Building a Gympire in the Middle of Nowhere: How Tanner Baird Turned a Small-Town Gym into a Global Brand

In this episode of the Business of Coaching Workshop, host Andrew Jackson sits down with Tanner Baird, co-founder of Massenomics, to break down how a small-town gym in South Dakota grew into a globally recognized fitness brand. Tanner shares the real story behind Massenomics — from opening a culture-driven gym in a town of 25,000 people to building a fiercely loyal audience through podcasting, content, merchandise, events, and community. This conversation is a masterclass in long-term thinking, authentic brand-building, and why geography matters far less than most coaches believe. Rather than chasing trends or quick wins, Tanner explains how consistency, humor, and community-first decisions compounded over more than a decade. If you're a coach or gym owner who feels "stuck in the middle of nowhere," this episode reframes what's actually possible. What You'll Learn How Massenomics grew from a single gym into a global brand Why being "in the middle of nowhere" can be an advantage How podcasts and content compound over time Why most overnight successes take 10+ years How humor and inside jokes create real brand loyalty Why community beats algorithms and paid ads Lessons gym owners can apply immediately in small markets Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction & Tanner Baird's background 04:30 – Building a culture-driven gym in South Dakota 10:15 – Why geography isn't the limiter coaches think it is 16:40 – The Massenomics podcast and long-term content strategy 24:20 – Turning inside jokes into products and revenue 32:10 – Community, supporting memberships, and loyalty 41:00 – Certified training facilities & scaling culture 49:30 – Why consistency beats trend-chasing 58:10 – Lessons for gym owners today 01:04:30 – Final thoughts & where to find Massenomics PS - Want to scale your coaching business without burning out? Schedule a 1:1 call: https://app.reclaim.ai/m/mac-barbell-logic/turnkey-coach-team-call Connect with Andrew Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewbarbender/  X: https://x.com/AndrewBarBender Checkout or connect with Massenomics Website: massenomics.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Massenomics