If you have a passion for fitness, training, and helping others to transform their lives, then you might want to go one step further than just becoming a trainer, and set up and open your own gym. If the idea of working for yourself sounds appealing, and you get to reap all of the rewards, then it can be a leap, but it can definitely be worth it. Being passionate about what you go into business doing is what it is all about. But what are some of the things that you need to consider before setting up a gym of your own? Here is a quick guide to walk you through the process.
Brush up on your skills and knowledge
If you aren’t a qualified trainer, then you either need to qualify and train in that, or hire trainers to come into your gym. However, more than that, there are several areas of running a gym that you need to consider. For example, cleaning and taking care of the physical building can be one thing, as well as looking into the sales and marketing side of it too. Are there areas that you know about, or will you need to improve your skills in this area? If you find yourself thinking, what does facilities management cover, then these are areas that you need to have knowledge in before you take the leap to opening a gym.
Choosing the right location
The right location for your gym premises can be everything. If it is too far out then people might not have even heard of you or know that it exists. If you are in a location that is hard to park in, then it can put people off getting a membership which will really impact your business profits. So think wisely when choosing location, as it will also impact how high or low the rental costs will be for you too.
Insurance and legal
There are a number of legal aspects of having your own business, but even more so when it comes to running a gym. If people are not doing something correctly then they could easily hurt themselves, the same if the equipment is damaged. Which is why it is really important to make sure that all legal aspects of the business are looked at to determine what areas you need guidance in. Certain forms need to be signed by staff and customers, and you need to have those kinds of things in place before you can open.
The same goes for insurance. There is a lot of potential damage that can be done if the risks aren’t assessed and looked out and no steps are taken to reduce those risks. The right kind of insurance could be costly each month, but it is essential and will need to be taken into consideration when you look at your business costs.
These are just some starting points for getting started with a gym of your own. It can be a fun business to have, but there are several things that need to be in place before you can safely open.
