It’s New Year’s Day, and I’m going to give you five recommendations to help you start 2025 off on the right foot.
1. Get a Mentor—or Rely on Your Mentor
This is a big one. I rely on mentors to help me grow my businesses, so I know the value of mentorship. I’ve also seen the data that shows what happens to key metrics when an expert helps an owner move forward. (Check out what top-earning gym owners take home here.)
No matter where you are, one little change or a bit of insight from someone objective can have an incredible effect. It can alter your trajectory from slow growth to rapid growth or from slow decline to growth. In some cases, it can change your course from “into the mountain” to “over the mountain.”
Beyond that, precise plans, sound tactics and year-round accountability ensure you’re doing the right things at the right time to build your business.
If you’re lost or struggling, or if you want to reach your goals faster, consider going all in on your business this year. Get help, stick to the plan and do the work. If you do, you’ll reap great rewards and get an impressive return on your investment.
If you already have a mentor, send a message and tell them you’re 100 percent committed to doing the work required to grow your business in 2025. If you have any questions or if you’re worried about anything, lay it out so your mentor can provide the clarity you need to confidently execute the annual plan you’ve created together.
2. Evaluate and Plan
Here’s how to do it: Get our 2024 “State of the Industry” report here. Check out all the red-yellow-green ratings systems we created this year and hold your metrics up to the numbers.
Here’s an example:
From there, make a plan to first address any metrics that put you in the red zone. Then work on your yellows. Do it systematically so you don’t lose focus. (Our mentors use the Two-Brain Dashboard and our Toolkit to analyze metrics and prescribe tactics to improve them at warp speed.)
Track your progress and double down on the things that had the greatest effect. Log your lessons and make notes so you don’t repeat mistakes.
If you need a simple annual plan as a starting point, I have one. DM me and ask for it in our Gym Owners United group.
It should be obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: If you don’t have any metrics for your gym right now, 2025 is the year to start tracking.
3. Follow Us
We produce mountains of content to help you build a better business.
Here’s your list:
A. Subscribe to the “Run a Profitable Gym” show on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
B. Join Gym Owners United (if you haven’t already).
C. Follow us on Instagram.
4. Join My 2025 Challenge
In late 2024, I ran the Golden Hour Challenge for gym owners. You can see my full Day 1 post here.
From Nov. 1 to mid-December, 2024, I watched gym owners measurably improve their metrics by focusing on clearly defined tasks for just one hour a day. Together, we built entrepreneurial habits that will support our businesses for years.
I got so much positive feedback during the challenge that it’s clear we need another round. If you missed the first challenge—or if you want to go again to dig your habits in even deeper—watch the Gym Owners United group for updates and announcements.
If you want to start using the Golden Hour concept right now, you can get my latest book here.
5. Plan to Attend the Two-Brain Summit
Every year, we bring a thousand gym owners and coaches together for a weekend. I put the industry’s best speakers on stage, and they help you take action on the spot to build your business.
It’s an incredible experience. You’ll learn, build your team and grow your network, and you’ll leave fired up to push your gym forward.
I hope to see you in Chicago on June 7 and 8. Tickets are $300 off right now, and you can get them here.
2025 Will Be What You Make it
So how’s your 2025 going to be?
Well, it’s really up to you. You can decide to grow every day or you can decide to do nothing.
You are what you consistently do, and every business rises to the level of its leadership. That means you are the ceiling. You can be the thing that’s stopping your business from growing or the thing that causes amazing growth.
To be “a builder,” you must do more than read a lot of books or listen to more podcasts. You need a mirror, an objective perspective to help you change. You need a goal, a plan and someone to hold you to the plan.
Change the owner, change the business. That’s your mantra for 2025.
I wish you all the best. Thank you for your service!
And if you want to talk about working together in 2025, book a call here.
