How I Started My First Gym

Back in ’99

It was late 1999 and I was working at a tennis and fitness club, paying a rent of $200 per month, charging $20 for each personal training session. I wasn’t starving, as I had around 20 clients and things seemed to be moving well with my profession. But I was ready to make the next step. The step that would forever change my life.

I had previously applied for a manager position of this small club, since I was always there anyways. Long story short, the managers passed me over for the position and hired someone who wasn’t even in shape. This guy came in shooting off his mouth about how he was changing things and was going to bring in big business. He told me I had another month, then they would start taking 30 percent of my training income.

There’s a reason I work for myself…

For anyone who knows me, I have a hard time processing things of this nature… there is a reason why I work for myself. I looked at him with a death stare and, right then, I knew it was time to rally the troops and start my own place. I was still just 20 years old, but it was time. I started looking for spot within 1-2 miles of the club so I could possibly retain all of my clients.

It took me two weeks to identify where my first of many gyms/personal training studios would be. But before I tell you how I did it, one of the best moments of the entire thing was telling the guy I was leaving…

I was set to go on vacation right before the so-called transition, and as I’m leaving the manager says, “When you come back we are on the new fee.” I said, “Oh yeah, I’m opening a gym down the street, and all of my clients are coming with me.” He proceeded to give me the line that I won’t be successful, I don’t know what I’m doing and so on. He went through a list of people who failed and when he was done, right before I walked out, I said, “I’m not any of these people. Failure is not an option.”

Opening my first studio at age 20

Before I left the club, I went to work finding my new place. I was 20 years old, with little money left from working in a coal mine, but I needed to find a place and start making some money. I identified a place less than two miles from where I was working with 900 square feet and cost $600/per month. It was inside a little mini-mall that nobody knew about, but it was my best option at the time.

My landlord definitely took advantage of the fact that I didn’t know what I was doing yet too. Instead of three free months up front, he only gave me one when I signed a three-year lease. He was always late fixing things and just a piece of work, but I made it work.

I put together $5,000 to make it happen, giving the landlord three months rent up front. Factoring in the free month, I had four months to get my shit together.

What about equipment?

I asked all my clients if they knew of any available equipment. I started to put the pieces together. There was a treadmill and bike given to me, a big mirror and squat rack, dumbbells, and a rack from the local sporting goods store. There was nothing that was commercial-grade at that moment, but I made due with the 20-25 clients who were using it a few times per week.

A lot of people think you need all this high-end equipment from the start in order to be a great personal trainer, but that’s not true at all. I simple made the most of my resources and got creative, which really helped me think outside the box.

I ran a really cool barter network along the way, which helped, and fostered relationships in the process. I found a guy to redo all kinds of things in exchange for training, but it was a matter of utilizing my relationships and skillset to its fullest advantage. It wasn’t all about it. It was about thinking outside the box and doing whatever it takes to accomplish your goals.

It’s up to you to make it happen

Opening a gym was on my goal sheet since day one and I was determined to make it happen and make it successful no matter what. It truly was the start of the animal inside me that drove me to more and more accomplishments along the way.

But event at 20, that fire was lit and I was determined to take it to another level. Your goal may be different, but the key is your age, and your situation. Everything else doesn’t matter. If you have a goal, don’t make excuses. Go out and work your ass off and make it happen. Do that and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

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