Business: Fitness Facilities Articles

B rands are part of our daily existence and reflect society's attitudes and values. A trip to the local Myth: Branded Programs Are Not for New Instructors In the beginning of the aerobics craze, there was only high-impact. If you could run and keep a beat, you could teach. However, today's clubs can offer members more than 15 format options for this type of exercise. Kickboxing, indoor cycling, ...

W ho knows more about their members--you or your competitors? If it's your competition, adapt, shape and fit your club to the member, not ask the member to adapt to your club. For example, what if you learned that a sizeable percentage of your members are extremely crunched for time, devoted to their careers, travel extensively, commute more than one hour per day, despise obligation, enjoy class...

careers BY MICHAEL HAWES, CPA To p 1 0 Ta x - P l a n n i n g I d e a s f o r F i t n e s s Professionals and Health Club Owners Tax time doesn't have to be taxing. Here are some tax-planning tips that can help, whether you are just starting to do your taxes or looking for year-round tax-planning strategies. If you're like many taxpayers, you're probably just starting to prepare your 2001 incom...

I Open for Business? Now What? Opening a fitness club takes broad thinking and careful market analysis. Here's what happened to one would-be entrepreneur. n the last "Money" column (January 2001), I addressed what it takes to start a new fitness facility. As you may recall, I intro- quality facility. Moreover, he simply wanted to do it. With only $100,000, though, this would-be entrepreneur was ...

I A Business in Trouble When a fledgling business begins to lose money, taking the wrong steps to "fix" things can make a bad situation worse. f you've been following this column for the last two issues, you're familiar with the story of "Mark," who opened a 10,000- berships when it finally closed down. After a midyear strategy meeting with his shareholders, Mark decided he had to do something t...

O A Successful Turnaround Can switching directions help a struggling business get back on its feet? Maybe--but turning things around means making some tough decisions. ver the last three issues, this column has followed the story of "Mark," a former club trainer turned entrepre- ...

I Imagine the Possibilities By Edwin R. Rigsbee Working solo may not be a win-win situation for owners and managers. Why not try partnering? n my books on partnering and strategic alliances, I talk about "synergistic possibilities." This concept means taking one plus Partnering is not for everybody. Some people just cannot let go. They have a desperate need to control all aspects of all business...

E So You Want to Start a New Club? Many industry professionals dream about opening their own facilities. Here are some cautionary guidelines to consider before taking the plunge. ach month I receive over a dozen telephone calls from individuals wanting to start new fitness facilities in their going to cost, on average, $100 per square foot to open the doors to a new club. That does not include t...

BY PETER MCLAUGHLIN The New Happy Hour "You have to stay in shape. My mother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now and we have no professionals can idea where she is."--Steven Wright increase retention For millions of Americans, the fitness club has replaced and attract new the tavern as the place to go after work and the workout has clients by fusing replaced the happy h...

Up until this issue, the series Fitness Management 101 has focused primarily on how you, as a new fitness manager, need to make a good first impression on staff and members; learn the essential business practices of your facility and the needs of your department; calculate your objectives as a manager; and create a detailed action plan to accomplish your goals. Now our focus shi...