Opening a gym

Is there any way to make a gym viable? I'm not talking millionaire viable, just enough that I'd outpace my salary at Shittigroup evetually (not difficult since from what I hear 3% in the norm raise)

What are small business loans like in terms of ease of access, interest?

Location is upstate NY (Rochester or Buffalo), so not the largest markets

I would have 1 partner in this venture. He is a trainer, I have an accounting/business background

Classes classes classes. Women go to classes, and classes pay.

Gym equipment isn't cheap.

Remember, money from membership is not tied to how much they use the gym. There's no incentive to limit membership based on the availability of the equipment.

Weights and classes = low overheads. Pool and sauna = high overheads. Machines are in the middle.

Fluff is easier to sell than hard work.

Souce: accountant and gym rat. Your mileage may vary

Good morrow, fellow Veeky Forumsizen

Good points.

I would imagine we would have 2 types of classes. 1 type for lifters, where we can teach form and whatnot. A second for women with cardio, bodyweight shit like all the fad "boot camp" programs

I've also heard that tanning brings in a decent amount for gyms

Try get a crossfit accreditation too. They'll fuck you on fees etc but they bring in good money from classes.

Supps are another possible stream, though I would expect high margins and very small volume.

We could even make our own blends, though wed have to convince the filthy casuals it was better than prepackaged

>2 types of classes. 1 type for lifters, where we can teach form
lol - have you EVER been to a gym?

If so, would you seriously go to that class?

It's like you hate reality

I lift 6 days a week. I'm glad you're king shit alpha dawg, but for most people, uncertainty and poor form are the biggest impediments to success in the gym. You're godd damn right I would go.

>he doesn't think lifting with his buddies is fun
Know how I know you're dyel?

M8 you would not go to that class. You'd wait till your man-crush spotted your horrible deadlift form and cuddle you gently as he guided you into the light

i.e. nobody AT the gym wants to hear about their FORM, don't you even Veeky Forums?

I'm not forcing anyone to attend the class. Group training is literally the most profitable segment of gym operation. I couldn't give less of a fuck about your personal outlook

You're a fucking idiot and a faggot.

I'm sure youre going to need a hell of an insurance policy for when people crush themselves

People go to retarded classes all the time. I would never personally go to that class, but many dumb beginners would go to it thinking they're learning something.

I've read $200/ month. Waivers Waivers waivers

...

Better a classmall with a trainer that has a degree and visiblend results than Veeky Forums where it's all dyels preaching

>gomad
and
>post workout shakes

Learning about proper form and how to scale my lifts was what made me become capable of lifting in the first place, never mind future gains.

I agree, but it won't happen in a group class. There's a reason why NO GYM ON EARTH offers 'form class'

You know own nothing. Stop speaking out about my having called it a "former class" and admit you're wrong. Every new studio that pops up now does group trainings

Sperging*

Waste of time unless you're doing it for the love.
Maybe call it a crossfit box instead and charge double.

Only thing right now would be a crossfit and/or powerlifting gym.

Normies just go to Planet Fitness or their city's recreation center.

There have been many times where I have wanted to switch because my gym doesn't let you do "power lifts" like deadlifts, cleans, etc.

I looked for a gym catered to my needs, but instead just decided to invest in the equipment myself.

Also, CONTRACTS and CLASSES are what you need to make a gym viable.

I know nothing about gyms, however I live in a small suburb of Boston and within a 5 minute drive there are probably 10 places I could go to work out, everything from hardcore gyms to crossfit to "boxing" gyms. Add another 5 minute drive and that number doubles.

And when I look at all these places I'd say the turnover of the smaller places is probably once every three years.

Now add to that the fact that the economy still isn't where is should be so people aren't spending their extra money on memberships. The industry has been growing somewhat but not that much.

Lifters don't take fucking classes, and normies don't lift weights. Where were you going with this? Just retain a coach you can recommend to people.

You've never stepped foot into a gym in your life, have you?

lol gym classes to teach how to lift; that's what trainers are for. You'll never get enough classes to fill a room consistently, and you won't get enough return customers to make it worthwhile.

get things that attract normies like classes, personal trainers, and machines. treadmills, smith machines, etc.

i'll hate you because it'll be a shit gym, but you'll get money.

this is a good option too
start a real gym that allows deadlifts with no lunk alarm in an area where there are a lot of power lifters

With this in mind, you must realize that 1) if you lift free weights, you're not an average gym member, and 2) there's a reason that 1/2 to 3/4 of the gym space is taken up with treadmills, bikes and machines. Normies ask for them, and they won't sign up for gyms without them.

What everyone else has been saying is good, but I wanted to add something else.

Location is EVERYTHING with a gym. If you can't get it in a highly visible spot next to a well trafficked road, I would not open it.

if by your own blends you mean selling protein shakes with different mixtures rather than making a brand exclusive to your gym then yeah. be sure to put it on the way to the exit so muh post workout protein

Just open a normal powerlifting gym with enough power racks to keep meat heads happy
Some generic machines for women and oldies
A separate studio for Zumba with an instructor
Very simple business
A sauna and lockerooms would be cool too but really aren't even mandatory.
The snap fitness I used to go to just had cubbies and no sauana

Christ, the boxing gyms in Boston don't actually seem very good save for... Maybe one?

I'd rather go somewhere I can learn one-on-one than a CrossFit mill.

Okay, most advice on this thread is given by dyel, Ethereum shilling, penny stocks trading adolescents so..

Here's what you need to do.
Some people have already stated here that you need to cater to normies. Yes, please. You want it to be viable? That's what you do. Now, the overhead on machines isn't too high or low, and with a right strategy, you can kill it.
So you will need five treadmills, two cycles and three cross trainers, AT LEAST.
And you'll want to keep a dip machine because that's the crowd you want in your gym -- people who can't do standard dips with their own bodyweight. This and a Smith machine. All this will attract women and dyel fags, who will pay.
Forget about powerlifters.
As a marketing campaign, you can offer a significant discount for first the lifters for signing up for a whole year. And it's not a problem seeing who's a first time lifter. Classes?
Add a Zumba class, seriously. And yoga.
Remember, this is a business, you run it on your terms, it doesn't need to be a gym for serious lifters as long as it makes money. And this will

As a Veeky Forums izen ive enjoyed the autism levels in this thread. Your gym is gonna suck OP try making money in something youre actually knowledgable about

>Location is upstate NY (Rochester or Buffalo)

LA Fitness just pushed a couple smaller gyms out in that market.

Nobody has mentioned physical therapy patients or senior classes yet. Older and disabled/injured patrons can fill your gym during the day when the rest of us work.

There are powerlifting classes per se, or groups of powerlifters that train and compete together.

CuteTomato please just end your life to be quite honest, family.

What the fuck is a cutetomato

i heard on the ric flair podcast, he told a story of back in the 70's or 80's wrestlers would open up a 'Golds Gym', set it up, ride it out for a year or two and then sell it...they already had their connections to weightlifting and the body building scenes on their times. He went on to say that nowadays for the new wrestlers its not a viable thing to get a chunk of income on the side using their celebrity, physique and image because they are competing with these 24/7 gyms and there is so many of them.

Hope my post gave you some insight