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Starting a Fitness Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Vivian Giang is a writer and editor. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, BBC, Fast Company, Marie Claire, Fortune, Slate and Business Insider, among others.

Robert Beaupre leads the SMB team at NerdWallet. He has covered financial topics as an editor for more than a decade. Before joining NerdWallet, he served as senior editorial manager of QuinStreet's insurance sites and managing editor of Insure.com. In addition, he served as an online media manager for the University of Nevada, Reno.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Starting a fitness business is a heavy lift (pun intended). But it can also be a very rewarding industry to work in. You are helping people accomplish their fitness goals, and in turn, helping them to live healthier lives.

If you're looking to start a business with lucrative potential, this is a great industry to be in—the global health and fitness club market is projected to grow at a rate of 10.6% from 2018 to 2023. Furthermore, according to the 2019 International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHSRA) Global Report, the United States health club industry generated a record $32.3 billion in 2018. Comparatively, the United States health club industry only generated $25.8 billion in revenue in 2015.

If you're a fitness junkie, you already enjoy breaking a sweat. Now it's time to put in a different kind of work. Here's everything you need to do when starting a fitness business.

Starting a fitness business in 6 steps

A good fitness business is centered around providing excellent equipment, professional instruction, and personal training. But starting a fitness business requires a lot more than that. Here are the six steps you'll need to take to start your fitness business.

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Step 1: Decide what kind of fitness business you want to operate

There are many different kinds of fitness businesses out there. You can become a personal trainer, teach classes, or operate your own facility. There are pros and cons to each. Being a personal trainer is a low overhead venture if you're wondering how to start a fitness business with no money, but it requires in-depth knowledge of exercise and nutrition techniques. Operating a facility, on the other hand, requires a lot of overhead, but you can lean on the expertise of others. There are also gym franchising options to consider when thinking about starting a fitness business. Popular franchises include Crunch Fitness, Planet Fitness, and Pure Barre—you might even consider starting a Crossfit box.

If you're in need of inspiration for starting your fitness business, here are some popular options to consider:

Zumba studio

Physical therapy

Spin classes

Powerlifting gym

Yoga studio

Pilates studio

Step 2: Get trained

The next step in starting a fitness business is to get some training. Whether you want to know how to start a fitness training business or manage a gym, you need to have some background in fitness in order for people to actually think you know what you're doing. Good places to get credentialed include the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), American Council on Exercise, or National Academy of Sports Medicine. Legitimate certifications are accredited by either the NCCA (National Commission of Certifying Agencies) or the DEAC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission).

Of course, training in fitness isn't the only education you'll need. You're also going to need to do a lot of research into learning exactly what it takes to start a business.

Step 3: Write a business plan and select an entity

This step is pretty similar regardless of whether you're starting a fitness business or any other kind of business. When you’re writing a business plan, there’s a lot you'll need to include. You might find it helpful to use a business plan template to make sure you cover all of your bases.

Factors to consider when writing your business plan include:

An analysis of the market

Who your competition is

Marketing and sales plan

Financial plan and projections

The key is to make sure there's a need for your business and that you'll be able to generate enough business to continue operating after you've invested so much to get started.

Another important part of your business plan when starting up a fitness business is selecting your business entity. Given the nature of the fitness business, you should go with a business entity that offers owners some protection from liability. A limited liability partnership or limited liability company might make the most sense for you if you’re looking for some liability protection.

Step 4: Get necessary permits and insurance

There may be certain business licenses and permits required to operate a gym in your state and locality. You should check with your town, city, or county clerk’s office to make sure you're following all the regulations outlined by your various governing agencies for starting a fitness business.

One permit you'll most certainly need is a certificate of occupancy. A certificate of occupancy confirms that all building codes, zoning laws, and government regulations have been met. If you're leasing your gym space, it is typically the landlord's responsibility to obtain a certificate of occupancy.

Operating a gym also comes with some risks that opening another business might not. People are going to be working out, using equipment, walking around things they can trip over, and doing other potentially hazardous activities. You’ll want to make sure you get small business insurance for a host of scenarios so that if anything happens to someone while they’re in your gym, the business is covered.

You also want to be covered in the event that equipment is stolen or damaged. You might even want to encourage any instructors you hire to get personal trainer insurance as well.

Step 5: Get an EIN

There are a lot of reasons you need an employer identification number (EIN). It allows you to file taxes and avoid tax penalties, open a business bank account, speed up loan applications, establish business credit, and a lot more.

You can apply for an employer identification number online through the IRS. If you register with the IRS online, you should receive an EIN within minutes. Note that fitness businesses operating as sole proprietorships don't need an EIN, but it is still a good idea to get one for the aforementioned benefits.

Step 6: Get funding

If you're wondering how to start a fitness business with no money, some ventures aren't cheap, but you do have funding options that may work for you. According to health club consultant Bryan O'Rourke, costs start at $30,000 but can quickly soar to $500,000. What's more, getting a fitness business up and running takes some time—so you'll need to have a little in the bank.

If you’re looking for some startup funding there are a few options available to you, such as an SBA loan , a business line of credit, or a personal loan.

A business line of credit would give you access to money that you could pull from if you needed it in your early days of starting a fitness business. The difference between a line of credit and a loan is that while the money is available to you, you only have to pay interest on the funds you actually draw on.

There's also gym equipment financing , which is another great option if you're wondering how to start a fitness business with no money. The gym equipment purchased with the proceeds of the financing will, in turn, act as collateral for the gym equipment finance loan used to purchase it.

7 tips for starting a fitness business

Now that you know the steps you need to take when starting a fitness business, let's provide you with some tips that will help your business thrive. To provide you with the best advice possible, we talked to entrepreneurs who successfully started their own fitness business. Here's what they had to say:

1. Personalize your fitness business

The health and fitness club market is expected to grow to be a $147.1 billion industry by 2024, with an emphasis on personalized training.

Consider ClassPass, which operates in 18 countries around the world and is valued at $600 million. ClassPass teams up with classes at boutique studios to offer everything from cycling to yoga to dance to martial arts for its members. For a $19-$199 (which varies by subscription plan) monthly fee, members enjoy unlimited classes to studios in the ClassPass network and can attend the same studio up to a certain limit each month.

ClassPass’ success story is one example that customers want specialized, niche workouts offered in fitness boutique studios. If you're wondering how to start a fitness class business that will be attractive to a growing clientele, this is one example to follow. Other such examples include ShadowBox, a fitness boxing studio; GoRow Studios, a gym that specializes in workouts using rowing machines; then there’s modelFIT, a gym in New York and Los Angeles that is "marrying mindful nutrition with mindful exercise" and is a popular hangout for celebrities.

“People are kind of shying away from the lone wolf workout of going to a box or a membership gym because the [boutique fitness] market is more efficient,” says Eric Posner, CEO and co-founder of boutique cycling studio Swerve Fitness in New York City. “You get a better workout in a less amount of time and pay less than you would for a personal trainer by going to a fitness boutique.”

2. Make your fitness studio a place to hang out

In a panel discussion hosted by American Express' U.S. Small Merchants Group, ClassPass founder Payal Kadakia said fitness studios are “like the new restaurant scene"—it’s not just about burning calories and working out; it’s about the experience and lifestyle. It's paramount you know this if you want to know how to start a fitness business.

This concept of hanging out at your workout spot is how Posner, along with his co-founders Chelsea Kocis and John Henry McNierney came up with the idea for Swerve. It was just a few years ago that the three co-founders, who at the time were college athletes-turned-finance professionals, found themselves tired of taking clients through the typical dinner-and-drinks routine. Instead, they took them to cycling classes.

"We found this to be an unbelievable way to build relationships that were meaningful, as opposed to the typical steak dinners and drinks," says Posner.

“We were going to mostly cycling classes and what we saw about these classes was there were unbelievable ways to get an efficient workout in and do it with other people, but [these classes] weren't capturing the camaraderie of going with a group or going with other people. It was very individualistic,” continues Posner. “So, that's how we came up with the concept of a team-inspired indoor cycling workout.”

Making your gym a place people want to hang not only brings customers in the door, but also makes your fitness business a place they'll want to return to again and again.

3. Incorporate data into your services

We live in a data-driven world, so it makes sense that people want data-driven workouts. People want to see how many calories they burned, how their current performance compares to their past averages, and how they compare to other people—basically what they achieve when they leave a workout session.

Take the technologically-savvy Swerve workout room for example, where riders are divided into teams and try to bike their way to the highest score.

“Technology is playing a big role and the way that [Swerve was] able to tap into that is we have a console—you have a console on your bike—and you see your own personal metrics on this console during class,” explains Posner. “And there are big flat screens behind the instructors where you see your team's average score. After class, all your stats—and this shows how many miles you biked, how many calories you burned, where you ranked in class, and all that—can be viewed on your account profile.”

“So, we find that to be a huge motivating tactic for our riders… and that kind of adds another layer of accountability and it's very results-driven.” Want to know how to start a fitness business that will keep clients coming back? Give them the tools and data to accomplish their personal fitness goals.

4. Specialize in a type of workout or demographic

When Alana Kessler opened the doors to her yoga studio in 2009, she quickly realized classes offered to pregnant mothers who have busy, working lives basically didn’t exist. As a result, Kessler made prenatal classes essential to Sangha Yoga Shala's list of classes offered and has since then built a name for herself.

The key to how to start a fitness training business that offers quality, specialized classes is that you can’t skimp on good trainers. Spend time training instructors and finding excellent ones who will give your customers consistent results every time they’re in front of the class. If you want to know how to start a fitness business, the first thing you should figure out is how to acquire awesome trainer talent.

“I encourage my teachers to build,” advises Kessler. “I incentivize them to build with me. Some [studios] might tap out at a low rate to keep their overhead low, but I pay my teachers well.”

5. Get your studio on social media

Vanessa Packer, co-founder of modelFIT, told the audience at American Express' panel discussion that Instagram played an “instrumental part” in helping modelFIT become a lifestyle instead of just a gym. This means reaching out and engaging with your community on social media.

Do you make it easy for customers to post about their experience? Do you respond in a timely manner that builds connections with existing clients? Additionally, have you thought about untraditional marketing strategies to spread the word for your business? For example, ClassPass gave away passes to influential fitness bloggers in the beginning to quickly get their story out there. What social media marketing techniques could your fitness business do?

6. You'll need to wear many hats

According to Tyler Sellers, senior coach at Total Shape, starting a fitness business requires a lot more than just fitness instruction.

"You must be well-prepared for the behind-the-scenes logistics, especially at the start. As a piece of advice, being a small business owner means that you are the accountant, the administrator, the marketer, and the trainer at the same time," Sellers says.

7. Hire excellent staff

When Laurel Roach started TriFIT Wellness, a corporate wellness training facility in Phoenix, AZ, she says she didn't have a background in the fitness business. Therefore, she had to lean on the staff she hired in order to make her business a success.

"I recommend hiring the most qualified trainers because the wellness industry is notoriously under-regulated," says Roach. "Genuinely passionate employees are difficult to replace so make it a priority to hire and retain the trainers that make your customers feel like an all-star."

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

Starting a fitness business is a lot of hard work. But if you succeed, you'll join a booming industry that helps people live their life to the fullest.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

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Gym business plan: a checklist with templates & examples

In this article, you'll find a checklist of everything you need to know to create a business plan for your gym or fitness business.

If you've recently discovered an ambition to start a gym , or this has been your dream for years, we've got you covered!

The first step in your journey is to create a gym business plan. This will include understanding your business's structure, determining your target market and what sets you apart from other gyms (your unique selling point), forecasting future finances, and any further details about your venture.

Your gym business plan is the key to your success. It will help you make better decisions and attract potential investors. Creating a business plan is ongoing; it's not something you do once and then forget about. Your business plan should be flexible and adapt as you move forward. 

You have to consider many elements to ensure your gym will succeed. All stages of your business plan are critical. In this article, we'll be doing a deep dive into understanding the core essentials of creating a fitness business plan.

What is a gym business plan? 

A gym business plan is a document that informs the reader about your company and where it's headed. In other words, it answers essential questions such as:

• How does your business work?
• How are you going to succeed?
• What steps do you need to take to succeed?

According to research, entrepreneurs who write formal business plans are more likely to be successful . 

This is especially true for business owners seeking external financial support. A formal business plan can help new businesses by providing a clear focus for their ideas.

Why it’s important to have a business plan for your gym? 

Simply put, your gym business plan is an organized and detailed process that provides a roadmap for your business. If someone reads it – like a potential investor, for example – they should be able to understand how you expect the gym to progress and succeed over time.

Plus, putting together a business plan with detailed description forces you to take a critical look at your operation as it currently stands and identify room for improvement or new areas of opportunity altogether.

Depending on where your business is located, a well-crafted business plan can serve multiple purposes.

Keep reading for even more reasons you need a business plan from day one!

Taking advantage of a steadily growing industry

The gym industry is booming, allowing gyms to capitalize on this growth. In the US alone, over 87 million people regularly attend the gym and spend billions of dollars annually on membership fees.

And according to projections, the global gym market is expected to reach 434 billion USD by 2028 – a 171% increase from 2021! This steady growth provides room for gym owners to get in on the action and reap the benefits.

By having a gym business plan that considers the health & fitness industry as a whole, you'll be able to capitalize on this growth.

Ensures your business idea is feasible 

If you're considering starting a fitness business, know it will be complex. You have a fantastic idea and think it could take off--but how can you test that theory without launching the business? 

This is where a business plan comes in handy. By working through your concept and creating a well-rounded plan of action, you'll be able to figure out key details like numbers, market trends, and what your competition is doing and save yourself loads of time down the line.

It helps to bring in investors and secure funding 

To secure funding for your gym business from investors, you need a comprehensive business plan. This document helps startup businesses obtain the initial capital they need and provides established companies with funds for expansion.

Would-be contributors usually request substantiated data— such as numbers backed up by facts and figures—before deciding whether or not to invest in a project.

If you don't have a business plan, chances are slim that you'll receive money from sources like investors, banks, or other financial organizations outside your company.

Set and reach goals, both big and small 

Having long-term and short-term goals is a great start, but it's time to take the next step. A successful business plan will contain specific tactics on how you plan to achieve your objectives. 

This might be through your business model, acquiring equipment, hiring new talent, or marketing campaigns.

A successful business needs a clear plan to achieve its goals. Breaking down important goals into smaller, more manageable pieces would be best. 

And remember-- as your business changes and grows over time, so should your plan. Keep it updated regularly. 

Business planning is no longer a daunting task

A business plan is a vital tool for new and established businesses. It provides direction and helps to set the foundation for a successful start. 

By budgeting, analyzing your market, and setting out your goals and strategies, you can make more informed decisions about how to proceed. This process also makes it easier to track your progress over time and assess whether or not you are on track.

Something to consider before creating a gym business plan

Consider the cost of starting a gym. There are many potential expenses, such as equipment, personal trainers, class instructors, insurance policies, property fees, etc.

Also, consider how much time you are willing to invest in this venture – especially during the beginning stages when there is likely to be a lot of work involved in getting everything up and running smoothly.

It can be challenging to maintain a good work/life balance when starting any business; it will probably require working additional hours outside of your usual schedule.

Money and time are essential, but there are other things you need to be successful. 

People skills, marketing know-how, and financial smarts are essential if you want to succeed in the gym business world. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it if this is your passion. A solid plan is the first step toward making your dream a reality.

The 11 key elements of a detailed gym business plan

Before you develop your business plan, think about where you are and where you want to see yourself. Keep this vision in mind, as it will help guide you through writing your business plan. There will be countless opportunities wherein consulting your business plan will assist you in making a decision.

To create an effective health club business plan, you will need extensive research on your fitness industry, competitors, and future finances. 

Following these 11 steps, you can build an excellent gym business plan that covers all aspects of your health club.

Step 1: Executive summary

Your executive summary needs to be clear and concise while also grabbing attention. What you want readers to know is:

• Your mission/purpose
• How you'll achieve success (What will make you a success story?)

And finally, your vision for the future. Though it may seem tempting to hurry through this section because it is shorter than other parts of the business plan, don't rush! 

This is your chance to shine and explain what makes your company special. Don't worry if you feel like you have more to say about your goals and vision. You can expand on these topics in your company overview.

Step 2: Company overview

Your company overview is where you get to sell your gym and its potential. Build on your executive summary's vision and mission statement, delving deeper into what makes your gym unique. 

Think of your vision statement as a tagline for your future website. When outlining the purpose of your gym, which audience it will cater to, and how you plan to achieve business goals, also consider including the following: 

Your personal mission statement for the business- i.e., what outcome do you hope to see?

Then, give your readers some information on your background:

• What have you done in the past?
• Have you had any other businesses?
• What is your current status?

This is helpful for investors and partners to know so they can understand where you've been and where you're going. The more they know about you, the more trust they'll have in you.

Step 3: Services and amenities

Outline your strategy in detail: what services you'll offer and how you will develop new offerings. This includes if you need to hire someone or build a facility, such as a spa or a studio. 

This information will help you realize when or where your business requires more funding and extra staff.

By describing your products and services, you can gain valuable insights into your gym's size. Test your vision to determine if you have the necessary funding for these assets. If not, consider how you might acquire the required financing.

Some potential products you could invest in are: 

• Gym equipment like treadmills and rowing machines 
• Specialist equipment to cater to different types of gym-goers, such as bodybuilders 
• Food and drinks like energy drinks or healthy foods 

And services like: 

• Personal training sessions 
• Group classes like yoga, spinning, or body pump 
• Lockers for storing belongings while working out 
• Spa amenities like saunas or massages 
• A swimming pool 
• Physiotherapy

Furthermore, thinking about increasing your market share is a significant next step. You could start by offering pro bono services at local workplaces and schools, eventually introducing a fee.

This way, you can attract larger customers while still providing value.

When creating a business plan - be it for a gym or something else entirely - remember that its purpose is to lay out your objectives easily for potential bankers, partners, employees, and investors.

Step 4: Management team

It is essential to consider the positions you'll need to fill and how these people can help your gym succeed. 

You should write a summary emphasizing their skills and management experience while incorporating what they will be responsible for and any incentives you plan on offering.

Furthermore, creating an employee ladder is vital to establish who or what each new hire will report to so your business can secure its success.

Step 5: Market research and marketing strategy

Marketing is a field where creativity can shine. It's all about identifying different groups of people who would buy your product, coming up with reasons why they should choose you over others, and figuring out ways to get more sales.

Learn more:

Gym marketing strategy

Gym promotion ideas

Gym membership pricing

Best gym features

Even if marketing your fitness business isn't your favorite thing, remember that your marketing strategy will help you lay out a plan for expansion if you do it right. Your first target should be to summarise what you found in your market research. Are you still stuck? 

Consider where you are situated, similar businesses nearby, and who makes up the community around you.

Define your target market here. It could be

• Working professionals
• Senior executives

Or a particular group, like cyclists. After that, try to understand why this specific demographic would join a gym – for example, are they looking for cardio?

After you have completed your market research, take some time to understand your target audience. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How can I make this customer base loyal?
• What makes my company unique?
• What's the best membership package I can offer?
• Is there a need for special equipment or offerings?

In your plan, identify and communicate what makes your business valuable and unique. 

This is called a Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and it will help instill confidence in potential investors that they are making a wise choice by investing in your company. 

Furthermore, detailing marketing strategies in this document provides peace of mind that future income streams are lined up and secure.

There are many marketing strategies you can use to grow your business, including:

• Improving your services
• Advertising and sponsorship
• Loyalty plans and website promotions
• Email marketing campaigns
• Investing in new equipment or technology

Step 6: Competitor analysis - Understanding direct and indirect competitors

To do a competitor analysis, research businesses in your field that offer similar services. These are your direct competitors. 

You can mention indirect competitors, but this section is mainly for an in-depth look at businesses like yours. Depending on your business type, you could have brick-and-mortar and online rivals.

When investigating a competitor, these are some critical areas you'll want to focus on: 

• Services and products they offer 
• Target audience 
• Pricing and business model 
• Strengths and weaknesses

Step 7: Create comprehensive financial projections

Starting a gym requires careful budgeting. Make sure you consider every possible purchase and estimate the cost of each item.

The following are key areas to cover when starting your business:

• Lawyer fees
• Recruiting expenses
• Constructional endeavors
• Exercise equipment for the workplace
• Three months' worth of bills and other operational costs
• An accounting software

It's time to be practical and ascertain how much money you will need to open your gym and make it thrive. This way, you'll get a better understanding of what falls within your budget and what will require additional funding.

Next, you need to prove to investors, stakeholders, and employees that you have a feasible plan for attaining ROI. 

Consider revenue streams such as classes, services provided, and product sales- anything that brings in money. Set down an estimate here based on research and expert opinion.

If you're looking for ways to make money, selling healthy food could be a great option. You could create your protein shakes or energy bars, for example. 

If you plan to sell food, ensure you stay up-to-date with food hygiene standards.

Step 8: Financial forecasting

Your sales forecast for your business's first, second, and third years should be detailed. Specifying the number of active members, you estimate for your first year would also be beneficial. Estimate using:

• Unit sales per month
• Any relevant past data
• How purchases will be broken down (as specified in financial projections)

Step 9: Financial strategy

How can you use your fees in a way that will increase customer registration? For example, if all the other gyms in your area charge higher prices than average, this could be an opportunity to set your business apart by being financially conscious (lowering membership fees or having better offers than competitors).

Consider ways to show your appreciation for loyal customers, such as discounts or complimentary services.

Furthermore, if you're in the process of creating a gym and spa business plan, consider adding discounts for those who use both facilities. For example, many people would love to take advantage of the jacuzzi after working out.

Writing your pricing strategy down will help give you peace of mind about what's to come for your gym.

Step 10: Payment option

An easy and accessible payment system is crucial for any business, let alone a gym. To retain customers , ensure your payment processing is up-to-date and user-friendly. 

Let potential investors know what platform you're using or planning to use, so they can see that you're taking customer experience seriously. A positive buyer experience will encourage loyalty among your clientele.

Step 11: Funding

Make it clear where your business will obtain the extra startup capital it needs. 

This is a chance to be practical about your company. Can you realistically obtain the funding required to reach your targets? Or do you need to readjust your plan?

Below are some vital external resources that might provide the necessary funding:

• Loans from friends or family members
• Crowdfunding campaigns
• Business partners or sponsors

If you are looking to gain investors, be sure to detail where the funding for your project will come from and how much of a return they can expect. You should also include any previous loan applications related to this venture here.

You're almost there!

Now it's time to put all the elements outlined above into a gym business plan. This plan will be a reference point when you need to make tough decisions, help secure investment, and show direction to new employees or partners.

Your next steps to successfully run your gym

Here's a personal checklist to help you ensure that you have everything covered before you open your gym. Use it as a reference point throughout the development process to ensure nothing is overlooked.

• Write a business plan
• Register business
• Apply for a business license and permit
• Open business bank accounts
• Select an online payment platform
• Obtain taxpayer's ID
• Purchase insurance
• Rent/purchase facility
• Purchase/rent equipment
• Secure funding
• Recruit employees
• Drafting contract documents along with any other legal documents required
• Design company logo
• Develop website
• Write website content
• Create social media accounts
• Design leaflets & brochures
• Organize branded uniforms
• Launch party

Any business, no matter how big or small, comes with its fair share of challenges. However, the payoffs in the end always make it worth your while

Starting a gym can be an exciting and rewarding venture. However, it is important to ensure that you are well-prepared with all the necessary information before you open your gym. 

A comprehensive Gym Business Plan detailing the market research, financial projections and strategy, services and amenities, management team, and more should be developed to ensure success. 

Additionally, obtaining the necessary licenses, finding and hiring trainers, investing in the right equipment , and appealing to members with friendly incentives are all important steps.

Gym business plan template & examples

In addition, we've gathered a few of the gym business plan templates and examples below. These samples will provide you with suggested language for your own document as well as guidance on what to include.

Adam Fitness Centre

Grow think's template

PAWSitively Fit Club

Ecogym business plan

Capital Health and Fitness Club

Frequently asked questions on good gym business plan

How can i start my own gym business.

Follow these steps and understand gym business plans:

• Choose your area/location
• Develop a comprehensive business plan
• Apply and obtain all necessary licenses
• Find and hire certified trainers
• Invest in the right equipment for your business
• Appeal to members with friendly incentives

How do I write a business plan for a gym?

To write a gym business plan, you can implement the steps below:

• Executive summary
• Company overview
• Services and amenities
• Management team
• Market research and marketing
• Competitor analysis 
• Financial projections
• Financial forecasting
• Financial strategy
• Payment option

What type of gym is the most profitable?

Out of the gyms surveyed in November 2020, 69 percent of CrossFit gyms were profitable, while half of martial arts gyms reported being in the black.

Is owning a gym a good business?

Owning a gym can be profitable, but you will need more time to make yourself rich. To succeed in this industry, you must put in the effort.

Do gym owners make money?

According to ZipRecruiter, an American jobs marketplace, gym owners in the United States will earn an average of $69,472 annually as of June 2022.

Do gyms make a lot of money?

A gym that is managed efficiently and has a good mixture of members can generate quite a bit of money. For example, if a gym has 1,000 people paying $50 monthly, the gym could bring in $50,000 each month. And if the monthly expenses for the gym are $20,000 per month, the profit would be $30,000 per month.

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• Sample Business Plans
• Beauty Salon & Fitness

Gym Business Plan

Is exercise or fitness your passion? Or do you have a good understanding of gym equipment and workout routines?

If yes, you might have considered having your own gym at some point. After all, who doesn’t want to turn their passion into a profession?

And guess what! Just like you wouldn’t hit the gym without a workout plan, starting your own gym demands a comprehensive gym business plan!

If you’re seeking investors to kickstart a new fitness center or aiming to expand an existing gym business, a modern business plan is an essential tool.

A well-written gym business plan will help you pay attention to every detail, and support your entrepreneurial journey to make the best strategies for a profitable business.

But before diving right into the detailed gym business plan; let’s check out some interesting facts about the fitness industry.

Fitness Industry Outlook

• The growing enthusiasm for fitness and the desire for a healthy lifestyle has led to the demand for gyms. As of now, 39% of Americans have gym memberships.
• The fitness industry has been booming in recent years, and it is expected to have 230 million members by 2030 .
• The Health and fitness market revenue is estimated to grow at a rate of 11.52% annually, reaching a market volume of US$2.32 billion by 2027.
• The fitness industry is expected to increase its revenue by 172% from 2021 to 2028 – reaching $435 billion.
• From 2011 to 2019, the revenue for gyms and health centers in the United States consistently increased each year.
• Recently, the United States led the world in gym industry revenue and is expected to add 15.6 million more members by 2030.

Now that you know the fitness industry outlook, it’s time to explore all the key components you will need to include in your professional gym business plan outline:

Key Components of a Gym Business Plan (w/ Examples)

• Executive Summary
• Company Overview
• Industry and Customer Analysis
• Competitor Analysis
• Service Offerings
• Marketing Strategy
• Management Team
• Operations Plan
• Financial Plan

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is the first and foremost section of the business plan. Generally, it is a quick overview of your entire gym business plan.

It should be clear, concise, and engaging as it will create your first impression and draw readers to delve further into your plan.

You can start this section with a brief introduction to your gym business and discuss the following key elements:

• Market Opportunity
• Vision & mission statement
• Target market
• Your products and services
• Marketing strategy
• Management team
• Financial Outlook

After that, end your summary with a clear call to action to invite potential investors or readers to the next meeting.

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2. Company Overview

The company overview section provides a more detailed description of your gym business.

It includes the legal structure, location, ownership, critical success factors, business history, and everything about your business.

First, provide the basic details of your gym including what is the name and what type of gym you are operating.

Mention the names of your gym owners/partners along with the qualifications. You can also include the business history(if any) and milestones you have achieved.

After that, describe your business goals to convey a high level of aspirations and vision that you want to achieve. Here is an example, describing the business goals and objectives:

Setting future business goals for a gym is a crucial step in outlining a clear path to achieve success and growth. The Stayfit Company’s goals and objectives include;

• Increase the client base by 100 customers within the first year of operation.
• Relocating to a large and more appropriate location facility by the first year of operation.
• Expand service offerings to provide a comprehensive fitness experience.
• Establish partnerships and increase brand visibility to become a recognized fitness brand in the community.
• Increase total memberships to 500 within 5 years.

Remember, this section gives an in-depth understanding of your business and business owners. So, make it clear and intriguing.

3. Industry and Customer Analysis

In the industry and customer analysis section of your gym business plan, it’s necessary to offer a comprehensive overview of the fitness industry and target market.

This section gives you a deep understanding of your industry and target customer attributes which will help you in business planning.

Here are some questions that will help you in the analysis:

• What is the current market size of the fitness industry in terms of revenue?
• What are the current trends in the gym business?
• Who are the target audience, and which customer segment do you wish to serve?
• What is the growth forecast for the gym business?

For example, look at this market segment and target market of the gym business with the help of Upmetrics:

As a gym owner, you can target the following customer profiles:

• Blue-collar employees (factories, warehouses, service industry)
• White-collar individuals(corporate or government employees)
• High school & college students
• Military members and their families
• Athletes who often train for fitness competitions

In short, a thorough industry analysis will educate you about the local market and help you prepare marketing strategies according to the market trends.

4. Competitor Analysis

This competitor analysis will help you understand the top competitors and identify the strong points of their service offerings.

As a gym business, you should make a list of the number of gyms or other fitness businesses operating in your locality, their size, and their customer base. Try to specify who are your direct and indirect competitors.

• Direct competitors can be other local gyms
• Indirect competitors can be another type of gym or fitness center, or health club in your area.

Now, let’s focus on your direct competitors and provide an overview of each competitor, including their size and where they’re based. Evaluate their strengths and weaknesses including their service offerings and pricing structures.

Refer below example; showing competitor analysis description:

A better way to conduct this analysis is by noticing things from a customer’s perspective. You might even ask your competitors’ clients what they like or dislike about them to get valuable insights.

This way you can understand what makes your competitors successful and what gaps you can fill. Also, consider the unique selling proposition of your gym business.

Specify your tactics to stay ahead in the competitive landscape and make all the difference in the local gym market.

5. Service Offerings

Next, specify the scope of your service offerings and elucidate how they meet the diverse needs of your clientele.

This section must be informative, precise, and client-focused, as it is a detailed breakdown of what your fitness business offers your customers.

You can include a comprehensive suite of services encompassing types of membership options, available exercise equipment, personal training sessions, group fitness classes, or nutritional counseling.

Here, you can take a reference from the below example written using Upmetrics AI Assistant :

Also, detail any membership fees or pricing plans in this section to add or revise services. Mention if your gym provides any additional services, like physical therapy, massage therapy, recovery modalities, etc.

6. Marketing Strategy

Writing the sales and marketing plan section means jotting down all the customer acquisition strategies and the tactics for how to retain them.

You can consider the following marketing approaches to gaining and keeping customers for your new gym business:

Unique Selling Proposition

Define your gym’s USPs depending on the market you serve, the gym equipment you use, and the unique services you provide. Highlight certified gym trainers, specialty programs, and regular community events.

Social media marketing

Use social media platforms to attract more users. Create engaging content and entice your audience with inspirational posts and special offers. Connect with your customers digitally as well as in the gym.

Establish a professional website and brand symbol (gym’s logo) to reach a wider audience. Showcase all your service offerings and build trust among potential customers.

Loyalty plans

Consider loyalty plans to retain existing gym members and encourage long-term commitment. Create membership tiers or referral programs to offer discounts or additional benefits.

Collaborations

Partner with local businesses (health food stores, fitness centers, or clothing brands), and fitness influencers to cross-promote services or offer collaborative discounts. That can expand your gym’s reach and draw a broader audience.

Offline advertising

Traditional offline marketing can still be effective in engaging with your local community. Clearly state your advertising strategies, including open bulletin boards, print marketing, flier distributions, or community events. For instance,

Consider following offline advertising strategies to reach specific demographics:

• Local Print Media: Advertise in local newspapers, magazines, or community newsletters to target residents in your area.
• Flier Distribution: Distribute flyers or brochures in strategic locations such as community centers, local cafes, or residential areas to raise awareness about your gym.
• Community Events: Sponsor or participate in community events, fairs, or health expos. This not only promotes your gym but also allows for direct interaction with potential members.

Pricing strategy

Try to develop detailed strategies, like offering special introductory discounts, free trials, seasonal promotions, or membership packages with additional services to attract and retain members.

7. Management Team

A strong management team is essential to showcase your gym’s ability to thrive in the industry. This management team section emphasizes the key members who can help grow your fitness business.

You can highlight your key managers, fitness experts, personal trainers, or nutritionists. Also, explain each member’s expertise and roles.

Also, discuss the compensation plan in this section, along with their salaries, incentives, and other benefits. For instance,

8. Operations Plan

This operations plan is like a map that shows how you will make your business work.

It provides detailed insights into the day-to-day operations of your gym and highlights key areas such as staffing and operational processes.

Consider adding below essential components to your operational plan:

Try to mention the number of trainers, support staff, and therapists needed. Briefly outline the duties they will perform and detail their qualifications & training required.

Operational Process

Summarize the processes and techniques you will use to run your gym. Your operational process section may include hosting fitness classes, assigning trainers, scheduling the group HIIT classes, billing, training staff, etc.

Equipment & Machinery

You can include the list of gym equipment and machinery required for the gym, such as strength training equipment, pull-up bars, cardio equipment, free weights/dumbbells, and aerobic equipment.

Refer to the below example written using our AI assistant:

9. Financial Plan

Presently, you are in the business planning phase, but devoting some time to putting together the most realistic financial projections is also crucial when you start seeking funding from investors.

It is a detailed blueprint of all the cash flow and revenue streams, initial startup costs for setting up your gym and equipment, profit margins, and operational costs.

So, mention all the below elements in your gym business plan outline:

• Profit and loss statement
• Cash flow statement
• Balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Business ratios
• Exit strategy

This financial forecast has a substantial value in terms of whether you secure funding or not. And evaluate the funding resources, including bank loans, SBA-guaranteed loans, crowdfunding, or personal savings.

Here’s an example of a projected P&L statement for a gym financial plan with the help of Upmetrics:

Download Free Gym Business Plan PDF

Need help writing your gym business plan from scratch? Well, here you go; download our free gym business plan pdf now and start writing.

This modern, user-friendly business plan template is specifically designed for your gym business.

With a step-by-step guide and example, it helps you write a solid gym business plan without missing any crucial steps.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Start Drafting Your Plan with Upmetrics

With Upmetrics, you will get easy-to-follow steps, 400+ sample business plans, and AI support to streamline your business planning approach.

Our financial forecasting tool will help you develop accurate financial forecasts for 3 or more years if you’re not great with financial formulas.

Whether you’re venturing into a new business or aiming for expansion, Upmetrics provides valuable resources and insights to build successful and professional business plans that perfectly align with your objectives.

So, don’t wait; start planning now !

Related Posts

CrossFit Gym Business Plan

Personal Trainer Business Plan

Health Coaching Business Plan

Sample Business Plans Template

Small Business Plan Writers

ChatGPT for Writing a Business Plan

Frequently asked questions, where can i find examples of successful gym business plans.

There are various online platforms where you can find sample business plan templates. Consider reputable sources like Upmetrics , which offers a successful gym business plan template for your specific needs.

What should I include in my gym business plan?

You should include the following key elements in your gym business plan:

• Executive summary
• Company overview
• Industry and market analysis
• Customer Analysis
• Competitor analysis
• Service offerings
• Marketing Plan
• Operations plan
• Financial plan

What are important gym location factors to consider when writing a business plan?

While writing a business plan, consider the following gym location factors:

• Easy accessibility and high visibility area
• Assess the availability of sufficient parking space
• Check and comply with local zoning laws and regulations
• Analyze the local demographics to align with the target market
• Evaluate the proximity of competitors

How often should I update my gym business plan?

It is very necessary to regularly update your gym business plan, especially in dynamic industries like gym & fitness. Consider updating it at least once a year or more often if there are significant changes in your business.

What are the common mistakes to avoid in a gym business plan?

Following are some of the most common mistakes you should consider avoiding when writing a gym business plan.

• Ignoring thorough market research
• Overestimating financial projections
• Neglecting competitors analysis
• Overlooking marketing strategy

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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The Change Maker’s Guide to Starting a Health and Fitness Business Get the know-how, tools, and resources you need to build the business you want.

Starting a successful and sustainable health and fitness business isn’t as simple as finding a niche market and telling people what you offer.

It’s way more daunting than that—which is why most people never do it.

The good news: We’ve broken the entire process down into bite-sized tasks anyone can master.

With this free, step-by-step blueprint, you’ll learn how to:

✔ Start a health and fitness biz now (even if you have “entrepreneur challenges” like a mortgage to pay and children to feed)

✔ Create products and services you’re proud of (and that your clients are ready and willing to pay for)

✔ Optimize your workflow (so you can maximize your income without sacrificing your family or health)

✔ Delight your clients and create raving fans (so they do most of your marketing for you)

Even if entrepreneurship isn’t for you, this how-to guide is jam-packed with amazing tools and resources that can help you both work and live better.

For example, through a little partnership magic, we’re providing you with a $700 personality test you can take for FREE, no strings attached. The results will help you better understand what you’re good at and what challenges you—insights that can be invaluable no matter what your career path.

Ready to dig in? Let’s get started.

Step 1: Consider your context

You already know a client’s personal life and responsibilities will influence how much time and effort they can put toward their health and fitness goals.

The same is true for you and your entrepreneurial goals.

For example, if you have little to no savings—and dependents who rely on you—quitting a stable job for an entrepreneurial endeavor may not only seem scary, it could be the wrong thing for you.

So don’t beat yourself up if you’re finding it hard to “take the leap,” or if “now isn’t the right time.”

There are other ways to get started.

First, you can apply entrepreneurial practices within an innovative company, as part of your current (or new) job.

Often called “intrapreneurship,” this allows the creation of new products and services within an existing organization. And it’s becoming more and more popular. Indeed, you just might be able to find the creativity you’re looking for while also having the benefit of a stable paycheck.

Second, you could keep your day job and start a side business. (It might stay a side business, or maybe it eventually becomes your main source of income.)

We recommend this approach for most budding entrepreneurs who already have a stable income and want to test the market with their new ideas .

We’ll go deeper on this later in the guide, but for now, it’s important to spend some time learning about yourself.

Step 2: Gather relevant self-knowledge

One of the best ways to decide whether starting your own business is right for you is to learn more about yourself and how you work.

Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. While some folks’ superpowers align perfectly with what entrepreneurs need to succeed, other people’s skill sets may not be a good match.

How can you know if you’re well-suited to starting your own business?

We’ve created two assessments to help you decide.

Assessment #1: The Workview Assessment

Whether you want to work inside or outside the entrepreneurial realm, this two-minute assessment will help you:

• Understand how you view your work and the role it plays in your life
• Establish your own success metrics and use them to guide your daily decisions
• Outline the key steps to take so you can live a more meaningful and fulfilling life

Click here for the Change Maker Academy Workview Assessment

Assessment #2: The Caliper Assessment

This personality test will help you figure out how to take advantage of your superpowers, mitigate your kryptonite, schedule your time more effectively, and collaborate with others in more mutually beneficial ways. In fact, at Precision Nutrition, every single job candidate is required to complete this assessment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This assessment is robust and will take about 60 minutes to complete. While it normally costs $700 USD, it’s yours, right now, totally free . Once you complete it, you’ll receive a comprehensive report—with a breakdown of your personality and work insights—within five days.

It’s the most data-driven hiring tool on the market, and we’re excited to share it with you.

Click here for Caliper for Health and Fitness Professionals

Step 3: Map out what “starting” could look like

Let’s say you’ve done the assessments above and feel entrepreneurship is a good fit for you. (If it isn’t, that’s okay too.)

Our advice: Start small.

(Or, at least, start with “experiments” you can refine over time.)

Just as you’d likely recommend your clients ease into new health and wellness habits—and then build bigger ones as their skills and confidence grow over time—we encourage you to do the same when it comes to entrepreneurship.

You don’t need to go from zero to hero. 

Like anything worth doing, building a business takes time.

Unless you’re well-funded and have lots of free time, you might consider starting your business as a side hustle—something you do in addition to your primary work.

This has two benefits.

First, you’ll still have the peace of mind—and the ability to pay your bills—that comes from a steady paycheck.

Next, you’ll be able to test that what you want to offer is something people are willing to pay for—before you expect your business to deliver a reliable income.

While you might have to dedicate some evenings and weekends to make this happen, it’s amazing what can be accomplished in two to three hours of highly-focused, deep work.

Ask yourself this: What would “starting” look like if it didn’t have to be perfect?

Write out a plan for that approach. Even if you decide to “go big” with your first attempt, it’ll be useful to have a map for what it would look like if it were “easy.”

Step 4: Make a list of what you might offer the world

Once you’re ready to start your side hustle (or full-time new business), brainstorm a list of products and services that:

• You’re interested in offering
• You actually have the skills to pull off
• You have access to the necessary resources for, or you have the ability and connections to acquire them
• You think others might be willing to buy

The list can start long—and that’s fine. Brainstorms are best when lots of ideas, even bad ones, are allowed to emerge. You can prune the list later.

Here’s an example of what your brainstorm could look like:

Notice how there are hundreds of possible business ideas in this mind map.

It’s better to begin with too many ideas than not enough.

Step 5: Talk to people who have a track record of success

Once you have your seed ideas, find a few people who have done what you’d like to do—and have gotten paid for it—and ask them if you can interview them.

If they’re willing to talk to you for free, great. But don’t be afraid to pay them.

Paying to learn from smart, believable people is a great investment.

How much do you even offer? If you know their hourly rate, offering that amount is a safe bet. If you don’t, look up the salaries for similar roles—a quick Google search will do the trick—and use that as your guide.

Lastly, if you’re still feeling stuck, offer a generous amount (say, $100/hour). While it might seem like a lot, getting great advice will save you hours—if not weeks —of your time.

If they’re willing to share, ask more about:

• where they list their services
• how they find clients
• how they get paid for what they do

(Make sure you’re not asking for client leads, pressing for new business opportunities, or asking for money. Remember: You’re just interviewing them about their own thinking, strategies, and tactics.)

Try to get a sense of what their average day looked like when they were building their business—and what it looks like today—to see if you’d actually be interested in the lifestyle that may be waiting for you.

Also, if you trust them with your ideas, consider asking their thoughts on your potential business concepts. Inquire as to which ones they think have potential, which may not, and why.

Choose your sources wisely.

It’s sometimes difficult to tell who is actually doing well in the health and fitness space. For example, some of the best entrepreneurs we know don’t have a big public profile. They’re in the trenches every day working on their craft and motivating their teams.

So, unless your goal is to grow a large social following, we encourage you not to use someone’s number of followers (or public visibility) as your only criteria.

Likewise, some of the people making a big show on social media, or through PR campaigns, don’t have a business that matches their public performance. So, again, make sure you know whether the person you’re turning to for business-building advice is truly believable.

If the person does have tangible success, it’s important to make sure their version of success matches yours. For instance, if you want to create success online through creating sustainable client results, don’t copy someone who’s made money selling short-term (and possibly scammy) solutions.

Step 6: Narrow down your options

After you’ve had some discussions to get a better sense of what others have done to succeed and what they think of your options, begin to narrow down your choices.

Consider which potential business options seem more reasonable, which have a higher probability of success, and which you’re most excited about.

Do one or two rise above the rest? If so, consider setting aside the rest and fleshing out those with the most potential.

Step 7: Organize your ideas into a Lean Canvas

The Lean Canvas is a one-page business-plan template that’ll help you deconstruct your idea into its key assumptions.

Unlike detailed business plans that often take weeks or months to craft (and barely get read), the Lean Canvas takes 20 minutes to create and helps paint a good picture of your business at a glance.

Click here for the Change Maker Academy Lean Canvas Template (with step-by-step instructions)

We recommend you fill this out to the best of your ability to get a general sense of what your idea entails, what assumptions you need to test, and what steps might be required to take your idea from vision to reality.

You can think of it as a working document that you can update every month or so as you find more evidence and test your idea in the real world.

Step 8: Talk to potential customers

In order to figure out what your potential clients want, and are willing to pay for, you need to talk with them, gather insights, and craft your offering to meet those needs.

Most businesses fail because they assume they know what clients want—and spend lots of time and money building it—only to find out later that no one actually wants what they’re selling.

To better understand your potential customers’ wants and needs, we recommend learning about a research methodology called Jobs To Be Done.

Jobs To Be Done helps you assume less, ask strategic questions, and listen deeply to figure out the real reasons people buy what they do, when they do.

It also helps you map people’s decision-making timelines, like this:

And the forces that push and pull them into making decisions, like this:

A full description of Jobs To Be Done goes beyond the scope of this article. However, here’s a good overview of the process.

• How To Know What Clients Want: Part 1
• How To Know What Clients Want: Part 2
• How To Know What Clients Want: Part 3

Step 9: Create a prototype

Once you’ve collected enough data, distill what you learned from your prospective clients into a written product or service offering so that you can gather more feedback on a real pitch.

For example, you might sketch out the concept of a new gym or fitness center and its offerings. Or you might develop an outline for a 6-week coaching program and describe the benefits. Or you might create an overview of a new online tool or app.

Also write your elevator pitch as follows:

{Name of my product/service} helps {kind of person} 

to {action/benefit} so that they can {brighter future/more inspiring benefit} 

For more on this approach, here’s a fill-in-the-blank template for you:

The Perfect Elevator Pitch: A Template for Health & Fitness Pros

Once you have it, share your elevator pitch and product/service details with potential clients. Then ask follow-up questions like:

Keep tweaking your offering—and your language—based on feedback until it resonates with the people you’d ideally like to hire you.

Step 10: Try selling your offering

Once you have something you’re proud to offer, try actually selling it.

While you can use complicated marketing approaches, we recommend starting off simply. Just reach out to people in your own community by talking to them the way people talk to one another (in person, over the phone, on video conferences, via email, through direct messages).

This is a great way to get started as it’ll feel more natural. Plus, if you can’t get people who already know, like, and trust you interested in what you’re offering, you shouldn’t expect strangers to give you more of a chance.

However, if you’d like to float your idea out to strangers, you can also post your offer on digital platforms like social media, upwork.com, and freelancer.com to see if anyone is willing to inquire about your products and services without actually knowing you.

Trying to sell something is one of the best ways to find out if what you have to offer is valuable to others and is recognized as such. If it is, great. If not, iterate quickly here. Gather more feedback and make changes.

Note: Don’t expect to get paid very much out of the gate.

The amount you make is highly correlated with your level of experience. Early on, some of the best remuneration you can receive comes in the form of feedback and testimonials.

If folks are willing to be your guinea pigs—while providing you thoughtful, structured ways you can improve—embrace it. If you serve them well, they might be willing to provide testimonials afterward, giving you extremely valuable social proof.

Step 11: Deliver the thing you promised

If the previous step worked out well, you’ll be bringing on a few new clients. Congrats! Now it’s time to deliver on what you promised.

That, of course, is an entire article unto itself, so we’ll have to save this advice for another day. For now, we’ll just assume you already have the required skills to produce the products or deliver the services you’re selling.

However, it’s worth mentioning that, in the early stages, it’s important to spend extra time with customers so you can keep on top of problems that arise and really nail the experience.

If it’s your first time selling a product or services, you might even give them a price discount in exchange for feedback every step of the way.

The Thinking Aloud Technique is a great approach to collecting that kind of feedback, and we’ve used it with great success.

Step 12: Reflect on what you’ve learned

After offering your services to one person—or to a small group of people—reflect on how it went.

Specifically, ask yourself questions like these:

Give this some serious reflection. If you discover that you don’t like doing what you thought you’d like, that’s fine. Better than fine, actually. Because you can now stop moving down a path that was headed for disaster.

At this point, you can tweak your idea, choose an entirely different idea, or go find work that better aligns with your new sense of what could bring you meaning and contentment.

Step 13: Keep practicing

When you’re new at something, you’re going to suck. Instead of resisting that reality, embrace it.

If you see every new opportunity as a means to hone your skills and become the ultimate Change Maker, and trust your ability to learn and aggregate thoughtful feedback, you’ll get better.

The key, however, is to hunt feedback. Don’t just make yourself open to it. Go out and gather it. Aggressively. In all formats.

If you’ve struggled with asking for feedback in the past, or struggled with your emotions in response to feedback, these three strategies will help:

Mastering Feedback: Use These 3 No-Nonsense Strategies To Give and Receive Feedback Like A Pro

Step 14: As you have success, scale up

Once enough people are paying you for your services, you feel confident in your ability to generate enough income to support your current lifestyle, and you’re sure you have systems in place to service an influx of new clients—take the plunge. Dive into your business.

At this stage, it might be best to hire a good tactical business coach who can teach you how to price your services and create high-converting web pages and social media pages that will show up for your target audiences, tell your story, and turn visitors into leads.

You may also want to test a few ads for attracting people to your pages and capturing their email addresses. This will allow you to keep in touch with them and share more about your products and services.

(Again, get some coaching: Without some know-how, paid ads will largely be a waste of money.)

As you collect new leads, be sure to keep in touch with them. Some people call this “email marketing” but we prefer what Giovanni Marsico of Archangel Academy says here:

“In today’s notification-filled, busy-busy world, your dream client will need to be reminded approximately 27 times before they have enough information and confidence to be able to actually pay you.

Entrepreneurs who only care about the bottom line might see this as a bad thing because they don’t want to put in the work, but I see it as 27 opportunities to send marketing love notes to my future clients, imbuing them with information and inspiration to support them in their goals.”

And remember to do your math.

If it takes, say, 30 impressions to get an inquiry, and, say, 10 inquiries to set up a consultation call, and you close 50 percent of those calls, that means you’ll need to be exposed to people 600 times to get one sale.

And that presumes you’re able to get on the phone with people. If you’re in the digital game, assume even lower conversions.

A general guideline we use is that, for every 100,000 people you reach through social media, you can expect less than 1 percent of them to click through to your website (1,000 people). For every 1,000 people who click, less than 20 percent will give you their name and email address (200 people). And, for every 200 people who give you their name and email address, less than 10 percent of those will buy something (20 people).

So expect to put in a lot of reps before you earn clients.

Use the experience to tweak your marketing message and your service offering to see what gets you more visitors and which approach converts more of these visitors and inquiries into more clients.

Step 15: Effectively manage your time

Now it’s time to think about your schedule.

When you were working full time, you may have had 2-3 hours—if you were lucky—to devote to your side business. You might assume that when you quit, you’ll be able to multiply your effort by three to four times.

This is not always the case.

The thing about restricting your time is that it often restricts the work that you’re able to do, which forces you to focus on what matters most and minimize procrastination.

With a whole unstructured day ahead of you, it can be easy to get in the habit of sleeping in, working on low-leverage tasks (as a means to avoid doing the tasks that are challenging but actually matter), and spinning your wheels.

Alternatively, you may experience work-life blur, where you’re never sure if it’s “work-time” or not.

To help mitigate the transition, we recommend making a schedule that includes when you’ll be doing what.

Block off time for sleeping, eating, exercising, walks outside, and time with family and friends. Also, block off time for different kinds of work tasks.

In some ways, starting your own business means becoming more schedule-bound. The nice part, though, is that you—in collaboration with colleagues and loved ones—get to come up with the schedule.

Step 16: Create a business structure

As your business grows, you’re also going to need to set up a workflow that’s:

• repeatable (so routine tasks become more automated)
• scalabl e (so adding twice as many clients doesn’t double the work)
• measurable (so you can quantify what’s happening in the most important aspects of your business)

This is done by looking at your overall workflow, highlighting the components that drive the most value in terms of revenue, and acknowledging which components can be outsourced or let go of altogether.

For example, a high-level workflow of a health and fitness professional working directly with clients as a fitness, nutrition, or health coach might look like this:

Looking at the above workflow, you can see that you’ll need to wear many hats. You’ll need to engage in sales and marketing (so you can attract the type of clients you want in the first place), you’ll need to understand your clients’ needs and help them change using both physiological and psychological methodologies, you’ll need to collect payments, and more.

The good news is that the more often you thoughtfully repeat this cycle, always looking for ways to automate the process, the more skilled and efficient you’ll become.

Over time, you might even find ways to minimize the future effort required for some of your tasks, by creating nutrition templates, information sheets, and more that you can tweak and reuse later.

And, when you can afford to, you might even decide to outsource some of your activities to someone who is more skilled in doing so, or bringing on team members with skill sets that complement yours.

Step 17: Create a customer journey map

As you get more reps at delivering your products and services, a great way to improve is to create a customer journey map.

This is a way to outline the experience your customer has from the time they initially engage with your organization, through the delivery of your services, and beyond.

By taking the time to map out your customer’s journey with you, you can identify and address points of friction.

For example, maybe you discover that your clients are confused about how to purchase your services on your website. You can then spend time making this process seamless, so they don’t get frustrated and walk away.

It can also be used to highlight moments where there are opportunities to delight your customers or create special moments for your clients.

For instance, you might notice that your personal training clients’ journeys tend to look something like this:

As a result, you might plan to give them:

• a gift card and a handwritten note to make them feel welcome
• dog biscuits for their beloved dog’s birthday
• a mid-point spa package to celebrate their progress
• a trophy for making it through the “Valley of Despair” and building confidence
• a personalized journal and a high-quality pen to thank them for their referral

In the end, everyone wants to feel special. So you’re either going to need to find a way to make people feel special yourself, in your business, or you’ll need to work for someone else who does.

A customer journey map can help you eliminate friction points as well as find opportunities to surprise and delight your clients and customers.

Step 18: Make your business remarkable

There are three simple rules that govern any business:

• Find out what people really want and are willing to pay for
• Do something awesome to deliver it
• Tell everyone about it

If you want a business that scales, you’ll make something so great (by doing steps one and two) that your clients will want to tell everyone about your services for you.

If you can find ways to meet not only your client’s surface-level needs (like losing weight or getting jacked) but also delivering upon their deeper needs (like helping them become a more present parent or partner) in a seamless fashion, eventually, clients will be coming to you with very little marketing effort.

For a free lesson in which Dr. Berardi details the three steps above, with lots of examples, check out this video:

Customer Research, Product Development, and Marketing with Dr. Berardi

The Entrepreneur’s Opportunity

Fun fact: There are more entrepreneurs today than at any time in history.

This means there are endless opportunities to start a health and fitness business of your own—from creating in-person coaching services, to offering online coaching services, to selling app-based or wearable health and fitness technologies—doing work that you’re passionate about.

Work that can change lives. (And, possibly, the world.)

Of course, no single article can help you figure out everything you need to succeed in business. However, we hope this one provided some tools that you can implement to minimize your risk and maximize your impact.

To get all these tools in one place, for free, check out:

The Change Maker’s Guide To Starting A Health & Fitness Business (Free Download Bundle)

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

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Related Articles

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32 Health and Wellness Business Ideas for 2024  

So, you love health and wellness, and you’ve also always wanted to be your own boss. Wouldn’t it be great to work in an industry that you love – every day?

Unfortunately, being passionate about wellness isn’t enough to earn you a healthy income! You’ll need to turn your passion into a business, and in this article, we’ll cover 32 types of wellness businesses.

There are many types of wellness business that suit different people. It really depends on your interests and skills, but also your desired lifestyle:

• Do you want to be location independent? If so, you’ll want to look for a business that lets you work online, so you don’t need to be in a physical location.
• Do you want to work with clients 1:1 or in groups, or not at all?
• Do you want to write books, or create courses, or teach classes?
• Do you want to create a physical product to sell?

Knowing YOUR interests is the first step to choosing the best health and wellness business for YOU to start.

On The Wellpreneur Podcast , I’ve interviewed over 100 wellness entrepreneurs about how they’ve built successful businesses.

These wellpreneurs range from health coaches to personal trainers to yoga teachers to authors to retreat planners to natural skincare brands .

There are so many ways that you can create a job you love in the wellness industry.

Starting a Health and Wellness Business in 2024

2024 is the year that we need to start thinking more outside of the box about wellness. It is time to take a more serious approach to alternatives available in the healthcare industry while finding new ways to serve our communities. Creating a personal wellness business in 2024 is also a great way for many to find fulfillment in their lives as they continue to grow.

FREE CHECKLIST

Start Your Wellness Business -  from scratch!

If you are here, then you are already interested in starting a business in the health and wellness industry, so here are a few tips to get you going before we get into our top 32 ideas for 2024.

Find Your Focus

This is going to be the first step. The focus is on what helps determine what kind of service or product you are going to provide. In the health and wellness industry, there are several ways to go, including something more clinically focused or spa focused, for example.

Determine Startup Costs

This is going to be the amount of money you need to get started. Consider the initial and monthly costs of the rent for any office space you may need to secure along with the costs of materials for any business cards, letterheads, flyers, or brochures you need. Also, factor in the costs of building a website, obtaining a web host, and securing a domain.

In addition, you should also take into consideration any costs there may be for owning your business. For example, are there additional taxes you have to pay? Do you have the income to continue to live comfortably while building your business?

Identify a Target Audience

When you have a clear focus, it will be much easier to identify your target audience. When identifying your target audience, make sure to pinpoint what is also going to set you apart from your competition.

Obtain Proper Licenses

You want to familiarize yourself with the laws and licensing requirements in your state. You need to make sure that your business and any contractors you hire are fully licensed by the state you are in.

Naming Your Business

Finally, when it comes time to establish a  name for your health and wellness business , first make sure that the name is available through your state's Secretary of State directory and then develop your logo and website to promote your new business. To help you with your name, you can also use a business name generator to help you come up with ideas.

Check the Competition

Always research other businesses in the area that are offering the same products and services as you. Check their website, their pricing, and research who their ideal customer is. Having all this information will help you grow and scale your own business and establish your own health and wellness career.

Here are 32 ideas to get you started, categorized by type of business.

Health and Wellness Business Idea: Personal Services

Health and Wellness Coach (or Holistic Health Counselor)

A health or wellness coach helps their clients to make sustainable, healthy changes in their life, based on that client’s personal goals and lifestyle.

Health Coaching is a really popular wellness business because it can easily complement other modalities or products.

For example, many wellpreneurs are yoga teachers AND health coaches. Or personal trainers AND health coaches. Or you could be a health coach who also sells essential oils or other products that support a healthy lifestyle.

Another benefit of the health coaching business is that it’s quite flexible. You can work in-person or online, 1:1 or in group coaching programs , or package up your programs into online courses or books.

Plus, many wellpreneurs say that going through health coach training helps them and their families live a healthier life too! You can try a sample class from health coach training here .

Should you become a health coach?

Get our FREE Health Coach Decision Kit

Corporate Wellness Coach / Trainer / Consultant

Corporate wellness is a booming niche market.

This is an especially good option for aspiring wellpreneurs who are  transitioning from a corporate day-job  into entrepreneurship. Companies realize that improving the health of their employees is good for business (fewer sick days, lower stress, happier employees, etc) – and they’re ready to invest in workshops, programs, and coaching.

You can  train as a health coach to do corporate wellness , or get connected with an existing corporate wellness company. Here’s an interview I did with one health coach who  started providing wellness services within his current company .

Yoga Teacher

If you’re a passionate yogi, who wants to teach others how to do yoga safely and regularly, you could consider training as a yoga teacher. Most yoga teachers work with students in person, via 1:1 or group classes. However, there is a growing trend in teaching yoga online. Here’s an  interview about teaching yoga online .

Personal Trainer

Becoming a personal trainer is another hugely popular avenue to entrepreneurship for wellness entrepreneurs. While many people believe you have to work in-person as a personal trainer, that’s not the case.

Similar to yoga, there’s a trend of personal trainers either creating online courses or working with a client via video call to deliver training no matter where they live! Don’t miss this interview with Betty Rocker about how she runs a  successful fitness and wellness business online .

Nutritionists and Nutritional Therapists

Although it takes a bit more schooling, becoming a nutritionist is a well-proven path to working in health and wellness. Nutritionists are in-demand at hospitals, wellness centers, gyms, spas, corporations, and more. It’s a well-known profession that allows you to work as an employee or entrepreneur.

Herbalists help their patients improve their health using medicinal herbs and foods. This career also requires extensive schooling, but if you’re passionate about plants and health, it is a great option. Typically, herbalists would work in person with their patients, but it’s also possible to create online courses or write books. Have a listen to this interview about how to take your herbal medicine practice online .

Acupuncturist

Acupuncture is a holistic therapy that comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine, where you stimulate specific points on the body using very thin needles. You’ll need extensive training to do this safely, and it can also be complementary to other therapies or modalities such as health coaching, massage, or aromatherapy. In this interview, we learn how an acupuncturist complements her in-person practice with online wellness programs .

Weight Loss Coach

Weight Loss is the main motivation for many people to get serious about their health fitness and wellness, so working with clients to lose weight never goes out of style! There are many certifications you could do to help with weight loss, from personal training to health coaching to nutrition and more. Here’s a case study about how one weight loss coach enrolled 70 students in her first group program !

Personal Chef

A personal chef either teaches their clients how to prepare healthy meals, teaches cooking classes, or even prepares daily or weekly meals directly for their clients. You might not realize that you can expand your personal chef business to teaching online classes, as well. In this interview, we learn how this personal chef made the transition to online business .

Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is a hugely popular route into the wellness industry. Many people first become interested in massage because it feels so good, but then realize that it’s a viable business option as well. Massage therapy complements many other modalities, such as aromatherapy or health coaching.

Services Related to Aging and Senior Health

The percentage of elderly people is growing in many western countries, and that means that products and services which support healthy aging are in demand! You could focus on delivering any of the above services specifically to target aging concerns, or even become a wellness provider within a retirement community or other wellness center focused on healthy aging.

Wellness Retreats

Running health and wellness retreats is a huge trend this year – and growing! At a retreat, you invite a group of people for a multi-day experience, which often includes their housing, delicious healthy meals, classes, workshops, treatments, tours, experiences, and more.

As a retreat leader, you can choose to run your wellness retreats at centers around the world, giving you the opportunity to travel while you’re working. In this interview, I speak with a wellpreneur who runs luxury wellness vacations .

Health and Wellness Business Ideas: Physical Wellness Products

Essential Oils

Essential Oils are hugely popular to support natural health. You can join a popular essential oil company and sell these oils either as your full business or as a complement to your other health and wellness work. Selling essential oils is especially popular for health and wellness coaches and massage therapists.

Dietary Supplements

If there’s a dietary supplement that has personally helped you to achieve your health and wellness goals, you might be able to sell it to others as well. Each company has its own way of handling this, from a multi-level marketing approach to being a reseller or distributor. You could also partner with a company or scientist to create your own supplement brand.

Specialize in a Type of Workout CLOTHING (yoga, cross-fit, cycling, etc.)

Workout enthusiasts always need new clothing to support their practice – and you could provide it! You can either partner with an existing brand to sell their products, or you could manufacture your own products and sell them.

Specialize in a Type of Workout GEAR (yoga, cross-fit, cycling, etc.)

Similar to workout clothing above, there’s always a need for more specialized or better quality gear to support our health and fitness habits. You could choose to sell an existing brand’s product, or you could manufacture and sell your own workout gear.

Healthy Food Products

From breakfast bars to shakes, chia seeds to teas, wellness enthusiasts are always looking for new healthy food products! You could either sell an existing product or manufacture your own! Here’s an interview about a wellpreneur who started selling avocado ice cream .

Natural Beauty Products

Once you’ve read an ingredient label and realized how much chemical junk goes into our beauty products, you’ll want to go natural – and your clients will too! You can either sell existing natural beauty products or manufacture your own. In this interview, we learn how this wellpreneur created her own natural skincare brand .

Anti-Aging Products

Anti-aging products are always popular. Whether it’s food, beauty, supplements, or workouts – if your product can help people to feel better longer, it could fall into the anti-aging category. You can manufacture your own product to sell, or possibly resell existing products in this category.

Weight Loss Products

Like Anti-Aging, there is always a need for weight loss products! Many people get interested in health and wellness solely to lose weight, so they are always looking for products to support their weight loss. You could manufacture your own product or sell an existing one to a new market.

Healthy Cooking Kitchen Products

People who love to cook often also love healthy cooking gadgets and food products. Do you have a product that can make preparing healthy meals easier, quicker, or cheaper? You could sell an existing product or manufacture one of your own! Check out this interview with a pair of wellpreneurs who also sell physical products through their website .

Health and Wellness Business Ideas: Physical Locations

Wellness Center, Studio or Clinic

Many wellpreneurs dream of creating a wellness center. You might create a large, professional clinic with numerous professionals, or a cozy natural wellness center with an organic cafe and yoga studio. When you set up a center, studio, or clinic, you have the opportunity to bring in other wellpreneurs to work with you (or to give classes or services in your center.)

The spa industry is well-established and popular. You could create a spa that provided hydrotherapy as well as treatment rooms where other practitioners can provide their wellness services.

Retreat Center

Retreats are becoming more and more popular! If you create a retreat center in a location that you love, you can invite other wellpreneurs to run their own retreats at your center.

Juice bars have gone mainstream, although that means there’s more competition for them as well. You could set up a juice bar in a physical location or consider franchising with an existing brand.

Healthy Restaurant or Cafe

Starting a healthy restaurant is a continually popular idea for wellpreneurs. Of course, having experience in the restaurant industry will help here, plus you’ll need money up-front to rent your space, fit it out, and get all the food and equipment needed for a restaurant!

Health and Wellness Business Ideas: Technology + Media

Mobile Wellness and Health Tracking Apps

If you’re into technology, why not partner with a developer to create an app that supports health and wellness? You could create an app for nutrition, fitness, healthy habits, quantified-self, buying guides, corporate wellness, connection with other health-minded people, and more.

Books (Print + Digital)

If you love to write and have the expertise to share, you can write and publish your own book. While a single book probably won’t be enough to replace your full-time income, you can write a series of books, or use your book as a lead generation tool to book speaking engagements or 1:1 clients! In this podcast episode, I share the process I used to write my first book .

Software to Support Wellpreneurs

As the wellness industry grows, so do the needs of wellness practitioners. Consider creating a software product to support wellpreneurs in growing their businesses – for example, software for working with coaching clients, managing an email list, or creating amazing meal plans are just a few ideas.

Health + Wellness Blog

Yes, there are lots of health and wellness blogs – but when done well, your health blog can generate revenue and could even replace your full-time income if your site became popular enough.

But you need to understand that simply writing a blog doesn’t generate income. The key is to build your audience.

Once you have a big enough audience, and you’re a trusted, credible blog, you can then generate revenue through advertising, selling affiliate products, or even creating your own online products and courses.

If you’d like to get started blogging, I have a free 5-day blogging challenge here , just for wellness entrepreneurs!

Health + Wellness Podcast

If you love to interview people and don’t mind the sound of your own voice, consider starting a health and wellness podcast. While the podcast alone doesn’t generate revenue, once you have an established audience, you can sell sponsorships or advertising, recommend affiliate products, or even sell your own products and services through your podcast. You can check out my wellness business podcast here.

Media Hub for Wellness

You could create a media site that becomes the ultimate source for a specific type of health information. With a media site, you might work with other experts as guest writers to create authoritative content for your site.

Like the other online business ideas above, your revenue potential starts when you’ve built a big enough audience for your site. Then you can sell advertising or affiliate products, run online courses, workshops, or seminars, or branch out into books and other products to expand your online brand.

Of course, having a great idea for your wellness business is just the first step .

Next, you’ll want to connect with some people already running that type of business and talk with them about their experience. Listening to interviews with successful wellpreneurs can also be really helpful (if you want to become a health coach, definitely check out our  Health Coach Decision Kit here !)

What’s the most important factor for you in deciding what type of wellness business to start? Tell us in the comments!

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Wellness Center Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Wellness Center Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Wellness Center business plan.

We have helped over 2,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Wellness Centers.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Wellness Center business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Best Health Wellness Center is a startup wellness center located in Denver, Colorado. The company was founded by Melissa Smith, an experienced physician with over 20 years in the medical field working as a clinical psychiatrist. During her tenure, Melissa has developed a deep understanding of the importance of health and wellness on a person’s quality of life and is passionate about helping people live their best lives. Melissa is confident that her clinical expertise combined with a deep understanding of the wellness market, will enable her to run a profitable wellness center of her own. Melissa is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a wellness center – administration, marketing, financial management, and patient support.

Best Health Wellness Center will offer a full suite of wellness services to provide patients with a complete wellness regimen from head-to-toe and inside and out. Best Health Wellness Center will be the preferred wellness center for individuals in Denver who are looking for a personalized and thorough approach to wellness.

Product Offering

The following are the products and services that Best Health Wellness Center will offer:

• Skincare Treatments
• Nutrition Programs
• Fitness Programs
• Telemedicine
• Counseling & Support Groups
• Vitamins & Supplements

Customer Focus

Best Health Wellness Center will target individuals of all ages who are looking to improve their quality of life. The company will target individuals with specific wellness goals such as healthy weight, better fitness, or better skin. No matter the customer, Best Health Wellness Center will deliver personalized and high quality service from certified professionals.

Management Team

Best Health Wellness Center will be owned and operated by Melissa Smith. Melissa is a graduate of Colorado University with a degree in medicine. She is an experienced physician with over 20 years as a clinical psychiatrist. During her tenure in the medical field, Melissa has developed a deep understanding of the importance of health and wellness on a person’s quality of life and is passionate about helping people live their best lives. Melissa will be the chief executive officer for the wellness center. She will oversee the staff’s activities, customer relationship management, and day-to-day operations.

Angela Johnson will be the company’s chief operating officer and help oversee the wellness center’s business operations. Angela has a master’s degree in business administration and over ten years of experience managing a wellness center. Angela will handle contractor and supplier relationships, logistics, and budgeting for the business.

Edward Rodriguez will execute the company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies. Edward is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

Success Factors

Best Health Wellness Center will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Wide range of wellness services provided by a large network of experienced professionals.
• Best Health Wellness Center offers personalized wellness programs to cater to each patient’s needs and wellness goals.
• The company’s leadership team has built a network of supplier relationships that will allow Best Health Wellness Center to purchase vitamins and supplements for lower prices than their competitors. Best Health will then be able to pass this cost-savings on to its patients.

Financial Highlights

Best Health Wellness Center is seeking $560,000 in debt financing to launch its wellness center business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the facility and purchasing wellness center equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Wellness center build-out: $280,000
• Wellness center equipment, supplies, and materials: $100,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $160,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Best Health Wellness Center.

Company Overview

Who is best health wellness center.

Best Health Wellness Center is a newly established wellness center in Denver, Colorado. Best Health will offer a full suite of wellness products and services to provide patients with a complete wellness regimen from head-to-toe and inside and out. Best Health Wellness Center will be the preferred wellness center for individuals in Denver who are looking for a personalized approach to wellness. The company will offer free consultations for new patients and will build individualized wellness plans to accommodate the needs and goals of each person.

Best Health Wellness Center will also be able to guarantee the lowest prices on vitamins and supplements in the area thanks to its leadership team members’ existing supplier network connections. The company offers patients the option to select a la carte services for a one time fee or recurring services on a monthly payment plan.

Best Health Wellness Center History

Best Health Wellness Center is owned and operated by Melissa Smith, an experienced physician with over 20 years as a clinical psychiatrist. During her tenure in the medical field, Melissa has developed a deep understanding of the importance of health and wellness on a person’s quality of life and is passionate about helping people live their best lives. Melissa is confident that her clinical expertise combined with a deep understanding of the wellness market, will enable her to run a profitable wellness center of her own. Melissa is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a wellness center – administration, marketing, financial management, and patient support.

Since incorporation, Best Health Wellness Center has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Best Health Wellness Center, LLC to transact business in the state of Colorado
• Has narrowed down potential office spaces for lease in locations near healthcare facilities, gyms, and other businesses the wellness center’s patients are likely to frequent
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include vitamin and supplement suppliers and wellness professionals who are experts in their fields to begin obtaining supplier and professional contracts
• Began recruiting a staff of wellness center personnel to work at Best Health Wellness Center

Best Health Wellness Center Services

Industry analysis.

The United States health and wellness industry is valued at approximately $4 Trillion and is forecasted to reach $6.75 Trillion by the year 2030 growing by a compound annual growth rate of 5.2%. The health and wellness market includes a wide range of activities that can be segmented by categories such as personal care and anti-aging, nutrition, wellness tourism, preventive medicine, spa culture, and traditional medicine.

Wellness in particular is gaining popularity worldwide. Consumers view wellness as a combination of health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep, and mindfulness. Of these categories, consumers spend the most on health, followed by appearance and fitness. Trends in the wellness market include increasing customer preferences for natural products as well as personalized and digital services.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Denver, Colorado are:

Customer Segmentation

Best Health will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Individuals of all ages
• Individuals with disposable income
• Individuals interested in improving their quality of life
• Individuals with fitness, health, appearance, or other wellness-related goals

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Best Health Wellness Center will face competition from other wellness centers. A description of each competitor company is below.

Healthy Life Wellness Center

Healthy Life Wellness Center is one of the largest wellness center companies based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 2010, the company currently operates ten wellness centers throughout the United States. Healthy Life Wellness Center offers a variety of wellness services in the categories of fitness, nutrition, skincare, mental health, and social health. Healthy Life Wellness Center aims to deliver exceptional care for every patient. The company uses a stringent selection process for its personnel to ensure all of its patients receive the best quality of care. Healthy Life Wellness Center’s team of experienced physicians come from a variety of disciplines to provide a well-rounded wellness experience for its patients.

Great Shape Wellness Center

Great Shape Wellness Center is a small wellness center catering to local residents of Denver, Colorado. Great Shape Wellness Center operates one location in a busy retail district. The company specializes in fitness, nutrition, and body sculpting services. Great Shape Wellness Center is owned and operated by former athletes who understand the needs and goals of their clientele. The wellness center professionals are able to provide clients with personalized fitness and nutrition plans to help them reach their wellness goals. The company prides itself on providing visible results.

For The Win Wellness Center

For The Win Wellness Center is a Denver, Colorado-based wellness center that provides superior in-personal wellness services for local Denver residents and virtual services for patients worldwide. The company offers a variety of services including skincare, body sculpting, IV therapy, and light therapy. For The Win Wellness Center also provides individual and group therapy, counseling, personal training, life coaching, and other mental health services in-person and virtually. All services are performed by licensed healthcare providers who are experts in their fields.

Competitive Advantage

Best Health Wellness Center will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Best Health Wellness Center will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Best Health Wellness Center is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

The company’s marketing director will create accounts on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Best Health maintains an active social media presence with regular updates and promotional content to incentivize customers to use the company’s services.

Professional Associations and Networking

Best Health Wellness Center will become a member of professional associations such as the American Wellness Center Association, Denver Wellness Society, and the Colorado Health and Wellness Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the company’s supplier and patient network.

Print Advertising

Best Health Wellness Center will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. The company will also send direct mailers to local residents and businesses that are likely to frequent the wellness center.

Website/SEO Marketing

Best Health Wellness Center will utilize the in-house marketing director that designed the print ads to also design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list the products and services Best Health is able to provide. The website will also list information on discounts and upcoming events.

The marketing director will also manage the company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “Denver wellness center ” or “wellness center near me”, Best Health Wellness Center will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Best Health Wellness Center will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing the company’s products and services. Best Health will also offer discounts to recurring patients.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Best Health Wellness Center.

Operation Functions:

• Melissa Smith will be the CEO of the company. She will oversee the wellness center staff and day-to-day operations. Melissa has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Angela Johnson – Chief Operating Officer who will manage the budgeting, supplier relationships, and logistics.
• Jeffrey Brown – Bookkeeper who will provide all accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• Edward Rodriguez – Marketing Director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the company and manage the website, social media, and print advertising campaigns.

Milestones:

Best Health Wellness Center will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

1/1/2023 – Finalize contract to lease the office space for the wellness center

1/15/2023 – Finalize employment contracts for the Best Health Wellness Center management team

2/1/2023 – Begin build-out of the wellness center and purchase equipment, materials, and supplies

2/15/2023 – Begin networking at industry events and implement the marketing plan

3/15/2023 – Finalize contracts with suppliers and contractors

4/15/2023 – Best Health Wellness Center officially opens for business

Best Health Wellness Center will be owned and operated by Melissa Smith. Melissa is a graduate of Colorado University with a degree in medicine. She is an experienced physician with over 20 as a clinical psychiatrist. During her tenure in the medical field, Melissa has developed a deep understanding of the importance of health and wellness on a person’s quality of life and is passionate about helping people live their best lives. She will oversee the staff’s activities, patient relationships, and day-to-day operations.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Best Health Wellness Center are the fees charged to patients in exchange for the company’s products and services. The company will offer a choice of payment options that includes one-time fees for new patients who are interested in trying out the products and services to monthly subscription tiers that allow patients to choose the products and services they’d like to purchase on a regular basis.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a wellness center. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, equipment and supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Average patients per month: 50
• Average fees per month: $20,000
• Overhead costs per year: $640,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Wellness Center Business Plan FAQs

What is a wellness center business plan.

A wellness center business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your wellness center business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Wellness Center business plan using our Wellness Center Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Wellness Centers?

There are a number of different kinds of wellness centers , some examples include: Day, Destination, and Medical Wellness Center.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Wellness Center Business Plan?

Wellness Centers are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

This is true for a wellness center business plan or a holistic wellness center business plan.

What are the Steps To Start a Wellness Center Business?

Starting a wellness center business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Wellness Center Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed wellness center business plan pdf or doc that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your wellness center business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your wellness center business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Wellness Center Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your wellness center business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your wellness center business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Wellness Center Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your wellness center business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your wellness center business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful wellness center business:

• How to Open a Wellness Center Business

The Business Plan Template You Need For a Fitness Club

• December 29, 2023
• Beauty & Wellness

Whether you’re looking to raise funding from private investors or to get a loan from a bank for your fitness club, you will need to prepare a solid business plan.

In this article we go through, step-by-step, all the different sections you need in your fitness club business plan to build a complete, clear and solid business plan that get you funded. Let’s dive in!

1. Executive Summary

This is the first part and the most important section of your business plan. This is the first thing lenders and/or investors will have a look at.

Before we dive into the specifics, keep in mind the executive summary is a summary: keep it to 2 pages maximum.

Your executive summary should briefly sum up the key sections of your business plan as well as presenting the funding ask.

Why businesses prepare business plans?

The funding ask (or funding requirement), as explained below, is the reason why any business would have a business plan. Business plans are prepared for one of the 3 following objectives:

• Obtain financing from a bank or any other lender (a SBA loan for example)
• Obtain financing from private investors (business angels, investment funds, etc.)
• Get approval for a private or public grant

What goes in an executive summary for a fitness club?

Gyms, fitness clubs and other health centers should include the following information:

• Business overview : the name of your company, its legal structure, the business model (franchise vs. independent ; commercial vs. medical gym) and how you plan to generate revenue (subscriptions vs. memberships)
• Market analysis : how big is the fitness industry in your area? how many competitors are there? what’s the average spend per customer per gym?
• People : who is the management team? what is your/their experience in the fitness industry?
• Financial plan : what is your expected revenue and profitability for the next 5 years? When do you expect to break-even? Simply include here a chart of your key financials (e.g. Revenue, Gross Profit, Net profit )
• Funding ask : what loan/investment/grant are you seeking? How much do you need? How long will this last?

2. Business Overview

The business overview (or “Company description”) is the 2nd section of your business plan. It should cover all the important aspects of your company: what services / products you sell, how you make money, who are your customers, how the company is structured, etc.

Let’s now see one by one the different pieces of information you should cover here:

As an introduction, briefly explain the genesis of the project: when, how and why you decided to start your own fitness club. What gave you the idea to start a new gym today?

Anything that shows investors or lenders passion and most importantly the background and rationale of you deciding to open a new fitness club today goes a long way.

For example, you might be a private trainer with managerial experience and you found out that there was strong demand for a CrossFit club in your area yet little/no competition yet.

Business Model

Here, explain what is the business model of your gym. There are a few things to mention:

• Are you opening an independent or franchise gym?
• Which type of gym? Are you specializing into a specific kind of fitness club (e.g. CrossFit, HIT, bike, etc.) or is this a medical health center for accident recoveries and/or athletes?
• Is this a membership or a pay-per-class gym? A combination of both?
• How do you plan to make money: by selling subscriptions, classes, merchandise, online classes, etc?

Target Audience

Another important part of the business overview section of your fitness club business plan is your target audience .

Who is your typical customer? What’s their first motivation to go to a fitness club (physics, aesthetics, competition)? How much do they spend in average per month in fitness-related products and services ? What are they looking for (are they interested in extra services e.g. massages, personal training, etc.)?

For example, a high-end pay-per-class HIT gym like Barry’s Bootcamp would target fit and affluent young professionals and adults who are looking for short, high-intensity workouts. They aren’t necessarily interested in personal training nor even weight loss.

Knowing exactly who are your target customers will give you an edge over competition to attract and retain them.

Legal Structure

Finally, your business overview section should specify what type of business structure you opt for. Is this a corporation or a partnership (LLC)? Who are the investors? How much equity percentage do they own? Is there a Board of Directors? If so, whom? Do they have experience in the industry?

Gym Financial Model

Download an expert-built 5-year Excel financial model for your business plan

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis is an important section of your fitness club business plan. Here, you should show lenders and/or investors that you fully understand the trends of the industry you evolve in.

More importantly, it should prove to anyone that opening a fitness club now makes total sense based on market and competition dynamics.

For example, you would open a fitness club in an area where competition is limited. The same way you would start a HIT training gym in an area where your target customers live (e.g. large cities, affluent neighborhoods, etc.).

Market trends

Here you need to clearly identify 2 very important metrics:

• Market size : how big is your market?
• Market growth: how fast does your market grow?

First, you will need to define what is your market. Is this the membership gym industry in Los Angeles? Or is this the pay-per-class spinning gym industry in the US?

It’s always better to be more specific. For example, it’s better to define your market at a city level where you plan to open your gym (Los Angeles for example) vs. for the US as a whole.

Indeed, the US gym industry may be a very large industry ($33 billion in 2022), it might not be the case in the city where you want to open yours.

Of course, chances are that you will have difficulty finding some information. In any case, you should be able to make a high-level estimation of your market. Read our article on market sizing and how to estimate TAM, SAM and SOM for your startup .

Competition

The 2nd step of your market analysis is to describe competition in your area. There are a few questions to answer here:

• How many gyms are there in the area?
• What types of gyms are there (membership vs. pay-per-class ; specialty vs. general commercial gyms)?
• What is the price point of your competitors (how much do they charge per membership / per class)?
• How many customers do they have (approximately)?
• What type of machines / equipments do they have?
• Do they offer extra services (personal training, nutrition planning, massages, SPA , etc.)

In the end, your competition analysis should show a strong rationale for opening your gym today. It can be for example that:

• There is no bodybuilding gym in the area but only affordable gyms with limited machines and equipment. Bodybuilders would love paying extra for a new gym with all the key machines they need for their competitions and physique
• There is no pay-per-class fitness club in the area and existing gyms’ few spinning and HIT classes are always overbooked. Some sport enthusiasts would rather avoid paying a membership for a generic gym and go instead once or twice a week to a spinning class with dedicated trainers and lots of dates / times to choose from.

We already touched upon your target audience in the Business overview section earlier.

Here instead, the objective is to show lenders and investors that your target audience actually exists and live in the area where you plan to open a fitness club.

Therefore, you should explain here what are the types of customers who go to gyms and other fitness clubs in your area. Are they going to a yoga class once a week, or are they heavy sport addicts who hit the gym 2-3 times a week?

When you present customers here, you should always tie it into competition. Are gym customers in your area finding what they want, or is there a gap to fill in the market instead?

Studying competition is also very important to find information about potential customers. For example, it wouldn’t make any sense for you to open another CrossFit gym in an area where your only competitor is already struggling to pay rent. In other words, you don’t need to speak to any CrossFit enthusiast to know that they aren’t many in this area.

4. Sales & Marketing Strategy

Your fitness business plan should include a sales & marketing plan where you outline your strategy to acquire your target customers.

For example, you should answer the following questions:

• What channel(s) do you plan to use (online vs. offline marketing channels )?
• How does it make sense for your target audience? For example, social media may be your best bet to attract young adults to your new gym. Instead, billboards may be too expensive in certain areas
• What is your unique selling proposition ?
• What is your expected marketing budget?
• How will you track whether your marketing strategy is profitable? What’s your customer acquisition cost (CAC)?
• What strategies and promotional offers do you plan on using in the early days to attract your first customers?

Let’s expand a bit on a few questions below:

What marketing channels fitness clubs use?

A few marketing channels fitness clubs typically use are:

• Email marketing
• Social media
• Pay-per-click campaigns (e.g. Google Ads )
• Sponsorships (especially for B2B customers)
• Partnerships (for example with day spas, coworking spaces, companies, etc.)

What is your unique selling proposition?

In other words, how do you differentiate yourself vs. competitors? This is very important as you might need to win customers from competitors.

A few examples of USPs are:

• Price : you may be cheaper vs. your competitors
• Quality : you offer new, state-of-the-art machines and equipments whilst your competitors’ are outdated
• Pure player : you aim to be the go-to gym for pay-per-class HIT and spinning classes (vs. existing generic membership gyms that lag behind for these workouts)

5. Management & Organizational Structure

The 5th section of your fitness club business plan should be about people. It should include 2 main elements:

• The management team and their experience / track record
• The organizational structure: what are the different teams and who reports to whom?

Here you should list all the management roles in your company. Of course, the amount of details you need to include here varies depending on the size of your company. A franchise business with 6 gyms would need more detail vs. an independent fitness club.

If you plan on running your business independently, you may write a short paragraph explaining who are the co-founders and/or managers (if there are any in addition to yourself), their qualifications and previous professional experiences.

Organizational structure

No matter how many leadership roles there are, you should now explain how you intend to run the company from a management standpoint.

What are the different teams (management, operations, personal trainers, etc.)? Are they any key supervisory roles who aren’t necessarily managers (e.g. team leaders, etc.). Note that you should include these details even if you haven’t hired anyone yet. It will show lenders and investors that you have a solid hiring and management plan to run the business successfully.

A great addition here is to add an organizational chart that list all the roles, from Directors to managers, key supervisory roles, employees and contractors. Make sure to highlight with reporting lines who manages/supervises whom.

6. Financial Plan

The financial plan is perhaps, with the executive summary, the most important section of any business plan.

Indeed, a solid financial plan tells lenders that your business is viable and can repay the loan you need from them. If you’re looking to raise equity from private investors, a solid financial plan will prove them your business is an attractive investment.

Remember: business plan are meant to obtain funding (a loan, grant or equity) from investors or a bank. These lenders or investors are people with strong financial analysis skills. Therefore, they will mostly look at your project from a financial standpoint. You might have the best fitness club out there, yet if yours isn’t profitable no one will invest, let alone lend you money.

There should be 3 sections to your financial plan section:

• Your historical financials (only if you already operate the business and have financial accounts to show)
• The startup costs of your project (if you plan to open a new gym, purchase new equipment, renovate your facilities, etc.)
• The 5-year financial projections

Historical Financials (if any)

In the scenario where you already have some historical financials (a few quarters or a few years), include them. A summary of your financial statements in the form of charts e.g. revenue, gross profit and net profit is enough, save the rest for the appendix.

If you don’t have any, don’t worry, most new businesses don’t have any historical financials and that’s ok. If so, jump to Startup Costs instead.

Startup Costs

Before we expand on 5-year financial projections in the following section, it’s always best practice to start with listing the startup costs of your project. For a fitness club, startup costs are all the expenses you incur before you can open your gym and make money.

These expenses mostly include:

• The lease deposit for the space you rent
• The equipment and machines. If you decide to purchase (vs. leasing) the equipment, the total cost varies based on the number of machines and the quality. Keep in mind that fitness equipment typically ranges from $2,000 a piece for standard equipment (e.g. mid-end price range bikes) to $8,000 for heavier, high-end machines

It costs on average $24,000 to $500,000 to open a gym. The startup costs depend on a number of factors, mostly whether you decide to buy or lease the equipment (the machines). For a full review of how much it costs to open and run a fitness club, have a look at our complete guide .

Financial Projections

In addition to startup costs, you will now need to build a solid financial model over 5 years.

Your financial projections should be built using a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets) and presented in the form of tables and charts in the business plan of your fitness club.

As usual, keep it concise here and save details (for example detailed financial statements, financial metrics, key assumptions used for the projections) for the appendix instead.

Your financial projections should answer at least the following questions:

• How much revenue do you expect to generate over the next 5 years?
• When do you expect to break even?
• How much cash will you burn until you get there?
• What’s the impact of a change in pricing (say 20%) on your margins?
• What is your average customer acquisition cost?

You should include here your 3 financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement). This means you must forecast:

• The number of customers over time ;
• Your expected revenue ;
• Operating costs to run the business ;
• Any other cash flow items (e.g. capex, debt repayment, etc.).

When projecting your revenue, make sure to sensitize pricing and the number of members / customers as a small change in these assumptions will have a big impact on your revenues.

When it comes to the costs, consider both startup and operating costs. For more information, read our article on  how much it costs to open a gym or fitness club . For more information on how to build financial projections for a gym, read our complete guide here .

7. Funding Ask

This is the last section of your fitness club business plan. Now that we have explained what your fitness club business model is about, what’s your strategy, where you go and how you get there, this section must answer the following questions:

• How much funding do you need?
• What financial instrument(s) do you need (is this equity or debt, or even a free-money public grant?)
• How long will this funding last?
• Where else does the money come from? If you apply for a SBA loan for example, where does the other part of the investment come from (your own capital, private investors?)

If you raise debt:

• What percentage of the total funding the loan represents?
• What is the corresponding Debt Service Coverage Ratio ?

If you raise equity

• What percentage ownership are you selling as part of this funding round?
• What is the corresponding valuation of your business?

Use of Funds

Any business plan should include a clear use of funds section. This is where you explain how the money will be spent.

Will you spend most of the loan / investment in paying your employees’ salaries? Or will it cover mostly the cost to acquire the fitness machines and the renovation of the building?

Those are very important questions you should be able to answer in the blink of an eye. Don’t worry, this should come straight from your financial projections. If you’ve built solid projections like in our fitness club financial model template , you won’t have any issues answering these questions.

For the use of funds, we recommend using a pie chart like the one we have in our financial model template where we outline the main expenses categories as shown below.

Related Posts

10 Fitness Club KPIs (and How to Calculate Them)

Opening a Gym Costs $93,000 to $159,000 on Average

How To Build a Financial Model For a Gym

Privacy overview.

This free example has limited access and cannot be modified.

How to Create a Flawless Gym Business Plan

Your gym business plan is your roadmap to success. It guides you on your journey, helps you to make better decisions, and attracts potential angel investors to your business. Creating a business plan is a process. It’s easy to think of your business plan as one single document that you build and then you’re done. But, your business plan evolves and changes with you; it’s not a static checklist. 

Whether you’re starting a new small business or expanding an existing one, a business plan sets the foundation for success.

A great gym involves more than fitness equipment. Setting up a gym is a big task which is why you want to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. All stages of your business plan are equally important and essential for the final steps. In this article, we try to understand the core elements of a gym business plan and how you can craft a business plan for your fitness business. 

What is a Gym Business Plan? 

Before we dive into how to create your business plan, let’s start at the beginning. So, what is a gym business plan? Well, it’s a document that tells the reader who you are as a business and a realistic idea of where the business is heading. At a basic level, your business plan answers the following questions: 

• How does your business work?
• How are you going to succeed?
• What steps do you need to take to succeed?

Research shows that entrepreneurs who write formal business plans are more likely to succeed . Business owners seeking external financial support are also more likely to commit their thoughts to a formal business plan. With a new business, it’s beneficial to pull your ideas into focus and put pen to paper. 

The 6 Crucial Steps to Opening a Gym or Studio

Why do you need a fitness center business plan .

The main aim of your gym business plan is to create a blueprint for your business. For instance, if a potential investor were to read your business plan, they would understand how your gym will progress and succeed in the future. Your business plan also helps you to identify fresh opportunities and see gaps in your current business model or setup. Depending on where your business is, a business plan can be dual-purpose. Here’s why you need a business plan from day one. 

1. Test Your Business Idea 

Starting a fitness business is by no means easy. So, you have an idea, and you think it could be a winner. But you can’t always go out and test that idea. A business plan allows you to feasibly test that idea without actually starting the business. Working through your idea and creating a business plan allows you to break down numbers, analyze the market and competitors, and save you a lot of time in the long run. In the early stages, it’s a good idea to work through your idea and create a business plan. The more knowledge you have about your business, industry, and potential customers, the better you can see if your business idea could be a success. 

2. Attracts Investors and Secure Funding 

If you want to attract investors, you need a business plan. Most businesses need to secure funding and seek outside financial support. A thorough business plan helps you to obtain startup capital and funding for your new gym business. Even established businesses often need extra funding for expansion and business growth. Potential investors and finance companies will need concrete numbers with facts and figures to move forward with your business. Without a business plan, there is little to no chance of getting funding from investors, banks, or other external financial institutions. 

Read More: How to Get Financing For Your Gym

3. achieve short-term and long-term goals .

It’s great to have both short-term and long-term goals in mind, but it’s important to go a step further. A good business plan will contain detailed strategies on how you intend to achieve these goals. It could involve your business model, equipment plans, hiring strategies, and marketing efforts. Think about everything that you need to do to achieve your goals. Most businesses tend to have overarching business goals that are supported by smaller goals. It’s crucial that your business plan maps out your strategies for achieving your goals. Because goals and strategies can shift, as your business evolves, you can update your business plan as necessary. 

4. Make Business Planning Manageable 

A business plan is important for both new and established businesses. Firstly, a business plan gives you a higher chance of success. Budgeting, market analysis, and planning will set the foundation for a smoother beginning. When you have set out your goals and strategies to help you achieve them, you can implement what you need to progress. This whole process helps to make business planning more manageable and effective. A great business plan helps you to manage your business, monitor, and assess your progress over time. 

Chris Cooper, a gym owner, author, and the founder of the Two Brain Business offers expert insight into the proven formula for a successful fitness business . In an episode on The Fitness Founders Podcast, he talks about how gyms were forced to rethink their business models during the COVID-19 crisis and where fitness operators should spend their time and money to be successful. 

Read More: How ABC Glofox Can Boost Your Business

8 steps to create a great gym business plan .

Developing a business plan is an organized process where you go through specific steps to achieve a final result. To start, think about where you are now and where you want to be. This will help you get into the right mindset when writing your business plan. There will be many times when you will refer to your business plan to help you make a decision. So, the more information you have, the better. You will need to dig deep into your business idea, future finances, competitors, and fitness industry to help you collate the information together. By following these eight steps, you can begin to cover all the different aspects of your health club and start building a great gym business plan template. 

1. Executive Summary 

The executive summary is always at the top of the business plan. It should be an attention-grabbing business pitch that’s short and concise, yet interesting. You will continue to flesh out the points from your executive summary throughout the document. But this first section should be very clear and engaging. Although the executive summary is the first document in the business plan, it can be easier to write it at the end. Keep in mind what it should include so that you answer your own questions as you write your business plan. The executive summary should explain: 

• Who – who you are and what you offer. 
• Why – what you hope to accomplish. 
• How –  how you are going to get there, 

2. Company Overview 

The company overview is a more detailed description of your business. You go beyond talking about who you are and delve into the type of clientele you plan on serving, how your business stands out from the competition, and the goals of your business. Because gym business models can differ, now is a good time to explain how you will run your business in more detail. Your executive summary states your mission statement and explains your thoughts at a high level. As you go through your business plan, you have the opportunity to expand and build on your thinking to showcase your business. Your company overview can include: 

• Expand on the purpose of your business. 
• Business model and structure.
• Products and services you offer. 
• Target market research.  
• Founding story. 
• Legal structure. 

3. Industry Analysis 

The industry or market analysis is where you investigate the local market. Think about your niche, current trends in the market, and how your business aligns with market demand. You’re looking to evaluate the fit of your business in today’s market. Try to include some facts and statistics about your industry and the future of the market. For example, a gym looking to obtain funding for expansion into online fitness would include trends and statistics on the rapid acceleration of digital fitness and where the market is headed in the future. 

4. Customer Analysis 

Within the gym industry, there are various niches and audience segments. Even within one business, you can have multiple target audience personas. The customer base you choose to target will have a big impact on your business, the types of services you offer, and how you market yourself. Start by breaking your target customers down by the following: 

• Demographics – age, gender, income level, occupation, location, and education, etc.   
• Psychographics – needs, interests, opinions, beliefs, and values, etc.  

5. Competitor Analysis 

A competitor analysis investigates businesses that are direct competitors to you. These are the gyms that offer a similar service in your niche. Although you can mention indirect competitors, this section is mainly for a detailed analysis of your direct competitors. Depending on your business type, you could have both in-person competitors as well as digital-only competitors. Although it may be impossible to find out everything about a competitor, you can usually get a clear idea from your research. Break down each of your competitors into the following: 

• Services and products they offer 
• Target audience 
• Pricing and business model 
• Strengths and weaknesses 

6. Marketing Strategy 

The marketing section of your business plan is the place to explain everything you plan to do to get your services in front of your target audience. Include your strategy, projected startup costs, and consider who will be handling the marketing efforts of the business. Your marketing strategy can include: 

• Social media marketing 
• Advertising 
• Email marketing 
• Referral program 
• Sponsorships
• Partnerships 

7. Management Team 

Ideally, you and your team members have fitness experience within your niche. This section is a great place to highlight the skills, experience, and expertise of your management team. By doing this, it helps to show how specific team members will help you to achieve success. Lay out key members of your team. This doesn’t need to be limited to your fitness experts, but other experts who will guide your business like marketing and sales managers, customer service, and maintenance personnel. How you structure your business and the type of compensation and benefits you offer will help you to attract and retain high-quality talent over time. 

8. Financial Plan 

Depending on where you are with your business, your financial plan can include current financials for the most recent year and future projections. Your projected revenue should be based on facts and solid research with supporting numbers. The financial plan can include a five-year projection with detailed breakdowns of monthly and annual earnings. Think about your income, cash flow, costs, and outgoings. Your finances are the backbone of your business, so it’s important to be as thorough as possible. 

In Summary 

Starting a business is hard and comes with its own set of challenges. A good business plan gives you a point of reference to help you navigate your business. Whether you’re looking to expand your gym or start from scratch, a business plan covers all aspects of your gym so that you have every opportunity to succeed. While you may face some unforeseen issues, a business plan helps you to identify potential problems as much as possible. Your business plan isn’t a static document set in stone, instead, it can serve as a guide to growth and your future success through changing times. 

If you’re looking for a fitness business platform that can help you create a fitness franchise that will stand the test of time, ABC Glofox is the platform for you. Along with reducing your admin time by 20%, the ABC Glofox platform, on average doubles user revenue in just 18 months.

If you’re ready to take the next step in growing your fitness business, book a call with a member of our team today.

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• What is a gym business plan? 
• Why do you need a fitness center business plan?
• 8 steps to create a great gym business plan 

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How to Start a Fitness Business from Home in 2024

Learn how to start a fitness business from home with this step by step guide.

Our detailed guide covers everything you need to know to become a successful home based fitness entrepreneur that is set to grow and scale your home fitness business to new heights. Did you know you can learn how to start a fitness business from the comfort of your own home? Let’s get started!

Many people have been forced to stay at home and work from home, and over time, have begun to enjoy working from home. Because of this, there has been a rapid rise in the popularity of home fitness businesses. Many people have also started to invest in their own health and fitness, prompting them to start their home based fitness business or home gym business.

Once you learn about the different types of home fitness businesses, how to start a fitness business from your home, and if a home-based fitness business is right for you, then if you want to run an online fitness business with the best software for personal trainers , the best software for fitness influencers , and the best software for gym management , you can see why Exercise.com is the best software to run your entire fitness business all in one place. You can sell workout plans online, run online workout groups, start fitness challenges, do online personal training, and more, all from your own custom-branded fitness apps .

Get a demo now!

Steps to Starting a Home Fitness Business

Starting a fitness business from home might seem like a daunting task, but with the right strategy and preparation, you can turn your passion into a profitable venture. Here are eight concrete steps to help you get started:

1. Identify your niche: The first step in starting a fitness business is to identify your target market. Are you interested in providing general fitness training, or do you specialize in a certain area like strength training, yoga, or senior fitness? Your target audience will dictate your marketing strategies and the types of services you offer.

2. Get Certified: While not always necessary, having a fitness certification can add credibility to your business and may be necessary for insurance purposes. There are several recognized institutions where you can get certified, such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

3. Create a Business Plan: Outline your business goals, strategies, financial projections, and potential challenges. This document will serve as a roadmap for your business and can be essential if you ever seek financing.

4. Setup your Home Gym: Based on the services you plan to offer, set up a dedicated space in your home for your fitness activities. This space should be clean, safe, and equipped with the necessary fitness equipment.

5. Legal and Insurance Matters: Depending on your location, you may need a business license to operate. Additionally, liability insurance is a must-have for fitness professionals to protect against potential lawsuits.

6. Build a Strong Online Presence: A professional website and active social media profiles are critical for attracting clients. Share valuable content like workout tips and nutritional advice to engage potential clients.

7. Use Technology to Your Advantage: Platforms like Exercise.com can help manage every aspect of your business, from client management and scheduling to workout creation and payments. This allows you to focus more on your clients and less on administrative tasks.

8. Market Your Business: Once everything is in place, start marketing your services. Word-of-mouth, social media advertising, and search engine optimization (SEO) are just a few ways to attract clients to your home-based fitness business.

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Types of Home Fitness Businesses

There are many different variations of home fitness business. You can work from home and train people in your home gym, you can run an online fitness business from your home, and you can travel from your home to train people in their homes. There are, of course, many different variations on these types of home fitness businesses. And the best thing? The Exercise.com platform supports each one.

See if you qualify. Get a demo now!

The Rise in Popularity of Home Fitness Businesses

The pandemic has made it challenging for many people to keep up with their regular gym routines or workout classes. The closure of gyms and studios has resulted in an increased demand for at-home workout options. As a result, many people have started seeking online personal trainers or fitness coaches who can help them achieve their fitness goals from the comfort of their homes.

Moreover, many individuals have discovered that having a home gym is cost-effective compared to paying for monthly gym memberships. With limited time available due to busy schedules and long commutes, a lot of individuals find it easier to incorporate workouts into their daily routine by working out from home.

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Benefits of Starting a Fitness Business from Home

Starting a fitness business from your own home provides several benefits. Firstly, you can cut down on overhead costs by avoiding renting or leasing commercial space as you get started. Secondly, you save time and money on commuting since you will be working from your own residence.

The flexibility of working hours also works better for those with other obligations like families or full-time jobs. Another plus point is that starting a business from your own premises allows you more control over branding; how clients perceive your brand can be shaped according to your preferences without external factors like location coming into play.

Steps to Start a Fitness Business from Home

To start a successful home-based fitness business requires careful planning just like any other venture. Once you decide this is something you want to pursue seriously; establish your niche, create a business plan, design your workout space, and launch your business.

Over the next few sections, we will delve into these steps in greater detail. The good news is that although starting any business is usually challenging, it can be done successfully with careful planning and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Determine Your Niche and Target Market

Identify your specialty or niche within the fitness industry.

When deciding to start a home fitness business, it is essential to determine your niche. There are numerous niches in the fitness industry that you can choose from, such as personal training, yoga, pilates, weightlifting, and more. Identifying your area of specialty will help you create a unique selling point for your home fitness business.

But before selecting a niche, consider factors such as your passions and interests, skills, and experience. Consider what makes you different from other home fitness businesses in the market.

For example, if you have a background in dance or martial arts, offering classes that incorporate those styles can attract clients interested in learning something new while getting fit. Defining your niche should be clear enough for potential clients to understand what sets you apart from competitors.

Determine Your Target Market and Ideal Client Avatar

After identifying your niche within the home fitness business space and creating a unique selling point for yourself accordingly- it’s time to determine who would be interested in attending classes with someone who has this specific expertise? It is good to identify an ideal client avatar which will give insight into their age range, gender identity (if applicable), income level etc.

Having an ideal client avatar helps narrow down advertising efforts on platforms like social media channels that are most likely to reach target audiences effectively at an affordable cost. Understanding their needs would help with tailoring workout sessions – some may want high intensity training while others may enjoy yoga sequences that focus on stress relief.

Research competitors in your niche and target market

Knowing how competition looks like in terms of pricing strategies or services offered is critical when building any business strategy plan – especially when looking into how do I start a fitness business from home? Competitor research provides a framework for the development of your fitness business model and pricing strategy. It also helps to identify gaps between what your competitors are offering and what potential clients want.

Researching home fitness businesses in your niche should not only look into what services they offer, but also social media engagement rate, customer reviews and ratings on websites like Yelp! or Google Reviews can provide insights into the overall customer experience of competitors and help identify areas you may be able to improve on or differentiate yourself from others in the market.

Create a Fitness Business Plan

A solid business plan is critical to the success of any home fitness business. It serves as a roadmap that outlines your mission statement, goals, and objectives for the future. A well-crafted business plan can also attract investors or secure financing if you choose to pursue that route.

Your mission statement should clearly define what your home fitness business is all about. It should encompass your values, beliefs, and goals for the future.

When crafting your mission statement, consider what unique value proposition you bring to the table that sets you apart from other businesses in the industry. Your goals and objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Create both short-term and long-term goals to keep yourself motivated and focused on growth. Be sure to track progress towards these goals regularly.

Create a Marketing Plan

Marketing is key when it comes to starting a successful home fitness business. You need to understand your target audience and create messaging that resonates with them.

Your marketing plan should include strategies for reaching potential clients through various channels such as social media marketing, email campaigns, paid advertising etc. To create an effective marketing plan for your home fitness business, start by identifying where your target market spends their time online or offline.

This could be through social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook groups dedicated to fitness enthusiasts in your area. Next step is creating content that aligns with their interests while showcasing how you can help them achieve their fitness goals.

Develop a Pricing Strategy

Developing a pricing strategy involves determining how much you will charge for different services offered by your home fitness business. Factors such as location, competition level in the market should be considered when developing these prices.

You may choose to offer package deals or subscriptions rather than charging per session/class which can provide consistent income while keeping clients engaged over time. Once you’ve determined your pricing strategy, be prepared to adjust it as needed based on market trends, feedback from customers, and the overall success of your home fitness business.

Remember that starting a successful home fitness business requires planning and strategic thinking. A solid business plan, marketing plan and pricing strategy can set the foundation for long-term success in this ever-evolving industry.

Set Up Your Home Gym

If you will be training clients in your home, or even doing fitness streaming from your home, then you will likely need a home gym.

Determine what equipment you will need based on your niche

One of the most important aspects of starting a home fitness business is having the right equipment. First, determine which type of fitness business you want to start.

If you’re planning on offering yoga classes, you’ll need yoga mats, blocks, and straps. If strength training is your specialty, then dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands are necessary.

Make sure to choose equipment that’s appropriate for the space that you have available in your home gym. It’s essential to invest in high-quality equipment that’s durable and safe for your clients.

Look for reputable brands with positive reviews and warranties. Consider purchasing pre-owned equipment to save on costs but make sure it’s still in good condition before buying it.

Design and set up your workout space

Your workout space should be clean, organized, and welcoming. Make sure there’s enough room for clients to move around freely without feeling cramped or uncomfortable. Install mirrors on the walls so clients can check their form during exercises.

Decorate the space with plants or motivational posters to create a positive environment for clients. Set up a sound system or speaker to play music during workouts that motivate and energize clients throughout their sessions.

Ensure that you have proper insurance coverage

Starting a home fitness business requires insurance coverage to protect both yourself and your clients from injury or damage claims. Contact an insurance broker specializing in small businesses to get professional advice regarding choosing the right coverage options for your business.

Consider liability insurance as it covers injury-related claims arising from accidents occurring during client training sessions at your home gym. Find out if there are any additional policies that would be beneficial based on what services you offer at your home fitness business.

Read More: Personal Trainer Insurance

Create Your Brand Identity

Creating a brand identity is crucial to the success of any business, and a home fitness business is no exception. Your brand identity will encompass your company’s values, mission statement, logo, website, social media presence and all other aspects related to the public perception of your company.

Defining your brand will help you stand out in a crowded industry and attract clients who align with your values. When creating your brand identity, start by defining your mission statement and values.

This will help you solidify what sets you apart from competitors in the home fitness industry. Consider what motivates you to start a home fitness business and what values align with that motivation.

Your mission statement should communicate this clearly. Your logo is also an important aspect of branding as it represents your company visually.

It should be clean, simple and memorable for potential clients. It’s recommended to hire a professional graphic designer to create an eye-catching logo that represents your brand’s personality.

Create content that aligns with the values of your brand identity

Once you’ve defined your brand identity and created an image associated with it through your logo and website design, it’s time to develop content that reflects those same values. Create blog posts or articles about health tips or workouts related to your niche within the home fitness business or share motivational quotes on social media that resonate with you.

The content you create should align with both who you are as a person and what services or products you’re offering through your home fitness business. By doing this, potential clients will get a better sense of who they’ll be working with if they choose to work with you.

Establish yourself as an authority in the industry through networking

Networking is essential for any entrepreneur looking to establish themselves in their respective industry – even more so for those within the home fitness business! Attend trade shows or conferences specific to health and fitness, connect with other professionals and influencers on social media and attend events hosted by local fitness studios or gyms.

Establishing yourself as an authority in the industry will help to build trust among potential clients. When they see that you’re well-connected, knowledgeable and passionate about what you do, they’ll be more likely to choose your home fitness business over others in the industry.

Creating a brand identity is crucial for a home fitness business. Your brand should reflect your values, mission statement and personality.

Creating content that aligns with these values is also important when establishing yourself as an authority in the industry through networking. By taking time to define your brand identity and developing a plan to promote it effectively, you can position yourself for success within the home fitness industry.

Launching Your Business: Setting Up Payment Systems for Clients

Once you have set up your home gym and created your brand identity, it’s time to launch your business. The first step is to establish a payment system that works for both you and your clients.

This can include setting up a merchant account or using a third-party payment processor such as PayPal or Square. Before launching, decide on the payment methods you will accept such as credit/debit cards, bank transfers, or other online payment options.

You’ll also need to determine how much you will charge clients and whether you’ll offer different pricing tiers. It’s important to clearly communicate your payment policies to potential clients in advance so there are no surprises down the road.

Consider creating a client agreement that outlines rates, cancellation policies, and other important details so everyone is on the same page from the start.

Launching Marketing Campaigns to Attract Clients

Now that your payment system is set up, it’s time to focus on attracting clients. One of the most effective ways to do this is through marketing campaigns that highlight what makes your home fitness business unique.

Start by identifying where your target market spends their time online – social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great places to start. Create eye-catching posts with high-quality photos and videos of yourself working out and promoting what you offer.

In addition, consider offering special promotions or discounts for new clients who sign up with you in the early stages of starting your business. Word-of-mouth referrals can also be valuable – consider offering incentives for current clients who refer new business.

Establishing Client Retention Strategies

Once you’ve attracted new clients, it’s important to keep them coming back for more!

This means establishing client retention strategies that focus on providing exceptional service that keeps them engaged with your home fitness business. Consider implementing programs that incentivize clients who stick with you over longer periods of time – this could include discounts on future sessions or special perks such as early access to new programs or equipment.

In addition, create a robust communication plan that keeps clients engaged and informed – this could include regular emails with workout tips, progress updates, and special promotions. Consider soliciting feedback from clients on areas where you can improve your services and offerings—this can show clients that you value their input and are committed to their success.

Overall, launching a home fitness business takes time and effort but can be incredibly rewarding for those who are passionate about fitness and entrepreneurship. By setting up payment systems, launching effective marketing campaigns, and establishing client retention strategies, you can build a successful home fitness business that helps others achieve their health goals while achieving your own dreams in the process.

Evaluate Progress and Make Adjustments

Track progress towards goals set in business plan.

One of the most important aspects of starting a home fitness business is tracking your progress towards the goals you set in your business plan. It’s essential to have a clear understanding of how well you’re doing, what’s working, and what needs improvement. This involves regularly measuring your performance against the benchmarks you established in your business plan.

If your numbers are falling short, make sure to address them as soon as possible. To track progress, consider using key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the goals outlined in your business plan.

KPIs could include things like monthly revenue, customer acquisition rate, or social media engagement. By monitoring these metrics regularly, you’ll be able to quickly recognize shifts upward or downward and identify areas that need improvement.

Review financial statements regularly

As a business owner start a home fitness business from scratch, reviewing financial statements should become part of your regular routine. Regularly reviewing financial statements like income statements and balance sheets will help you understand how much money is coming in and going out of your business each month. It will also help you identify trends and potential issues early on so that they can be addressed before they become bigger problems.

When reviewing financial statements for your home fitness business, look for trends such as increases or decreases in revenue or expenses over time. You can use this data to gain insights into the health of your business and adjust strategies accordingly.

Make adjustments to strategies based on data collected

Based on the data collected from tracking progress towards goals and reviewing financial statements regularly, it’s time to make adjustments to strategies if necessary. This could involve tweaking marketing campaigns or modifying pricing strategies based on customer feedback or changes in market conditions. It’s important not only to recognize where improvements need to be made but also to take action on those areas.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with new strategies, or pivot your business entirely if needed. As the industry and market changes, so should your business strategies.

Evaluating progress and making adjustments is crucial for the success of a home fitness business. By tracking progress towards goals, reviewing financial statements regularly and making adjustments based on data collected, you can ensure that your business stays on track towards success in the fitness industry.

Getting Started

Starting a home fitness business can be a fulfilling and lucrative career choice. In this article, we have outlined important steps to follow when starting a fitness business from home. These include determining your niche and target market, creating a business plan, setting up your home gym, establishing your brand identity, launching your business, and evaluating progress to make adjustments as needed.

Key Points in Starting a Fitness Business from Home

The key points in starting a fitness business from home, firstly, it is crucial to determine your niche within the industry and identify your target market. This will help you plan out essential elements like equipment purchases, marketing strategy and pricing structure.

With an understanding of these initial factors in place the next step is creating a robust business plan that includes defining mission statements goals and objectives. It will also necessitate identifying strategies for client retention through competitive pricing models.

It’s also important to create an inviting workout space that promotes safety and comfort for clients. Additionally, developing brand identity content like logos websites or social media presence are all crucial steps in establishing yourself as an authority figure within the industry.

Once all of these steps are completed successfully it’s time to launch! Launching involves setting up payment systems for clients as well as running marketing campaigns to attract new clientele with complementary messaging.

What type of fitness business can I start from home?

Starting a fitness business from home can take various forms, including personal training, online coaching, virtual classes, or even selling workout plans or fitness products online. The most suitable type of business depends on your skills, interests, and resources available.

What equipment do I need to start a home-based fitness business?

The equipment needed varies depending on the type of fitness business you’re starting. For personal training or virtual classes, you’ll need basic fitness equipment suitable for the training you’re offering. In all cases, you’ll need a computer with a reliable internet connection, and possibly a good quality webcam for virtual sessions.

Do I need a certification to start a fitness business from home?

While not legally required, having a certification can add credibility to your business and may be necessary to obtain certain types of insurance. Several organizations offer personal trainer certifications, such as NASM, ACE, and ISSA.

How can I attract clients to my home-based fitness business?

Building a strong online presence through a professional website and active social media profiles is crucial. Offering free content like workout tips and nutrition advice can attract potential clients. Also, consider using a platform like Exercise.com to deliver and manage your services efficiently.

How can Exercise.com help me start and run a fitness business from home?

Exercise.com provides comprehensive software for fitness businesses that can manage every aspect of your business, from client management to workout creation, and even payments. It allows you to deliver a seamless experience to your clients and manage your business efficiently, even if it’s run from home.

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What are the legal considerations for starting a home-based fitness business?

Depending on where you live, you might need a business license to operate a home-based fitness business. Also, consider getting liability insurance to protect yourself. Always consult with a legal professional to understand the regulations that apply to your situation.

How can I set up a home gym for my fitness business?

A home gym for a fitness business needs to be clean, safe, and equipped with the necessary workout equipment for your services. You’ll want to consider the available space, the types of workouts you plan to provide, and the noise or disturbance levels to your household or neighbors.

Take Action Towards Your Entrepreneurial Goals in the Fitness Industry

Now that you have learned how do I start a fitness business from home it’s time to take action towards achieving your entrepreneurial goals in the fitness industry. Whether you’re looking for more flexibility or just want control over your own schedule this can be an excellent opportunity for you! Remember that starting any new venture is not without its challenges; however with careful planning research and execution towards building a solid foundation you too can achieve success as an entrepreneur within the home fitness business industry.

Want to get seeing how Exercise.com can help you get started taking your personal training business to the next level with software? Get a demo now!

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Fitness Business Plan: Why You Need One in the Changing Health and Fitness Market

If the pandemic taught me anything as a fitness business owner, it’s the importance of having a business plan that you continually revisit and refine.

I’ve been a personal trainer since 2003, and opened my first Innovative Fitness studio in Vancouver in 2005. By 2020, it was the largest independent network of personal training studios in North America, with 250-plus full-time trainers across 12 locations.

On March 15, 2020, everything I had worked so hard to build came to a halt. We closed our doors due to the pandemic.

It was an incredibly stressful time. I not only had my own family to worry about but also the well-being of my franchise owners, their employees and families and, of course, our clients.

On March 16, we decided we weren’t just going to sit around and hope things would blow over quickly.

We decided to find a way to keep our community intact, our trainers employed, and our clients well served.

After careful evaluation, I determined there was an opportunity to deliver the same quality services in a virtual form. In just under two weeks, we developed our own software, and on March 30 launched a virtual training platform.

That eventually led to the creation of an entirely new brand called WRKOUT.com —a virtual marketplace for trainers that went live on June 7, 2021.

None of that would have happened if we didn’t pivot the way we did two weeks into the pandemic.

What enabled us to do that so quickly was having a detailed business plan that I had been revisiting and refining for the last 15 years.

Building a business plan gave me the skill to assess the market and adapt with new strategies. Without that foundation, there’s no way I would have been nimble enough to do what I did.

If you're like a lot of trainers, you probably don't have a business plan.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if less than 10 percent of personal trainers have any form of fitness business plan or meaningful strategy.

You could argue that’s a positive. A lot of people get started in the fitness industry because they’re passionate about it.

Maybe fitness and wellness impacted their life in some capacity, or perhaps like me they grew up playing sports and know what personal training and fitness can offer.

This passion comes through in the services they provide, and clients benefit.

But passion will only get you so far. Not having a business plan built around those services will eventually hold you back. 

I know. When I started, I was educated and passionate, but I didn’t have a business plan.

Looking back, I shake my head because I definitely would have benefited from being more prepared. It wasn’t until I needed a sizable bank loan to open my first studio that I was forced to create one.

That initial business plan got me a $450,000 bank loan and became the basis for growing my company. And it continues to pay dividends today.

Having a business plan can benefit you in similar ways. Here’s what I learned about creating a good fitness business plan and evolving it as the market changes.

Related: “Fitness Niche Ideas: How to Find the Right Fit for You”

The three buckets of every good fitness business plan

Although there’s no cookie-cutter business plan that will work for everyone, there are some general guidelines that apply to both in-person and online personal trainers.

1. Value proposition

This is the foundation of your business—a succinct statement of mission, vision, and values.

What are you going to be? 

What will make your fitness business unique? 

Who are you going to service?

It’s super important to identify and describe these elements early on because it impacts everything you do.

2. Competitive analysis

So you’re aiming to provide a certain service to a certain target audience with a certain value proposition.

Good. But how will you back that up based on the market?

Who are your competitors? 

What are they charging? 

How do you plan to gain market share or differentiate yourself from them? 

What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

What are the opportunities and threats? 

And when you step back and objectively look at the answers to these questions, do they support your value proposition?

3. Financial analysis

Numbers don’t lie. This is how you determine if your business idea is really viable.

What are you planning to charge for your services? 

What costs are associated with delivering those services? 

What are your fixed monthly expenses? 

How many clients and how much revenue do you need to generate to cover those costs and expenses? 

What are your short- and long-range profit projections?

Make sure your fitness business plan is SMART

SMART is a business acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Each of the goals you set for your business should contain these five elements.

For example, when you’re doing your financial analysis, don’t just write, “My goal is to turn a profit in 6 months and then double that in a year.” That’s too general. It’s not SMART.

Instead, rephrase it as: “My goal is to sign up X new clients per month at a rate of $XXX in order to increase my total revenue by XX% per month. In 6 months, my goal is to have X clients and $XXXX profit. In 12 months, X clients and $XXXX profit. And in 18 months, XX clients and $XXXX profit.”

Do this for every aspect of your business: marketing, sales, operations, HR, and finance. Make your objectives as specific, measurable, and realistic as you can and then give yourself a deadline for meeting them.

Related: Create a personal trainer business plan in six steps (free downloadable template).

Plan the work, then work the plan

I revisit and re-evaluate my business plan every three months. And I encourage you to do the same, whether you’re just starting out or have been training people for years.

Every day you spend as a trainer, you learn more about your business, your target audience, your market, and your competition, so it makes sense to update your plan as your knowledge grows.

Every quarter I assess each of my objectives this way:

Is this part of my business on or off track?

If I’m not hitting my target in a certain area, why is that? Is it because I didn’t plan appropriately, or do I need to shift my approach? Or is my goal not achievable after all, because I was making assumptions that are not being validated?

If I am exceeding my target in a certain area, why is that? Is there even more opportunity here that I’m not currently exploring? If so, how can I capitalize on that?

Reviewing a business plan is essentially a red light, green light process. You’re continually reassessing your assumptions and targets, and that’s what keeps you nimble. 

COVID was a catastrophe for many trainers. But it was a boon to others because they were able to quickly evaluate and pivot to a better position.

About one in 10 businesses make it beyond five years. And only 10 percent of those make it past 10 years.

The more prepared you are and the more planning you do, the greater your likelihood of success.

Four tips for writing a fitness business plan

One of the big reasons more trainers don’t write business plans is because we’re not businesspeople. Like I said, I didn’t think I needed one when I was starting out. But it’s not as intimidating or difficult as it may appear.

If you need help, here are four tips. 

1. Approach your business plan like a fitness training program

Writing a business plan is actually very similar to writing a training plan.

You assess the client, help identify what they want to achieve, write SMART goals, and then periodically revisit and adjust the plan as needed.

Instead of marketing, sales, operations, HR, and finance, you’re dealing with strength, cardiovascular conditioning , body composition, agility, and flexibility.

Same thing. If you can write a training program, you can write a business plan.

2. Make your fitness business plan one page

Too many times I’ve seen people spend a massive amount of time creating a plan that’s 35, 50, or 100 pages and before you know it, it’s irrelevant.

I’m a big fan of starting off with a one-page plan that outlines your mission, your vision, your core values, your niche, your target audience, and your goals.

Take a SMART approach when writing it and use your own language and format—whatever you can easily follow and execute.

If you’re not raising capital or applying for a bank loan, that’s really all you need.

3. Find a mentor

If you require more focused help, reach out to successful entrepreneurs you know or ask an accountant for advice.

If you’re trying to raise capital or applying for a bank loan, I recommend hiring a business professional or consultant.

4. Buy this book

In Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business , author Gino Wickman lays out a simple method for achieving business success called the Entrepreneurial Operating System.

I’ve shifted to his model, and it’s been very helpful. The book elaborates on everything I’ve been talking about.

But at the end of the day, what’s important to remember is that passion will only get you so far.

To stay on track, grow your fitness business, and react to any challenges that come along, you need a plan. It’s the best investment in your future success that you can make.

Curtis Christopherson

Curtis Christopherson is founder and CEO of WRKOUT , the first connected fitness brand to deliver live, face-to-face personal training optimized for the virtual experience. He’s also the owner of Innovative Fitness , North America's largest network of premium personal training studios. With over 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, he leads over 300 virtual and in-person trainers and was recognized as “Canada’s Top Trainer” by Impact Magazine in 2020. He’s been featured in Forbes, The Globe and Mail, and SGB Magazine and was an Ernst and Young Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.

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The ultimate guide on how to start a fitness business

Starting a fitness business is not a simple walk in the park. The demand for fitness has never been higher, with 70% of adults in the UK wanting to get healthier in 2021. If you’re looking to get into the fitness industry, the journey can be pretty confusing if you’re at the beginning. So to help you, we’ve created this guide on how to start a fitness business.

The fitness industry has lucrative potential —the global health and fitness club market is projected to grow at a rate of 10.6% from 2018 to 2023. At the height of the pandemic, a single UK-based fitness app garnered over one million downloads —signalling the societal change towards health and wellness.

If you’re a fitness junkie, you already enjoy breaking a sweat. Now the real work begins. In this article, we’re going to show you everything you need to know about how to start a fitness business .

What is a fitness business, and why start one yourself?

A fitness business is a facility or service for paying customers. A fitness facility can be more easily understood when split into two categories: traditional big-box gyms like Gold’s Gym or group-fitness-focused studios like Pure Barre. Whereas, a fitness service covers a wide array of services related to the fitness industry. For the purpose of this article, we will look at the fitness industry as a whole.

Although lockdown ignited an improved commitment to health and fitness, it was also responsible for a seismic shift away from traditional gym environments. The health and wellness industry is overflowing with opportunities for creative entrepreneurs with a fitness background to help others achieve their personal goals. Innovative, fitness-orientated individuals are discovering engaging and exciting ways to further their business and achieve a balance of body and mind.

Ideas for a successful fitness business in a post-pandemic climate

When public places were restricted in 2020, 80% of consumers tried live stream workouts , up from only 7% in 2019. Virtual fitness classes suddenly became mainstream, and the global population slowly embraced the stay-at-home approach. 

A recent survey of millennials and Gen Zers confirmed that they now prefer at-home to gym-based workouts ( 81% and 50%, respectively). These results indicate that personal trainers have an excellent opportunity to reach fitness-minded clients in these generations (born between 1981-2015; that’s ages 6-40) at home, where they most prefer to work out.

Besides the peace of mind to maintain safe social distancing, outdoor exercise stimulates the senses. At the start of 2021, outdoor exercise was expected to be the year’s top fitness trend, with 51.9% of active adults opting for open-air activities instead of only 14.6% one year earlier. Deciding to start an outdoor fitness group is great as the operational costs are significantly reduced (you don't have to pay for space in a park).

People are spending more time inside these days, and that means more screen time. It’s never been a better time to profit from the power of the internet. A fitness enthusiast who is also great with a pen (or keyboard) can find that maintaining a blog that focuses on health and wellness can be a very fulfilling and profitable business. Why not even start your own podcast ?

If you are passionate about fashion, the fitness apparel industry is experiencing explosive growth and is expected to reach a market value of $248.1 billion by 2026 . Sub-categories including yoga-inspired clothing, sustainability, size inclusivity, customisation and wearable technology are all trending and will account for significant sales in a category already dominating global sales. Starting a fitness apparel online shop could be worth considering. 

Similarly, if you come from a sales background or are a marketer at heart, nutritional supplements are a great small business to consider. The fitness supplement market experienced sustained, double-digit growth in 2020, as COVID-19 incentivised better health and nutrition. For instance, the US market is valued at $140 billion and is anticipated to grow 8% through 2028.

These are just a few fitness business ideas you can consider getting into.

11 steps on how to start a fitness business

A successful fitness business is focused on delivering valuable services, professional instruction, and engaging personal training. However, starting a fitness business requires a lot more than that. Here are 12 steps on how to start a fitness business journey:

#1: Understand your competition

Do some research to understand what the competitors in your field are offering . It might pay to do some local surveys to gauge the trending fitness offerings where you live or wider internet-based surveys to gauge what your targeted client is interested in. Identify what kind of regimes or products are popular and what gaps are there in the fitness industry. 

Understand how they do business, what sets them apart and what internal tools they implement to make their business run smoothly.

#2: Decide on your niche

Before you immerse yourself in starting a fitness business, you’ll need to establish your speciality and fine-tune your brand . What’s your fitness aspiration? Are you interested in becoming a personal trainer ? Maybe a fitness influencer ? Have ambitions to run a boutique fitness studio ? Whichever direction you choose , you’ll need to obtain the proper certifications and knowledge to validate your authority . 

Once you’ve pinpointed your niche, research it as if your life depended on it (it might). Acknowledge your target demographic , and don’t forget your competition. Your competition is both local and virtual, so don’t limit your competitive research to your physical location. You’ll need to develop your fitness brand from all angles to stand out in a saturated wellness space.

#3: Educate yourself

If your competitors have a high level of training or knowledge, you will need to match them to stay competitive. If your competitors suffer from a lack of training or knowledge, you can set yourself apart with additional up-skilling. Whilst conducting  market research identify the missing pieces in the fitness industry and the latest trends that no one is talking about? These could be the newest supplements , latest exercises  or eco-friendly appeal brands. 

Whether you want to know how to start a fitness business or manage a gym, you really should have some background in fitness before beginning this journey. You’re also going to need to do a lot of research into learning what it takes to start a fitness business, from marketing to social media promotions.

#4: Write a good business plan

This step is crucial for anyone beginning any kind of business. It might be helpful to use a business plan template to make sure everything is covered from A to Z. Some important business plan considerations already appear in these steps, and they include:

• Market and competition analysis 
• Marketing and sales plan 
• Financial plan and sales projections 

The overarching concept of a good business plan is to make sure that you’ll be able to generate enough business to continue operating after your initial investment. 

Look into what kind of business entity you will select for your new venture. Given the nature of the fitness business, go with an entity that offers owners some liability protection. A limited liability partnership or limited liability company might make the most sense for you if you’re looking for some liability protection .

#5: Fund your future business

The cost of starting a fitness business varies primarily dependent on whether you’ll operate in the physical or digital sphere . If you’re thinking of starting a gym business , the costs can begin at $25,000 for a small studio with essential equipment to over a million dollars for something more complete. If you’re thinking of starting a fitness blog with the aim of becoming a health and wellness influencer , those costs are significantly reduced. 

So what are your options for financing your fitness business?

• Bankroll it on your own
• Partner with an investor 
• Secure a business loan 

Remember, the more you invest in your business, the more say you’ll have in running it.

#6: Find your space

Even if you envisage your fitness business as primarily virtual , you’ll need to consider where you’ll shoot your workout videos,  run your online sessions,  write your blog  or create your online store .

From a brand and marketing perspective, it helps to have a cohesive, uniform look for your online persona .

For recording workout videos or sessions, you'll need to find a well-lit room in your house or if you live somewhere warm record the videos outside. The key is consistency so people recognise the surroundings and think of your business.

The same advice applies to any online fitness business , if you have a website try to stick to your style of writing or colour scheme so people get used to and associate the style and colours with your brand . 

Renting a physical space for your business requires more effort and money. The good news is, plenty of landlords are willing to negotiate rent right now. 

These are just a few tips so far on how to start a fitness business. 

#7: Collect necessary permits and insurance

Your fitness business may be pursuant to specific operational licenses and permits , depending on where you live. You should check with your town, city, or registrar’s office to make sure you’re following all the regulations outlined by your various governing agencies for starting a fitness business. 

One permit you’ll most certainly need is a certificate of occupancy . A certificate of occupancy confirms that all building codes, zoning laws, and government regulations have been met. If you’re leasing your gym space, it is typically the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a certificate of occupancy.

Look into insurance offers and compare them to find the best agreement for you. Encourage personal trainers to take out their own policies if they work as freelancers in your space. 

#8: Hire excellent staff

​​If you’re starting a fitness club or gym, then you should look into hiring gym staff , unless you are prepared to invest in a gym management system . With the right gym management system, you’ll automate the registration process and as well introduce contactless entry , significantly reducing the number of staff needed. 

Regardless if you’re looking to hire gym staff , an assistant or anyone else to help you run your fitness business, you must use an efficient and streamlined interview process to screen prospective employees. Whatever stage you are at in your fitness business, your next hire is always the most important. 

Finding employees who are the right fit and hiring them at the right time will help your business achieve solid foundations and give you the best chance of standing out from the pack.

#9: Market your brand

Now it’s time to think about how you are going to publicise your business. Do some research about what has worked for similar companies in the past and what hasn’t. 

Social media is a HUGE part of the fitness industry, from Instagram to Facebook and everything in-between—it’s a great tool if you use it right. Putting some time aside to learn social media marketing in this digital day and age will for sure benefit your business. When thinking about how to start a fitness business, understanding marketing is valuable . 

It’s crucial to know your sales leads and put more time and effort into what is working. How many clients came from Instagram or Facebook, and how much money or time did you spend on each? Your energy is best focused on the one that works most effectively . 

#10: Choose the right management software

If you’ve decided on starting a fitness club or gym then give control to your club members with our premium fitness software solutions for self-service , including  class sign-up  online and through the mobile app . Members will be able to manage their memberships, change contracts or payment methods all through the client portal, reducing the need for front-desk staff. Thinking in terms of business, a reduced number of staff can equate to increased profits . 

With our advanced analytics and reporting , you can increase your gym’s retention rate and keep your members focused on their fitness performance. Everything your fitness business ever need, all in one place!

#11: Analyse your performance 

Now let’s see if all your hard work has paid off! Prepare some benchmarks to measure your progress and gain a deeper understanding of your fitness business. 

For fitness club or gym view  detailed information about new and returning clients (average class attendance, total sessions booked and no-shows). This kind of info paints a clear picture of what’s working for your business and what’s not. PerfectGym creates integrated and customised reports to make adjustments (like offering more of one class). You’ve got to know what your clients like to give them what they want.

If you're writing a blog or running an online shop , you'll want to know how many of the visitors are new and how many are returning visitors. Tools like Google Analytics can help you gain valuable insight into your readers or shoppers. 

Starting a fitness business can be an intimidating but rewarding prospect. It takes ambition , planning and leadership to succeed. You need to be willing to learn from your mistakes to face up challenges. By following these steps on how to start a fitness business , you will be well on your way to fitness business glory.

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5 best health insurance companies for small businesses

More and more people are deciding to become entrepreneurs. Approximately 19% of working-age adults in the U.S. were in the process of starting a business or running a business less than 42 months old, according to the 2023 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report.

As your business grows and you bring on workers, you may need to provide benefits. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees aren’t required by law to provide health insurance benefits, but health insurance is a highly-desired benefit. To attract and maintain a talented workforce, providing benefits may be essential. 

We identified the leading providers based on their availability, plan options and customer satisfaction ratings (see our full methodology ): 

The 5 best small business health insurance providers for 2024

Best overall: blue cross blue shield, best for added benefits: kaiser permanente.

• Best for Micro businesses: UnitedHealthcare

Best for Small to Midsize Companies: Cigna

Best for comparison shopping: small business health options program (shop).

*Last updated March 12, 2024

If you’re shopping for coverage, finding the right provider can be daunting. To help you narrow down your options, we selected the five top providers of small business health insurance: 

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Our verdict

Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the few providers that has insurance options in all 50 states, so it’s a good choice for businesses nationwide. Its independent BCBS companies typically have options for small to midsize companies. Whether you have one employee or 100, you can likely get coverage through BCBS, and you can choose a network plan that fits your budget and employee needs. 

Kaiser Permanente

Our verdict 

If you live in one of the states where Kaiser Permanente operates, it can be a good choice for employers looking to offer robust coverage to their employees as a recruitment or retention tool. With its plans, you can give your employees the convenience of telehealth visits and supplemental benefits, including acupuncture, chiropractic care, and dental and vision coverage. 

Best for Micro Businesses: UnitedHealthcare

Unitedhealthcare.

UnitedHealthcare is best for micro business owners, or those who own a business with fewer than 10 employees. Its small business store is available to small business owners with two to 50 employees, and you can use the tool to get quotes and see what deductible, copay and premium amounts are common in your area. If you find coverage that suits your needs, you can purchase coverage directly through the store. 

If you have a growing business, Cigna could be a useful option. Whereas some providers only offer coverage for employers with fewer than 50 employees, Cigna has options for small to midsize businesses, allowing you to get coverage for up to 499 employees. Its plans include benefits like virtual care and it offers multiple plan tiers, including high-deductible health plans. 

Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP)

SHOP is a marketplace that was created through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Through SHOP, employers can compare plans and prices from leading providers in their area. With SHOP, you can control how much you pay toward employee premiums, and you may be eligible for valuable tax credits that are only available to employers who enroll in SHOP plans. 

What to know about health insurance for small businesses

If you are a business owner with 50 or more employees, the law requires you to offer coverage to your employees. 

By contrast, those with fewer than 50 employees aren’t required to provide health insurance. But even if you aren’t legally obligated to provide coverage, it can be a smart idea as a recruitment and retention tool. In fact, studies, including one conducted by Avalere Health and funded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have shown that offering health insurance benefits produces a strong return on investment and increased productivity.  

You may also qualify for valuable tax credits if you offer health insurance benefits. The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is worth up to 50% of the costs of your employees’ premiums. To qualify for the tax credit, your business must meet the following criteria: 

• You have fewer than 25 full-time employees
• The average annual salary of your workers is about $56,000 or less
• You cover at least 50% of your employees’ premiums 
• You offer coverage through SHOP to all of your full-time employees 

How to choose a small business health insurance company

When shopping for a small business health insurance provider, consider the following variables: 

Employee size: Each provider has its own employee requirements. In general, you’ll need between one and 50 employees to qualify for small business health insurance. 

Availability: While some providers offer coverage nationwide, others are more limited in scope, only issuing policies in certain states. Similarly, some plans allow workers to receive care in any state, but some plans have more restrictive local networks. 

Customer support tools: Most insurance providers require you to work with an agent or broker to get details about cost and plan options. But some companies have online tools and platforms that allow you to get quotes and view your options on your own.

Networks: Insurance providers offer plans with different network types. Depending on the provider, you may be able to provide your workers with the following options:

• Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO): EPOs are managed care plans that only cover services if you visit healthcare providers and hospitals within the network. 
• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): With an HMO, you’re limited to care within the network, and you must get a referral to visit a specialist. HMOs tend to be the lowest-cost option. 
• Point of Service (POS): POS plans are less expensive if you use in-network providers, but you need a referral to visit a specialist. 
• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): PPOs are often more expensive, but they give covered persons more flexibility. In-network providers are less expensive, but you can visit out-of-network providers, and you can see a specialist without a referral. 

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to business insurance, not just health insurance for your business. Our comprehensive guide breaks down the types of insurance options — from BOP’s to general liability and others — to help you understand which policy watches your needs. We have also compiled the best insurance companies for small businesses . If you operate a jewelry retail business, you may want to consider Jewelers Mutual’s business insurance specifically designed for jewelers.

Frequently asked questions

How much does health insurance cost a small business for each of their employees.

The cost of health insurance for small business employees will vary based on a number of factors including types of plans, risk to injuries, and region in the country. According to a 2023 KFF report , the average costs per employee per month is $690.

Do I have to provide health insurance to my employees? 

You only have to provide health insurance to your employees if you have 50 or more full-time workers. Those with fewer than 50 employees aren’t legally required to offer coverage, but you may be eligible for valuable tax benefits if you do. 

What are the penalties for not offering health benefits? 

Employers with 50 employees or more that don’t offer coverage that meets minimum value and affordability standards may incur penalties. Depending on what coverage you offer, the penalty ranges from $247.50 to $371.67 per month, per full-time employee. 

What do entrepreneurs do for health insurance? 

If you don’t have any employees, you won’t qualify for group plans from small business insurance providers. However, you may be eligible for an individual health insurance plan through Healthcare.gov or your state health insurance marketplace. 

Our methodology  

We evaluated seven leading providers and marketplaces of small business health insurance. To make our selections, we evaluated each company on the following criteria: 

• Availability: Preference was given to companies operating in the majority of states. 
• Employee minimums: We looked for companies with low employee minimums, offering coverage to businesses with just one or two employees. 
• Product options: We focused on companies with multiple insurance plans, including multiple network options and tiers of coverage. 
• Customer satisfaction: Priority was given to companies with high ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance Ratings.
• Entrepreneurs need more from their business checking accounts .
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About the contributors

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

How to Write an Online Fitness Business Plan

Jessica Armstrong

13 min. read

Updated November 13, 2023

Free Download:  Sample Gym Business Plan Templates

When starting an online fitness business, one of the first key elements you must prepare is a business plan. A useful tool for new owners acting as a roadmap for your new online venture and evidence that you are creating a legitimate business, a well-written plan can guide you through your development and future stages of business growth.

While many new business owners  starting in the digital fitness sphere  will often leave business planning as a latter step in an attempt to get things moving, creating your plan in the preliminary stages has enormous benefits. For starters, it can set your business up for success from the start rather than down the line. 

Not to mention with an impressive business plan you can garner early support from influential players in the industry such as investors that can help you propel your business forward in an already saturated market. If you want your  online fitness business  to stand out amongst competitors and attract valuable clients, there are 10 must-haves your online fitness business plan needs to include.

• How to write an online fitness business plan

While  high-quality business plans  typically include 10-20 pages, one to two per topic, the most important factor is the content. Investors and readers do not want to receive a repetitive document that does not give them tangible information they can use to make decisions about your business. Facts and research hold a lot of value when it comes to earning support for your new business. 

If you can show your readers you have a clear vision and can bring your business to life with strategies that can be efficiently and effectively executed, you’ll get their attention. With that in mind, here are the 10 things your business plan for your online fitness business should include.

• Executive summary and mission statement
• Industry analysis
• Customer analysis
• Competitor analysis
• Online market analysis
• Products and services
• Marketing plan and analysis
• Financial plan
• Location and delivery
• Management team and staff

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1. Executive summary

After a brief introduction of your business, the first topic to cover in your business plan is the executive summary.  The executive summary  is a synopsis of your entire business plan. A reader should be able to understand what they will learn and gain from your business plan in this first section. The executive summary should also include two to three sentences on each topic your business plan covers including your observations on how you plan to execute your strategies for each area of your business.

Due to the nature and growing popularity of online fitness, you should also include how you will differentiate your business and specifically operate in the online space. It is possible that your readers will not be familiar with running a digital fitness business, so you should be prepared to answer questions they will have throughout your document.

Mission statement

In the executive summary you will share your  mission statement , the reason your online fitness business will exist. Incorporating your core business values, who your target clientele is, and how you will serve them are important key pieces that make strong mission statements. Now, remember, your readers will have read and heard dozens of mission statements, and it’s not uncommon especially in the large fitness industry that many will be repetitive of each other. 

For example, a repetitive and lackluster statement could be that your mission is ‘to help online fitness customers stay fit with at-home workouts. While that does indeed state what you will do and how you will offer your services, it’s missing the wow factor. Instead, you could say that your mission is to ‘disrupt the traditional exercise format by providing ambitious fitness customers with easy to access online workouts that they can enjoy on the go’. 

The more specific you are the better, but also show why your business is unique. Consider what is needed in the industry and what online fitness customers will benefit from, and use your mission statement as an opportunity to state how and why you will provide those benefits to them. 

2. Industry analysis

The  industry analysis  is the next section of your business plan. This is where you will share all of your knowledge about the fitness industry, and more specifically as it relates to online fitness. You can include a brief summary of what fitness is, what it means to the industry, and statistics that can show the trajectory of the industry over time. How it has evolved, popular trends, such as online workouts, exercises, and on-demand fitness content, and relate it back to how you will operate in this market. Include research you have gathered and begin to introduce why you want to run a business in this space.

3. Customer analysis

Now knowing the industry and what you want your business to achieve, you can share information on your ideal clients and who will benefit from your new services in the customer analysis section. Creating multiple customer profiles can give readers a closer picture of who your client will be, their demographics, likes, dislikes, disposable income, and where you will be able to target and market your services. Use this section to also show you have a great understanding of  what people look for in online fitness  and how you can deliver that.

These details will help your reader understand who is the best fit to obtain your services and take advantage of your offering. While you might already have clients interested in obtaining your services, don’t limit yourself to one market if you know there are others who can benefit from what your business has to offer. It’s always helpful to identify those so your reader can explore if there is potential to grow and be successful in those areas.

4. Competitor analysis

A support section for your industry analysis and customer analysis is the  competitor analysis . Here you will provide a more in-depth look at the competitors already operating in the online fitness market. You can also draw comparisons on competitors in the in-person versus online spheres and how you will compete with businesses in your region, as well as global seeing as an online platform can scale well beyond your local area.

You should also research and comment on what competitors are typically offering in their businesses, for example, online workouts, memberships, on-demand, in-person, hybrid, and how your business can fill needs those businesses are not filling. Expand on why your business is different and how you will compete and attract clients to your business. Listing your strengths as well as weaknesses can help readers of your business plan make suggestions and present ideas once they have all the information.

5. Online business operations and security

The creation of online fitness has been very popular throughout the industry. With more opportunities to participate in the online market and earn a large income, every day more and more trainers and instructors are going the route of launching their own businesses rather than working in a traditional gym or studio setting. Not to mention managing a business online comes with incredible flexibility. However, because of the relative newness of online fitness, the rules and regulations of a typical fitness business fall into somewhat of a grey area.

Important factors such as health and safety protocols to legalities to music licensing are still being created and updated as time goes on. Showing your readers that you have a thorough understanding of the best practices for  running a safe, secure, and protected online business  —both for the protection of your future customers and yourself—will reassure readers that you are aware of what you should be doing to run a professional and legitimate online business. 

Highlight the ways you will protect and keep your customers’ information secure for example, using tools such as secure online booking and customer management software that will keep your data protected and your business safe.

6. Products and services

At the core of your business is the products and services you offer. In this section or your online fitness business plan, you will explain all of the different types of services, classes, and packages, for example, memberships, you will offer your clients. You can explain the various levels of packages you intend to have as well as how you will deliver these products and services to your customers. For example, you could offer: 

• Unlimited group fitness packages with access to all online classes and on-demand content.
• One on one virtual personal training with downloadable guides and nutrition planning
• Access to an on-demand library with workout content that can be used on the go. 
• Online consultations for new members to build their workout routine to best achieve their goals.
• Online class packs with a number of classes and content customers have access to in a given period of time.

As you will be delivering your core services, for example, online fitness classes, you will also need to include the systems and products such as equipment, tools, and  online gym management and booking software  you will need to do so. Informing your readers how you will deliver the best service and product to your customers will make it easier for them to understand how you will operate a professional and customer-friendly business.

7. Marketing strategy and analysis

One of the more creative areas of your business plan is the  marketing strategy  and analysis section. In this part of your plan, you will reveal what strategies you will implement to attract clients, earn sales, grow in your market, and further. A great way to prove you understand the market and demands of fitness customers today is by sharing successful strategies that you will implement to attract clients, generate sales, and grow in the digital fitness space. Use your customer analysis to show how you will market to the different types of customer profiles that will benefit most from your business. 

Speak on popular trends and how you intend to capitalize on them. Discuss what other online fitness businesses are doing that has and has not worked, and what you will do differently. Dive deep into what marketing opportunities have not been utilized or have been utilized well to build success and how you will follow suit. For example, you can discuss how you will use social media and email marketing to target your audiences, what digital marketing platforms you will use to automate your marketing, how you plan to use your software to build retention and deliver a seamless customer experience. 

You don’t have to be a marketing expert to write a great marketing analysis and plan. Simply share the most effective strategies online fitness business owners are leveraging to successfully market their businesses and how you will use, expand, build, and execute those strategies to achieve your goals. 

8. Financial plan

The financial plan section of your fitness business plan should discuss everything relating to your revenue, income, and budget. It helps to have an accountant or financial planner help you build this section as you will need to share projections, define early costs and future costs, as well as determine what revenue you will need to earn in order to afford your business.

Start up costs for an online fitness business  can really vary depending on the type of investments you want to make. They can be as low as almost free to as high as the 10s of thousands, especially when investing in high-tech equipment. But when starting out you can keep your expenses and costs light, you don’t need to spend all of your initial funds and investment on the most expensive equipment and technology. 

Focus on the essential equipment you need such as a microphone, camera either built in or on its own, a laptop or recording device where you will host and record your sessions, basic equipment such as weights, mats, bands that customers can easily purchase on their own, and affordable online gym management software that will make it easy for you to manage your business and your customers to book your classes. 

You can also discuss in this section what you hope to gain financially for yourself, how you plan to collect payments from customers, for example using software with reliable payment processing, and how you will allocate budget to marketing, operations, development, and expenses.

9. Facility and location

Starting a new business does not necessarily have to be expensive to be successful, however, start-up costs when it comes to renting a facility or location can be high. Although you are running your business online you still have to consider where you will run it from, whether that be your home, a rented facility, or a facility you purchase. Considering the location and taking into account how you will operate from the area you are in, be sure to identify the costs and what makes the most sense for your business.

Even if you plan to start your business from home and grow to a facility or physical space, later on, you will still need to register your business in a specific location and address. Be sure to choose an appropriate location to conduct your business and provide your services to your clients, as well as a place that will help boost more business and clients and have an opportunity to grow. It’s also important in this section to state how much budget you are considering putting towards the location of your business and what revenue you will need to generate to afford these costs.

10. Management team

While many online fitness business owners start out as sole traders, one of the main areas for potential growth is hiring staff or a team of other instructors and trainers. Even if you do not plan on having any staff or management in your employment at the start, if you plan to down the line, this section of your business plan is a great place to layout your future plan. You can include details such as the type of staff you would hire, where you will recruit from, salaries or payment, and where your staff will need to reside. For example, you could consider hiring:

• A marketing manager to assist you with your marketing and outreach efforts
• An accountant to manage your finances and business revenue 
• Additional coaching and training staff to provide more classes and content
• Coaches in other time zones to augment the hours you are able to operate

An important note to consider when hiring for a remote and online position is ensuring you have the correct legal documentation to hire in a specific area. When you begin creating your hiring plans, consider hiring a lawyer to help you get all of the paperwork you need organised so that you don’t fall victim to any legal or hiring issues. 

• Start writing your online fitness business plan

Knowing all of the must-have items your online fitness business plan should include in order to be successful,  now is the time to get writing . Don’t worry if your final draft isn’t perfect. What matters most is that you thoughtfully and clearly articulate what your business is, who it is for, and how people in your industry will benefit from the existence of your business. 

Be sure to include each of the sections above, and it never hurts to have a member of your network give your business plan a read before beginning to share it with potential investors, banks, and partners. With a business plan in hand, you’ll be on track to launching a successful online fitness business.

Jessica Armstrong is on the marketing team at TeamUp , fitness management software for studios, gyms, boxes, personal trainers, and their in-person and online classes and on-demand content. A California native, living in Sevilla, Spain, Jessica is passionate about travel, fitness, wellness, and helping the fitness community learn how to run the best versions of their businesses.

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