Blog

The #1 thing most successful business owners have in common: they have a business mentor. But you already knew that. When I started mentoring gym owners in 2012, I was drawing on my own experience in the gym AND what my own mentors had taught me. I got lucky: the first mentor I hired, way back in 2009, was exactly the right fit for my business at the time. He gave me clarity and accountability and saved Catalyst Ten years and millions of dollars later, I still have mentors. They’re more expensive (I commit to spending $100,000 per year in mentorship) but I’m saving YEARS by avoiding the “learn as I go” mistake. My mentors in 2017 are quite different from Denis, my 2009 savior. But I still call Denis often; even though I’m now dealing with larger problems, his advice always grounds me. Anyway… After five years of mentoring gym owners, I know that not everyone is a perfect fit. We accept about 3 out of every 10 who apply for mentorship from Two-Brain. For those who DO fit, I ask them to start with this exercise: First, think back in your life. Who was one person who changed the course of your life—it could be a teacher, preacher, coach or creature—who influenced you enough to change your course? Maybe they gave you a new perspective; maybe they just gave you a kick in the pants. Who was it? If you’ve had an influential mentor before, the answer should be obvious. Next: what was their teaching style? Were they Socratic, asking you questions until you came up with the answer yourself? Or were they militaristic, telling you only the next step? How did they get you to change your mind? Third question (and most important): How did they spur you to action? How did they hold you accountable? We now have dozens of mentors at Two-Brain. Each of us ...

Often times businesses fail to grow, not because of products or systems, but because the leader stops growing.  So, what is the number 1 thing Gym owners are missing when it comes to leadership? While there are a lot of great leadership models, it is hard to overlook the leadership model of the United States Army. It is simple, yet brutally effective, a lot like good programming at your gym.       From the official leadership manual of the U.S. Army Direct—direct leaders use face-to-face continuous contact with those under their command. Organizational—organizational leaders influence a team of sub-teams, without direct contact with the majority of their down-line employees. Strategic—strategic leaders must influence a team of organizations, often geographically dispersed, with little direct contact with most team members.   As the micro gym market evolves, many gym owners find themselves moving into higher value roles. This is a key concept of the TwoBrain  Mentoring Process. With high value roles, often comes less direct contact with team members. Lets quickly define these levels as they relate to our business model. Direct – This is the customer service level of our business, at this level of leadership, the business owner is coaching most classes and has constant day to day contact with all members and employees. Organizational – At this stage of leadership, the business owner is spending more time developing coaches and working on basic systems like their website, client retention software, Facebook groups, and other marketing. Strategic – At this level of leadership, the owner is developing new ideas to move the business forward. New programs, new revenue streams, new marketing engagements, partnerships, continuing education, and developing strategic relationships within the community. A General Manager and/or Head Coach is in place as the organizational leader, developing the staff to deliver on the direct leadership level. A good friend of mine recently identified that a lot of gym owners who have ...