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Gym World Worldwide

Gym World Worldwide

Hosted by John Franklin

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Episodes

185

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

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.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 14, 202637 min

Andrew Sugerman on Hyrox, Branding, and Why AI Won't Replace Your Coaches

🌎 Centr CEO Andrew Sugerman joins Mateo Lopez to talk about his jump from running Marvel comics and Disney's social channels to building the equipment behind Hyrox, why 92% of Hyrox finishers are already gym members, and what it actually takes to build a brand gym owners can be proud of.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.For gym owners and operators interested in Centr x HYROX commercial opportunitiesTry the Centr App (includes the only HYROX-certified digital training programs)📱 Socials:Centr (Website): https://shop.centr.com/Centr (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/centrfit/🎙️ Listen On:Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/gym-world-worldwide/id1659702465Spotify - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/gymworld📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes0:37 — Mateo introduces Andrew Sugerman, CEO of Center1:39 — Andrew's 12 years at Disney, running Marvel comics and digital/social2:43 — Why he left Disney for health and fitness7:11— Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/gw)9:16 — The identity and community hook that keeps Hyrox athletes coming back13:37 — Center's equipment now inside 4,000+ gyms15:04 — How the Hyrox partnership started at a 2023 race in Anaheim18:43 — How gym owners can bring Hyrox in, even non-competitors24:00 — The growth numbers: 2.5M athletes and US cities doubling in 202626:26 — What actually makes a brand partnership work29:37 — Brand advice for gym owners without a Disney budget33:19 — Where AI fits into coaching, and where it doesn't

August 7, 202614 min

Behind The Scenes Of Kilo

🌎 Kilo co-founder Mateo Lopez and Kilo Chris, take listeners behind the scenes of Kilo while at the Two-Brain Business Summit, the customer-care culture that keeps gym owners coming back, and the people on the team who make it happen.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:Kilo (Website): https://usekilo.com/gw/Kilo (Instagram): https://usekilo.com/kilogyms/Book a Demo: https://usekilo.com/book-call📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide\🔥Show Notes0:00 — Kilo's female-led company culture and team vibe0:38 — Mateo Lopez introduces Kilo and the Summit1:14 — First-time Summit impressions and gym-world perspectives2:10 — Why Kilo's booth is so packed3:37 — Customer care as Kilo's biggest differentiator5:04 — Shout-outs to standout team members6:03 — Chris on joining the Kilo team7:29 — Elsie's impact on marketing and onboarding8:55 — Team goal for the Summit9:51 — Background in coaching, CrossFit, and gym ownership12:02 — Listening to users and building better features13:16 — Final messages to the team and the Kilo crew

July 31, 202634 min

3 Traits Every Successful Gym Owner Has According To Mark Fisher

🌎 Mark Fisher, former owner of Mark Fisher Fitness, now a gym business coach and partner at Business for Unicorns, joins Mateo to break down what separates today's top-performing gym owners from everyone else; covering vision setting, knowing your numbers, and building systems that scale.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:Mark Fisher (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/markfisherhumanbeing/Mark Fisher (Website): https://www.businessforunicorns.com📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes0:00 — Intro & meet Mark Fisher, former owner of Mark Fisher Fitness3:08 — What's changed (and what hasn't) since coaching gym owners instead of being one8:06 — Inside a room of 50 gym owners who collectively own 135 gyms9:29 — Luck, timing, and why you shouldn't copy every successful gym owner11:54 — Trait #1: successful gym owners have a clear vision14:33 — The identity shift from "trainer" to "owner"18:41 — Mark's "set it and forget it" approach to goal setting22:40 — Run a successful gym with Kilo23:18 — Trait #2: successful gym owners know and track their numbers24:38 — The weekly and monthly numbers every gym owner should track28:40 — Trait #3: successful gym owners are dialed in on systems29:01 — The end of the "boiler room sales" era in gym marketing31:46 — Leadership as the most important system of all33:26 — Where to find Mark: his Perform Better talk and how to reach him34:08 — Outro

July 24, 202627 min

Every Major Gym Business Growth Strategy S-F Tier Ranking

🌎 Chris McMahon, Kilo's Content and Partnerships Specialist, joins Mateo for a rapid-fire tier-list episode ranking 15 of the most common gym growth strategies from S-tier to F-tier; covering everything from referral programs to six-week challenges.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:Chris McMahon (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/coach.chrismcmahon/Chris McMahon (Website): https://www.chris-mcmahon.com🔥Show Notes: - 0:00 — Intro & the tier-list concept- 0:28 — Meeting Kilo Chris AKA Chris McMahon- 1:59 — Defining "growth" for a gym business- 2:20 — Free clients for testimonials- 3:59 — Getting family to pay as proof of concept- 5:41 — Facebook groups and online communities- 7:35 — Six-week challenges as a front-end offer- 10:26 — Building an email list- 12:31 — Partnering with other creators and businesses- 14:16 — Paid ads on Facebook and Instagram- 16:43 — Organic social media posting- 18:06 — Referral programs- 18:59 — Hosting local events- 20:36 — Cold outreach, directories, and free consultations- 22:28 — Podcasting and YouTube- 24:14 — Discounted challenges and raising prices- 25:54 — Final thoughts- 26:47 — Outro

July 17, 202624 min

How Greg Morrone Converts 90% of Leads With a $400 Onboarding Offer

🌎 Greg Morrone , owner of The FIT Lab in Hoboken, NJ, joins Mateo to break down the "PT-first" onboarding model that converts 90-95% of leads, and the hospitality lessons from his years in nightlife that shaped a gym with a stellar community.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:The FIT Lab(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/thefitlabhoboken/The FIT Lab (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/theFITLabInc/The FIT Lab (Website): https://thefitlabhoboken.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥Show Notes0:00 — Intro & meet Greg Morrone of The FIT Lab2:29 — Greg's backstory: nightlife, culinary school, and Danny Meyer's hospitality playbook3:55 — Why hospitality lessons are hard to systemize in a gym setting5:53 — Inside The FIT Lab's "PT-first" model5:59 — Run a successful gym with Kilo 7:48 — The new fast-track offer: 6 one-on-one sessions for $4008:17 — Results so far: 28 signups, 25 conversions, capacity by October9:44 — Why pricing PT and small group dollar-for-dollar kills sales friction10:13 — Meet coach Jason, and why Greg's staff sticks around for a decade-plus11:12 — The trade-off: 6% rent factor, higher payroll, investing in people over space13:36 — Greg's tagline: "high value personal training"14:29 — The FIT Lab's 13-year anniversary and why community isn't a sales pitch15:25 — Run clubs, Hyrox, and the rise of IRL connection as a selling point16:20 — Designing around busy parents with limited time17:16 — Fitting 180 members into a 2,300 sq ft (1,600-1,700 usable) odd-shaped space17:45 — How members find The FIT Lab: paid ads, Google search, ~250 testimonials20:03 — Advice for gym owners stuck in the same spot for years23:38 — Outro

July 10, 202622 min

Erik Zeyher's $20K/mo semi-private playbook

🌎 Erik Zeyher , owner of Warlock CrossFit in Poughkeepsie, NY, joins Mateo to break down how his semi-private program grew into a $20-25K/month revenue stream and the story behind Help First Fitness, the personal training studio he built inside a local tennis club's old squash court.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:Erik Zeyher (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/growwitherik/Warlock CrossFit (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/warlockathletics/Help First Fitness (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/helpfirstfitness/🎙️ Listen On:Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/gym-world-worldwide/id1659702465Spotify - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/gymworld📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes0:00 — Intro & meet Erik Zeyher of Warlock CrossFit2:20 — Warlock's backstory and the secret to lasting 10+ years as an affiliate4:11 — How the semi-private program got started4:59 — Inside the 6,000 sq ft space: class vs. semi-private layout5:59 — Run a successful gym with Kilo 6:31 — Launching semis internally: the "red rope method" and goal reviews8:05 — Day one results and scaling to $20-25K/month9:44 — Coach pay under the semi-private model11:25 — Retention: injury referrals vs. class-to-semi upgrades13:21 — Building Help First Fitness inside a tennis club's old squash court14:52 — Funding the build-out with a 0% interest credit card16:04 — Lessons from nightlife: why gym is a hospitality business17:38 — The most common problem gym owners bring to sales calls20:44 — Erik's own $23K/month wake-up call before finding Two-Brain21:12 — Where to find Erik

July 3, 202624 min

Josh Maranian: From Layoff to 40-Member Gym in One Year

🌎 Josh Maranian, owner of Regen Fitness Club in Fort Collins, Colorado, joins Mateo to break down how he built a semi-private training gym out of his garage and grew it into a 40-member facility in just one year. They get into his 4:1 semi-private model, why he splurged on a sauna and cold plunge while cutting costs elsewhere, how he prices and packages sessions, and his plan to roll out a belt-style pay structure for coaches.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:Josh Maranian (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/josh.maranian/Regen Fitness Club (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/regenfitnessclub/📺 Watch On: https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes- 0:00 — Intro & meet Josh Maranian of Regen Fitness Club- 1:22 — Inside the 4:1 semi-private model, sauna, and cold plunge- 3:00 — How sessions are run and customized within a small group- 3:39 — From a corporate burnout to getting a personal training cert- 4:54 — Getting let go and going all-in on training out of his garage- 6:20 — How template-based programming works for each member- 9:11 — Outgrowing the garage: pairing clients up and the birth of the 4:1 model- 10:42 — Run a successful gym with Kilo- 11:08 — Funding the build-out with an intra-family loan- 11:48 — What to spend big on (equipment) vs. cut aggressively on (design)- 13:00 — Why the sauna and cold plunge were non-negotiable- 14:12 — Growing from 10 to 40+ members in year one- 15:28 — Pricing, packaging, and four-week billing cycles- 16:26 — Why Josh started hiring coaches early instead of waiting- 17:38 — Coach pay, the path to a "belt"-style pay structure, and growth tracks- 19:54 — How on-ramp and the intro package set member expectations- 20:19 — Year one wins and what's next for year two- 20:36 — Why an operations manager matters more than another coach- 23:27 — Where to find Josh

June 26, 202624 min

Corey Lewis: Why Your Canceled Members Are Your Best Source of New Leads

🌎 Corey Lewis , owner of Extra Mile Fitness in St. Louis, Missouri and Two-Brain mentor, joins Mateo to break down how he hires, develops, and retains great coaches. They get into his walking interview process, how he onboards new staff before their first day, why past members are his best source of new leads, and the system he uses to bring canceled members back.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: Corey Lewis (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/corey_j_lewis/ Extra Mile Fitness (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/xtra.mile.fitness/Extra Mile Fitness(Website) - https://xm.fitness/ ---🔥 Show Notes- 0:00 — Intro & meet Corey Lewis of Extra Mile Fitness- 1:32 — The gym model and how it's evolved over 14 years- 2:00 — Why Corey diversified beyond group classes- 3:52 — How the hiring process has changed- 4:28 — Using a careers page and video submissions to filter candidates- 4:54 — Run a successful gym with Kilo- 7:00 — The walking interview and what it reveals- 8:19 — The second interview and what happens after an offer is made- 10:23 — Onboarding before the first day: gifts, welcome videos, and happy hours- 12:19 — What the first day actually looks like- 13:02 — The 3-month internship and coaching development program- 14:44 — The belt system and how it gives coaches a clear career roadmap- 15:52 — How Corey structures income so coaches can make a real living- 18:05 — Using past members as a lead source- 19:12 — The exit goal review and staying in touch after cancellation- 22:01 — Easy wins for gym owners looking to reactivate past members- 23:42 — Where to find Corey

June 19, 202631 min

Karen Stephenson: How She Built a Thriving Community Later in Life

🌎 Karen Stephenson, owner of Hammock Coast CrossFit on Pawleys Island , South Carolina, joins Mateo at the Two-Brain Business Summit to share how she sold her first gym, moved to the beach, and opened a second one in the middle of COVID. They get into what it really takes to start over, how she transitioned from hobby gym to real business, and why building a senior fitness program has become one of her biggest wins.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:Hammock Coast CrossFit (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/hammockcoast_cf/Hammock Coast CrossFit (Website) - https://hammockcoastcrossfit.com/📺 Watch On:https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide🔥 Show Notes:0:00 — Intro & meet Karen of Hammock Coast CrossFit4:46 — Opening their first gym in Elkins, West Virginia10:06 — Chris Cooper's "perfect day" exercise and deciding to move to the beach14:03 — Starting over in South Carolina during COVID16:50 — Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)19:41 — Buying the building21:44 — Going from hobby gym to real business22:42 — Adding Senior Fit, kids, and semi-private training27:10 — Karen's personal journey with fitness29:23 — The 84-year-old member who went on safari

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

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