Opening a gym: the 90-day plan for success

Clear your positioning and your business model

Before opening a gym, set a clear course. Good positioning saves months and thousands of euros.

Choose a profitable niche

• Priority audience: beginners, cross-training, active seniors, health sports, local athletes.
• Differentiators: extended hours, individualized follow-up, small groups, nutrition course.
• Quick indicators: 30 interviews with local prospects, 10 signed pre-sales, 1 waiting list.

Tip: test your promise with a 2-week “pop-up” pre-opening in a partner location.

Define your offers and prices

Structure a simple range: 3 offers maximum.

• Unlimited subscription with supervised access.
• Book of small group sessions (8-12 people).
• Premium coaching 1:1 or 2:1.

Calibrate the price to the value, not to the neighbor. To go further on pricing, see this practical guide: set your sports coach rates correctly.

Build a simple and useful forecast

• Member objective to 12 months: 180-350 depending on surface area and offer.
• Average monthly ticket (ARPU): €55-120.
• Target churn rate: < 4%/month.
• Break-even point: when margin on variable costs covers rent + salaries + fixed charges.

An effective forecast fits on one page. Adjust it each month with your actual figures.

Status, insurance and compliance

• Status: SAS/SARL for a room, micro less suitable.
• Insurance: pro liability, multi-risk, operating losses.
• Key compliance: fire safety, PMR accessibility, displays mandatory.

To structure your tools and your back office without complexity, explore the EKKLO platform: https://info.ekklo.com/

Find the right location and master the lease

Location is the #1 lever for your memberships the 18 first months.

Location criteria that convert

• Pedestrian/car flow, visibility, ease of parking.
• Proximity to offices/schools/retails for regular peaks.
• Density of competitors and clear differentiation.

Aim for a door-to-door journey < 12 minutes for 70% of your targets.

Surface, flow and interior zoning

• 200-500 m² for a studio or box; 600-1,200 m² for a club.
• Areas: reception (10%), changing rooms (15%), stage/courses (65%), storage/offices (10%).
• Fluid circulation and “photo-friendly” spaces for social content.

Negotiate the commercial lease

• Duration: 3-6-9 classic; look for 1-2 months of rent exemption for work.
• Cap indexation and clarify recoverable charges.
• Works clause: specify responsibilities, deadlines, standards.

Standards, security, neighborhood

• Acoustic study if sensitive neighborhood.
• Evacuation plan, security lighting, fire extinguishers.
• Maintenance contract for machines and ventilation.

Finance and equip intelligently

The financial package must support profitability from 6-9 months.

Typical budget: CAPEX and OPEX

• Works and development: 40-120 k€.
• Equipment (cardio, free charge, small equipment): 60-180 k€.
• Opening (communication, security deposit, software): 15-40 k€.
• Starting cash flow: 3-6 months of fixed charges.

Monthly OPEX: rents, salaries, insurance, energy, marketing. Keep 8-12% of turnover in marketing for the first 6 months.

New, reconditioned or leasing?

• New: premium image, extended warranty.
• Reconditioned: -25 to -40% on the entry ticket.
• Leasing: smooths cash flow, protects cash for acquisition customers.

Combine: leasing cardio equipment + reconditioned free weights + new accessories.

Minimum viable equipment equipment

• 6-8 cardio stations, 1-40 kg dumbbell area, modular racks.
• 15-20 kettlebells, slam balls, TRX, box jump.
• 200-300 functional m² for small group classes.

Start lean. Reinvest after 100-150 members.

Essential digital tools

• Management of reservations, payments, CRM, messaging.
• Onboarding process and progress monitoring.
• Simple automations: reminders, reminders, reports.

Centralize everything with EKKLO: https://info.ekklo.com/ for offers, schedules, payments and customer follow-up.

Process, team and member experience

A room is not distinguished by its machines, but by its service standards.

Recruitment and service grid

• 1 manager-trainer, 2-4 multi-purpose coaches, 1 part-time reception.
• Skills: teaching, security, animation, sales advice.
• Internal training: 2 weeks SOP + shadowing + monthly evaluations.

The course client in 7 steps

1. Online discovery and appointment making.
2. Initial assessment 20 minutes and simple test.
3. Paid trial offer (7-14 days) with guided plan.
4. Signing a suitable subscription.
5. Onboarding: 2 supervised sessions, SMART objectives.
6. Monthly monitoring: measurement, feedback, adjustments.
7. Referencing: sponsorship request on day 30.

Each step must be scripted and measured.

Operational standards (SOP)

• Opening/closing, checklist security.
• Cleanliness: 3 visits/day key areas.
• Quality of coaching: ratio 1 coach/10 students in class.
• Message response time: < 2 working hours.

Satisfaction and retention

• Monthly NPS: target 60+.
• Attendance rate: 6 sessions/month min. for 70% of members.
• Quarterly progress plans and success ceremonies.

Need a boost for your first 3 clients before opening? Read this actionable guide: get your first 3 clients.

Pre-opening marketing and launch

Your marketing calendar must create demand before the finished work.

Campaign D-60 to D+30

• D-60: waiting page + founder offer (-20% for life for first 50).
• D-45: local partnerships (healthy restaurants, physiotherapists, clubs).
• D-30: staggered open days (3 dates, 30 places/date).
• D-7: local influence plan, “bring a friend” offers.
• D+7 to D+30: personalized reminders + testimonials.

Objective: 80-120 pre-sales before the big day.

Founding offers without selling out

• Value bonus (diagnosis, 1:1 session) rather than deep discounts.
• Duo/family packs to increase the average basket.
• 12 month contract with 1 month/year “freeze” for perceived flexibility.

Local content and partnerships

• 3 recurring video formats: behind the scenes work, transformations, short advice.
• Partners: nearby companies (sports breaks), schools (student rates), events.
• Monthly stand at the local market with mini tests.

Lead tracking and conversions

• SLA: call within 15 minutes after form.
• Call scripts: problem-objective-plan.
• Lead score and nurture by email/SMS.

Manage everything in EKKLO (reservations, payments, messages): https://info.ekklo.com/

Manage profitability and grow

Management discipline transforms a gym into a sustainable business.

KPIs to follow each week

• Leads created / Appointments made / Sales signed.
• Sales rate no-show trial: target < 20%.
• Monthly churn and main reason.
• Occupancy by slot, ARPU, acquisition cost (CAC).

30-minute meeting every Monday, decisions noted, weekly A/B tests.

Optimize occupancy and ARPU

• Move 20% of courses to underused slots.
• Upsell: move from notebook to guided subscription (+15-30 €/month).
• Cross-sell: nutrition, mobility workshops, testing.

Automate to save time

• Reservation reminders, trial reminders, subscription anniversaries.
• Autonomous check-in and intelligent waiting list.
• Automatic reports by email on Monday morning.

Get everything in place with this guide: automate your sports coach business.

Growth scenarios

• Expand the surface area or double the high-performance niches.
• Launch specialized programs (pre/postnatal, sport-health).
• Develop a complementary online offer (live/replay course).

Checklists and errors to avoid

Express regulatory checklist

• Fire safety file validated and equipment checked.
• Accessibility: ramps, toilets, signage.
• Registers: maintenance, hygiene, mandatory displays.
• Contracts: lease, insurance, GDPR for customer data.

10 common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1. Rent too big too soon → progressive surface.
2. Prices copied from a competitor → calculate your break-even point.
3. Bet everything on the hardware → invest first in the experience.
4. Launch without pre-sales → 80+ before opening.
5. No sales scripts → weekly team training.
6. Too many offers → 3 clear offers.
7. Ignoring data → weekly KPI review.
8. Underestimating acoustics → processing as soon as the works are completed.
9. Irregular communication → 90-day editorial calendar.
10. No centralized tools → adopt a single platform.

90-day calendar (model)

• D-90 to D-60: area study, lease LOI, pre-budget, capture page.
• D-60 to D-30: works, orders, partnerships, pre-sales.
• D-30 to D-7: beta test, recruitment, SOP training, doors open.
• Week 0: launch, 3 events, limited founder offer.
• Week 1-4: intensive monitoring, testimonials, planning optimization.
• Week 5-12: local campaigns, upsell, referral loops.

To remember

• Clear + positioning 3 simple offers = faster conversions.
• Pre-sales (80-120) before the big day secure the break-even point.
• SOP + quality coaching beats any machine park.
• Manage every week: leads, no-show, occupancy, churn.
• Centralize reservations, payments and follow-up with EKKLO to save time.

Conclusion: Go from idea to opening in 90 days

Opening a profitable gym comes down to three pillars: clear positioning, disciplined pre-opening marketing and measured operations. By following this plan, you secure your first memberships, accelerate word-of-mouth and reach the break-even point more quickly.

Ready to structure your offers, your planning and your payments without friction? Try EKKLO here: https://info.ekklo.com/

To amplify your local visibility and maintain a constant flow of new members, also read: marketing and visibility strategies for sports coaches.

And if you are unsure about the formats (online, face-to-face, hybrid), explore the resources and use cases on the blog EKKLO: https://info.ekklo.com/