What would I do if I had to start all over again?
No clients. No reputation. No facility. Just a clean slate and the benefit of experience.
Start With Life, Not Business
Before thinking about logos or leases, I’d start by designing my life. What kind of dad do I want to be? How much time do I want to spend with my kids? How many holidays do I want to take each year?
Once I know how I want to spend my time, I reverse engineer the business around it. Not the other way around. Life shouldn’t be what’s left over after your business is done with you.
Build a Club, Not a Gym
I wouldn’t build a fitness business that has a community.
I’d build a community that happens to do fitness.
Exercise is important, but I believe a huge chunk of its benefits, maybe 40 percent, come from the people you train alongside. The conversations. The collisions. The connection.
So that’s the foundation. A social club where movement is the glue.
Semi-Private Training, With Overlap
The model? Semi-private sessions of three people. Half-hour coached sessions with an extra 15 minutes on either side for pre- and post-work.
That overlap means clients interact with nine other people, not just the two they’re training with. It builds community, creates stickiness, and allows for better coaching without losing the social magic.
No Staff, No Stress
This would be a one-person operation. Just me.
No salaries. No HR. No rosters.
That simplicity is liberating. I’ve had 16 staff before. I now have zero. And I’ve never been happier.
The Space
I’d look for a premium 60 square metre space. Enough for semi-private work, consults, and warm-up zones. I wouldn’t lease directly. I’d sublease from an existing business, ideally one aligned with health or recreation.
Everything inside would be intentional. Brutally minimalist. No clutter. Just functional, high-quality gear.
The Right Clients
I wouldn’t chase time-poor, gym-averse, price-sensitive clients. Why build a business around people who already have resistance to what you offer?
Instead, I’d target:
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People with time
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People with disposable income
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People who already exercise
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Super influencers (those who refer others naturally)
Super influencers are usually extroverted, altruistic, and socially credible. They become unofficial ambassadors for your brand.
Be Unignorable, Not Just Good
If you’re not different, you’re invisible. Most fitness businesses look and feel exactly the same. I’d aim to be unmistakably unique.
That starts with a clear USP. I wouldn’t try to be slightly better than the next gym. I’d be radically different.
High Price Point, High Value
Minimum $300 per hour of billable time. That works out to $50 per person for a half-hour semi-private session with three clients. That’s not outrageous, but it positions you as premium.
There’s a book called Somebody Has to Be the Most Expensive, Why Not Make It You? That would be my mindset. Price signals quality, but only if you can deliver.
Subscription Revenue Model
No fancy software. Just simple, recurring bank transfers. Same time every week. Same payment every week. Like Netflix. If they’re away, they still pay. That consistency is powerful.
Odd Objects, Not Barbells
No treadmills. No dumbbells. No machines.
Instead: sandbags, sleds, strongman gear. Things that feel novel and analog. Tools that are fun, functional, and create stories.
Affluent Suburbs or Smart Geography
I’d position the business in or near a wealthy suburb, or on a direct commute line between where clients live and where they work. Proximity and convenience are underrated marketing tools.
Sell an Experience
Everyone’s in hospitality now. The way you make people feel is your product. I’d lean hard into creating remarkable experiences.
Want to get good at this? Read Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara and The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath.
Go Analog
No tech dashboards. No apps. No wearables.
I’d go the opposite direction. Glass boards. Tactile tools. Real conversations. In a digital world, analog feels premium.
Support a Cause
I’d bake generosity into the business model. Maybe a scholarship program. Maybe free sessions for underprivileged kids. Something that gives people a reason to feel proud about where they train.
Tell Stories
Marketing would be storytelling, plain and simple. Social media would be used only to share transformation narratives. No trends. No hacks. Just human stories, well told.
If you want to get good at this, listen to episode 68 and 60 of the podcast. The storytelling structure I use is there.
Say What You’re Bad At
One of the best marketing strategies is goal dilution. Publicly stating what you don’t do.
We don’t offer open gym.
We don’t do classes.
We don’t do cardio machines.
But we are the best in the city at [insert USP].
That kind of clarity builds trust.
