The Business of Fitness: The 6 Things Every Successful Gym Does (Michael Ramsey)

Michael Ramsay is the co-founder of STRONG Pilates, a rapidly growing boutique fitness brand that has expanded to more than 100 locations around the world. Today, he joins Kenny Santucci on the Strong New York Podcast to talk: Why most underperforming gyms have a leads, sales conversion, or retention problem. The biggest mistakes gym owners make when trying to scale. How STRONG Pilates uses presales and community building before a studio even opens. Why accountability, management, and the right operators are critical to running a successful gym. How Michael went from working in corporate and becoming an F45 franchisee to building STRONG Pilates. Chapters: 0:00 Intro - Michael Ramsay 2:46 How Michael Ramsay Built STRONG Pilates to 130 Locations 5:19 Why Traditional Pilates Doesn’t Like STRONG Pilates 10:05 How STRONG Pilates Chooses Franchise Owners 14:20 From Broke at 25 to F45’s #1 Franchisee 20:26 How to Launch a Gym: Presales, Community & $1M Revenue 21:36 Boutique Gyms vs. Equinox & Life Time 27:53 Why Gym Owners Should Collaborate, Not Compete 38:08 The Gym Growth Playbook: Marketing, Leads, Sales & Retention 41:56 How to Build a Profitable Gym Business Model 48:57 Fitness Marketing in 2026 52:00 Why Results Matter More Than Fitness Hype 58:03 The Fitness Brands Michael Ramsay Studies 60:00 Why Australia Produces So Many Fitness Brands 64:24 How to Expand Your Gym 69:48 Inside an $83M Fitness Franchise 74:08 The Future of Fitness: Longevity, Tech & Strength Training Connect with Michael Instagram: @ramslegit Connect with Kenny and Strong New York: Instagram: @kennysantucci Instagram: @strongnewyork Follow the Strong New York Podcast: Instagram: @strongnewyorkpod For more raw, unfiltered, and strong conversations, subscribe to Strong New York to never miss an upload. Follow us on Spotify for exclusive content: https://open.spotify.com/show/7aZJACu... This episode is sponsored by: 🔥 Celsius — the energy drink that fuels every Strong New York workout. Follow @celsiusofficial on Instagram for all the new flavors. 🩸 Marek Health — optimize your hormones, recovery, and performance at marekhealth.com. Use code KENNY for 10% off Diagnostics, Supplements, and Guided Optimization. 🤝 Founders Club — a trusted circle of 2,500+ builders across North America who share resources, open doors, and raise the bar for entrepreneurship. Learn more at FoundersClubOfficial.com.