Opening a gym is one of the most exciting moves you can make as a fitness professional. But it’s also one of the riskiest.
We’ve seen it all – great coaches who burn out trying to run a business they weren’t prepared for, and average coaches who succeed because they had the right plan and the right support. If you’re serious about opening a gym – and making it work – here are the five pillars you need to get right from the start.
1. Vision and viability
Before you start hunting for units or ordering kit, you need to be brutally honest with yourself: Why are you doing this?What kind of business are you trying to build—and who is it for?
A strong vision isn’t just a lofty statement. It informs every decision, from your pricing model to your class timetable. But vision alone isn’t enough – you also need a viable plan.
This is where most would-be gym owners go wrong. They fall in love with the dream and skip the due diligence. Get clear on:
- Your niche and target demographic
- The size and scope of your offer
- What it’ll cost to deliver – and what you’ll need to charge
- Whether there’s a market for it in your chosen location
You’re not just building a gym, you’re building a business. Treat it like one.
2. Financial foundations
To put it plainly: if the numbers don’t work, nothing else matters.
Before you sign a lease or talk to investors, build a rock-solid financial model. That means getting real about:
- Fit-out costs, equipment, and upfront investment
- Rent, rates, utilities, and ongoing operating costs
- Staffing structure and payroll
- Member projections (based on actual local demand, not guesswork)
- Break-even points and forecasted profit/loss over 1, 3 and 5 years
Use forecasting tools. Build a model. Stress-test it. If it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny, revise or walk away. Hope is not a strategy.
3. Pre-opening mobilisation
This one’s a game-changer, and too many gym owners miss it.
Opening day is not when the work starts. You should be operating like a business long before your doors open.
That means:
- A detailed 16-week mobilisation plan
- Marketing strategy and lead gen in motion
- Sales and onboarding systems built and tested
- Staff hired and trained
- Programming, timetables, and tech all finalised
- Operational SOPs ready to roll
Everything from toilet roll to fire safety procedures should be accounted for before launch. Your first 50 members will shape your brand reputation – make sure they get the experience you want to be known for.
4. Design that delivers
Your gym’s physical space matters more than you think. And it’s not about packing in as much kit as possible – it’s about design that supports your model and your specific target demographic.
Some considerations:
- Flow of movement through the space
- Equipment layout by session type and group size
- Visibility for coaches and safety for members
- Pod system vs open layout
- Noise management, lighting, and flooring
Take a tour of gyms that work and pay attention to the details. Smart design drives efficiency, member experience, and profitability.
5. Commercial clarity
Finally: treat your gym like the commercial entity it is. That means:
- Investor packs that speak the right language
- Clear shareholder agreements if you’ve got partners
- Exit strategies and value calculation formulas in place from day one
- Legal agreements reviewed by a solicitor, not just downloaded from Google
You need to know what success looks like for you – and what happens if things change. Protect yourself and your future by building the business with clarity, not assumptions.
Final Word
Opening a gym can change your life, but only if you do it properly.
If you’re considering making the leap, make sure you’re not just thinking like a coach. Start thinking like an owner.
I’ve built seven training gyms from scratch and supported hundreds of gym owners to do the same.
You can book a one-to-one coaching call with me here to get clarity, confidence, and a strategy that actually stacks up.
And if you’re looking for something longer-term, my Gym Owner Collective is where experienced owners come together for honest conversation, shared learning, and the kind of support you can’t get from a generic mentoring group.