What makes a great Alloy fitness coach? Fitness coaches come in all sizes and traits, but it takes a particular character to excel in our small group personal training model. For one, this person must have a passion for fitness and a passion for helping people reach their health goals. Fitness as a career or business is very fulfilling because you actually see the difference you make in people's lives. Suffices to say, it also pays handsomely if you do it right! In this episode, Rick and Matt go...
Jan 12, 2022•25 min•Ep. 123
Happy New Year! We begin the new year on a high note here at Alloy Personal Training Franchise. Rick and Matt explain the Alloy programming and why we do what we do. We also look at the customer experience and why we have the industry's leading retention rate. As you'll hear Matt explain, our customer avatar mainly comes in with a weight loss goal. But during the starting point session, we peel the onion and get to their actual goals. These are primarily to move better, feel better, and look gre...
Jan 05, 2022•44 min•Ep. 122
In this episode, Matt and Rick discuss what we saw in 2021 and what 2022 holds for the fitness business. To recap 2021, the fitness industry as a whole rebounded in a significant way from the lows we experienced in the previous year with the shutdowns. One positive thing we can take from the pandemic is that more people have become conscious of their health and the vital role that fitness plays in achieving that. In 2022, we see fitness consumers moving towards more specific and personalized ser...
Dec 29, 2021•26 min•Ep. 121
Trust is the cornerstone upon which all other customer experiences are built on. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t make an effort to build trust with their customers. Trust is the single biggest indicator of the future prospects of a business. High levels of trust will ensure the business continues to grow and vice versa. In this episode, Rick was interviewed on another podcast about the success of the Alloy Personal Training brand and the franchising opportunities available. In addition to e...
Dec 22, 2021•33 min•Ep. 120
Are fitness franchises a trend or a viable franchise opportunity? In this episode, Rick and Kim Daly discuss the opportunities in the fitness space and why you should consider Alloy Personal Training Franchise. Many franchise candidates who want to invest in a fitness business often have one major worry. They wonder if they are investing in something just trendy that people won’t like in three years. As Rick points out in this episode, this concern is valid because fitness can be very trendy. Wh...
Dec 15, 2021•22 min•Ep. 119
In this episode, Matt and Rick define the "Welch Grid" from Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, author and business leader, and how to apply it in your business. This is a simple exercise that will provide you with great insight into how to evaluate your teams. According to Jack, the greatest asset in business is your team. And as a leader, you should invest a lot of time evaluating your team and placing each individual in the right place. He believed that companies that win are those th...
Dec 08, 2021•13 min•Ep. 118
If you are getting into the fitness business, either on your own or through a franchise, it is critical to evaluate the business model that you are about to invest in. There is always something trendy in the fitness space that seems to appeal to people These may be things like technology, equipment, fancy gadgets, fitness concepts, modalities, etc. Before investing in a fitness business, you have to look at the longevity of your chosen model. Most franchise agreements are 10-year contracts, and ...
Dec 01, 2021•25 min•Ep. 117
The Great Resignation is on. Millions of workers are abandoning their careers for better opportunities. But how did we get here? Rick and Matt reckon that the Coronavirus pandemic has made people view job security in a whole new way. People now have this realization that a job previously considered safe can end abruptly. But just like in any crisis, there lies numerous opportunities that you can capitalize on. Now is the perfect opportunity to become an entrepreneur. And just like the pandemic h...
Nov 24, 2021•15 min•Ep. 116
In the last two episodes, we talked about the franchisee's journey from purchase through 2-3 years after opening. We went through all the peaks and valleys that a franchisee goes through and why we do everything in a systematic way. One of the things we mentioned that happens in the corporate training week is role-playing. Today, we build on that by discussing why this is important not only to a franchisee but also to any gym/business owner. Practicing the skills and scripts that you and your em...
Nov 17, 2021•12 min•Ep. 115
In part 2 of this two-part series, we discuss the franchisee's journey from purchase through 2-3 years after opening. This is a must-listen for any franchise candidate! Last week, we started the conversation on the franchise buyer journey. We established that this journey has many peaks and valleys. We went ahead and looked at what happens between the first introductory call when a potential franchisee shows interest to when they purchase and sign the Alloy franchise agreement. After the excitem...
Nov 10, 2021•26 min•Ep. 114
Acquiring a franchise is an intense process with many peaks and valleys, pains and joys, ups and downs. It is important that you, as a potential franchisee, understand this process and what to expect at every stage. In this two-part series, we shall explain the Alloy Personal Training Fitness Franchise process. Right from when a potential franchisee shows an interest, all the way to signing the franchise agreement and several years down operating it. A lot goes on throughout the process, but ult...
Nov 03, 2021•20 min•Ep. 113
We recently held a franchise training week in the Alloy corporate offices, where we trained a fantastic group of new franchisees. Essentially, franchise training is five full days of training. The new franchisees and their operators come to our corporate offices for a very intense, hands-on preparation of their new roles. The franchise training takes place three months before the grand opening. This leaves room for two months of pre-sales to ensure the franchisee opens with close to capacity mem...
Oct 27, 2021•14 min•Ep. 112
Rick was recently interviewed in another podcast, and since it was a fun interview full of jokes, we thought you'd be interested in hearing it too. But beyond the jokes, it's a worthwhile conversation for any entrepreneur either in the fitness space or any other industry. Rick takes us through the Alloy Brand story from humble beginnings over 30 years ago to licensing over 2000 clubs worldwide and now franchising. The Alloy Franchise continues to grow, with more locations coming up across the co...
Oct 20, 2021•59 min•Ep. 111
In business, just like in life, we are constantly making decisions. These decisions either make or destroy us. It is thus imperative to keep improving our decision-making skills. Rick and Matt look at the behavioral science behind decision-making and why most of us make flawed decisions, especially in business. Understanding the mental processes behind decision-making may help us make better choices. We look at some examples of decision-making through our lens in the fitness industry and discuss...
Oct 13, 2021•25 min•Ep. 110
In the fitness industry, passion is a big word often thrown around what we do. But is passion necessary for running a fitness business? If so, what type of passion is most effective? We often see people in our industry have passion for a particular tool, mechanism, type of training, etc., which manifests in their business. This is a big mistake because the thing with passion is that it comes and goes. If you must have passion, then it should be to help people meet their health and fitness goals....
Oct 06, 2021•20 min•Ep. 109
If you want to succeed as a new gym owner, you must implement a robust presale strategy so that by the grand opening date, you are ready to start servicing revenue, and hopefully, you are on the black. For Alloy Franchisees in the stronger one model, we have opened facilities with over 100 memberships sold during the presale out of a capacity of 130 members. With this number, they can open making money rather than limp into profitability over time. But what exactly are presales? Presale gym memb...
Sep 29, 2021•32 min•Ep. 108
Is a sweaty workout or an elevated heart rate indicative of a good exercise program? This is the question Rick and Matt answer in today's episode. Since the advent of the studio fitness model, we have seen many claims regarding High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Some people claim that this is the only way to lose weight, and some go as far as saying that you can build muscle on such programs. However, science has proven that the way to lose weight sustainably is through strength training a...
Sep 22, 2021•32 min•Ep. 107
How did our business model start and how did we scale it effectively despite it being a unique one? Anyone who runs a new business would understand how much it could take to make it work - especially at the very beginning. For Alloy Personal Training, we were in an especially challenging place as we went for a business model that was the first of its kind. Among the strategies you’ll find are: 👉 Tech: CRMs that work 👉 Social media 👉 Pre-sale methods Listen in to take a sneak peek at our strat...
Sep 15, 2021•31 min•Ep. 106
What makes a successful entrepreneur? Is entrepreneurship for everyone? Some key traits are common for most successful entrepreneurs, and we look at three of these in this episode. When vetting franchisees for the Alloy Personal Training Franchise, we look at these traits from the candidates, and if they lack them, they might not be a good fit for our brand. However, these traits apply to independent entrepreneurs as well. These traits are: 👉 Character 👉 Skillset 👉 Belief system Listen in as ...
Sep 08, 2021•19 min•Ep. 105
Franchise discovery days are a crucial part of the franchise buying process. This is a day or two where potential franchisees visit the franchisor's corporate office to learn more about the brand. At Alloy Personal Training Franchise, potential franchises visit our corporate offices/mothership gym to get a feel of our services and get as much info as possible about the brand. It's a big opportunity for both the potential Alloy franchisee and us to meet and learn more about each other because, es...
Sep 01, 2021•15 min•Ep. 104
Scarcity is a really powerful marketing tool that retailers use to influence customer behavior and drive sales. But did you know that we can use it in the fitness space to achieve the same results? We have used it here at Alloy Personal Training Franchise with great success. Some of our franchisees in our stronger one model sell almost their full capacity memberships even before the grand opening date. As you’ll be hearing from Rick and Matt, the 3 most effective ways to harness the power of sca...
Aug 25, 2021•27 min•Ep. 103
Who does your business serve? Does it serve you or the market? In the fitness space, it is likely to see an independent gym operator running a business that serves their personal interests or is heavily influenced by their personality which ultimately has a negative impact. Ideally, your business should serve the market and their needs despite your own personal opinions, likes, or biases. Opening a business that serves your passions is not sustainable in the long run. As a fitness entrepreneur, ...
Aug 18, 2021•17 min•Ep. 102
The most common reason that businesses fail is inadequate capital. But where is the money to fund a business found? This is the question we answer in today’s podcast episode. But even before we look at ways to fund a fitness business, do you know that you are several times more likely to get funding if you are going for a franchise. A franchise is a proven concept, and financiers know that you are more likely to succeed in a franchise than when you are on your own. Now, if you are looking for wa...
Aug 11, 2021•16 min•Ep. 101
This week, we reach a major milestone in the podcast. We are on the 100th episode…. And what a better way to mark this milestone than to look at where things are headed in the fitness industry post-Covid and what this means for the Alloy Personal Training Franchise brand and others. As gym owners and the fitness industry as a whole, the pandemic hit us badly; nobody could have prepared for the disruption we witnessed. However, with the successful rollout of the vaccines and the fact that people ...
Aug 04, 2021•16 min•Ep. 100
What’s holding you back from your entrepreneurial dream? Rick and Matt reckon that fear is what is preventing you from taking the next step. In this episode, we break down the three common fears that we see mostly with our franchise candidates and what holds them back from owning a fitness business even when they understand the opportunity that exists in the industry. Being in the franchise development seat at Alloy Personal Training Franchise and being a fitness entrepreneur for more than 30 ye...
Jul 28, 2021•20 min•Ep. 99
One of the most rewarding things in business is experiencing continued growth, and vice versa is true. Many gym owners are often frustrated by the lack of growth in their fitness business. In this episode, Rick and Matt break down the four reasons why your fitness business is struggling for growth. Address these four issues and kiss stagnation goodbye. One of the reasons is risk. In a fitness business, risk for customers might be scared of getting hurt, or paying money and not achieving their go...
Jul 21, 2021•16 min•Ep. 98
In this episode, Matt and Rick discuss whether or not you should make a wholesale change to your current business model. Spoiler alert- it could mean more profit and less drama! As a gym owner, changing your business model can be a tough call to make. But sometimes, it’s the only viable option to solve the problems you face in the gym and, while at it, increase your profitability. Part of being an entrepreneur is realizing that your business model is not cast in stone. Remember Episode 94 , wher...
Jul 14, 2021•19 min•Ep. 97
This week we discuss the healthy friction between business systems and team flexibility. As an entrepreneur, systemizing your business is vital to the growth of your business. However, where do you draw the line between systems and giving your employees enough autonomy to make decisions when certain scenarios present themselves? In the fitness industry, we are in the people business, and even if you have the best systems, there will always be some scenarios that call for your team to be flexible...
Jul 07, 2021•8 min•Ep. 96
This week, Matt and Rick discuss the brand promise of Alloy Personal Training. It's very important that you put your flag in the ground in regards to your brand and then build the right machine to meet that promise. As a fitness entrepreneur, what do you really believe in? What is your fitness philosophy? This is the starting point to building a brand promise. Once you've figured out your brand promise and your customer archetype, then you can build a machine around it and take it to the market ...
Jun 30, 2021•25 min•Ep. 95
In this episode, Matt and Rick discuss the "ugly baby" syndrome and how it can affect your business. Spoiler alert- your one and only lens should be your customers' needs and not your personal passions. Every parent thinks their baby is the cutest little bundle of joy in the world. This is okay, but as entrepreneurs, we are the mothers of our businesses, and it would be a fatal mistake if we fell in love with our product or service and treat it as a cute little baby. In the fitness industry, we ...
Jun 23, 2021•17 min•Ep. 94
