🎙 Gym Hackers #1 – The Reality of Running a Gym for More Than a Decade
Opening a gym is hard.
Keeping it open for more than 11 years is something else entirely.
In this first episode of Gym Hackers, we speak with Miguel Etallo, founder of CrossFit Keiron, who has been running his gym for over a decade.
And no, this is not about motivational quotes.
There is no “manifest it and it will happen”.
No entrepreneurial posturing.
This is about real management.
The Problem with Romanticising the Fitness Business
There is a dangerous narrative in the fitness industry:
“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
The reality for a gym owner looks very different.
Running a gym involves:
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Difficult conversations
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Financial decisions
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Pricing adjustments
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Team management
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Members leaving
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Periods of uncertainty
A business is not sustained by motivation.
It is sustained by structure.
And that is what separates gyms that close after three years from those that are still operating a decade later.
11 Years Open: That Is Not Luck
Surviving more than 10 years in the fitness industry is not a coincidence.
It is the result of making difficult decisions at the right time.
Throughout the conversation with Miguel, one idea becomes clear: constant adaptation is non-negotiable.
The market changes.
The member profile changes.
Costs change.
Expectations change.
What worked eight years ago does not necessarily work today.
A gym that does not evolve will disappear.
Being a Great Coach Does Not Make You a Great Business Owner
One of the most common mistakes in the industry is confusing passion with management.
Many gyms are born from a love of coaching.
But they stay open because of:
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Financial control
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Margin management
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A solid pricing structure
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Strong retention systems
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Clear processes
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Reliable systems
Without numbers, there is no business.
And this is one of the major themes of the episode: professionalising your management is what allows you to breathe.
Not All Growth Is Healthy Growth
There is a quiet obsession in the industry:
More members.
More classes.
More volume.
More expansion.
But more does not always mean better.
More volume can mean:
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More exhaustion
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Higher costs
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Greater operational complexity
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Lower real margins
Sometimes the goal is not to grow.
It is to stabilise.
To understand your structure.
To optimise your model.
To know exactly how much revenue you need to operate sustainably.
The Mental Load of Being a Gym Owner
There is something very few people talk about when discussing entrepreneurship in fitness:
The psychological weight.
Owning a gym means making decisions constantly:
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Do I increase prices?
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Do I let someone go?
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Do I change the model?
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Do I reduce hours?
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Do I invest now or wait?
Most of these challenges are not technical.
They are leadership decisions.
And the cumulative pressure is real.
This episode does not romanticise entrepreneurship.
It grounds it.
The Importance of Real Management
If there is one clear takeaway from speaking to someone who has kept a gym open for more than a decade, it is this:
The gyms that survive are the ones run like businesses.
That means:
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Tracking retention
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Understanding real revenue
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Controlling expenses
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Knowing your margins
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Making decisions based on data rather than emotion
Instinct might help you start.
Numbers help you continue.
Gym Hackers Is Not a Motivational Podcast
The spirit of Gym Hackers is built on exactly this.
It is not a space for repeating inspirational slogans.
It is a space for discussing what truly happens when you run a gym.
Because many owners feel alone when:
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The numbers do not add up
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Energy levels drop
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Motivation fluctuates
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The business feels heavier than expected
Listening to someone who has been open for more than 11 years offers perspective.
