Gigafit is expanding internationally with the opening of its news clubs in Dubai and Alger. Which makes it a successful fitness franchise known internationally by fitness entheusiasts.
Owning a gym can be an extremely lucrative business, and the statistics prove it. More than 62.5 million gym members visit 104 days a year. However, as lucrative as it can be, the industry is still very saturated. That means the level of competition is high and you have to put in a lot of work to succeed.
What does a gym owner do?
Like any fitness business owner, a gym owner is responsible for maintaining and ultimately growing the gym or club. They have a wide variety of responsibilities. They must manage and motivate their staff, ensure that bills and staff salaries are paid each month, and implement strategies to ensure that the club gets new members and retains current members.
According to Mr. Mountassir, to be a successful gym owner, you need to hire the right team and empower them to achieve their goals – and those of the business as a whole. As a business owner, you must master high levels of expertise in areas such as sales, marketing and fitness instruction.
The 10 most important qualities to run a successful gym
Remember, it takes time and effort to work on these skills. It is essential to continually evolve. Mastering these qualities will help you improve your business and sign-up new members to your gym.
1. Consistency
Consistency is one of the essential qualities of any business owner. It is a reflection of your habits, awareness and ability to plan. Owning a sports club involves many daily tasks, such as finances and maintenance.
Without consistency, these tasks can become a major problem later on. If you let the daily tasks pile up, you may miss or forget something. And that can hurt your business in the long run.
So make sure you are aware of everything at all times. Your gym should be clean every day, and daily finances should be taken care of immediately. Procrastination is your worst enemy, while consistency will bring you abundance.
2. Strong leadership skills
As a gym owner, you will be expected to work with dozens of people on a daily basis. This includes employees and customers. You need to learn how to make crucial decisions immediately and make sure everyone trusts you.
You also need to be kind but firm with your employees. This will motivate them to do their best. The same goes for customers – you are the name and image of your gym. Build relationships with them and be present.
There are many resources that can teach you more about leadership. Learning from the best can only improve your gym business.
3. Be adaptable
All industries are subject to change, and gym ownership is no exception. What separates the great owners from the mediocre ones is how they handle these changes.
Adaptability will ensure that these difficulties do not discourage you. On the contrary, you can use them as a learning opportunity. Success does not come quickly and easily. Adaptability means turning challenges into opportunities.
For example, Gigafit adapted to the covid 19 situation by creating the virtual fitness coaching app Milinus. It helped people stay active and fit from the comfort of their homes.
4. Being good with finances
As a gym owner, you are responsible for your income. However, you are also responsible for the income of your employees. And finances can contribute to the success or failure of a business. If you don’t have a strong financial background, look for resources to develop it.
You need to learn about profits and losses, labor costs, material costs, and so on.
5. Know the industry inside and out
Knowledge is one of the most important things to consider. Every industry is subject to rapid change, including fitness center ownership. Evolving and learning will help you mitigate potential problems.
Keep a close eye on your competitors. Imitate and improve on their successes and learn from their mistakes. Recognize trends early and take advantage of your knowledge.
Incorporate statistics into your business strategy to see what works and what doesn’t. Create surveys for your customers to get advice on where to improve. Knowledge is power.
6. Be a good communicator
Good communication is crucial in business. You will need to build relationships with suppliers, customers and employees. And good communication is the key to maintaining those relationships.
Social skills, in general, are an essential quality that you should always work on. You will probably find yourself in a conflict on occasion. Good social skills will help you get out of these situations quickly.
Some of the social skills you should work on are mediation, confidence, friendliness, body language, respect and listening skills. This will help you network and build relationships in the industry.
7. Patience
Success does not come easily or quickly. It requires hard work and dedication. Sometimes it can take years for your business to succeed. If you’re not patient, you may end up with a lot of unnecessary stress.
People often say that patience brings abundance. And they are not wrong. By being patient, you will build resilience, which will help you become a successful gym owner. Strength is necessary because you will encounter many opponents who will give unsolicited opinions.
If you stress yourself out over each one, you will burn out rather quickly. Instead, be patient, wait for the right opportunities, and remember that success usually doesn’t come quickly.
8. Persistence
Persistence goes hand in hand with consistency, patience and adaptability. Combined with persistence, you get the four most important qualities for survival. And succeeding steadily in the fitness industry is a matter of survival.
It’s a saturated industry full of competition. Anyone can open a gym, but not everyone can make it a success. That’s where perseverance comes in. Even when things don’t look good, you shouldn’t give up quickly. Instead, wait and do everything in your power to turn things around in your favor.
9. Selflessness
Investing in your employees will improve the quality of your business. Hold company events to reward your employees. This will create a healthier company culture. As they say, “Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customer.”
10. Have good customer relationship management skills.
Your customers are just as important as your employees. Without them, you couldn’t make a profit. And their word of mouth can enhance or damage your reputation. So treat your customers with dignity and respect.
Make sure you reward their loyalty and listen to their opinions. Conduct occasional surveys to see what you can do better. Maintain your equipment to ensure that it is always safe. Invest in new equipment and gym improvements to give them the best experience possible.
In general, never stop evolving your business to improve customer satisfaction. And, most importantly, provide exceptional customer service. Let them know that you hear them and care about them. This will take your gym to the next level.
As you can see, being a successful gym owner like Mountassir Bouhadba takes a lot of hard work, patience and consistency. Owning a gym can be an extremely lucrative business if you know how to do it.