Who Should You Hire First?

A shot of a cleaner carrying a bucket of supplies - who should you hire first?

By Ashley Haun, Certified Two-Brain Fitness Business Mentor

What are the first five roles you might hire for when owning a microgym? 


1. Cleaner


Why a cleaner? A cleaning position pays somewhere from US$8 to $15 per hour. Depending on your gym’s size, you can allot two to four hours per week for the job. For less than $60 a week, you can buy back four hours of your time. Freed from scrubbing toilets, you’ll have the time and energy to focus on higher-value tasks such as client retention. 


2. Coach


A coach is the person who might free up the greatest amount of your bandwidth and allow you to truly work on the business instead of in the business. You will instantly feel relief when the burden of coaching every class is gone. When you hire a coach, you must be sure to prioritize important tasks that will grow the business and justify this investment.


3. Bookkeeper


Why a bookkeeper in the first five roles? I vividly recall the feeling that numbers gave me. They felt like a tornado inside my head, and I had no idea what to do with those numbers or how to organize them. I was privileged to go to San Francisco a few years ago with some high-level Two-Brain gym owners to listen to other successful businesspeople. The first gentleman who spoke was an executive for a bank. His first task every day was to read reports on the bank’s numbers. The lightbulb went on for me. You must know your numbers, and a bookkeeper is an expert who can help you do that.


4. Nutrition Coach


This role is essential for three reasons. 

First, every person in your gym needs nutrition coaching and accountability to reach his or her goals. I want you to think of your Seed Clients (they make you smile the most and they spend the most money at your gym). Would a nutrition coach help them? The answer, most likely, is yes.

Second, a nutrition coach will bring additional income for the gym through the addition of a core service. If you pay the coach a maximum of 44 percent of program revenue—this is the 4/9ths Model we recommend—this staff member won’t be an expense. He or she will be a revenue-generating asset.

Third, if nutrition coaching just doesn’t feel like “your seat on the bus,” then find another seat and put someone in the one you left. Nothing will drain you and burn you out faster than trying to be a nutrition coach when you do not have a passion for it. Hire someone who loves nutrition and shift your focus to important tasks you enjoy.


5. General Manager


This will most likely be the fifth role you hire to fill. The general manager handles all day-to-day tasks related to the business and might even manage the team you have built. It’s an important position, and getting the right person in place will allow you to move out of the details and into the high-value roles that will grow the business.


Take Action


Start today: Look for a cleaner. A high-school student or even a professional will help you take the first step in creating your Perfect Day. Then work down the list to fill more roles. As you do, make sure you always use your new free time to do the things that will grow your business.

We call this “climbing the value ladder,” and you can read more about this important concept here.

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One more thing!

Did you know gym owners can earn $100,000 a year with no more than 150 clients? We wrote a guide showing you exactly how.