Gym World Worldwide

Hosted by John Franklin

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177

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Gym World is a weekly show about making money in the fitness industry. Join the co-founders of Kilo, John Franklin and Mateo Lopez, as they interview some of the industry's most successful entrepreneurs.

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June 12, 202614 min

The Legal Mistakes That Kill Gym Sales (With Matt Becker of Gym Lawyers)

Matt Becker, founder of Gym Lawyers and former 11-year CrossFit affiliate owner, joins Mateo to break down the legal gaps most gym owners don't know they have. They get into why compliance directly affects your gym's value, what buyers look for during due diligence, how market value opinions work, and the roll-up trend quietly reshaping the boutique fitness market.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here, so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Gym Lawyers (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/gym_lawyers_pllc/Gym Lawyers (Website) - https://www.gymlawyers.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwideShow notes: 0:00 — Intro & what is Gym Lawyers?2:22 — Matt's background: 11 years as a CrossFit affiliate owner turned attorney3:25 — How Chris Cooper planted the idea for Gym Lawyers5:04 — Compliance basics every gym owner needs6:07 — Lease agreements, personal guarantees, and liability waivers7:07 — How to engage with Gym Lawyers (flat fee, not hourly)8:09 — Buying and selling gyms: what Matt's team is doing more of8:45 — How to prepare your gym for sale9:14 — Why compliance directly affects your ability to sell10:00 — Market value opinions: what they are and how to use them11:24 — What buyers should watch out for12:11 — When buyer and seller valuations don't match12:57 — How multiples work: SDE vs. EBITDA13:38 — The roll-up trend reshaping boutique fitness right now14:16 — Where you can find more about Matt & Gym Lawyers

June 5, 202631 min

How Rich Thaw Grew EMPWR Fitness 40% Using Referrals and Sell-by-Chat

🌎 Rich Thaw , owner of EMPWR Fitness and Sports Performance Training in Montreal, joins Mateo to break down how he grew his gym's membership base by 40% in Q4, largely without paid ads. They get into his sell-by-chat strategy, why he cuts his schedule to grow faster, how he uses referral automations inside Kilo to turn happy members into a lead machine, and why sometimes discounting your trial offer even further is the right call.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here to avoid missing out.📱 Socials:Rich Thaw (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/empwr__/EMPWR (Website) - https://empwrfast.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes:(0:38) — Introduction: Rich Thaw, EMPWR Fitness, Montreal(2:28) — What Empower does: small group personal training for athletic adults(3:36) — Rich's background: hockey, Mike Boyle, and how he got into coaching(5:13) — The early days: online training, the garage gym, and getting the cops called(7:06) — Growing pains: too many sessions, not enough revenue(8:50) — The conversation with Mark Fisher that changed everything(10:17) — Cutting the schedule to buy back time (and why it was terrifying)(11:45) — Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)(12:25) — Sell by chat: how Rich turned social media interactions into booked trials(14:06) — Has the offer changed? Breaking down the 10-day / 3-session trial for $99(15:12) — Why discounting the trial even further sometimes works better(17:57) — Positioning small group training vs. personal training vs. group classes(19:39) — How Rich structures his referral program (and when he makes the ask)(21:16) — The QR code, the Kilo automation, and what happens 30 minutes after a referral(21:52) — Other lead gen: promos, reactivation campaigns, and the dollar trial(23:49) — Onboarding: what the trial experience actually looks like at EMPWR(25:53) — Converting trial members into long-term memberships(28:52) — What's next: finding a full-time coach and building the team(29:53) — Where to follow Rich

May 29, 202625 min

5 things your gym website needs in 2026

🌎 Kaleda Connell, CEO of Kilo, joins Mateo to break down how the shift to AI-powered search is changing what gym owners need on their websites — and what to do about it. They get into Google's E-E-A-T framework, why the "blue link era" of SEO is over, and Kaleda's five-pillar system (proof, people, answers, authority, and plumbing) to ensure your gym actually shows up when someone asks an AI to find the best option in your area.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here to avoid missing out.📱 Socials:Kaleda Connell (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/heykaleda/Kaleda Connell (Website) - https://heykaleda.com/blog/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide(0:46) - Introduction: Kaleda Connell, CEO of Kilo(1:29) - Why AI Is Changing How Gyms Show Up Online(2:14) - What Old-School SEO Got Right (And Why It No Longer Works)(4:01) - The AI Overview Effect: Why Website Traffic Is Dropping(4:50) - The Blue Link Era Is Over: What Gym Owners Need to Do Now(5:48) - Google's E-E-A-T Framework Explained(6:50) - Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)(7:29) - Kaleda's Five Pillars: Proof, People, Answers, Authority, and Plumbing(8:10) - Pillar 1 — Proof: Testimonials, Transformations, and Long-Form Case Studies(10:28) - Pillar 2 — People: Coach Bios, Credentials, and Member Stories(11:42) - Pillar 3 — Answers: FAQ Sections, Program Pages, and the Specificity Test(15:18) - Should You Post Your Pricing? Kaleda Changes Her Mind(17:44) - Pillar 4 — Authority: Local Press, Partnerships, and Why Reddit Matters(19:57) - Pillar 5 — Plumbing: Schema Markup and the Nuts and Bolts That Still Count(22:06) - Should You Use AI to Audit Your Own Website?(24:26) - Where to Get Help From the Kilo Team(24:50) - Closing Remarks

May 22, 202648 min

How Ranfone Training Systems Is Reinventing Preventive Healthcare

🌎 Michael Ranfone and Dr. Marko Lujic from Ranfone Training Systems join Mateo to break down how they built a 20,000 sq ft facility that combines semi-private training, concierge medicine, and nutrition under one roof. We get into their semi-private model, how RTS Health delivers real preventive care for around $500/month, and why their ARQ program might be what the future of gyms actually looks like.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Ranfone Training Systems (Instagram) Ranfone Training Systems (Website) 📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:00) - Introduction: Michael Ranfone and Dr. Marko Lujic from Ranfone Training Systems(1:15) - Origin Story: From Yale Strength Coach to 20,000 Sq Ft Integrative Facility(3:40) - How Deep Credentials Shaped the RTS Model(6:10) - Serving Both Athletes and Gen Pop Under One Roof(9:45) - How the Semi-Private Model Actually Works: 20 People, 20 Custom Programs(14:20) - The Accountability Coach System and How Clients Are Matched(18:30) - Why Semi-Private Over Large Group: The Performance-Based Philosophy(22:00) - Pricing the Semi-Private Model: $357/Month Unlimited Access(26:15) - The Value Framing: Why RTS Competes With Healthcare, Not Box Gyms(30:00) - How RTS Health Works: Labs, DEXA, VO2, WAVi, and What It Costs(36:20) - Why Your Primary Care Doctor Is Actually Just a Triage Nurse(41:10) - The ARQ Program: Where Training, Medicine, and Nutrition Become One(44:30) - Is This Where the Whole Industry Is Heading?(47:15) - Where to Find Michael and Dr. Lujic(48:00) - Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

May 15, 202649 min

Stu Brauer: How to Make Your Building Pay for Your Gym

🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Stu Brauer from WTF Gym Talk and the Gym Real Estate Company. Stu breaks down how he used gym cash flow to buy a 10,500 sq ft building with an SBA loan, filled the extra space with tenants to slash his monthly costs, and eventually sold the gym and leased the whole building. We also get into how to find the right location using customer data, why confusing zoning with building use is an expensive mistake, what lenders look for when underwriting a gym SBA loan, and why shopping for real estate before you're ready can quietly kill your reputation with listing agents.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here, so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:WTF Gym Talk (Instagram) WTF Gym Talk (Website) The Gym Real Estate Company (Instagram) The Gym Real Estate Company (Website) 📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:00) - Visibility vs. Digital Presence: What Actually Drives Gym Traffic(2:25) - How to Use an SBA Loan to Buy Your Gym's Building(5:48) - The Right Time to Buy: Why Peak Profitability Is Your Window(7:19) - How to Evaluate a Location Before You Sign Anything(12:24) - Trade Area Overlap: How to Open a Second Location Without Cannibalizing the First(16:47) - Test Fits and Construction Costs: What Gym Owners Always Underestimate(20:40) - Working Backward: How to Model Expenses Before You Commit to a Space(24:28) - Open Gym vs. Semi-Private: Pros, Cons, and Square Footage Reality(33:13) - Anchor Tenants: When Paying for a Premium Location Is Actually Worth It(36:18) - How to Set Yourself Up for an SBA Loan Two Years Before You Need One(40:00) - Why the Land Is the Real Long-Term Play(44:29) - Buying Land vs. Building Out: The Real Costs and Timeline(47:20) - The Important First Step for Gym Owners Ready to Get Into Real Estate(48:26) - Where to find out more about Stu(48.43)- Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

May 8, 202628 min

This CrossFit Gym Has Survived 12 Years—Here's What They Do Differently

🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Nathan, Kirsten, and Dana from BGB CrossFit, a CrossFit affiliate in Fayetteville, Georgia, that has been open for over 12 years. They break down how the gym shifted from a competitive CrossFit box to a health-focused facility for all demographics, the two-week fundamentals process that onboards every new member, and how adding semi-private training at $70 a week has increased revenue per member. We also get into their goal review system, how they keep every coach informed through Slack, and how layering in nutrition coaching, massage therapy, and Hyrox has helped them retain members for over a decade.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:BGB CrossFit (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/bgbstrength/BGB CrossFit (Website) - https://bgbcrossfit.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:41) — Meet the Owners Behind a 12-Year CrossFit Affiliate(1:54) — From Competitive Box to Gym for Every Body(5:07) Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)(5:39) — The Two-Week Fundamentals Process That Prevents Early Dropoff(9:49) — How BGB Packages and Prices Group, Semi-Private, and Personal Training(12:32) — Why Semi-Private at $70 a Week Beats a Standard Group Membership(12:55) — How to Successfully Launch a Semi-Private Program at Your Gym(16:03) — The Revenue Impact of Adding Semi-Private Training(17:58) — The Goal Review System That Upsells Members Without the Hard Sell(19:55) — How They Keep Every Coach Informed Using Slack and Their Gym Software(22:12) — How BGB Added Hyrox and a Women 's-Only Class Without Adding Much Work(23:48) — Layering Nutrition and Massage Into a CrossFit Business(26:16) — What 12 Years in Business Actually Teaches You About Retention

May 1, 202619 min

How to convert 89% of trial members into long-term clients

🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Harry Morris , owner of FS46 and Head of Client Success at Business for Unicorns. Harry runs a 500-square-foot small-group coaching gym in Birmingham, UK, and he breaks down the paid 30-day trial system that transformed new membership enrollment, the pre-session walkthrough video that eliminates first-timer anxiety, and the one question his coaches ask every new member on day one.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:FS46 (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/fs46_waterfront/following/Harry Morris (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-morris-hmpt/FS46 (Website) - https://www.fitness-studio46.co.uk/Business For Unicorns (Website) - https://businessforunicorns.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:00) Intro(0:51) How Harry went from gym owner to Head of Client Success at BFU(1:43) Running a profitable gym in 500 square feet with a 1:6 coaching ratio(2:25) The lean equipment setup that makes small space training work(3:21) Why Harry caps at 70 members and what he charges in the UK(5:36) The strategy session that qualifies leads before they ever set foot in the gym(6:25) Why Harry charges £97 for a 30-day trial instead of giving it away free(7:02) The welcome sequence that converts(8:29) The one question Harry's coaches ask every new member on day one(9:28) Why in-person feedback after a workout isn't enough (and what to do instead)(12:27) The 9-email sequence that keeps new members engaged through the full trial(13:53) The week three check-in and why Harry never asks if someone wants to stay(17:07) How Harry hit an 89% trial-to-membership conversion rate(17:34) The biggest mistake gym owners make when a new member goes quiet(18:53) Where to find Harry and how to work with BFU19:21 Run a successful gym with Kilo

April 24, 202619 min

Learn how this gym generates $1.4M with only 280 members

🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Ben Supik, founder and CEO of Activate Body Personal Training, a small group training gym with three locations that caps at 280 members per facility and generates up to $1.4 million in top-line revenue. Ben breaks down how 92% of members end up on annual contracts and why he spends the first 320 hours of every new hire just on training before they ever touch the floor. We also get into his plans to open one new location per quarter and what it actually takes to scale a concept without losing what makes it work.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Active Body Personal Training (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/activate_body/Active Body Personal Training (Website) -https://activatebody.com/start-here/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:00) Ben's Gym Model and Initial Setup(0:23) Who is Ben Supik(2:44) Space and Equipment Setup(4:37) Member Flow and Facility Operations(7:24) Operating Expenses and Staffing(10:57) Expansion Plans and Strategies(15:08) Lease Negotiations and Real Estate Strategy(17:59) Final Thoughts and Advice for Aspiring Gym Owners(19:34) Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)

April 17, 202624 min

The money habits of successful gym owners

🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Tad Wooton & Andy Smith, co-founders of Numberwise, an accounting firm that's spent the last decade working exclusively with gym owners and fitness businesses. They break down the benchmarks every gym owner should know — from payroll and rent to what your profit number is probably getting wrong. We get into when it makes sense to stop doing your own books, why most owners are undervaluing their own labor, and what separates the gyms that make money from the ones that just hope for the best.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Numberwise (Instagram)Numberwise (Website) 📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:00)The financial blind spot most gym owners have(1:20) Who is Numberwise?(2:43) Pitfalls of Self-Handling Bookkeeping and Accounting(5:00) Run a successful gym with Kilo (5:35) Preparing for Working with a Professional Accountant(7:53) Commonalities Among Successful Gym Businesses(9:05) Trends and Profit Margins in Different Gym Models(14:41) Owner Pay and Business Profitability(17:27) Preparing for Accounting Services(19:42) Choosing the Right Accountant(21:07) AI in Accounting(23:31) Final Thoughts and Contact Information

April 10, 202624 min

A $1,500 offer that converts 95% of athletes

🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Stan Skolfield of Skolfield Sports Performance. Stan breaks down how he built a youth athletic training program that charges $1,500 for onboarding and converts 95% of athletes into long-term members. We get into why he qualifies families on the phone before they ever walk in, how a free structured evaluation does most of the selling, and the rotational coaching system that makes flexible scheduling possible for busy families.P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here (https://usekilo.com/gym-world/) so you don't miss out.📱 Socials:Skolfield Sports Performance - (https://www.instagram.com/skolfield_sports/)Skolfield Sports Performance (Website) - https://skolfieldperformance.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:(0:00) Why Every Athlete Makes the Cut(3:10) From the Red Sox to Running Skolfield Sports Performance(5:39) Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)(8:47) Program Packaging and Client Onboarding(12:40) Challenges and Solutions in Youth Programs(19:17) Expanding Youth Programs in Existing Facilities(23:23) Final Thoughts and Contact Information