Five Essential Things That You Need To Open a New Gym
By Space Coast Daily // December 20, 2019
We live in a time when most people are already considering alternative sources of income and are dabbling in all sorts of investments.
It makes sense if you think about it considering how bad the economy seems to be doing, with prices soaring high and wages keeping steady.
This is why most out there are trying to make the most out of what little money they might have for some sort of financial security in the future.
While the stock market and real estate are the most popular investment options, some people are opting to start their own businesses, and one of the greatest ideas out there is to open up a new gym.
Here’s what you need before embarking on that journey.
1. Certification
No, being in excellent shape does not qualify you to open a new gym; you need certification for that. A lot of people are starting to understand the importance of fitness and staying in good shape, and they want to go to fitness centers and gyms that they could trust.
They expect everybody around to be a trained professional who has the necessary experience and certifications to help them on their fitness journey.
So, look up what certifications and accreditations are available in your state, and start pursuing them. You need to also make sure that you hire only professional and licensed trainers, not amateurs –– which is crucial to ensure your clients’ safety during workouts.
2. Money
While you need money to start any new business, opening a gym is quite impossible without having sufficient funds. Those fitness equipment you find lying around the place can be quite pricey, not to mention the costs of maintenance, running the place, trainers’ wages, rent, and a whole lot of other bills.
So, you need to have enough funds to get started, and don’t even consider trying it without the money because you might end up hiring inexperienced trainers or buying poor equipment, which can be disastrous when you’re just starting out.
Consider getting a business loan if you don’t have sufficient funds early on, but that means you need to have a solid plan from the get go so you could start this the right way.
3. Equipment
Speaking of fitness equipment, what you put in your place is going to either make your gym, or be the end of it. People coming through your doors expect the best out there, and you need to provide them with that.
Getting commercial fitness equipment for a gym can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing or who to deal with. This is why you need to do some research so you could find the best providers who can give you excellent fitness equipment for affordable prices.
4. Location
One more thing that will be a deciding factor in the success of your new gym is the location, and you need to spend a lot of time on this one while developing your business plan.
You have to understand that people are practically looking for excuses to skip going to the gym, and if you put in a location that is a half an hour’s drive from everywhere, you’re giving them that excuse to avoid working out.
Convenience and accessibility are crucial to the success of a fitness center starting out, and you want to be as accessible as possible so people could easily find you and deal with you.
So, select a location that people could easily reach, and research the competition, because it doesn’t make sense that you open your gym in an area that already has two major ones that are much better established.
5. Time
Next to the money, time is perhaps the most important thing you need to open a new gym. This isn’t exactly a side endeavor that you can hope to do next to your day job, and that most likely won’t work.
Once you open your doors, you’ll start understanding the crazy hours needed to run a gym. And if you want it to be a hit, you will have to put in those hours and be there all the time, at least in the beginning until the place starts having a solid clientele.
Is it impossible to start your own new gym? No, it isn’t, but it is also far from easy. You will need to spend a lot of time researching the market and competition so you could provide people with something they really need, and you also must have a solid marketing plan for this to work.
The most important angles, though, are the people you hire and equipment you buy. If you don’t get the best in both worlds, chances are your gym won’t be very successful.
