The Small Group Gym Pod

<p>Dan Moore didn’t build his gyms the way most people expect.</p><p>In fact, at one point, he had 250 members… with no booking system at all.</p><p>In this episode, Dan breaks down how he grew DM Elite to 3 locations and 500+ members—and what he’d do differently if he started again.</p><p>We get into:</p><ul><li>Why scaling creates problems you can’t outwork</li><li>The real reason most onboarding processes fail</li><li>Why session ratios matter less than you think</li><li>How email became one of his most powerful retention tools</li><li>And the truth about “premium” positioning</li></ul><p></p><p></p><p>Find Out More About Dan:</p><ul><li>His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imdanmoore/ </li><li>His Gym: https://dmelite.co.uk/ </li></ul>

<p><strong>What does it really take to grow from one successful training studio to four locations... with more on the way?</strong></p><p>In this episode, Stuart sits down with John Farkas, owner of Blue Ocean Fitness and multiple Alloy Personal Training franchises, to talk about the real work behind scaling a gym business.</p><p>John shares why he stepped away from coaching clients himself, how his role has changed from trainer to leader, and what surprised him most about moving from one site to multiple locations. They get into staff development, onboarding systems, tough feedback conversations, client retention, referrals, Google reviews, and the communication challenges that come with growth.</p><p></p><p>Find Out More About John:</p><ul><li>His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjohnfarkas/ </li></ul>

<p>In this episode, Alloy Personal Training founder and CEO Rick Mayo breaks down why the most scalable gym model might actually be the smallest. We dig into the logic behind the 150-member “neighbourhood gym” ceiling, the “inverse model” (fewer clients paying more), and the systems Alloy uses to make care feel personal at scale — from greeting members by name in 10 seconds, to random acts of surprise that drive industry-leading retention. Rick also shares a practical community partnership playbook (email lists, in-store presence, and events) and why gym owners shouldn’t rely solely on digital ads once the doors are open.</p><p></p><p>Find Out More About Rick:</p><ul><li>His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachrickmayo/</li><li>Alloy: https://alloyfranchise.com/ </li></ul>

<p>In this episode, I sit down with <strong>Rhys Lewis</strong>, owner of Totem Fitness — a small-group training gym in Surrey that hit <strong>160 members in under two months</strong> after opening on <strong>January 5th</strong>.</p><p>We unpack the thinking behind launching a <strong>1,200 sq ft</strong> facility (and why bigger isn’t better), how Rhys used pre-sale marketing and New Year momentum to fill the gym fast, and the automation-heavy system he runs to convert leads without living on calls — including a high-volume email sequence designed to handle objections before someone ever steps through the door.</p><p>Rhys also shares the retention systems most gyms skip: weekly attendance tracking, proactive check-ins, group onboarding, and how he’s already hiring and delegating to buy back time without losing standards. We finish with a rapid-fire round on equipment, software, cashflow mistakes gym owners make, and why he believes community-led gyms are about to become even more valuable.</p><p></p><p>Find Out More About Rhys:</p><ul><li>His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rdlfit_/ </li><li>His Gym: https://www.instagram.com/totumfitness_/</li></ul>

<p>Katie Hughes runs Bodyworks — a small-group training facility in a small Scottish town… and in just <strong>9 months</strong> she’s gone from <strong>30 garage-gym members to nearly 120 recurring members</strong>, with trials lined up and capacity in sight.</p><p>In this episode, Katie breaks down what actually drove the growth: a smart opening-day play that brought <strong>200+ locals through the door</strong>, the <em>non-salesy</em> way she uses local Facebook groups to create waves of enquiries, and why she believes “stongevity” (strength training for life) is the positioning that’s pulling in more 55+ clients — and then integrating them into the main timetable.</p><p>We also get into the unsexy reality of scaling: why “systems that make sense only to you” start cracking around <strong>80 members</strong>, what she’s learned hiring (and mis-hiring) staff, and the surprising truth about gym finances once expenses and VAT enter the chat. </p><p>If you’re thinking of moving from PT → garage studio → facility, this is the real behind-the-scenes version!</p><p></p><p>Find Out More About Katie:</p><ul><li>Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodyworksstudio_forres/</li><li>Her website: www.bodyworksmoray.co.uk</li></ul>