Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: purenaturalstrength on November 20, 2011, 12:15:15 PM
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basic equipment with heavy ass weights but charge the same as the fancy panzy gyms?
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Hell no.
Well, at least here it would suck. Maybe in America there are enough people for every niche though..
I've understood that here 'gyms' make their profits (if they even make any) mainly from women. That means body pump, all kind of shit yoga, spinning, zumba, tanning salons, shiatsu therapy etc etc.
So mainly woodoo.
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If you sold drugs and did G4P at the hardcore gym you might make some money, go for it stud
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Hell no.
Well, at least here it would suck. Maybe in America there are enough people for every niche though..
I've understood that here 'gyms' make their profits (if they even make any) mainly from women. That means body pump, all kind of shit yoga, spinning, zumba, tanning salons, shiatsu therapy etc etc.
So mainly woodoo.
but what about all the supplement buying kids who want to be a bodybuild? they are frustrated with the shit equipment in commercial gyms
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but what about all the supplement buying kids who want to be a bodybuild? they are frustrated with the shit equipment in commercial gyms
Supplements are cheaper at bigger retail chains and online stores. You might be lucky to sell them protein shakes from time to time, but the real money makers are women and people that don't even go to the gym but get a membership.
There's no money in hardcore gyms outside of selling PEDs.
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The gym business is a tough one regardless if hardcore or not... it also often comes down to one thing that has nothing to do with hardcore or not...
location, location, location....
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Gyms are full of 120 lbs female "trainers" who lead "spinning/pilate etc" courses where 3/4 of the customers are fat whales with no clue about weight loss. They just spend 1 to 3 hours a week looking at the 120 lbs ecto bitch with fake tits and fitness clothes telling them to move their fat so they ll become just like her, until they abandon the whole things 1 month later. The "trainer" doesnt give a fuck, she got their money, and it makes her feel good to compare herself to these "losers" she calls "customers". She never intended to teach them anything anyway.
Gyms are also full of male trainers who are on steroids and act the same way with their "customers", basicaly despie them while pretending to care about them until the clients just abandon the whole thing.
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thanks for the replies friends
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They can be profitable if they are in the inner city where there are no other chain gyms in the vicinity....
Women will bite the bullet and go to hardcore gyms if there are no Bally's or Planet Fitness nearby...blacks, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans will go to these hardcore gyms and will pay the going rate.....thus the gym owner can create a niche market
My gym was like this.,..it was a hardcore neighborhood gym but then Planet Fitness opened up three blocks away and my gym promptly closed its doors and sold all of their memberships to another hardcore gym located in an industrial neighborhood even further removed from residential areas..so now I have to travel to to the gym when it was two blocks form my house before
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what fancy place doesnt have everything a bodybuilder needs? the best gym I ever been in was a 100/month gym in manhattan, every type of machine, a good ten feet of space around each machine, nothing but hot girls everywhere, lots of fags too but that's ok. one time I was working out and this woman on a star master pull her pants down and scratched her ass right in front of me, such a very hot round ass, I believe she had a very thin thong on
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what fancy place doesnt have everything a bodybuilder needs? the best gym I ever been in was a 100/month gym in manhattan, every type of machine, a good ten feet of space around each machine, nothing but hot girls everywhere, lots of fags too but that's ok. one time I was working out and this woman on a star master pull her pants down and scratched her ass right in front of me, such a very hot round ass, I believe she had a very thin thong on
Biggest problem is usually the lack of big boy weights. Dumbbells that only go to 80lbs, only a dozen or so 45lb plates in the entire gym, machines that only have a few hundred pounds of resistance and additionally feel light as a feather, etc.
I like my gym though, it's the "rich people gym" in my town. TONS of milfs and smoking young hotties all over the place. It's insane. 8)
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i dont need the big boy weights lol, and I like machines that give me leverage advantage, makes me feel stronger lol
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i dont need the big boy weights lol, and I like machines that give me leverage advantage, makes me feel stronger lol
one arm seated hammer rows ftw
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what fancy place doesnt have everything a bodybuilder needs? the best gym I ever been in was a 100/month gym in manhattan, every type of machine, a good ten feet of space around each machine, nothing but hot girls everywhere, lots of fags too but that's ok. one time I was working out and this woman on a star master pull her pants down and scratched her ass right in front of me, such a very hot round ass, I believe she had a very thin thong on
Did you shit yourself?
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There is a lot of competition here in the States from the large nationwide corporate chains.
Running a gym and expecting to make decent money off of it is nearly impossible these days... unless, of course, you want to run it ALL BY YOURSELF and keep your repairs, upgrades, toilet repairs, janitorial, etc. to a BARE MINIMUM.
I wouldn't dare attempt it in this economy. A hardcore gym is going to be rife with hardcore bodybuilders who are broke-ass driving beat up old cars and spending anything extra on juice. There isn't even room for personal training because they won't pay for it. Everyone else is intimidated by bodybuilders, and by "everyone else" ~ I mean this: The people who have money and keep the cash-flow consistent.
Screw that!
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There is a lot of competition here in the States from the large nationwide corporate chains.
Running a gym and expecting to make decent money off of it is nearly impossible these days... unless, of course, you want to run it ALL BY YOURSELF and keep your repairs, upgrades, toilet repairs, janitorial, etc. to a BARE MINIMUM.
I wouldn't dare attempt it in this economy. A hardcore gym is going to be rife with hardcore bodybuilders who are broke-ass driving beat up old cars and spending anything extra on juice. There isn't even room for personal training because they won't pay for it. Everyone else is intimidated by bodybuilders, and by "everyone else" ~ I mean this: The people who have money and keep the cash-flow consistent.
Screw that!
ha!
but everybody likes to train at the hardcore gym with the 200kg bench pressing monsters to marvel at?
but interesting points, where i live the bodybuilders are not unemployed tho
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Three hardcore mom + pop type gym owners told me in the past they hardly made any coin....just kept the gym open often at their own expense out of a passion for training and for bodybuilding.
Once you get the initial membership payment from a client/member,if you don`t sell supps,shirts,shakes,or any of that stuff,you make jack shit over time.
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Three hardcore mom + pop type gym owners told me in the past they hardly made any coin....just kept the gym open often at their own expense out of a passion for training and for bodybuilding.
Once you get the initial membership payment from a client/member,if you don`t sell supps,shirts,shakes,or any of that stuff,you make jack shit over time.
so how is it different from commercial gyms? when you charge the same but have less expenses?
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See Metroflex. Although I think the new one in Long Beach isn't doing well.
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See Metroflex. Although I think the new one in Long Beach isn't doing well.
is metroflex profitable?
it's a serious question, i always assumed brian just lived off coaching ifbb champs
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Can't say for sure. I know he franchises out the Metroflex model. If you go to the site I think there's info on it.
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A hardcore gym can be profitable, I have 5 of them, all 24:7 and open every day of the year.
You need to know who you are, what your brand is and stick to it. You also need to keep your gym clean and tidy, no matter how hardcore it is.
We are open for the 5% people that no one else wants or knows how to deal with. While the standard renewal rate in the industry is around 15%, ours is closer to 70%.
We don't have sales people or membership consultants. We do no mainstream advertising at all, just word of mouth and branding.
The right type of feel can attract all types, including elite athletes and celebrity guests. This in turn makes your regular gym goer want to be a part of something.
The best part is, if you build a gym that you would want to be a part of then you look forward to going to work every day.
All the best.
TD
www.dohertysgym.com
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now I wanna go 2 ur gym lol
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BINGO ^^^^
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interesting
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A hardcore gym can be profitable, I have 5 of them, all 24:7 and open every day of the year.
You need to know who you are, what your brand is and stick to it. You also need to keep your gym clean and tidy, no matter how hardcore it is.
We are open for the 5% people that no one else wants or knows how to deal with. While the standard renewal rate in the industry is around 15%, ours is closer to 70%.
We don't have sales people or membership consultants. We do no mainstream advertising at all, just word of mouth and branding.
The right type of feel can attract all types, including elite athletes and celebrity guests. This in turn makes your regular gym goer want to be a part of something.
The best part is, if you build a gym that you would want to be a part of then you look forward to going to work every day.
All the best.
TD
www.dohertysgym.com
what are your dues ? seriously...do you charge a higher premium to offset the lack of volume ?
Because mainstream gyms have thousands of members that don't even use the gym..but good 'ol EFT bangs their card every month, and they keep the doors open for the rest of us
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the idea of creating something that people want to be a part of is a big part of the business I'm planning on starting when I raise the capital, people want status, people want to be cool, they want this more than anything really. Whether it be gyms, music, books, it's kind of the most important part... you can talk about market share all day long, but things like cool and trust and other intangibles are key, at least in my experience
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24hr fitness for example has filed banckruptcy 3-4 times in the last 7 years. They have a 1985 business model in todays times. Eventually most of the commercial gyms will fail.
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A hardcore gym can be profitable, I have 5 of them, all 24:7 and open every day of the year.
You need to know who you are, what your brand is and stick to it. You also need to keep your gym clean and tidy, no matter how hardcore it is.
We are open for the 5% people that no one else wants or knows how to deal with. While the standard renewal rate in the industry is around 15%, ours is closer to 70%.
We don't have sales people or membership consultants. We do no mainstream advertising at all, just word of mouth and branding.
The right type of feel can attract all types, including elite athletes and celebrity guests. This in turn makes your regular gym goer want to be a part of something.
The best part is, if you build a gym that you would want to be a part of then you look forward to going to work every day.
All the best.
TD
www.dohertysgym.com
So Messiah do you feel that advertising in your industry is a waste of money because the kind of people you would attract from advertising would only last a year anyway?
Or does the advertising not pay for itself?
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24hr fitness for example has filed banckruptcy 3-4 times in the last 7 years. They have a 1985 business model in todays times. Eventually most of the commercial gyms will fail.
so gyms are low percentage of success businesses?
my original life long dream was to buy a whore house and rent it to prostitutes but I looked it up in the criminal law books and it's illegal
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what are your dues ? seriously...do you charge a higher premium to offset the lack of volume ?
Because mainstream gyms have thousands of members that don't even use the gym..but good 'ol EFT bangs their card every month, and they keep the doors open for the rest of us
Our fees are all on our website 12 months $795 or $65 a month on direct debit. Nothing to hide. Most gyms don't publish their prices which is a double edge sword, consumers like you to be open and honest. Most gyms try to suck you in to see a membership consultant before they tell you the cost. In my humble opinion, most experienced gym heads see straight through this approach.
Yes most gyms rely on having thousands of members that do not work out. To me this is dumb business and is the whole reason that their renewal rates are so low. If everyone uses the gym and you can get them to spend $5 for example, every time they come in, then the membership price is just one part of the puzzle. We have a proper coffee machine in each gym, plus a pro shop for drinks, protein bars, post workout drinks etc. On top of that, if your brand is cool, then they want to get the shirt. OUr merchandise is now it's own business and I am just a little brand in a far away country.
Check out my enbay store and get a shirt while you are there ;)
http://stores.ebay.com.au/dohertysgym?_trksid=p4340.l2563
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so gyms are low percentage of success businesses?
my original life long dream was to buy a whore house and rent it to prostitutes but I looked it up in the criminal law books and it's illegal
LOL
which country are talking about here?
this sorta thing might be legal in amsterdam
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So Messiah do you feel that advertising in your industry is a waste of money because the kind of people you would attract from advertising would only last a year anyway?
Or does the advertising not pay for itself?
Advertising is a waste of time if you are trying to target people that don't train. Better to concentrate on branding and the cool factor to make your brand something people want.
At our fitness expo, my booth is just in your face branding, choppers, hotrods or muscle cars and maybe a postcard with our prices. No specials, no sales just attitude branding.
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Can't say for sure. I know he franchises out the Metroflex model. If you go to the site I think there's info on it.
How can you franchise the Metroflex??? Do they send someone into the place to urinate on the floors to give it the aroma,does he smear the front desk with hog guts, is there a complimentary ponytail nailed to the wall?? Do they help you locate shitty and broken equipment???
Ronnie may have made the gym famous but it doesn't make a difference. I wouldn't train there without having a tetenus shot first
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the idea of creating something that people want to be a part of is a big part of the business I'm planning on starting when I raise the capital, people want status, people want to be cool, they want this more than anything really. Whether it be gyms, music, books, it's kind of the most important part... you can talk about market share all day long, but things like cool and trust and other intangibles are key, at least in my experience
You have got it right there, the cool factor is what counts for the majority. A few celebs, gansters, athletes and cool cats and the people will come.
I like to use the nightclub example. There are two nightclubs next door to each other, one has all the glitter of gold but no people out the front. The other is a bit run down but has a queue out the front, then people want to get into the one with the people cause it will be cool.
I have manged to attract some of the best athletes in the world to my gym and that is a major factor. WWE wrestlers, UFC fighter, Elite footballers, obviously all the pro bodybuilders and even golfers. Tiger Woods has been training in my City gym for the last 2 weeks and loves it because he gets left alone.
If you have them wearing your brand then the credibility soars!
TD
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ronnie coleman's "on the road" was the best advertising ever ever ever
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ronnie coleman's "on the road" was the best advertising ever ever ever
Yes we got some great shots of Ronnie wearing our kit.
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Yes we got some great shots of Ronnie wearing our kit.
I always wondered and you may be someone who knows....
Is the guy in the back related to ronnie? (family?)
lol I always wondered
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Yes that is his cousin Markus.
He lives in Sydney, he graduated from NIDA, (acting school).
The white guy behind Markus is no relation, that is Gary Phillips from Flex mag.
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Yes that is his cousin Markus.
He lives in Sydney, he graduated from NIDA, (acting school).
The white guy behind Markus is no relation, that is Gary Phillips from Flex mag.
Thanks!
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Messiah, dude you are an inspiration. I would like to have my own gym after some years, it's an idea that has been around my head for a while.
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You have got it right there, the cool factor is what counts for the majority. A few celebs, gansters, athletes and cool cats and the people will come.
I like to use the nightclub example. There are two nightclubs next door to each other, one has all the glitter of gold but no people out the front. The other is a bit run down but has a queue out the front, then people want to get into the one with the people cause it will be cool.
I have manged to attract some of the best athletes in the world to my gym and that is a major factor. WWE wrestlers, UFC fighter, Elite footballers, obviously all the pro bodybuilders and even golfers. Tiger Woods has been training in my City gym for the last 2 weeks and loves it because he gets left alone.
If you have them wearing your brand then the credibility soars!
TD
lol at tiger woods finally wanting to become a man after leaving his mother 's influence that led him his whole life.
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so......
can tiger woods really bench 3 plates?
in that powerlifting movie "power unlimited" they mentioned it and said they thought it was a load of BS
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so......
can tiger woods really bench 3 plates?
in that powerlifting movie "power unlimited" they mentioned it and said they thought it was a load of BS
He actually trains hard, his technique is flawless. I think he had some great coaching along the way.
I didn't see him bench. However he was doing front squats to the floor with 2 plates per side. This was the morning of the first day of the Presidents Cup. He likes to wake his body up, on major playing days. He was also doing hang cleans, snatches and back squats on other days, very strong and fast. Timer between sets, methodical and always great form.
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Yes that is his cousin Markus.
He lives in Sydney, he graduated from NIDA, (acting school).
The white guy behind Markus is no relation, that is Gary Phillips from Flex mag.
LOL
he looks like Goodrum
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He actually trains hard, his technique is flawless. I think he had some great coaching along the way.
I didn't see him bench. However he was doing front squats to the floor with 2 plates per side. This was the morning of the first day of the Presidents Cup. He likes to wake his body up, on major playing days. He was also doing hang cleans, snatches and back squats on other days, very strong and fast. Timer between sets, methodical and always great form.
If you had to make an educated guess what do you think he benches tho?
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LOL
he looks like Goodrum
Fuck that's harsh!
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If you had to make an educated guess what do you think he benches tho?
At a guess..... I would not be surprised to see him press around 3 plates for a couple, 2 1/2plates for reps.
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If you don't mind me asking, what is the average square footage of your gyms?
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If you don't mind me asking, what is the average square footage of your gyms?
I don't mind at all.
The smallest is 1000m2 (10763 ft²)
The biggest is 1800m2 (19375 ft²)
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People borrow too much and lease both equipment and space that is too expensive and they simply don't have enough of a buffer left to build up their monthly income to cover everything.
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Wow, those are huge facilities. Thanks!
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Yes we got some great shots of Ronnie wearing our kit.
(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=402888.0;attach=442598;image)
End of Thread
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Hey messiah do you still have the blue nautilus leg extension you can see behind Ronnie in that pic?
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Hey messiah do you still have the blue nautilus leg extension you can see behind Ronnie in that pic?
Great machine!
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Great machine!
Golds Venice still has the same one they bought in 1979 or so.
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Hey messiah do you still have the blue nautilus leg extension you can see behind Ronnie in that pic?
Absolutely mate, it is not going anywhere.
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do u has a gym in new york?
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Absolutely mate, it is not going anywhere.
people who rag on leg extensions need to do a few sets on that exact machine to shut their traps.
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How can you franchise the Metroflex??? Do they send someone into the place to urinate on the floors to give it the aroma,does he smear the front desk with hog guts, is there a complimentary ponytail nailed to the wall?? Do they help you locate shitty and broken equipment???
Ronnie may have made the gym famous but it doesn't make a difference. I wouldn't train there without having a tetenus shot first
Shut up Vince and quit being a sissy. Get your ass out of Curves and get into a real gym....fuck!
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do u has a gym in new york?
No we dont has one in NYC
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Tony, can you tell us a bit about the early years? Were the first years financially tough? Was it hard to promote the hardcore concept? With how many square footage did you start? Funny anecdotes? Lessons learned?
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Tony, can you tell us a bit about the early years? Were the first years financially tough? Was it hard to promote the hardcore concept? With how many square footage did you start? Funny anecdotes? Lessons learned?
I know he had a tiny gym in his hometown way back when.
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Gyms are full of 120 lbs female "trainers" who lead "spinning/pilate etc" courses where 3/4 of the customers are fat whales with no clue about weight loss. They just spend 1 to 3 hours a week looking at the 120 lbs ecto bitch with fake tits and fitness clothes telling them to move their fat so they ll become just like her, until they abandon the whole things 1 month later. The "trainer" doesnt give a fuck, she got their money, and it makes her feel good to compare herself to these "losers" she calls "customers". She never intended to teach them anything anyway.
Gyms are also full of male trainers who are on steroids and act the same way with their "customers", basicaly despie them while pretending to care about them until the clients just abandon the whole thing.
lol, very true.
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I can tell you from experience, I've had a 7200 sq ft hardcore strength oriented place since 1995 near Philly PA and have yet to make a dime. I work over 80 hours a week, do my own cleaning and repairs, never take vacations. You only make money from the people you sign up that NEVER come in and in our type of place every member comes in every night and busts up the place.
www.ironsport.com
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Shut up Vince and quit being a sissy. Get your ass out of Curves and get into a real gym....fuck!
A real gym has training equipment that's safe and a facility that's kept clean and taken care of. Metroflex obviously isn't one of them. Even Doherty's Gym is cleaned on a regular basis.
But seriously, why waste the money buying a franchise. Just come up with your own name and save a ton of money from being pimped out.
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I can tell you from experience, I've had a 7200 sq ft hardcore strength oriented place since 1995 near Philly PA and have yet to make a dime. I work over 80 hours a week, do my own cleaning and repairs, never take vacations. You only make money from the people you sign up that NEVER come in and in our type of place every member comes in every night and busts up the place.
www.ironsport.com
Is it worth it?
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Fuck that's harsh!
You gotta problem with me, pal???
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I can tell you from experience, I've had a 7200 sq ft hardcore strength oriented place since 1995 near Philly PA and have yet to make a dime. I work over 80 hours a week, do my own cleaning and repairs, never take vacations. You only make money from the people you sign up that NEVER come in and in our type of place every member comes in every night and busts up the place.
www.ironsport.com
See my earlier post echoing your sentiments.
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
QFT......I pay $150 per year at my neighborhood gym
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
$65/mo is pricey, but in order to make a living on a "hardcore" gym, you'd probably need $65/mo and have the building and equipment paid for.
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$65/mo is pricey, but in order to make a living on a "hardcore" gym, you'd probably need $65/mo and have the building and equipment paid for.
This is probably true....I pay $150 per month but I think the gym has older equipment and I think the owner of the gym also owns the building so he pays no rent or if he does pay rent he pays it to himself
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Yes that is his cousin Markus.
He lives in Sydney, he graduated from NIDA, (acting school).
The white guy behind Markus is no relation, that is Gary Phillips from Flex mag.
Yes the giant light and Camera kinda gave it away...HA
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;D and the shirt that says FLEX!
Yes the giant light and Camera kinda gave it away...HA
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
isn't it 65 australian dollars
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I can tell you from experience, I've had a 7200 sq ft hardcore strength oriented place since 1995 near Philly PA and have yet to make a dime. I work over 80 hours a week, do my own cleaning and repairs, never take vacations. You only make money from the people you sign up that NEVER come in and in our type of place every member comes in every night and busts up the place.
www.ironsport.com
I've seen the video tour of your gym and you have a great set up. IMO, thats the way a gym a should be. Yours, EliteFTS, Defrancos, etc are great gyms. "Bodybuilding" type-gyms are a dime a dozen. I do know that Joe's (Defranco) has a different business model not being open to the public. That's the way have our little set up.
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so gyms are low percentage of success businesses?
my original life long dream was to buy a whore house and rent it to prostitutes but I looked it up in the criminal law books and it's illegal
Come to Holland! You can open a whore house and I can teach you how to train !! ;D
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Come to Holland! You can open a whore house and I can teach you how to train !! ;D
whorehouses are headaches, and not much money
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I can tell you from experience, I've had a 7200 sq ft hardcore strength oriented place since 1995 near Philly PA and have yet to make a dime. I work over 80 hours a week, do my own cleaning and repairs, never take vacations. You only make money from the people you sign up that NEVER come in and in our type of place every member comes in every night and busts up the place.
www.ironsport.com
Steve,
I love your gym. If I lived in your area that's where I would train. I worked for 2 years as the GM of a successful gym franchise. Based on everything I always hear from you I would either move the gym super close or into Philly or hire some trainers and start doing PT. PT is where all your money is going to come from. I know you personally hate training people so either hire someone or have them pay you money every month ($200-$300) and then let them keep anything they make. This way you take on zero overhead. I wish you luck bro.
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
$65/mo is too much to pay? You guys suck. If it's a good gym, with good equipment, members, enviroment, etc that's nothing IMO. I guess training is more important to me. Small price to pay for a place you like to go and can make gains at.
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Great machine!
Yup...I love the center mounted extension machines.
The ones with the bar coming from the side can't possibly be engineered so precisely that the weight distribution is even, I just don't see it.
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basic equipment with heavy ass weights but charge the same as the fancy panzy gyms?
depends.. Only one or two days out of the month.. Once on monthly dues,and another on Supplement purchases.. But not much on anything else..
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
Welcome to Australia, Land of Retarded Pricetags On Everything.
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Welcome to Australia, Land of Retarded Pricetags On Everything.
A little (a lot) naive on this, but is the Australian $$ the same as the American? Meaning if I went to Australia would I have to exchange American $$? Did that make sense?
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A little (a lot) naive on this, but is the Australian $$ the same as the American? Meaning if I went to Australia would I have to exchange American $$? Did that make sense?
Yep, they share the name 'dollar' but it's a different currency so you'd be facing exchange rates. I think the Aus dollar is pretty strong these days but that's not the worst of it for visitors. Americans fall over backwards when they see the cost of some things here. I buy all sorts of things online and they are far cheaper than retail even after paying shipping costs.
The economy here is somewhat out of control imo but no one seems to ever talk about it so maybe I'm nuts. I retain my US passport tho in case of emergency. Even with the mining, I'd be surprised if there isn't a crisis here in the next decade.
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I heard the cost of beer is astronomical
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I heard the cost of beer is astronomical
I'd guess the cheaper stuff is under $2 a can at the shop but you can burn $20+ on a 6 pack easy enough. Haven't been in a city pub in years but I expect you'd pay about $10-$12 a pint.
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haha, what? 2 dollars a can what, 10 - 12 a pint WHAT
what is the explanation, high alcohol tax?
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Idk man. Everyone has to charge a lot for their shit in order to make enough money to buy other shit when everyone else is charging a lot for their shit too.
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What you said means that the australian dollar is worth about half of the us dollar, what you're saying.... that everything is just expensive, in economic terms this translates into the currency not being worth as much as the currency of a country where "everyone doesn't charge as much for shit," catch my drift?
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A little (a lot) naive on this, but is the Australian $$ the same as the American? Meaning if I went to Australia would I have to exchange American $$? Did that make sense?
Yes coach you would actually have to exchange your US dollars for Australian dollars. They are worth about the same at the moment.
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What you said means that the australian dollar is worth about half of the us dollar, what you're saying.... that everything is just expensive, in economic terms this translates into the currency not being worth as much as the currency of a country where "everyone doesn't charge as much for shit," catch my drift?
Wages are a lot higher but Aussies are still in more debt than just about anybody in the world trying to keep up their lifestyles.
Houses prices are very very high. A huge bubble in my opinion.
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Guess how much this old house in sydney is for sale for? 1million even!
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
Maybe you have to up your income mate.
If you train 5 X week, then it is about $3 per visit. You have access to 5 gyms 24:7 with every piece of equipment imaginable.
If you have a job then this should be easily affordable in any country. I spent $65 on a nice steak yesterday. People spend that on liquor nightly.
Better still if you smoke a packet a day in Australia, that is about $455 per month.
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I pay $60.00 a month to train at a university gym.......only gym in the small town where I live.
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65 bucks is too much to pay a month.
Stop whining, or join your local Planet Fitness.
When a gym has good equipment, friendly & knowledgeable staff, and a good environment to bust your ass, than it's well worth those 65 bucks.
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Maybe you have to up your income mate.
If you train 5 X week, then it is about $3 per visit. You have access to 5 gyms 24:7 with every piece of equipment imaginable.
If you have a job then this should be easily affordable in any country. I spent $65 on a nice steak yesterday. People spend that on liquor nightly.
Better still if you smoke a packet a day in Australia, that is about $455 per month.
for what messiah offers that is a fair price.
being an aussie who now lives in america it is always funny to go shopping and hear people complain about paying $3 per kilo for bananas or 80 cents a litre for petrol.
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$65 per month for an outstanding gym is very good value in Melbourne. I left Oz 3 years ago and wasn't paying a lot less than that for a significantly more run down facility.
Tony - do you ever/did you ever spend time thinking about or planning around your competition? And if so, who do you see as your competition? The chains? I was on the other side of town and can only name BodyWorld as a 'hardcore' type facility, and even then, that's more to do with the lack of any other options other than the weight room.
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$65 per month for an outstanding gym is very good value in Melbourne. I left Oz 3 years ago and wasn't paying a lot less than that for a significantly more run down facility.
Tony - do you ever/did you ever spend time thinking about or planning around your competition? And if so, who do you see as your competition? The chains? I was on the other side of town and can only name BodyWorld as a 'hardcore' type facility, and even then, that's more to do with the lack of any other options other than the weight room.
No have always beaten to my own drum. I have never worried about what anyone else does, just kept pushing.
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Tony, can you tell us a bit about the early years? Were the first years financially tough? Was it hard to promote the hardcore concept? With how many square footage did you start? Funny anecdotes? Lessons learned?
OK here is my story, thanks for asking. It took me all day to write it down, I have enjoyed looking back, thank you....................
I started out in the gym business in about 1985, I had been working at a fitness centre in my home town for a year or two and saw an opportunity to buy it. I thought I knew everything and I paid way too much for it. At the time there was two gyms in a town of 100,000 people. Within three years there were nine gyms and the market share had shrunk. I still thought I knew it all and pushed ahead, losing money every month. I had gone into it with my parents backing and after the first few years just about lost the lot, including the family home. Being a cocky fucker, I just didn't get it and continued to think I knew it all, as young men do.
By 1994 things had become really bad, the town was over saturated by gyms, two more had opened up in my street and the wolves were circling. By then I was becoming well established as a bodybuilding promoter in Melbourne and knew that I needed to move quickly or lose the lot. I just could not see a way out. Then it hit me. I went to see the guy that had opened across the road, I knew his lease was coming up and he wanted to grow. I offered him my lease, all of my members and some equipment. I would walk away and he would get a better building and double his membership overnight. My only condition was that he would honour the members that had paid upfront, after all my folks still had to live int he town and I had to walk away with some dignity.
My dad has always been a partner in the business and we have become very close over the years, he still does all the bookwork and accounts which allows me to forge ahead.
I opened up in Brunswick, Melbourne in a small warehouse (400m2) with a truckload of worn out equipment, zero members and a dream. I had learned a lot but still thought I knew it all, there would be some more hard medicine ahead, all I had going for me was that I was too driven, stubborn or stupid to quit. At that time all I wanted was somewhere to train, somewhere to live and a Harley Davison motorcycle (one day).
The first year I lost everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month for the first year, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym most nights for that first 9 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had come from somewhere when I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I stayed with Sonny Schmidt's family a couple of nights a week and his brother Pale stated working at the gym. They were very kind to me and that Samoan food kept me going. When Sonny moved back to Australia we managed to get a little rental across from the gym, it was a dump but worked great at the time. I started training like crazy with Sonny for the Olympia's and the gym started to get a following. People would come to watch us train and I started to get a few clients.
I still had nothing to show, but the gym was starting to go better and I had paid back most of the bills that I had bought with me. Once I started to get on top, I would buy a piece of equipment every time that I had some money in the bank. It was 6 years before started to get a regular wage but I managed to hustle up enough to survive between contests, personal training and a bit of debt collecting.
It was about this time that I started to wise up and realise that I didn't know everything at all. By now I had met Amanda (my wife to be) and we were starting to live a bit better. I managed to put food on the table, but still no car or flash living. At least I had killed my ego and learned a lot about myself and people from all walks of life. Looking back, going hungry and losing just about everything was the best thing that happened to me, no easy ride and looking down the barrel every day was probably what I needed to wake me up.
By 1998 we had kind of out grown the small building and the landlord wanted to turn it into apartments. So after finally getting ahead, (still no wage) but I owned all my equipment and had started to get our name out there. It was then that I found our current building, it was three times the size and the rent was also three times the size. However I have always thought that you have to risk something that matters. So with that we moved into Weston Street and it was like starting all over again. We went 24:7 immediately and things got really bad again. It was a good gym but with the overheads going up so much, it was impossible to make a buck. For the next three years I fought every day, worked twelve hour days and did everything myself, cleaning, maintenance, graphics, mail-outs, contests and day to day management. Things slowly started to turn around. I kept my policy of buying equipment every time I could, I would scour the internet and auction sites to find the best stuff I could at the right price. I kept pushing myself and by the time my first child was born in 2002, I was earning wages every week and business was looking better than before.
In 2001 I held our first pro show and the brand started to get known worldwide. We started to attract all types of athletes form Olympians to AFL footballers and power athletes from everywhere. Around 2004 we launched Muscle TV and I had started to work as a strength and conditioning coach at the Carlton Football Club, which gave us more credibility and a bigger following. Over the next 5 years it started to work, I kept buying equipment and expanding the gym. To this day I own every piece in every gym and don't lease any equipment at all. It keeps your overheads down and takes away most of the stress.
Three years ago I had a opportunity to buy an old hardcore gym that was rundown and going broke, it was in a great location and just need some love. I had to risk everything all over again. With the encouragement of my wife and family I went for it. We fixed it up nice and it is now very busy day and night. A couple of years ago I had the same opportunity in the middle of the City, it was in worse shape and provided the biggest challenge of all. It is also flying now and to have Tiger Woods train there for the last two weeks was the icing on the cake. We have done the same again North of where we are and also in my original home town. The last two are still to break even but heading in the right direction and getting busier every week.
The expos and shows have taken over a lot of my time now but have huge potential. I now have 62 staff and 4 of the gyms run 24:7, every day of the year. We have four healthy kids and live pretty well. I have never forgotten where I have come from and love to see others reach their potential. I still spend every day in the gym and wouldn't change it for the world. I am still working on the gym to make it better and will never stop trying to improve the product and the brand.
"It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll"
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I pay $60.00 a month to train at a university gym.......only gym in the small town where I live.
Same I do 6 dollar drop ins, I'll be going to the school gym for free in january. So it makes no sense to sign up. But for that much money it's almost cheaper to work out at home. 720 a year for a gym plus travel, and having to leave your house not worth the money.
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Great story Tony!
It is amazing the effect that simply adding a new piece (or replacing a piece that isn't pulling its weight) of equipment every few months can have on a gym. People can actually see their money being reinvested which makes them feel appreciated. Even better when you poll them on what they would like and you come through with the goods. Changing cables and upholstery as soon as it is worn has a major effect too believe it or not.
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Great story Tony!
It is amazing the effect that simply adding a new piece (or replacing a piece that isn't pulling its weight) of equipment every few months can have on a gym. People can actually see their money being reinvested which makes them feel appreciated. Even better when you poll them on what they would like and you come through with the goods. Changing cables and upholstery as soon as it is worn has a major effect too believe it or not.
You are absolutely right, there were times when I was broke that I would just move equipment around for the sake of it, or paint a wall, put up a picture. People would always comment that at least we were always doing something.
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From today's Herald Sun, (Australia's biggest newspaper)
More branding!
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OK here is my story, thanks for asking. It took me all day to write it down, I have enjoyed looking back, thank you....................
I started out in the gym business in about 1985, I had been working at a fitness centre in my home town for a year or two and saw an opportunity to buy it. I thought I knew everything and I paid way too much for it. At the time there was two gyms in a town of 100,000 people. Within three years there were nine gyms and the market share had shrunk. I still thought I knew it all and pushed ahead, losing money every month. I had gone into it with my parents backing and after the first few years just about lost the lot, including the family home. Being a cocky fucker, I just didn't get it and continued to think I knew it all, as young men do.
By 1994 things had become really bad, the town was over saturated by gyms, two more had opened up in my street and the wolves were circling. By then I was becoming well established as a bodybuilding promoter in Melbourne and knew that I needed to move quickly or lose the lot. I just could not see a way out. Then it hit me. I went to see the guy that had opened across the road, I knew his lease was coming up and he wanted to grow. I offered him my lease, all of my members and some equipment. I would walk away and he would get a better building and double his membership overnight. My only condition was that he would honour the members that had paid upfront, after all my folks still had to live int he town and I had to walk away with some dignity.
My dad has always been a partner in the business and we have become very close over the years, he still does all the bookwork and accounts which allows me to forge ahead.
I opened up in Brunswick, Melbourne in a small warehouse (400m2) with a truckload of worn out equipment, zero members and a dream. I had learned a lot but still thought I knew it all, there would be some more hard medicine ahead, all I had going for me was that I was too driven, stubborn or stupid to quit. At that time all I wanted was somewhere to train, somewhere to live and a Harley Davison motorcycle (one day).
The first year I lost everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month for the first year, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym most nights for that first 9 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had come from somewhere when I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I stayed with Sonny Schmidt's family a couple of nights a week and his brother Pale stated working at the gym. They were very kind to me and that Samoan food kept me going. When Sonny moved back to Australia we managed to get a little rental across from the gym, it was a dump but worked great at the time. I started training like crazy with Sonny for the Olympia's and the gym started to get a following. People would come to watch us train and I started to get a few clients.
I still had nothing to show, but the gym was starting to go better and I had paid back most of the bills that I had bought with me. Once I started to get on top, I would buy a piece of equipment every time that I had some money in the bank. It was 6 years before started to get a regular wage but I managed to hustle up enough to survive between contests, personal training and a bit of debt collecting.
It was about this time that I started to wise up and realise that I didn't know everything at all. By now I had met Amanda (my wife to be) and we were starting to live a bit better. I managed to put food on the table, but still no car or flash living. At least I had killed my ego and learned a lot about myself and people from all walks of life. Looking back, going hungry and losing just about everything was the best thing that happened to me, no easy ride and looking down the barrel every day was probably what I needed to wake me up.
By 1998 we had kind of out grown the small building and the landlord wanted to turn it into apartments. So after finally getting ahead, (still no wage) but I owned all my equipment and had started to get our name out there. It was then that I found our current building, it was three times the size and the rent was also three times the size. However I have always thought that you have to risk something that matters. So with that we moved into Weston Street and it was like starting all over again. We went 24:7 immediately and things got really bad again. It was a good gym but with the overheads going up so much, it was impossible to make a buck. For the next three years I fought every day, worked twelve hour days and did everything myself, cleaning, maintenance, graphics, mail-outs, contests and day to day management. Things slowly started to turn around. I kept my policy of buying equipment every time I could, I would scour the internet and auction sites to find the best stuff I could at the right price. I kept pushing myself and by the time my first child was born in 2002, I was earning wages every week and business was looking better than before.
In 2001 I held our first pro show and the brand started to get known worldwide. We started to attract all types of athletes form Olympians to AFL footballers and power athletes from everywhere. Around 2004 we launched Muscle TV and I had started to work as a strength and conditioning coach at the Carlton Football Club, which gave us more credibility and a bigger following. Over the next 5 years it started to work, I kept buying equipment and expanding the gym. To this day I own every piece in every gym and don't lease any equipment at all. It keeps your overheads down and takes away most of the stress.
Three years ago I had a opportunity to buy an old hardcore gym that was rundown and going broke, it was in a great location and just need some love. I had to risk everything all over again. With the encouragement of my wife and family I went for it. We fixed it up nice and it is now very busy day and night. A couple of years ago I had the same opportunity in the middle of the City, it was in worse shape and provided the biggest challenge of all. It is also flying now and to have Tiger Woods train there for the last two weeks was the icing on the cake. We have done the same again North of where we are and also in my original home town. The last two are still to break even but heading in the right direction and getting busier every week.
The expos and shows have taken over a lot of my time now but have huge potential. I now have 62 staff and 4 of the gyms run 24:7, every day of the year. We have four healthy kids and live pretty well. I have never forgotten where I have come from and love to see others reach their potential. I still spend every day in the gym and wouldn't change it for the world. I am still working on the gym to make it better and will never stop trying to improve the product and the brand.
"It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll"
Great story Tony. :)
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From today's Herald Sun, (Australia's biggest newspaper)
More branding!
I read that as Gay Aids leanes on golfing machine.
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Have some respect asshole. He actually works and has a successful business, you still go to school and live off your moms teet. When you even come close to that success then you may speak. Until then, listen and learn. I just knew there would be some little prick who come on here are say something stupid. Respect the man.
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the masaia of muscle is a good exampel of how to run sucesful business,, this is real world hands on business 101 ,, good story
gh15 approved
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Have some respect asshole. He actually works and has a successful business, you still go to school and live off your moms teet. When you even come close to that success then you may speak. Until then, listen and learn. I just knew there would be some little prick who come on here are say something stupid. Respect the man.
Calm down gloria, it was a joke well actually its just what i saw :-X
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Thanks for sharing that Tony - really great inspirational story. Nice to hear that Banana Alley is still being put to good use.
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Wow thanks again for laying that all out here Tony. I'm sure a lot of people just assumed that you just came into all this success with no work whatsoever. I think it was even better that I had no idea it was you specifically until towards the end of the story. I first heard about your gym from a Ronnie Coleman video and thought it looked pretty cool to me.
Now you're saying you just bought all your equipment outright as leasing it would be more expensive in the long run ?
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Our fees are all on our website 12 months $795
http://stores.ebay.com.au/dohertysgym?_trksid=p4340.l2563
what a joke...with 795 bucks i can build my own home gym with second hand profesionnal equipment and it will last for life.
But i guess people who go to gyms are only going there for attention whoring and socializing most of the time.
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what a joke...with 795 bucks i can build my own home gym with second hand profesionnal equipment and it will last for life.
But i guess people who go to gyms are only going there for attention whoring and socializing most of the time.
good for you, do it
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Thanks for sharing your story Tony! Good stuff
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Great story Tony! Sounds like I have a lot to look forward to if I want to start my own business....
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Now you're saying you just bought all your equipment outright as leasing it would be more expensive in the long run ?
Yes, basically one piece at a time and still going. I have got 2 new Hammer pieces arriving today and I am just as excited as I would have been 10 years ago.
We own all the equipment in all of my gyms, if I added them all together it would fill a building 5800m² or 62430 ft². That is a lot of equipment, plus cardio, boxing rings etc.
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what a joke...with 795 bucks i can build my own home gym with second hand profesionnal equipment and it will last for life.
But i guess people who go to gyms are only going there for attention whoring and socializing most of the time.
There are a lot of reasons that people go to the gym, getting, fitter, bigger, stronger or leaner are obvious. Others go to cope with life, a shitty job, lack of friends, social interaction. Others to be left alone and some to get the anger or angst out of their system. A few to attention whore but they dont last long.
Save up your $795 and good luck outfitting your awesome home gym!
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Wow thanks again for laying that all out here Tony. I'm sure a lot of people just assumed that you just came into all this success with no work whatsoever. I think it was even better that I had no idea it was you specifically until towards the end of the story. I first heard about your gym from a Ronnie Coleman video and thought it looked pretty cool to me.
Now you're saying you just bought all your equipment outright as leasing it would be more expensive in the long run ?
Owning your own equipment out right cuts down in the cost of the over. I'm all for keeping debt down or cut out in order to raise profits. Raise profits and re-invest the portion of those profits to grow the company.
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Interesting story of success from Tony. From his story it is obvious the gym business isn't always profitable. Location, equipment, reputation and other factors combine to brand you. Sometimes you get branded in a negative way and you can't do much about it. Most gym owners want to have businessmen and women as members to make money. Tony found a niche with his 24/7 and heavy duty equipment. Most people would not persist after not making a profit for so many years and a few locations. It really is difficult getting the mix right.
I haven't seen too many chains become or stay successful. The problem is you can't be in two places at once. It is always a problem when you are not there to personally supervise what is going on.
Perhaps Tony can enlighten us on the story of his promotions and his dealings with pro bodybuilders and officials.
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Great success story Tony................way to hang in there buddy!! :)
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Great story Tony. Great to see hard work pays off in the end. Even though your original idea in your home town didn't work you learnt from it and adapted, that's awesome.
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As with many other things in life - I would either chose a cheap sellout gym or a place like Doherty's. The small gyms where I trained are all family businesses and live from generation to generation... members are also inherited. I love it but they can't make a good buck, few people train there.
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Yes, basically one piece at a time and still going. I have got 2 new Hammer pieces arriving today and I am just as excited as I would have been 10 years ago.
We own all the equipment in all of my gyms, if I added them all together it would fill a building 5800m² or 62430 ft². That is a lot of equipment, plus cardio, boxing rings etc.
Do you mainly buy new stuff now things are going pretty good?
I saw on your eBay store you are replacing your life fitness next gen cardio what are you getting in instead?
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Hell no.
Well, at least here it would suck. Maybe in America there are enough people for every niche though..
I've understood that here 'gyms' make their profits (if they even make any) mainly from women. That means body pump, all kind of shit yoga, spinning, zumba, tanning salons, shiatsu therapy etc etc.
So mainly woodoo.
most of this country is poor, rich folk aren't into hardcore bodybuilding, it is the rich and poor here in America, middle class still exists, but will disappear once they get older because their is no new middle class coming up thanks to the republicans and corporations paying our population jack shit.
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what a joke...with 795 bucks i can build my own home gym with second hand profesionnal equipment and it will last for life.
But i guess people who go to gyms are only going there for attention whoring and socializing most of the time.
That's the standard price for a gym membership in Australia.
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most of this country is poor, rich folk aren't into hardcore bodybuilding, it is the rich and poor here in America, middle class still exists, but will disappear once they get older because their is no new middle class coming up thanks to the republicans and corporations paying our population jack shit.
demographics is the problem. and boomers who couldn't save for their old age. we have to help out both sets of our parents with money each month and they will probably live for another 20 years.
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Do you mainly buy new stuff now things are going pretty good?
I saw on your eBay store you are replacing your life fitness next gen cardio what are you getting in instead?
The stuff I am selling is getting old and tired, great for home use but not commercial.
I have replaced some treadmills with newer life fitness and some with true fitness. Personally, I like the true fitness for my use.
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most of this country is poor, rich folk aren't into hardcore bodybuilding, it is the rich and poor here in America, middle class still exists, but will disappear once they get older because their is no new middle class coming up thanks to the republicans and corporations paying our population jack shit.
Did you just say most of this country is poor?
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most of this country is poor, rich folk aren't into hardcore bodybuilding, it is the rich and poor here in America, middle class still exists, but will disappear once they get older because their is no new middle class coming up thanks to the republicans and corporations paying our population jack shit.
::)
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OK here is my story, thanks for asking. It took me all day to write it down, I have enjoyed looking back, thank you....................
....
"It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll"
Wow Tony, that's an inspiring and honest story, thank you for sharing it!
While reading it, I realized that you really believe in your dream, even though tough times, props!
I wonder why it was so hard to get enough members in the first 10-15 years, or in other words, what kept them away by joining other gyms? I think you can always learn from your competitors, not by copying them 1 on 1, but by observing what their strong and weak points are.
(Sorry for my late reply)
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Great story Tony!
It is amazing the effect that simply adding a new piece (or replacing a piece that isn't pulling its weight) of equipment every few months can have on a gym. People can actually see their money being reinvested which makes them feel appreciated. Even better when you poll them on what they would like and you come through with the goods. Changing cables and upholstery as soon as it is worn has a major effect too believe it or not.
So true, and my gym owner and his staff can learn from this.
For example, I told a trainer that a pulley wasn't working correctly. He responded that he even knew about this and then even complained about this himself (WTF?!).
Later, I heard a woman complaining about the weird noise from a crosstrainer to another trainer (well, a stagiaire). In both cases no action was taken, and the ironic thing is, the gym owner (I see him once, every 2 months) has also a dealership in this shitty equipment (SportsArt).
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A powerhouse just shut their doors where I live.
Opened in 2007 with brand new precor/icarian equipment in a nice strip mall.
By 2010 the cardio was a rusted mess (sweat corrodes if you don't wipe it off people) and almost every strength piece needed some tweaking of some sort (I even took a set of Allen keys from home to adjust a few things that were pissing me off - I serviced equipment in a past life).
A few months ago they started the old $99 specials for I think 6 months and I knew they it was only a matter of time.
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There was a little hardcore place just a few blocks from my house that I loved to go to......shit-stained ceilings, 20 bucks a month, dirty bathroom, moldy carpeting. It was great! There were even flecks of rust on the dumbbells! Needless to say, the owner moved a further ways north, but I don't think it exists anymore.
Now, we have soulless big box gyms filled with fatties and uglies. So long as they stay away from the free weight area, I don't care.
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Our fees are all on our website 12 months $795 or $65 a month on direct debit. Nothing to hide. Most gyms don't publish their prices which is a double edge sword, consumers like you to be open and honest. Most gyms try to suck you in to see a membership consultant before they tell you the cost. In my humble opinion, most experienced gym heads see straight through this approach.
Yes most gyms rely on having thousands of members that do not work out. To me this is dumb business and is the whole reason that their renewal rates are so low. If everyone uses the gym and you can get them to spend $5 for example, every time they come in, then the membership price is just one part of the puzzle. We have a proper coffee machine in each gym, plus a pro shop for drinks, protein bars, post workout drinks etc. On top of that, if your brand is cool, then they want to get the shirt. OUr merchandise is now it's own business and I am just a little brand in a far away country.
Check out my enbay store and get a shirt while you are there ;)
http://stores.ebay.com.au/dohertysgym?_trksid=p4340.l2563
LOL, I pay just over $300 a year and my gym has everything. You gotta be insane charging those prices.
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LOL, I pay just over $300 a year and my gym has everything. You gotta be insane charging those prices.
Why would I be insane to charge this price when people are happy to pay it.
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the only "hardcore" gyms that make it these days are the ones that have been in business for 25-30 years and have built a reputation and have a following in a certain area, other wise you need to have all the fagggot ass bells and whistles, swimming pool, cardio theatre, running track, spinning bikes, etc.
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Why would I be insane to charge this price when people are happy to pay it.
people must be desperate in Australia because if you charged 800 bucks a year in the US in most places youd be closed inside of 6 months, too many WAAAAAAYYY cheaper gyms with suitable equipment.
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Gym fees in Oz are not cheap - at least not when I was still there 3 years ago. What Tony is asking is very reasonable considering he has the best gym in town, 24 hour training and no pushy sales staff trying to extort more money from you.
In Melbourne (and I'm guessing in other capital cities as well), you'll find the pretty much everyone is asking for a similar amount. That being the case, why wouldn't you go with someone like Tony who clearly has a passion for the sport and does his best to give his customers what they want?
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LOL, I pay just over $300 a year and my gym has everything. You gotta be insane charging those prices.
exactly, that's why he's doing insanely well!
Read the rest of the thread, Oz prices and costs are high, hence expensive gym fees, its a country with a high cost of living atm
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Open up a hardcore gym with a night club right beside it. Intertwine the two and put a boat load of hidden camera's in both. Get a years worth a footage and then create a reality show using the footage. Use Getbig names from here for regulars in the gym and build characters by combining the person on film with the person on Getbig. The amount of Lulz would be priceless.
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OK here is my story, thanks for asking. It took me all day to write it down, I have enjoyed looking back, thank you....................
I started out in the gym business in about 1985, I had been working at a fitness centre in my home town for a year or two and saw an opportunity to buy it. I thought I knew everything and I paid way too much for it. At the time there was two gyms in a town of 100,000 people. Within three years there were nine gyms and the market share had shrunk. I still thought I knew it all and pushed ahead, losing money every month. I had gone into it with my parents backing and after the first few years just about lost the lot, including the family home. Being a cocky fucker, I just didn't get it and continued to think I knew it all, as young men do.
By 1994 things had become really bad, the town was over saturated by gyms, two more had opened up in my street and the wolves were circling. By then I was becoming well established as a bodybuilding promoter in Melbourne and knew that I needed to move quickly or lose the lot. I just could not see a way out. Then it hit me. I went to see the guy that had opened across the road, I knew his lease was coming up and he wanted to grow. I offered him my lease, all of my members and some equipment. I would walk away and he would get a better building and double his membership overnight. My only condition was that he would honour the members that had paid upfront, after all my folks still had to live int he town and I had to walk away with some dignity.
My dad has always been a partner in the business and we have become very close over the years, he still does all the bookwork and accounts which allows me to forge ahead.
I opened up in Brunswick, Melbourne in a small warehouse (400m2) with a truckload of worn out equipment, zero members and a dream. I had learned a lot but still thought I knew it all, there would be some more hard medicine ahead, all I had going for me was that I was too driven, stubborn or stupid to quit. At that time all I wanted was somewhere to train, somewhere to live and a Harley Davison motorcycle (one day).
The first year I lost everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month for the first year, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym most nights for that first 9 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had come from somewhere when I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I stayed with Sonny Schmidt's family a couple of nights a week and his brother Pale stated working at the gym. They were very kind to me and that Samoan food kept me going. When Sonny moved back to Australia we managed to get a little rental across from the gym, it was a dump but worked great at the time. I started training like crazy with Sonny for the Olympia's and the gym started to get a following. People would come to watch us train and I started to get a few clients.
I still had nothing to show, but the gym was starting to go better and I had paid back most of the bills that I had bought with me. Once I started to get on top, I would buy a piece of equipment every time that I had some money in the bank. It was 6 years before started to get a regular wage but I managed to hustle up enough to survive between contests, personal training and a bit of debt collecting.
It was about this time that I started to wise up and realise that I didn't know everything at all. By now I had met Amanda (my wife to be) and we were starting to live a bit better. I managed to put food on the table, but still no car or flash living. At least I had killed my ego and learned a lot about myself and people from all walks of life. Looking back, going hungry and losing just about everything was the best thing that happened to me, no easy ride and looking down the barrel every day was probably what I needed to wake me up.
By 1998 we had kind of out grown the small building and the landlord wanted to turn it into apartments. So after finally getting ahead, (still no wage) but I owned all my equipment and had started to get our name out there. It was then that I found our current building, it was three times the size and the rent was also three times the size. However I have always thought that you have to risk something that matters. So with that we moved into Weston Street and it was like starting all over again. We went 24:7 immediately and things got really bad again. It was a good gym but with the overheads going up so much, it was impossible to make a buck. For the next three years I fought every day, worked twelve hour days and did everything myself, cleaning, maintenance, graphics, mail-outs, contests and day to day management. Things slowly started to turn around. I kept my policy of buying equipment every time I could, I would scour the internet and auction sites to find the best stuff I could at the right price. I kept pushing myself and by the time my first child was born in 2002, I was earning wages every week and business was looking better than before.
In 2001 I held our first pro show and the brand started to get known worldwide. We started to attract all types of athletes form Olympians to AFL footballers and power athletes from everywhere. Around 2004 we launched Muscle TV and I had started to work as a strength and conditioning coach at the Carlton Football Club, which gave us more credibility and a bigger following. Over the next 5 years it started to work, I kept buying equipment and expanding the gym. To this day I own every piece in every gym and don't lease any equipment at all. It keeps your overheads down and takes away most of the stress.
Three years ago I had a opportunity to buy an old hardcore gym that was rundown and going broke, it was in a great location and just need some love. I had to risk everything all over again. With the encouragement of my wife and family I went for it. We fixed it up nice and it is now very busy day and night. A couple of years ago I had the same opportunity in the middle of the City, it was in worse shape and provided the biggest challenge of all. It is also flying now and to have Tiger Woods train there for the last two weeks was the icing on the cake. We have done the same again North of where we are and also in my original home town. The last two are still to break even but heading in the right direction and getting busier every week.
The expos and shows have taken over a lot of my time now but have huge potential. I now have 62 staff and 4 of the gyms run 24:7, every day of the year. We have four healthy kids and live pretty well. I have never forgotten where I have come from and love to see others reach their potential. I still spend every day in the gym and wouldn't change it for the world. I am still working on the gym to make it better and will never stop trying to improve the product and the brand.
"It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll"
Awesome!