The Small Group Gym Pod

#42 Hiring, Retention & Marketing: A Masterclass w/ George Branford

This week I'm joined once again by George Branford from Intent 91 to discuss what's working inside one of the UK's fastest-growing gym businesses. We dive into the marketing strategies bringing in members today, how George uses AI and sales-call transcripts to create better content, the retention systems keeping clients for nearly two years on average, and the hiring process that's helped build a strong team across five locations. If you run a personal training business or small-group gym, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can implement immediately. You'll learn: * How to create marketing that actually sounds like your ideal clients * Why recording sales calls is one of the best business decisions you can make * The retention system that's keeping members for 18–20 months * How to personalise coaching inside a group setting * George's hiring process for finding coaches who genuinely fit the culture * The biggest lessons he's learned from scaling to five gyms Find out more about George: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgebranford/

#41 What Successful Gym Owners Are Doing Differently in 2026 (w/ Michael Keeler)

In this episode, Stuart sits down with Michael Keeler from Business for Unicorns [https://businessforunicorns.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] to discuss what separates thriving gyms from struggling ones in 2026. The conversation centres around a simple idea: successful gyms aren't usually doing magical things... they're doing the basics consistently. Michael explains that the best-performing gyms have: * Reliable lead generation systems instead of hoping referrals magically appear * Multiple "poles in the water" for attracting clients * Strong retention systems built around meaningful relationships * Weekly leadership meetings that keep the business on track * Clear metrics they review every week * Simple, low-barrier offers that make it easy for prospects to get started * Regular referral campaigns and seasonal promotions * Processes for keeping long-term clients motivated and engaged One of the standout lessons is Michael's "Mission Control Meeting"—a weekly 30-90 minute meeting where owners review key metrics, identify opportunities and issues, stay accountable to quarterly projects, and make decisions based on data rather than feelings. The episode also covers: * The 3 marketing numbers every gym should track * Why most gym owners become the bottleneck in their business * The best low-barrier offer they're seeing right now * How often to change your offers * Why "Momentum Coaching" can dramatically improve retention * The difference between leading and lagging indicators in business Find out more about MK: * BFU Website: https://businessforunicorns.com/

#40 The Financial Habits Every Gym Owner Should Start Today (w/ ESG)

In this episode, Stuart interviews Emma Storey-Gordon (@esgfitness & @afmentors) about personal finance, investing, pensions, and financial freedom for PTs and gym owners. Emma's core message is simple: Financial freedom isn't about getting rich quickly. It's about creating security, options, and peace of mind through consistent, boring financial habits. She explains why coaches should stop ignoring money, start building emergency funds, contribute to pensions, invest regularly, understand tax basics, and educate themselves on personal finance rather than outsourcing all responsibility to accountants or financial advisers. The conversation covers: * Building a 3-6 month emergency fund * The "Coffee Match" investing habit (£1-£5/day invested automatically) * Why pensions are often overlooked by PTs * ISAs and tax-efficient investing * Avoiding lifestyle creep as income grows * Why financial freedom beats flashy purchases * The impact of inflation on savings * When to hire an accountant * Recommended books including The Psychology of Money and Die With Zero * Emma's goal of becoming financially independent by 30 and how she achieved it * Overall, it's a practical guide to the financial habits most coaches wish they'd started 10 years earlier. Find out more about ESG: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esg_afm/

#39 Why Some Clients Never Leave SGPT Gyms

In this short episode, Stuart details some key things that help turn a new client into a long-term member of your gym. Stuart's email: stuart@theptroadmap.com Stuart's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuart__aitken/

#38 Why Running a 4:1 Model Nearly Destroyed My Gym (w/ Greg Mikolap)

This week on the Small Group Gym Podcast, I sit down with Greg Mikolap from ICON to unpack nearly a decade of gym ownership, the realities of scaling small group personal training, and why the model he originally built nearly broke the business. Greg shares: * Why he moved from a 4:1 model to sessions as large as 16:1 * The financial mistakes that cost him almost £300,000 * What he learned from visiting elite US training gyms * Why most gym owners think about attrition the wrong way * How to make difficult business changes without panicking about member backlash * The balance between coaching quality, profitability, and sustainability Find out more about Greg: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gmikolap/ * His gym: https://www.instagram.com/iconmaidenhead/