Fitness Business University Podcast

SPEAKER_03: What's up guys?

This is an interview that I did
with husband and wife team in my

SPF mastermind.

They started with me doing$7,000
a month.

They've pretty much maxed out
their first gym and launched

their second gym that already
has 50 members.

They're doing really, really
great work.

And I sit down to interview them
about their best practices for

how they've had such explosive
growth in such a short amount of

time and have been able to give
themselves freedom of time and

freedom of money.

So if that's you and you're
looking for tips to get more

freedom of time and money from
owning a gym, this is a really

great interview to listen to.

Check it out.

Welcome to a very special
episode.

The purpose of these interviews,
these interviews that I'm doing

are a series of interviews with
gym owners that came to me in

stage one and have gotten
through stage one and into stage

two and beyond.

That is the purpose of today's
interview with Bobby and Maria.

And it's the purpose of the
series of other interviews that

you have seen and will be
seeing.

The premise of this interview is
based around putting it inside

my new book.

And my new book is called The
Eight Profit Levers.

And the purpose of the book is
to help gym owners in stage one

get to stage two.

That is the entire purpose of
the book.

And I selected some case studies
and selected some specific

people that have done it
brilliantly.

And I'm super excited to have
Bobby and Maria here.

They are the founders of Big Day
Fitness in Massachusetts.

And I'm super excited to have
them on.

So let's kind of start from the
very beginning.

Okay.

I do believe I remember Bobby
where you actually heard of us

or came from, but just kind of
like talk about what life was

like before you joined with us
and what was the business look

like?

What was life like?

What was the question marks of
everything?

Give it paint that picture for
us of where you were.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

So I started with the mastermind
probably 15 months after I

opened the business.

And my game plan was I actually
talked to the SBA, and I was

just like, you know, everybody
needs training.

It's COVID, so people want to do
one-on-one.

So like my plan is to train
everybody.

And you know, the SBA lady was
like, oh, that's a great plan.

You should do that.

So for the next year, I was just
training everybody.

I was doing kids, adults,
athletes.

I bought like five grand worth
of wrestling maths and was

teaching wrestling and boxing in
jujitsu, doing boot camps and

strength training, like
literally everything.

So the first year, I was I was
doing like six to eight sessions

a day, spread from six in the
morning to seven at night.

And I was doing Saturdays, I was
doing Sundays.

So the first year was just a
grind.

It was really just a lot of
energy, not having any systems,

not knowing what my market was.

I had the cleanest gym in in
town.

You know, it was like I was
always mopping the floor, doing

spreadsheets like outside,
trying to like track attendance

and stuff.

So it was just like inside the
gym, grinding hard, and then

doing a bunch of like random
shit outside the gym that wasn't

really important.

So after a year of that, I was
drained.

I was like, this isn't what I
thought it was gonna be.

I'm tired, I'm like an asshole
outside of the gym.

And yeah, I was like ready.

I I won't say I was ready to
hang it up.

I wasn't thinking about
quitting, but it was like moving

in that direction.

And that's when Maria moved
here.

And because we uh we got engaged
before what was what was making

you move in that direction?

What was making me move in that
direction?

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it towards it.

Doesn't seem like you got to
that point, but what was making

you what was the biggest thing
that was making you move toward

that of possibly quitting?

SPEAKER_01: There was no vision.

I didn't know what it was like,
like I didn't know what

opportunity there was.

I saw like, you know, I'm making
a hundred thousand dollars in

revenue is what I made I'm close
to that the first year, which

like felt kind of cool, but at
the same time was like if I'm

like to make more money, do I
have to do more of this?

SPEAKER_03: Like there was about
8k a month?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: Doing 8k a month.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so like Yeah,
you were stuck in the day to

day, but you got no idea where
you were going.

SPEAKER_01: Right.

Yeah, there was no vision, no
direction.

SPEAKER_03: And what was the
feelings that you were having at

that time?

The emotions.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

I was angry, I was upset, I was
sad.

I was like feeling the whole the
whole gauntlet of it, and just

that general sense of you know,
it's like the the opposite of

vitality, you know.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's a good
way to put it.

SPEAKER_01: Sluggish.

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: And he wasn't fun to
be around.

I guess moved here from Spain,
like he was saying before.

We got engaged right before
COVID.

So during COVID, I got stuck in
Spain, and when I was able to

come back after 18 months, I
left my family and my job, I

left everything to move here and
get married.

And those months were supposed
to be like the best months ever.

And he wasn't there because he
was miserable with work, and

there was nothing that I could
do to help him.

And I was super sad, crying
around the corners, and he

wasn't there b to to support me
because he couldn't.

He had to be at the gym all the
time, and there was nothing that

I had to do at the gym at that
point.

SPEAKER_02: So yeah, he and how
did that how did that make you

how how did that make you feel?

SPEAKER_00: Honestly, looking
back now, I see how bad that

was.

In that moment, I was so so sad
and so like just trying to find

my place here that I didn't even
realize oh, this is not going

the way that it should.

Because yeah, he was just not in
the right header space, I wasn't

either.

So it was a daff, it was a deaf
cut.

SPEAKER_03: Okay.

So you're going through this
struggle.

Can you can you talk a little
bit more about the money side of

it?

Was that a frustration I know
you said you did 100k, like was

that a frustrating thing to you?

Tell me about the financial side
of being in that time.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, I was
tracking all of my finances and

stuff.

And when I say that, I mean I
was like color coding an Excel

sheet, you know, like it wasn't
very sophisticated.

So I was like kind of aware of
what I was doing, but I was just

like, oh wow, like I generated
like a hundred thousand dollars.

Like that's like you know, kind
of cool.

But at one point I did the math
and I was like, wow, I just made

like you know, 30 something
grand.

Like I made a little bit more
than I did at my training job,

and this was way more work and
you know, yeah, it wasn't very

exciting.

SPEAKER_00: Right, the money
wasn't in your pocket.

SPEAKER_01: No, yeah, and and to
speak on that, I also didn't I I

had some boot camps going on,
and I never had the gall to like

get trainers to do sessions for
me, like for like one-on-ones

and other things, but I had them
do some of the boot camps, and

uh the boot camp model is you
pay trainers like 45 bucks and

you try to get a like it's a
numbers game, like a ton of

people in, and then it becomes
worth it.

And I was like leaving and I was
feeling like self-righteous, and

like, you know, they didn't
value me at this last gym, and

like you know, they didn't value
my friends either.

So I brought them in and I paid
them more to do boot camps at my

gym.

I paid them$60 for a session,
and I would just like do the

math and be like, well, if I get
five people to do the session,

I'll make$15, which is like I'm
getting paid to not be at the

team right now, you know.

So like my understanding of it
wasn't very good either.

SPEAKER_03: That's funny.

Well, I want to ask a question.

So you were doing about$30,000
in income, yeah, and you had a

training job before that.

What were you making at the
training job?

SPEAKER_01: It was probably like
$20,$28,000.

SPEAKER_03: So around the same.

Yeah, so you're making this
same, you're making the same

money now.

SPEAKER_01: How many hours were
you working to make the third

probably like 25, 30 hours,
something like that?

SPEAKER_03: Like nothing, not
even for the no for the gym.

SPEAKER_01: Oh, for the gym,
yeah.

SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah, like 70
hours, like yeah, so like you

made the same money in the so
you ended up like making

probably like ten dollars an
hour.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was uh
definitely not a promotion.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's funny, it
is like what I have friends that

that do college football
coaching, and they would take

how much college football
coaches, especially if you're

like a GA, they don't get paid
very much money, and they would

calculate they would work like
90 hours a week and calculate

how much they get paid, and they
would be make like one my buddy

told me he made like 25 cents an
hour.

Like it's like something like
that.

But it's like, yeah, that's one
of the pieces I touch on in the

book a lot, is like you go from
trainer to business owner, you

think you're gonna make more,
but per hour that you're

actually working, you make a
whole lot less, you know, in the

very beginning.

So, well, yeah, so you guys did,
you know, I appreciate you

sharing that.

I know sometimes that can stir
up some stuff, like as it does

for me when I think about back
in the day.

You got you two at least made
it.

Me and Vanessa didn't even make
it, and we had to patch it up.

I talk, I actually talk about
that a little bit in the book.

So let's talk about.

So we're you're doing about 7,
8k a month, you're working, you

know, twice as much as you've
ever worked before for the same

or less money.

Your business structure is kind
of all over the place, you're

training all these different
types of people.

What was the thing that made you
well?

First, actually, how did you
learn about us?

How did you learn to come to one
of our programs?

Maybe we share that.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

So I was, you know, I started
the business and it was with a

like a coach mentality.

So I was listening to Strength
Coach podcast all the time.

SPEAKER_03: I just wanted to my
friend Anthony Renna.

Yep.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's awesome.

And you know, I thought that the
better I got, the more people

would come.

That was like the only thing I
had clear was like, I just need

to be a better, better trainer.

That's what's going to get me
successful.

So I heard you one time do a
pitch on like small group, and

it it made so much sense.

I was like, I have all these
clients that could come and

train together and you know make
make like recurring money.

And it it it really spoke to me.

So I ended up getting your book,
but I didn't take any like any

action on it.

I was just in your I was in your
uh like email list for email

list, yeah.

Yeah.

So you uh you threw out a
nine-word email, something that

we've used a lot now that's
helped us make a lot of money.

It's awesome.

SPEAKER_02: Very cool.

SPEAKER_01: And uh, you asked if
we were interested in doing some

like one-on-one business
coaching, and I was like, Yeah,

like at this point, it's
December, Maria's been here for

three months.

SPEAKER_00: Not working, I
couldn't work yet.

So what he was making was for
both.

And we were lucky because we
were living at his parents'

house, we still are, but yeah,
yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: So she was uh at the
gym with me, and I was like, you

know, I was about to get on a
call with you, and uh, we got on

the call, and I told you, you
know, you asked me everything,

like, you know, how much money
we're making, and I told you

like 100k, because this is
December, so like the year's

about to end.

I was like, this is about to be
a hundred thousand dollar year,

and I told you how much I was
coaching, and the words you said

to me were, I don't see why you
can't make$200,000 next year and

be on the floor less.

SPEAKER_03: So it is I did say
that.

That's a pretty bold statement,
huh?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, that's
what you said.

Well, you didn't say you're
gonna you're gonna make it.

You said I don't see why not.

Because like as we learned the
next year, it's like the the

resources at SPF are all
amazing, and it's like, but it's

on it's still on you to take the
action, yeah, yeah.

So so like it felt like like
looking back at it, what you

said was just honest.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you said
that, and then you said what was

the investment?

And I remember being in one of
those wrestling mats at the gym

behind him.

I was just stretching or
something, and when you said

that number, I was like, like,
like, no way, we're not doing

this.

That's like half a salary for
the year in Spain, like it was a

crazy amount of money for me.

Yeah, I just yeah, just moving
from Spain, like at that point,

it was like three months after.

SPEAKER_01: And so she listed
all my wrestling mats on eBay,

and we uh we started with SPF.

SPEAKER_03: Oh, is that how oh
you so so wait, you you you sold

stuff to get the money to do
SPF?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, we saw
we saw the direction in the

promise.

It was like, well, wrestling
camps aren't gonna be our uh

main source of revenue, so that
was uh it hurt a little bit, but

it made sense.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he kind of
convinced me that if this

worked, Ago Club being so worth
it.

And looking at how things were
going, we didn't really have

many more options because we
didn't know we didn't know

better, so we had to give it a
chance.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, okay.

Amazing, and so let's talk about
what started to happen, right?

As you guys got started to do
some work, started to get some

advice, you know.

Obviously, I you know, you know
that the book highlights eight

profit levers, right?

And one of the reasons why I
picked you guys and the couple

other people I picked, because I
tried to think about, I mean,

the majority of people that have
had success have used these

levers.

But when you start to think
about which of the levers, you

know, you were you you started
to put into place, let's start

to kind of weave that into the
conversation here.

But if you could think back and
to be like, what what were the

things that started to happen in
your business that made you

start to be like, oh, we're
actually making some progress.

This is kind of a good thing
that's happening here.

What kind of lead us down the
path?

I'm sure that there's definitely
a series of stuff that happened,

right?

So lead us down that path of the
story of how things start to get

better.

SPEAKER_01: Okay.

Well, the first thing is just,
and you mentioned in the the

packet, like what's what's the
one moment?

And uh, I'm going into the gym
one day after being in the group

for a month, and we didn't
change much.

And uh just being like, you
know, sick to my stomach and was

like, you know, this isn't it.

Like I hate this.

So I I called sick to all the
clients.

It was like, I'm I'm not in
today.

And I called Marie and was like,
hey, like, I need help making

this small group thing happen.

Like, can you help me turn it
around?

She was like, Yeah, let's do it.

So we came back and were in my
parents' living room for three

days.

SPEAKER_00: Literally.

Like his dad would pass by and
he could look at us.

We are like, What are you guys
doing here for like another day?

He was like getting concerned.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and well, but
and then looking at it for the

the course.

So did you guys did you guys
close the gym?

Yeah, I was sick for the next
four days.

Yeah, you're sick.

SPEAKER_00: Three days sick.

It was literally we had the
whole living room full of papers

and pens and and schedule
plannings and price sheets and

notes from conversations with
clients, and notes about the app

that we were gonna set up, the
newer schedule, the new training

model.

It was like it was like a movie,
like papers everywhere in the

walls on the tables.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

Yeah.

So that I mean that that one
like time kind of set the pace

for the next couple of years of
growing where we've we've done

that a lot, where you used to
say paid to think.

Like realized like every time
that we've had a period of we're

sitting down for three days and
figuring shit out, it always led

to a lot of growth.

So that first time we got a
schedule down where like now

we're not at the gym for 13
hours, we're there for six to

seven hours.

We have a standardized program,
so we're not doing different

shit with different people.

We have an avatar, we have we're
we have one person we're trying

to help, and like we know who
that person person is.

So after that, like one sit-down
and meeting, that set the tone

for the next six months to a
year, where we just started to

grow by a couple.

So so we did that and we got to
$7,000 a month again with 35

members.

SPEAKER_00: A small group.

Yeah, so we we got rid of the
boot camps and all the messy

services that we were offering,
and we just offer one thing, a

small group, and whoever wanted
to stay could stay, and whoever

didn't want to stay, they could
leave.

SPEAKER_03: So essentially what
happened was you restructured

the business, right?

Because that's like one of the
things I a point that I make in

the book is that you know what
in the when you start, and you

guys are you know, textbook, the
business structure doesn't make

any sense, right?

And so your big move was
shifting the structure around

where you were able to make the
same amount of money, but in I

mean, a fraction of of the hours
and a fraction of the time with

seemingly probably a smaller
client base as in a smaller

program and everything like
that, right?

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, it was
recurrent revenue because

everybody was okay.

SPEAKER_03: So so just real
quick, what was the model

before?

It was just everything, so you
did large group.

You did you do any small group
when you started?

SPEAKER_01: Like I did
semi-private training, so okay,

got it.

Yeah, you know, like I had
friends that would train

together, but it wasn't like
wasn't like this.

SPEAKER_00: People go pay by
session or they could buy a

package and he would have to
punch the the card.

There was no secure payments,
yeah.

SPEAKER_03: Got it.

So no recurring revenue at all.

No.

Wow, okay, good.

All right, so you guys, this is
awesome.

Like, I can just see you guys
now sitting in the living room

papers everywhere, restructuring
the whole business.

That must have been scary, huh?

SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, setting up
an app that we had never used, a

new software.

It was so freaking scary.

Like we weren't actually sick to
our stomachs for three days.

SPEAKER_01: And that's uh that
was one of the crazy things too,

because starting the business,
starting big day, people would

always come to me and be like,
dude, like you started a

business, like good for you,
like respect.

And like I always just like, you
know, like that that's like

implying that it's like a scary
thing, you know.

I was like, I was never scared
to run the like to open the

business or to run it.

It was just like hard as fuck.

Like it was uh I'm gonna swear
in the back.

SPEAKER_03: No, you're good,
you're good, you're good.

SPEAKER_01: It was it was just
hard, you know what I mean?

Like it wasn't scary, but then
we joined SPF and like then then

everything kind of got scary
because you're like telling us

to do these things, and it's
like I have to have some hard

conversations with people, I
have to set some different

boundaries, and like all that
stuff was it was like scary to

do.

So, yeah, this was we were
definitely out of our comfort

zone doing a lot of these
things.

SPEAKER_03: So, when you made
all those changes, like how did

it go?

Like, did people start liking
the product but better?

Like, how what was life like?

Like, as you started to make
that structural change, what

were the things that started to
happen that made you realize, oh

okay, this is good, this could
work.

SPEAKER_00: Well, it's funny
because we didn't do it

progressively, we ripped the
bandage, you ripped the bandage.

And some people liked it and
state, and some people were

freaked out and then left.

And it turned out to be that the
people that left were the ones

that were promoting culture that
we didn't want at the gym.

So that whole change in the
business model led to a whole

change in the culture for good
too.

So it wasn't easy, like we got a
couple hard weeks answering

people's questions and having to
face them and having to face the

this is so expensive and things
like that.

But then we got more comfortable
and we just kept going.

SPEAKER_03: And how many small
group members did you have at

that point?

SPEAKER_01: We started with
around 35 after we collected

everybody and that was already
at the gym.

SPEAKER_03: 35.

And how many do you have at your
current facility?

SPEAKER_00: We have with in the
145, yeah.

145, and then one week there at
50.

SPEAKER_03: Nice, awesome.

So I want to not I want we're
gonna fast forward to the 145

and the second location where
you guys are in at a second, but

I want to start thinking about
all right, I we made these big

changes, this big shift of a
model, but we're still at 35

members, we're still making
$7,000 a month.

unknown: Right.

SPEAKER_03: What were the things
that you started to do?

Right?

Let's start thinking about these
levers.

Like, what were the levers that
you started to pull to grow your

because at this point it was
like growing the client base now

going from you know, and this
happened obviously over time,

but you guys have gone from 35
smuggler members to 145, really

to 200, right?

Because you have the psycho
facility, which is incredible.

So, what were the things that
you guys started to do?

You mentioned nine-word email as
as one of them, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, all of that.

So we um we started, you know,
building a list and emailing it.

We got a website like before we
had a website that I made, which

was like, you know, like any any
website that you make on your

own isn't that great.

So website that just attracted
our audience weeks that the SPF

crew taught us like how to run
and execute and document your

success with pushing referrals.

That was a big thing at the
beginning because it, you know,

we had great people that loved
us and they saw us.

They everybody that's with you,
you're that's that's small, you

know, they like you and and they
want to help you, and they were

trying to bring their friends
in, and it just promoted like an

awesome culture.

SPEAKER_00: Yes.

And we started good doing more
things outside in the community,

like tabling at different
events.

We spent weekends out talking to
people, handing out flyers.

Like I remember him coaching a
one-on-one session and me coming

every half an hour to bring
flyers because there was an

event next door, and I was
putting flyers in the cars, and

I was like, they're gonna put me
a fine for doing that, but I

kept doing it, talking to
everybody.

We went to a Bob Marley concert
to try to get clients, and that

didn't work out, but it was a
good time.

We were just exposing ourselves
a lot out, and it was hard in

the sense that it was a lot of
time and a lot of thinking, and

we were with the foot on the gas
all the time, but then it kept

giving uh results, and we
realized that all these things

are hard to implement because
it's exhausting mentally because

you do them and you don't see
immediate results, right?

But then with time, like if you
just keep doing it, then they

come.

SPEAKER_03: What made you keep
going?

SPEAKER_00: Well, because we
wanted to keep roaming, and

there was nothing that was
telling us that something wasn't

working.

SPEAKER_01: For me though, for
me, it was seeing the difference

in just the change in schedule.

I was like, I don't hate this
anymore.

Like, this is doable again.

Like, I I kind of like this, you
know.

I could I could feel good about
bringing coach in to do this

because it's not awful, it it
makes sense, you can teach

somebody, but your answer I
think will be more interesting

because Maria had a a gig lined
up at a$80,000 a year tech sales

job.

Okay, I drove her to, and like I
want her to stay because she's

fucking she's awesome, but also
like I understand like she's a

lawyer in Spain, right?

She's like she's somebody who
can really go and do some cool

things.

So I drive her there and I'm
fully expecting her to go and

take this gig because it's like
a final interview.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so there's the
I remember I remember this.

SPEAKER_01: I remember this,
yeah.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I so I went
through I think it was four or

five interviews, and I go to the
the last one, and I remember

being on the calls asking you
because I really wanted you to

tell me what to do, and you
never did.

And I and Bobby's like, you just
want him to answer, right?

And I that's all I wanted, and
you kept like just answering me,

giving me hard answers, so I had
to make the decision.

And I remember talking to Kathy
Jennings and crying on the on

the Wednesday calls, like, I
don't know what to do, please,

guys, help me.

And then I got to this last
interview, an hour away driving.

Bobby brings me, and the guy
runs out the door and he comes

in the office again and he's
like, the job is yours,$80,000

base base salary, uh, plus
commissions.

And I looked at him and I said,
Can I think about it?

I left, I go to the car, I
looked at Bobby, and I said, I

don't want it.

He's like, What?

And I'm like, I don't want it.

Like, this is our opportunity to
grow our own thing, and this is

like we're never gonna have this
opportunity again.

And he was like so excited
because he wanted he's getting

emotional, but I'm getting
emotional, exactly.

Yeah, he didn't want to he
wanted me to stay, but he didn't

want to force my decision, yeah.

And so he stayed on the side,
and he just said, Whatever you

decide is good with me.

But I just saw the opportunity
and how good we were with each

other working, and I said no,
and I I think is the best one of

the best decisions that I have
ever made because since then we

just went up because we had no
limits, it was just us.

So I said no to that salary that
translated into Spanish salary,

it was like I was rich.

For some reason, the finance
side of things to me is very

important, and for some reason
at that point it didn't even

matter, which I still don't
understand the logic, but that's

what happened.

SPEAKER_03: That is incredible,
and you know it's funny I opened

one of the chapters with with
talking about belief and how

belief in yourself is such an
important piece, and part of

belief is feeling that you
deserve the success.

And you guys have heard me teach
the concept why not me.

And I hope people listening to
this take what you said and take

that story and take the belief
that you had in yourself and

that that you had in Bobby and
that you had in this business

and this company that's doing
such great work to pass up

something as secure.

I mean, that's more money than
most gym owners make.

Right?

Most even doing at 300k, I mean,
that salary is more profit than

a gym at 300k.

You know, so like you that was a
it was a bold move, but wow.

SPEAKER_00: The best part is
that I said no, and then they

called me two days after and
they said they said this to me

widget.

Unbelievable, but they said how
much?

And I was like, no, you don't
understand, it's not about the

money, and I had to give them
the the story like this is our

opportunity to grow something
that is ours, and if it doesn't

work, I'll find something else
again, but it's not even about

the money anymore.

So they came back to me with
another like barrier to get me,

and again I said no, so it was
clear.

SPEAKER_03: Wow, amazing,
amazing.

Let's keep going down this line
of I'm kind of using this where

you're at now at 145 members and
where you started at 35 or

whatever, and we're working
towards that.

We're getting to the point where
we'll talk about your second

location and all of that.

But you started to hire some
staff members, right?

SPEAKER_01: Was there a price
raise in the middle of this?

So, well, we we changed the
prices initially.

We didn't have the confidence at
the beginning to do what we said

when we tried to switch to the
group.

So, this is another thing.

We we went with, you know, I
think 60% of what we were doing

for one-on-ones, and it was a
big shock to a lot of the

people.

Yeah, I had a group of like
eight girls in a session one

time.

I was like, huddle up, like you
know, things are changing when

you small group, and I passed
them out pamphlets, and one

girl's like, This is$38 a
session.

And I was like, Yeah, and they
were all just like not about it.

And so me and Maria kind of
talked and we were a little

freaked out at the response.

So we found a price that was
more than what we were doing by

far, but it wasn't quite 38 yet,
and and we built up from there,

so we built our confidence at a
more premium price point, but

not what we set out for.

So we that was from the very
beginning, that initial like

reset.

Then when we got to Maria saying
no to the job, we were at 16k a

month, 65 members, I think.

And then January the end of
December of that year, we we hit

100 members, and you're gonna
love this part.

The revenue we made for that
year was$200,000, like on the

money.

SPEAKER_00: What you said, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: You like nailed it.

SPEAKER_02: Well, I believed in
you guys.

SPEAKER_00: So throughout that
process, we never raised prices

to current members, but when we
did the switch to a small group,

but we did price raises.

SPEAKER_03: You did first for
new members very like three or

four times.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you've got to
bring price.

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: Good.

Good.

Excellent.

What have been some of the
biggest drivers for you guys to

get new customers?

We've gone from 35.

I know you talked a little bit
about the community stuff, but

what are the other things that
you can lean on?

Like you know my marketing glove
concept, but like, so what have

been the fingers on the glove,
the things that you've been

leaning on the most to get new
customers?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah.

So referrals has been our our
biggest thing the past few

years.

Like 40% of our members, 45% of
our members have come from

referrals.

And a lot of the referrals
already know us.

Like it's not their friend isn't
always the first point of

contact.

So they've seen they've driven
by, they've seen us at an event

outside.

They've, you know, on our
marketing list because they came

in from a Facebook ad or they've
been on our website one time.

So we've been like hammering out
all the different ways that like

you guys have taught us to to
reach out to people and and keep

them in the in your bubble.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

Email, referrals, community
events, social ads.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03: You guys are you
guys are have been running paid

ads, correct?

SPEAKER_00: Yes.

SPEAKER_03: Yep.

Good.

Good.

Okay.

Awesome.

So let's kind of paint the
picture, right?

We've kind of like talked about
all the things that got us to

this point.

Tell us where the business is
right now.

Like, where's the first location
that you started?

Where's the second one?

Talk about the staff.

Talk about your roles.

Like, give us, try to paint a to
paint me a picture of.

We just painted a picture of.

We had a crappy business model.

We were making 7k a month.

I was burned out.

And this.

And now we're fast forwarding a
few years later.

What do we got?

Tell me, paint the picture for
me.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, November is
gonna be the fifth year of the

first location.

And now we are 145 clients in
location one.

We are hitting around$50 to
$55,000 a month.

The projection for the year for
that location is gonna be around

$620,000 or something like that.

SPEAKER_01: Amazing.

SPEAKER_00: Uh we have a team of
in total five with us included.

So we have three full-time
trainers for both locations, and

we are about to hire a fourth
one.

And the second we have the
second location.

We just opened September 1st.

So this is our fourth week.

And we are, I think, exactly 47
clients.

We have already covered the
operation, how do you say?

Operating costs.

SPEAKER_01: Operating expenses.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, operating
expenses.

And that facility is run by one
of our coaches right now with my

help.

So right now Bobby's in location
one with the other two coaches,

and I'm in location two with the
other coach.

And we have more time.

We are working all the time
because you know how it is.

But we have more time freedom to
do it whenever we want to do it.

We don't have to be at the gym
all the time.

SPEAKER_03: Well, you you guys
did take a two-week vacation to

Spain, right?

SPEAKER_00: We took a two-week
vacation, but we went to the

West Coast.

SPEAKER_01: We oh the two-week
vacation to Spain is still

coming out.

SPEAKER_00: Yes, we are leaving
in a month.

We are going to leave in a month
10 days to Spain for a wedding.

Yeah, so yeah, we got more.

SPEAKER_03: So you wait, you but
going back to the California

trip.

Is that where you were?

California?

SPEAKER_00: Yes.

SPEAKER_03: And you took two
weeks full weeks?

SPEAKER_00: A little more.

We I think it was 19 days.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah.

19 days.

I gotta get on your plan.

Um I haven't had 19 days off in
a long time.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we we took the
that time off, and at that point

we didn't have the second
location open yet.

We were running pre-sale.

So we in that trip, we were
still working and selling people

on the phone for pre-sale, but
the physical gym was open and

run great.

SPEAKER_03: And what yeah, tell
me about how the gym ran uh for

19 days.

That's unbelievable.

Tell me like what happened
during you know that you know,

how did things go during those
19 days?

SPEAKER_00: We are one of the
things that we are very proud of

is the team that we have built.

They just run everything smooth.

They are they care, they enjoy
what they do.

SPEAKER_01: The clients love
them because they connect with

them and they feel a sense of
trust that's a lot of yeah, like

they they liked this, like
running it on their own and

seeing they could do it.

They knew one of them was
getting elevated to being the

facility leader of a new
location, and they feel that

sense of like we're building
them up too.

So it's not just yeah, you're a
coach at this gym.

It's like, hey, we're growing
and we want to take you with us.

So it was it's cool for us to be
able to give them that too.

We feel really good about it.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: But the another
thing I wanted to add to that

like just still blows my mind is
last year for profit, we made

combined with like Maria's
salary and everything, it was

$265,000, which is just like
it's just like crazy to to even

think that that's where we we've
ended up, you know, like the

time off, the money, like it's
like it's actually a real thing,

and it's really possible.

SPEAKER_00: And uh and that cuss
allows us to open a second

location without having to ask
for a loan.

SPEAKER_03: We were in so you
funded you funded the second

location with all your own
money, yeah.

Wow.

SPEAKER_00: So it's yeah, it's a
lot of work, but it's worth it,

and it's giving us the freedom
to make the investments that we

want for ourselves and for the
gym for the business.

SPEAKER_03: I'm like speechless
right now.

This I I knew you guys had a
good story, I didn't think it

was this good.

SPEAKER_00: It's so for us, like
that I I'm I'm telling you that

he's like, hey, it's not that
crazy.

SPEAKER_03: It's really good,
it's really impressive.

What what was the number again?

200 and how much?

265.

Yeah, and that's gonna grow
exponentially because of the

second location.

So that's gonna that's about to
get that's about to get a lot

more.

Okay.

So you literally went from doing
thirty thousand dollars a year

in salary to you know close to a
quarter million between both,

yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: I know that I have
told you this many times, but to

me, like now we have more clear
what the future looks like for

us and what are our goals and
where we want to be.

But to me, one of the biggest
things was to have the time and

the money freedom to go back
home to Spain whenever I want.

And we are there, so yeah.

To the point, yeah, no, this is
it's gonna get even better, to

the point that we are getting
married again next year in Spain

because we had we are wedding.

It was beautiful, but it was
here without my family, and now

we have the time and the money
to do it again in Spain.

SPEAKER_03: I want to come.

That is absolutely incredible.

I'm so proud of you guys both.

This is like warming my heart to
hear this story, and I you know,

I was about to ask about how
it's impacted you, how this we

kind of bled right into it,
right?

Because I originally just asked
about how what the business was

like, but it it has bled into
what it's done for you guys on a

personal, on a on a personal
level, that when you get that

time and you get the freedom,
that a lot of really cool things

can can start to happen.

So this is amazing.

I I think I want to end with
just this last piece, right?

I wrote this book for gyms that
it were in a position that you

guys were in.

And there's a lot of them.

There's a lot of gyms that are
doing below 10k a month, that

are struggling, that are tired,
that are burnt out, that have a

structure that's not right.

And if they keep the the biggest
fear I have is that they stay

there.

Right?

There's a there's a statistic
that I use in the book that 81%

of gyms fail in the first year,
which is amazing, right?

But the worst statistic to me is
the gyms that make it that

constantly just struggle, that
never get to where you guys are.

And I want you guys to put
yourself in the shoes of those

people where you guys were.

And I want to know what advice
you would give to other gym

owners that are in the position
that you were in, and they're

trying everything that they can
to do and know that it's not the

right place, know that it's not,
you know, that it's really hard.

What advice do you have for
those guys?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think aside
from like the obvious of hiring

an awesome business coach, it
would just be to it would be to

go to a mastermind event, you
know, because then it's for me,

I didn't have a vision of what
what it could be.

So to to go to one of those
events and see people who are

who are normal, that have a gym
that like just like you, but

they're killing it, and and to
be able to have that sense of

like, oh, this is what I could
do with it, is that's that's

that's more than enough to you
know make want to make some

changes.

And then just like even
personally, the first mastermind

event I went to changed my life.

Just seeing how how how clear
these people thought and how

successful they were.

It it it personally motivated me
to want to be better, not just

for the business, but like for
myself, because I admired a lot

of these people.

So I think finding people who
are doing what you want to do is

is really important.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, surround
yourself with the people that

already have what you want or
that are in the path, like you

always say, you become the three
people that you spend more time

with.

And for me, besides that, it's
just taking action.

And with all this, like
throughout these five years, we

have realized that the things
that were the hardest for us to

decide on or to implement have
always been the ones that had

the biggest return.

So every time you're doing
something scary, don't think of

I don't want to do it, think of
yes, it's scary, but I know that

this is the right move because
it's scary.

So taking action and trying
things, not thinking of the

results and just practice and
put yourself out there.

So I think we have been big
since the beginning on taking

action on everything you guys
have been teaching us on the

calls, and some things work and
some things don't work, but

until you don't try it, you you
never know.

So taking action and not being
scared of doing scary things

because they always have the
biggest returns.

And like Bobby said, this group
not has only helped us grow the

business, but we have changed
personally like so much.

The the two people that we were
at the beginning of our

marriage, those first three
months, we are completely

different.

We have an awesome communication
between each other, we

understand each other, we work
with each other, and we are all

the time together 24-7.

And that comes because we are
much better people than we were

five years ago.

SPEAKER_03: How do you think you
became better people?

SPEAKER_00: Well, you I don't
want to give you too much

credit, but you always teach us
how to the the mindset side of

things, right?

And how to if you're if you're
not in the right place mentally,

your business cannot keep
growing.

So we didn't just focus on doing
things at the gym.

We spent a lot of time on
reading self-improvement books,

listening to podcasts, reading
about business, listening to

other business coaches, other
business owners.

And just it's a constant work on
ourselves, on communication

skills, on leadership skills,
and all of that is translating

not just into where the business
is going, but on us personally,

how we connect with other
people, with the clients, just

building other relationships.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think the
like the the first year, like I

said, it was it was really hard
and grinding, but I don't think

I changed much as a person that
first year of just being by

myself.

Like I may maybe became a better
coach for more reps, but it was

as soon as we started doing like
the scary things that you know

you guys told us we needed to do
to grow.

Like you start, you have to face
your self-limiting beliefs.

And sometimes, like, you know,
things don't work out, but when

they do, it's like shit, like
this worked out better than I

even thought it it could have.

And you just realize how much
there is on the other side of of

your fear, and like when that
stuff starts to open up, like

like there's you know unlimited
opportunity is what like that's

that's how we view stuff now,
which is like it's such a cool

mindset to have.

Like all the little wins that we
got, they're they're nice to

look back on.

But the fact that we walk around
today and we just know like like

we can do anything is fucking
like priceless.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's different
now.

Like if someone quits today,
it's gonna suck, but like we

know we can go back and do it
and build it up again, so it's

not scary anymore.

Do we want to do it?

No, but if we have to, that's
okay.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, amazing,
amazing.

Any final things that you like
to say to those gym owners?

I love that I want to sum up
what you guys told them.

Take action, which is huge, and
you guys have done that better

than most, Bobby.

You're to your point of you
know, being around other people

that are doing what you want to
do and are possibly ahead of

where you are.

And then yours, Maria, was
amazing.

Working on yourself, growing.

I think a lot of people too,
they don't do that because they

feel like you know, they don't
do the work on themselves

because they feel like any work
on myself, I feel like I'm

broken by working on myself.

And there it there is some
humility that's got to come from

that.

You have to be able to be like,
I'm not perfect.

I have things to work on, I
have, and I think that the other

day when you realize that
everyone is walking around with

stuff.

Everyone.

And and and sometimes like we
think that these people in our

lives who are our mentors, who
are people that we look up to,

we look at them and we almost
think that they're bulletproof

and they have no challenges and
they have no problems.

And I think that's a when that
mindset tends to get you to

think worse of yourself, or you
look at this person, you're

putting them up on a pedestal,
when you have to realize that

that person that you respect,
that person you admire, they

also have stuff that they're
working through as well.

They may just be better at
masking it than you.

I think any final things for for
for people that are in this

place of zero to 25k that want
to get past the next level, any

final things to say to them?

SPEAKER_01: I mean, just going
off what you just said, I don't

think this answers the the
question directly, but you know,

the business has gotten a lot
better, and then the pro like

you guys are so down-to-earth
normal, and you're easy to learn

from because you're really doing
it.

You have your own gym, and also
like it's funny saying this, but

like we're both in therapy
because of you.

You know what I mean?

Like, like you guys, you
normalize like working on

yourself and not making you feel
like you're broke in in those

things.

And I think like the return
we've seen on that is just as

much as any of the other tactics
and stuff that we've done in our

business, because you have to be
yeah, you have to be humble and

and have a sense of humility to
go and do something that you

know is is gonna fail.

So we've we've appreciated the
uh the help the past four years.

It's it's cool to we're glad we
found you.

SPEAKER_00: So whoever is like
there thinking like in a

situation where they cannot
afford it like we were before,

just give it a try and put the
work and then see if it's for

you.

So I think it's it's worth the
shot and surrounding themselves

with the mastermind people and
being under your wing.

Yeah, it's totally worth it.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so having the
investment mindset.

Yeah, good.

Well, guys, that was an amazing
interview.

I cried three different times,
but super proud of you guys,

super grateful that you did this
interview.

And I think that this interview
is going to inspire a lot of

people.

I really do.

I think there's a lot of people
probably listening to this that

are struggling, that we're where
you guys were.

And you know, I think your this
interview and this recording

will give people hope that you
can do amazing things.

And the cool thing is for you,
you guys are just getting

rolling.

Right.

I know I know Bobby looks like
he's only 19, but it he you

these guys are getting just
start started, and to see what

you guys can accomplish over the
next several years is gonna be

amazing, and I can't wait to
watch.

But thank you guys so much for
doing this.

I appreciate it, and
congratulations on all the

amazing success you've had.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thanks for
having us on, Vince.