set up, operating expenses, equipment and layout, sell-ability.....initial investment.
if you buy the equipment outright you're looking at 250-300k (there's options.. lease, lease to own, payment plans/finance, ect..) that's 15-20 treads, 15-20 elipitals and bikes.. a few rowers, db's up to 150 2pair each urethane coated, 'jungle gym' (cable crossover/pulldown/row stations ect..), 2-3 each of chest, back, shoulder, curl, dip machines, ect... squat/power rack. 2-3 of each handle/attachment vhandle/wide bar/ect... 3 flat bench, 1 incline, 1 decline, plus 3 flat benches, 2-3 adjustable benches.
places like
http://www.usedgymequipment.com/ sell packages that range from $100k.. not sure if they include shipping, but if they don't you're looking at like $15k, plus you'll probably want to pay people to move the stuff and set it up (make sure you measure the footprint of each machine first, and tape off the area to see if you have room to move)
figure you'll need a manager (besides yourself), 2 people who can open, 2 people who can close and 1-2 people for the middle shifts.
we have 1 guy who does 5am-130/2pm, then 130-7pm, then I usually do 7pm-12am depending on when I have clients.
you'll want your manager there during peak hours 9am-6 or 7pm... put that fucker on salary if you can, along with incentives/bonus's for meeting sales goals both for his own sales and for club sales, and have a bonus program for your sales people... like a 1st and 2nd place. $300 and $100 bonus or $500/$200 bonus or something... or figure out your own commission structure.... hard to have a productive sales team that isn't incentive-based.
you'll want to be there damn near every day during busy times to see/hear what the members want/need.
profit wise, crossfit and group training is where the money is. with personal training, there's only so many hours during the day, so per trainer, if you're open 12hours a day, you can only bill 12 people for 1hour sessions (or 24 1/2hr sessions, or a mix.. you get the idea)... but with group training, it's virtually unlimited. you can have classes 12hours a day and bill 5-20people per class all day long... you get the idea.............. so it';s a good idea to have an area of about 500sq ft for group training (kettlebells, bands, medicine balls, battle ropes, trx, ect...)
umbrella insurance that covers the gym, staff, and traimners for 15k ft is about 1200 I believe.
power varies depending on where you are and how much AC/heat you run. figure $2k/month.
paper towels/toilet paper and cleaning supplies runs about $1k every couple months.
