Starting a gym

[beatango2008]

How hard to you guys think it would be to start a gym?
Something small at first and then maybe build it up.
I mean how much money do you think you would need to start it?
and do you think you could make a good profit from it?

I am seriously thinking about it but I have no idea where to start.
So some opinion would great.

[gixxerboy1]

Dont do it. Trust me i'm in the business and small gyms cant compete and the start cost are big. If you really want details pm me. But you are throwing you money away

[MuscleScience]

I will be opening one up in about 2 years when I finished with school. I have researched it quite a bit. The first and most important thing you want to figure out is what type of clientele you want to attract. This is a big factor in determining just how your gym will look, sound, feel and advertise. There are tons of markets and nitches you can attract its just basically a matter of what you want to do. It isnt to hard to research equipment that you will carry. You basically contact the companies your interested in and they can tell you what they offer as far as products and product service and warranty. Then when you have all that info you go to a bank and ask for a loan. You have to make sure you have a well though out business plan before you step into the bank as they will tear you a new one if you dont have everything laid out for them. Sometimes it helps to have a business analyst help you out. I am working with one through my school and he has helped steer me in the right direction I think. As he was a graduate of my school and a successful business owner.

[gixxerboy1]

I would love to see your idea if you dont mind. I could give you some good advice if your really thinking of doing it.

[buffgator]

here in my nitch of the south west no small gym can survive, golds gyms are popping up on every street corner. My side of town just got one last year, and all 3 small gyms that where with in 10 miles of it have shut their doors.

[MuscleScience]

Reminds me of global gym off dodge ball.

[RageControl]

Like mentioned a small gym can survive but it needs to cash in on a niche market. Those all women "Curves" gyms where a huge success.

[Juicy J]

You could open one where im at, all we have is the Y

[Lexed]

oh man that sucks only a Y.....

[Amorphic]

its a tough battle,i go to a local gym and its run down and operated by a douchebag

[facile]

Personal training studios are a better investment, keep the overheard low. My friend and I started a women's only gym, it is a full gym not curves, but we compete with 4 large chains within 2 blocks it is a tough battle we need to be constantly on our marketing.

Personal training studios, small spaces offering dedicated one on one attention are getting up to $100 an hour.

[buffgator]

Personal training studios are a better investment, keep the overheard low. My friend and I started a women's only gym, it is a full gym not curves, but we compete with 4 large chains within 2 blocks it is a tough battle we need to be constantly on our marketing.

Personal training studios, small spaces offering dedicated one on one attention are getting up to $100 an hour.

yeah my buddy owns something like that. The whole gym cant be bigger than 1500 sq ft, all the equipment is really nice, and no one is allowed in to work out unless they have an appointment with one of the trainers. There is 4 trainers, so there is never more than 8 people there.