Tickets

Gym Owners United

Book a Call

0:56 - “The sea of sameness”

3:36 - Example & where to find ideas

8:20 - What do your clients notice?

17:11 - Framework for effective marketing

21:25 - Why define a specific audience?