How to Start a CrossFit Gym from Zero without Dying in the Attempt

If you’ve ever thought about starting your own gym and think you are willing to take your passion about Crossfit to the next level, do not dismiss this option; it can be very interesting… Besides working on your passion, if you do it right, you can generate income. But how can you assemble a gym from scratch without dying in the attempt? Make no mistake, as with any endeavor, it is not something simple; It is an important step and it can make you win or lose a lot, so you have to take things slowly and plan to the smallest detail. And for that we are here, to help you with a project that you will feel extremely proud of when it is finished.

Let’s not start the house on the roof. First of all, we must value the amount of the investment, because it is not something that falls from the sky. You need to cover many aspects that should later recover all the money with more or less success, sooner or later.

In this post, we talk about the economic factor in the creation of a CrossFit gym, but also how you have to carry it out. What do you need? And what’s more important, what do your potential customers need? You have to think about everything and not leave a single loose end, we will evaluate each aspect of your new business.

Pay attention because it starts right here: when you start to value the idea and look for information on the subject. What do you need to set up a CrossFit gym?

There are many issues that you have to attend to start with this that we have in hand.
So, how many things come to mind? The premises, the equipment, the facilities, the workers … have you thought about marketing? In a logo for your CrossFit gym? You have to be in everything, so let’s analyze step by step everything you need.

Brainstorm continuing with the above to establish everything before you start, you can not start any business without a strategy. Consider what your target audience is, the potential client you want to reach, and think about it at all times and in every action. From here, start with the ideas, options, and possibilities.

The brand of your CrossFit Gym
Think about what you want your brand to be, something that fully embodies your business and that is extremely easy to remember. And look for the design of a logo that adds to the party: that goes according to the brand, and that makes your Crossfitters feel identified with it.

One of the bases of the Crossfit is the community, and that develops under a sense of belonging that, if you do it right, will respond to the identity of your business — a great base to start.

Join CrossFit

Once this exciting phase of each business is over, the first doubt comes. You need permits and licenses, starting with Crossfit, which is not a sport, but a registered trademark.

For this you will need to be a level 1 coach and that any of your employees dedicated to the classes and training will be; however, the coaches’ is another matter that we will discuss later.

On the other hand, you need certain permits from the company, such as the application, location, insurance, payment, and license agreement, some of which you must renew regularly.

The store

We return to the headquarters of your business. You have to look for a place and do it very conscientiously; this will be one of the fundamental pillars of the CrossFit gym that you intend to assemble, and it is not worth going with doubts and insecurities.

Be smart and play your cards well in this regard; the competition will come sooner or later, so for the time being, try to avoid it. Of course, do not go to the opposite side of the coin; do not choose a place where you know in advance that a business like that would not triumph.

Once you have chosen a suitable area, monitor aspects such as accessibility to the place and parking in case the vehicle is the majority car or the proximity to public transport stops in case this is the most common.

And now the difficulties return.

You have already chosen the area and the premises, now it is up to you to see the prices and that the owner of the place allows you to make reforms, for which you will have to have engineering expenses: you have to look for someone to examine the interior and some specific factors such as energy efficiency and the possibility of construction.

The facilities of your gym 

And when you already have all this? Let’s do it! It’s time to start with the adaptation of the space. You need to give visibility to your brand, the more, the better. A sign on the outside is essential, something that, if you can, you must complement with references inside the premises.

Worry about the layout and the atmosphere these aspects are generally overlooked but its subtle niceties that make the difference.

The services and changing rooms are a key factor in these places, and you need an important space to dedicate it to these effects; a male and female section with their respective showers, toilets, lockers, and racks. Any extra comfort should be considered.

As for advisable separations within your new CrossFit gym, you should think about a reception, office for yourself, and a place of rest for your users in which they can relate to each other outside of training.

Also, if you have thought about marketing with products related to the practice of this sport, it would be advisable that you dedicate a particular space to these effects.

As for the materials you have to take into account, to begin with, one of the most important: the rubber floor. You can not set up a CrossFit gym without this material; again we talk about something essential. From this, you are the one who decides. The following in order of importance should be the cages, and then the weights, dumbbells, ropes, oars, bows, and others. You should not get too many tools that make you lose space since this aspect is another of the most valued among Crossfiters.

The staff of your Box 

In any business, the image of the staff is basic for it to work.

The first thing to worry about when setting up a CrossFit gym is your image: if your body does not speak for you, demonstrating your knowledge about this sport won’t help enough to make you seem legitimate.

Well, it applies the same for all the staff that works at your premises concerning the classes and training. Coaches must be perfectly prepared and, also, look it.

It is important that, in addition to the image and preparation, which in this case are two aspects that go hand in hand, each of the workers in your gym meets certain requirements and characteristics for the performance of their duties.

Thus, the sympathy, the knowledge to be, the empathy to understand each client of your CrossFit gym and other similar aspects, are fundamental qualities that you have to demand in a work that is based on constant communication and companionship; keep in your mind that what interests you most is to create an authentic community, and that is something that depends on your coaches to a great extent.

The marketing

The best marketing strategy for your CrossFit gym will be word of mouth, without any doubt. This way, your biggest advertising investment does not have to be sustained on big investments, but in something much simpler: the satisfaction of your clients.

Ensure everyone who enters your premises comes out convinced that you are there to help them improve. Speaking wonders of Crossfit and the place where it is practiced is the best hook to achieve new regulars among the undecided.

Social networks -which are the best way to promote outside of word of mouth; and a web page with schedules and classes, have a blog with interesting proposals and topics and offer the possibility of designing training plans, would be great ideas for your gym to stand out.

If you add to this the promotion of several products with your brand and logo, such as t-shirts or car stickers, for example, your marketing plan would be solved; and if you have done the rest correctly, your business will work smoothly.

The economic investment of your CrossFit Gym

Assembling a CrossFit gym has very variable costs depending on some factors that we will evaluate below.

For now, if what you want to set up is an small gym for example, you could spend $3000, because that is what you will have to contribute as social capital. Also, think that another $1000 will go away in the concept of procedures and taxes – managers, notaries, lawyers, town hall … -.

It is an important expense, but we warn you that it will not be the last nor, probably, the highest. From here, you should consider many issues. Just roll with it.

The local expense for your CrossFit Gym

Three basic expenses that you need to consider: the rent, the deposit and the air conditioning of the gym. In general, the deposit usually costs two months rent, and these amounts will always depend on the size of the building, the municipality or city where it is located and its specific location in this place.

A space with very similar characteristics will differ a lot in the price depending on whether it is in a small town or a large city, or if it is in the center or the periphery.

The equipment of the gym

That said, you have to get down to work with the equipment of your new CrossFit gym, something very exciting but that entails large expenses. Without going any further, the rubber floor has an average price of $20 per square foot, and the logical thing is that space is large and completely covered with this material.

On the other hand, a cage of medium size could range between 1500 and 2500 dollars, something that you should value always taking into account your possibilities and your needs.

Complementary material

Everything else comes in this section. Those tools that are not intimately related – or at least not for the exclusive use of Crossfiters – but that you should have in your gym.

We speak on the one hand of a computer to carry out your efforts, a telephone with its respective line and connection to the Internet, a radio for training – Crossfit without music would not be the same- and a large timer with remote control. The costs are easy to guess, but you should get some quotes.

On the other hand, calculating all the products you may need in the day to day of any business, such as those necessary for cleaning and maintenance of the premises, bathrooms and all spaces. Also, you should take into account among your expenses all kinds of items that need a frequent replacement.

If you still do not have level 1 of CrossFit, it would be the first thing that you should value, and its price rises to $ 1000 – some $ 935 -, to which is added its renewal every 5 years. In addition to this, you must pay the license of the brand and the affiliation to it, which will come out for just over 230 dollars per month.

Salaries and supplies for gym staff

In a new reference to the staff that you plan to hire to work in your gym, you must count on the salaries of your employees, which is an expense every month and that must always be taken into account. And we do not only refer to the coaches, but also the cleaning staff, for example.

In addition to the aforementioned telephone and Internet costs, you will need other supplies – light, water, and gas – for your business to work properly, so it is essential to have this expense at all times.

Unforeseen

Finally, we recommend that you have extra money for your business. A plus in your pocket that never hurts for when unforeseen events of any kind, something that usually happens sooner or later. Breakdowns or annual taxes -of which you do not have in mind constantly- can always alter your accounts if you are not prepared to receive them upon your arrival.