Club Insider

About Jim Thomas

Jim ThomasJim Thomas

Jim Thomas is the well-known founder and president of Fitness Management USA, Inc., a management consulting and turnaround firm specializing in the fitness and health club industry.

With over 25 years of experience owning, operating and managing clubs of all sizes, Mr. Thomas lectures and delivers seminars and workshops across the country on the practical skills required to successfully build teamwork and market fitness programs and products.

Phone: N/A
Email: jthomas@fmconsulting.net


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Keeping Your Gym in Shape
Ways Your Gym Billing Company Might Be Losing You Money

April 2021 - Thousands of gyms and fitness clubs are doing their billing and member management using gym software. But, just because you have gone digital does not mean you are ahead of the game. There are many ways that your gym billing company can actually cost you money if you don't know the right questions to ask, and this article discusses several of those ways. Read Article...

Lights, Camera, Action!
Turn Your Gym into the Summer Blockbuster of Fitness

March 2024 - Gym owners, are you ready to trade in your tired routines for a box office smash? Forget the same old flyers and forgettable slogans. It's time to unleash the inner-Hollywood and promote your gym like a summer blockbuster! Why? Because in the fitness industry, attention is currency, and engagement is your ticket to success. Read Article...

Management Mistakes All Gym Owners Make
June 2012 - Actually, we see these mistakes in many situations... by first time and veteran health club owners. When you're running a gym for the first time, you're bound to make a few management mistakes along the way. Since gym owners are typically experts in the field of fitness, they will many times get caught up in the technical aspects of the gym, rather than developing strategies to manage and grow it. Read Article...

Managing Staff Behavior In Your Health Club
April 2011 - As an owner or manager, you already know the type of staff behavior you want to see under your leadership. Since all staffers have free will, it will take some careful planning to turn the staff into the kind of team that will thrive and work well in a health club environment. Hard work, dedication and a passion for fitness will help develop the team spirit and staff behavior that makes your health club thrive and survive in a time when many health clubs are struggling. Read Article...

Mistakes Made By Gym Sales Managers
December 2012 - Gym sales managers in the fitness industry need to be leaders. Knowing how to inspire, motivate, coach and hold membership salespeople accountable for their behaviors is the foundation for improving membership sales in your gym. Many times, the skill set for success as a sales manager is not the same as skill sets for successful salespeople. Read Article...

New Member Prospecting in Difficult Times
December 2008 - How is traffic in your health club? Better or worse than it was 12 months ago? In clubs that we have been working with across the USA, we are finding that traffic flow is down... and it's not for the reasons you might think. Read Article...

Preparing to Sell Your Health Club
July 2013 - Have you thought about it? Is that time coming? Is it time to go fishing? We work with many potential buyers of health clubs as well as current gym owners who would like to sell. If your business is in good shape, now is a good time to sell as there are buyers but not enough gym inventory to go around. Read Article...

Preparing Your Gym for a Comeback
May 2020 - As of this writing, many gyms across the United States are slowly beginning to relaunch their business, and others will be conducting a relaunch in the coming weeks. One thing is for sure: We're not going back to the same place we left a few weeks ago. It's a different marketplace, and it's a different economy. We will need a plan. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you begin: (1) What are you willing to give up to hit your goals? (2) What will you have to change to hit your goals? And, (3) What will you have to learn to hit your goals? Now, here are some things to consider... Read Article...

Reasons Why Independent Health Clubs Fail
February 2011 - Starting, developing or owning a health club is a dream of many, but many times, the market place for an independent health club, fitness center or gym is very unforgiving. If you do some statistical research, you will find that less than five out of ten small businesses survive beyond their first five years. Any potential health club or fitness entrepreneur planning to invest his time, energy and savings (not to mention blood, sweat and tears) into a new fitness venture does not want to be a part of this statistic. Read Article...

Recruit Your Next Great Health Club Salesperson
November 2013 - If you wait until you are starving to eat, everything looks good and you can make some really bad choices. Filling a sales position in your gym is no different. If you wait until you have a job opening to start looking, everyone will look good to you, and you could make a costly mistake. Avoid that mistake by keeping your eyes open for gym sales talent all of the time, especially when you are not hiring. When you spot someone you feel has the specific sales talents your health club might need in the future, add that person's name to your Club Talent Bank for a better approach when you need it. Read Article...

Revenue-Based Gym Financing
May 2022 - You might have heard people talk about revenue-based gym financing as "royalty-based financing." Put simply, revenue-based gym financing is a loan with repayment terms based on your revenue. You don't need to put down any collateral, and you won't have to worry about your debt-to-income ratio. Just because you've just started your gym business doesn't mean you have to stay small. There are exciting yet practical financing options out there for you, and one of these is revenue-based gym financing. With these loans, you only make payments when you bring in revenue. Let's discuss what's involved in qualifying for a small gym business loan and how these financing options work. Read Article...

Sell Your Health Club For More Than It's Worth
August 2013 - Is it time to go fishing? Would you like to sell your gym? This may be more challenging than you think. Nearly half of all gym owners who try to sell their business can't get it done. Read Article...

Should You Invest in Sales Training for Your Health Club Staff?
March 2012 - Health club sales training is a must for any fitness facility wishing to secure a competitive advantage in their marketplace. This has always been important, but it's even more important now than ever. The ability to sell memberships, personal training, etc. is fundamental to success in the fitness business, and the full effort of the sales team is essential. Read Article...

Ten Ways to Be a Successful Gym Owner
November 2020 - I always ask this question, "Who wants to be a success?" Of course, all hands go up. But, then, I ask, "Who's willing to do what's necessary to be a success?" Not as many hands go up. There are many reasons for this, but one that always seems to be at the top of the list is, "I don't have time." Truthfully, you don't have time not to, but remember this: When it comes to time, no one has an advantage. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, the same seven days a week, etc. Here are ten things to consider to help you be a more successful gym owner... Read Article...

The Challenge of Delegation for the Health Club Owner
January 2012 - I remember when I opened my first health club. I was hands-on with everything I did, from construction to taking a telephone inquiry. Everything was fine... until I opened health club number two. Read Article...

The Power of a Gym Owner's Intent
Unlocking the Key to Gym Millionaire Success

October 2023 - In the ever-evolving fitness industry, the journey from a struggling gym owner to a gym millionaire can seem like an insurmountable feat. While there are various factors that contribute to success, there is one underlying principle that separates the wheat from the chaff: The power of a gym owner's intent. In this article, we will delve into the core concept that distinguishes the two and explore how it can be harnessed for transformative results. Read Article...

The Ultimate Guide to Gym Funding
March 2021 - With 2021 here, there has been great headway made towards ending the pandemic. Experts estimate that this Summer could be when our first return to normalcy happens, but what does that mean for your business? Consumers will hopefully be out in droves, spending more than ever. To capitalize on this, your gym will need to have the newest gear, technology and other resources to get consumers to come to your gym instead of a competitor. Investing in your business after a lengthy recession may not be the first thing you are thinking about. If you aren't sure about how to go about Gym Funding in 2021, keep reading this guide to ensure your business is able to expand safely and efficiently. Read Article...

Tips On How To Grow Your Gym Business and Secure Business Financing
June 2022 - Accessing sufficient capital is difficult for independent gym businesses because traditional lenders, like banks, consider them risky ventures. Raising small business capital is also a drawn-out process, especially with poor credit. While many gym business loans do not have a minimum credit score, most lenders work with a range they consider acceptable for their small business loan requirements. So, how do you navigate the financial world and figure out how to grow your small business and secure gym business financing? Read Article...

Tips to Buying a Gym Business for Sale
February 2014 - Will you achieve your dreams or plans for the future by buying a gym business? Will this fit the lifestyle that you want? Buying an existing health club or gym is advantageous because both have an established member base and ongoing operations. Financing from traditional sources is also easier. Below are tips in finding the right gym or health club opportunity. Read Article...

Tips to Succeed in the Gym Business
December 2015 - One of my favorite quotes comes from Jack Welch of General Electric when he said, "If you can't dominate, don't spend your time there." Of course, all gym owners want to succeed, but many times, they are more focused on trying to compete and not dominate their marketplace. When you are forced to compete, you run the risk of becoming a commodity and are forced to compete on price. If you want to grow and dominate your market, you must know your unique selling position. Read Article...

Top Financing Options For Your Gym Business
February 2022 - Are you seeking financing to open a new gym or expand your current gym business and are wondering where to turn to for funding? Finding financing for a gym business is always a challenge, but as a gym owner, you now have more financing options than ever before thanks to a number of creative web-based businesses offering new alternatives such as crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending. Banks? They are just the beginning of the journey. Here's an updated guide to gym business financing options you should know about as you seek funding for your gym business... Read Article...

Turn Yourself Into A Trusted Brand In Your Health Club
November 2011 - Health Club salespeople who still view themselves as an employee are in trouble in the new world of health clubs. Unless you have actual ownership in the health club you represent, you no longer have a "job" or a "career." You are now a business and the health club you represent is the platform on which you sell and market. Now, if all you want is a job, read no further. Read Article...

Unlocking Explosive Gym Business Growth
Four Powerful Strategies for Success

August 2023 - Are you a fitness enthusiast with an entrepreneurial spirit? Are you looking to skyrocket your gym business growth and leave your competitors in the dust? Look no further! In this article, I will reveal four proven strategies that will not only help you attract more customers but also keep them coming back for more. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to success! Read Article...

Use a Proven System in Your Membership Sales Presentation for Better Results
May 2008 - Read Article...

Using Video Marketing to Grow Your Gym
July 2021 - Your member and client base is coming back, and your gym is gaining slow and steady recognition among your social media channels and your main website. However, to keep the momentum going, you'll need to inject a little more creativity into your blog posts, social posts, newsletter and email campaigns. And, video marketing is the perfect way to do precisely that! After all, who has time to read through so many words every time you publish a new post? Below, I review some ways you can incorporate video marketing to help increase the growth of your gym. Read Article...

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Showing 51 - 57 of 57 Articles

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