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?

CrossFit taught the world how to move, and now through MetFix, Greg Glassman wants to teach them how to eat.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper sits down with Peter Shaw, former CrossFit flowmaster and current head of the MetFix Seminar Team.

The pair explore how MetFix is building on top of CrossFit rather than competing with it by shifting the focus from fitness alone to overall health.

Peter explains that MetFix emphasizes metabolic health education so trainers can confidently work with the 80% of people suffering from chronic disease.

The opportunity for gym owners is significant: MetFix adds a revenue stream, and it creates a pathway to attract clients who want to reverse diabetes, lose weight and get healthier.

Peter also discusses building relationships with medical professionals and positioning yourself as a health authority in your community.

Links

“Effect of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Deprescription …”

“Virta Health champions its nutrition therapy …”

MetFix Website

Gym Owners United

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1:55 - Intro

3:42 - Fitness vs. health landscape

13:24 - MetFix and CrossFit

21:01 - Opportunity for gym owners

40:02 - Why choose MetFix?

Twenty years of gym ownership will teach you things no course ever could.

Chris Cooper’s gym, Catalyst, recently turned 20, and today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain's founder is sharing 22 lessons he’s learned over the last two decades as a fitness entrepreneur.

Chris reveals the early mistakes that nearly cost him everything and the systems that finally gave him stability and freedom. He also explains how mentorship and self-improvement helped him acquire critical skills and avoid expensive missteps.

You’ll find out why coaching skills rarely determine long-term gym success and what actually separates gym owners who survive from those who eventually burn out.

Among Coop’s top lessons: Fix yourself before fixing the business, consistency matters more than intensity, and gym owners aren’t selling workouts—they’re selling hope.

Tune in for two decades of hard-won wisdom that could save you years of pain and tens of thousands of dollars.

Links

Gym Owners United

Book a Call

1:04 - Pre-2005 to 2009

27:15 - 2010 to 2013

44:06 - 2014 to 2017

59:13 - 2018 to 2021

1:11:45 - 2022 to 2025

Hyrox affiliation gives Rob Sowden-Taylor 25 to 40% of his gym’s leads and creates long-term members who stick around for an average of 2.5 years.

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Rob, owner of Ion Strength and Conditioning in Wales, to break down exactly how he uses Hyrox as a client-acquisition tool.

Rob shares how he structures Hyrox simulations to maximize participation and revenue, running more than 120 people through them in just four hours.

About half his event participants are existing members—boosting average revenue per member—and the other half are new people, providing fresh leads for his gym’s ongoing services.

Tune in to get the complete blueprint for implementing a Hyrox program that generates leads and boosts revenue.

Read Rob’s full Hyrox ROI breakdown, linked below.

Links

Rob's Hyrox ROI Breakdown

Gym Owners United

Book a Call

1:06 - Rob’s new Hyrox lead stats

8:35 - Running Hyrox simulations

12:09 - Where leads come from

15:43 - Pricing the simulations

24:16 - How to set up an event

If you put all your clients on podiums and celebrate their achievements, they'll stay longer and you'll earn more.

Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper breaks down the in-house competition he’s refined over 15 years: the Intramural Open. The four-week event can be run completely on its own or combined with the CrossFit Games Open.

Two-Brain's signature fun competition is a win for everyone: Clients get podium moments they can’t get anywhere else, and gym owners see measurable improvements in retention and average revenue per member. Plus, Coop has added a special bring-a-friend workout that's an A+ marketing opportunity.

From setup logistics to post-competition revenue boosters, Coop lays out the exact steps for running a successful team competition in your gym. You’ll even learn how to offer pre-event programs and specialty clinics to generate additional revenue before the competition begins.

Chris also shares survival tips to avoid burnout and refresh the open if you've run the event before.

If you’re ready to boost revenue and retention and fill your gym with good vibes to start 2026, this episode is for you!

To download the Intramural Open guide, head to Gym Owners United via the link below.

Links

Gym Owners United

Book a Call

8:04 - Setting up the Intramural Open

11:51 - Pre-open activities

18:14 - Points and scoring

23:51 - Results = more money

28:28 - How to refresh the open

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains why gym owners need to stop consuming clickbait speculation about CrossFit’s sale and start working on what actually matters: their businesses.

Stop paying the “distraction tax”—hours spent watching videos, scrolling comments and worrying about things you can’t control cost you opportunities to generate revenue, build client relationships and preserve decision-making capacity.

To give you a concrete plan to improve your business in a time of uncertainty, Coop walks through a five-step process you can use to objectively measure the value of any gym affiliation using real numbers:

✅ Check local search volume for the brand
✅ Track where your leads come from
✅ Calculate marketing ROI with a simple formula
✅ Measure revenue from affiliation programs
✅ Assess retention value among engaged members

If you decide to rebrand, Chris also covers the true costs, from domain changes and social media updates to new signage and content, so you understand what’s actually required.

The key takeaway: CrossFit LLC (or any brand affiliation) has never had less impact on your success than right now. Your coaching, client relationships and business systems actually drive results.

Watch this episode to get the decision-making framework that will help you make smart, data-driven choices about affiliation. Then get back to work.

Links

Measuring the Value of Affiliation

The True Costs of Rebranding

Gym Owners United

Book a Call

1:09 - Don’t get distracted

2:53 - Help with affiliation decision

9:31 - A rebranding plan

12:48 - Get back to work

14:15 - The decision to make now