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There Is No Average

Demographic data is lying to you.   In 2005, the average family income in Sault Ste. Marie was just over $85,000 per year. Thirteen years later, it’s slightly less than $64,500. Yet Catalyst’s gross revenue has increased 600% in that time. How can that be possible?   Because average is irrelevant.   The problem with demographic data is that we only think about the mean. The mean is what you calculate when you put all possible options into a pot, and then divide by the number of original options. For example, if you add 5 plus 14 plus 20 and divide by 3, you’ll get 13.  13 is the mean average of 5, 14, and 20…but it’s not actually the same as any of those. 13 is not 14. 13 is definitely not 20. And 13 isn’t even close to 5.   Why is this important?   Because on hundreds of free calls with gym owner, I’ve heard one of these: “We live in the poorest state in America…” “No one around here will pay that rate…” “low income” “Poor demographic” …It’s always true. And it’s never important. Usually it’s an excuse.   You sell a high-value service. That means it’s not for everyone. The average family in the Sault might not be able to afford Catalyst…not unless their health is a huge priority. But the highest-earning 20% sure can. They’re still here.   In fact, if you looked at a modal distribution of my city’s earnings average, you’d see a bunch of families earning over $150,000 per year; many families earning around $75,000 per year; and many families who really need financial help. I do a lot to help people who need help, but they’re not my client. I’m charitable, but my business isn’t a charity. I don’t set my rates based on “the average”, because my service isn’t average.   I also don’t try to target “soccer moms” ...
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Episode 148: The Multiple-Location Model, with Jeff Larsh

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Using Before and After Images in Facebook Ads

Many of you have amazing stories. Stories about members at your gym who had amazing transformations in their lives because of using your service. A lot of those stories can be really compelling if you can package it into an ad. The problem is there are a lot of regulations and rules about using certain imagery and language in Facebook ads. For example, you cannot put a before-and-after picture from one of your members up on your ad, you can’t even put it on your landing page in some cases because that would be what Facebook considers to be a “misleading or false claim.” So how can we still leverage the social proof that we’ve collected from our members without getting flagged by the Facebook police?
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Why I Put My OWN Gym Through The Incubator

Two-Brain Business, my first book, told the story of my gym’s salvation. My second book, Two-Brain Business 2.0, was a map of the exact steps you can take with your own gym. Both contain templates and sample documents, SOPs, and all kinds of stuff–the exact ones I used at Catalyst.   When I began mentoring other gym owners in 2012, I shared my own documents and best practices. I even put my gym handbook in an envelope and mailed it out to my first clients!   And when I built the first Incubator in 2016, it was full of partnership agreements, NDAs, sample legal documents, playbooks, SOPs, rules and regulations…everything I was using at Catalyst. I even had my own staff training videos in there!   But the REAL beauty, the real miracle of TwoBrain, is that our material is constantly upgraded. Let me explain:   When one of the 500 gyms in the TwoBrain family has a great idea, their mentor shares it with the team. We ask, “Is this better than what we’re currently doing? Can we prove it?”   And if, after some testing, the new way really IS better, we upgrade! We buy the rights to the great idea and put it in our materials for everyone to use.   So now you’ll find staff handbooks from Kaleda, sample ads from Mateo, sales scripts from Blake…and far less from me. You’ll get sales binder templates based on Brian’s amazing packages. You’ll get the best from New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden…all of it. When your mentor says, “Do this, here’s a template to get you started” you’re literally copying and adapting the best in the WORLD.   Back to my gym, Catalyst.   In the massive rush to constantly upgrade TwoBrain, I was content to let Catalyst run on its systems. I didn’t need to worry about growth; we had great retention and coaching. So I literally paid ...
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Achieving Work + Life Balance

By Anastasia Bennett, TwoBrain Mentor   Having a balance between work and home can be challenging. But like any challenge it can be rewarding if done successfully.   By learning how to prioritize balance you will become happier, healthier (both mentally and physically), and be more productive at work.   “Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.” ~Max Ehrmann   As business owners who are always busy taking care of their staff, customers, sales, bills, family and so on, we forget what should be our number one priority: OURSELVES!   You can’t pour from an empty cup.   Look after yourself: stay active Keep exercising – whatever form that takes. Change it up if you need to keep it interesting; do yoga, go for a run, do some strength training or CrossFit classes. Reduce stress and anxiety eat healthy food Eating healthy will give you more energy and make you feel better get as much rest as you can You can recover from distractions faster It can prevent burnout It can help with memory and improve your decision-making abilities   Accept help or Delegate Instead of trying to do everything, reassess your strengths and weaknesses. Carry on with doing what you are good at and what you love to do and delegate or outsource other things that you ‘waste’ your time on. Think about what can you let go and delegate to your staff in order to give them an opportunity to grow. It will give them the chance to learn and help them to feel valued while having the added benefit of freeing yourself up to concentrate on your priorities.   Stop trying to do everything perfectly   Are you a perfectionist? If you are reading this, you probably are. Stop trying to get everything done ...
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Episode 147: How To Sell Your Gym

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