The Fit to Grit Cast
by Zachary Colman
Fit to Grit is an audio/video/newsletter hybrid featuring in-depth conversations with leadership within the athletic space. Guests range from top executives within the athletic space to professionals in adjacent industries with a proven track record of success working in the athletic industry. We explore visionary ideas and practical strategies driving the industry forward, covering areas such as marketing, finance, branding, equipment, product development, biz dev, and more. Join us as we share actionable insights and real-world experiences while embodying the "fit to grit" spirit.
Episodes
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Why Google Ads Outperform Meta | Built to Grow Podcast w/ Tim Lyons & Zach Colman
Send us Fan Mail If your “leads” don’t pick up the phone, never remember opting in, or text back with a quick stop, you’re not imagining things. We dig into why so many fitness businesses are seeing Meta performance tank and why search intent on Google consistently brings in people who actually...
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The Truth About Fitness Studio Finances Nobody Talks About
Send us Fan Mail If opening your P&L spikes your heart rate, this conversation will feel like a deep breath. We bring on Lauren and Lisa from Active Core Consulting to turn finance anxiety into focused action, showing how simple metrics and a steady mindset can reshape a studio’s future. Instead…
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How Much Should You Really Spend on Marketing Your Fitness Studio?
Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder if you're wasting money on marketing or not spending enough to truly grow your studio? You're not alone. Most studio owners rely on guesswork, copying competitors, or arbitrary budgeting - approaches that lead to either burning cash without results or stunting growth...
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How to Calculate Your Studio’s LTV in 5 Minutes
Send us Fan Mail What if one clean calculation could tell you exactly where to spend, what to price, and how to grow without burning cash? We walk through a fast, no-fluff method to calculate lifetime value (LTV) that replaces guesswork with clarity—and turns scattered marketing into a reliable...
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Don’t Let Old Leads Go to Waste: Relaunch Strategies That Work
Send us Fan Mail Are you leaving money on the table by ignoring your old leads? If you've ever had an external lead come in, called them once, texted them once, and then forgotten about them when they didn't convert—you're missing out on a goldmine of opportunity. This deep dive into post-sale...
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Turning New Members Into Advocates, Boost Your Gym With Reviews
Send us Fan Mail Unlock the hidden marketing potential sitting right in your fitness studio! In this illuminating episode of the Fitcher Grit Cast, host Zach Coleman reveals how your existing members can become your most powerful marketing asset through strategic post-sale engagement. Did you…
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How to Turn Cold Leads Into Paying Gym Members Before You Open
Send us Fan Mail Ever realized your future members simply don't know you exist yet? The most successful fitness studios have mastered the art of turning strangers into excited, ready-to-join members through strategic lead nurturing—and the results speak volumes. Studios actively targeting…
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Boost Memberships Before Opening Your Gym — Here’s How
Send us Fan Mail Ready to launch your fitness studio with a packed roster of paying members on day one? The secret lies in your pre-sale strategy. Most fitness entrepreneurs make the critical mistake of waiting until their doors open to start selling memberships. The data tells a different story:...
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How to Create Fitness Content That Builds Real Loyalty
Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered why your fitness studio's marketing feels flat despite using those recommended content templates? You're not alone. The truth is, generic content creates generic results, and in today's crowded fitness market, that's simply not enough. The real power lies in…
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How to Build a Loyal Fitness Community (Without Fake Engagement)
Send us Fan Mail The difference between a struggling fitness studio and a thriving community often comes down to one critical factor: authentic engagement. When you focus solely on bringing new members through the door without building genuine connections, you're setting yourself up for high...
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Why Fitness Studios Grow Faster With Strategic Partnerships
Send us Fan Mail Are you trying to do it all yourself in your fitness studio? That approach might actually be holding you back. The most successful studio owners leverage strategic partnerships to accelerate growth, build trust, and expand their reach without diluting their core offerings.…
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Why Clarity Beats Luck in Growing Your Fitness Studio
Send us Fan Mail Feeling like your fitness studio's growth is more about luck than strategy? You're not alone. The fitness industry is crowded with studios competing for attention, making it challenging to stand out and grow consistently. In this episode of the Fit to Grit Cast, we tackle this...
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Why Your Studio Pricing Isn’t Converting Clients
Send us Fan Mail Afraid to show your prices? You're not alone—but that fear might be costing you big time. In this eye-opening episode, we dive into a startling statistic: fitness studios with transparent pricing communication see 23% higher revenue than those playing hide-and-seek with their...
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Website Pricing Secrets That Boost Studio Growth
Send us Fan Mail Did you know that fitness studios showcasing strategic pricing on their websites experience 25% higher client inquiries and acquisition? This striking statistic from MindBody research contradicts the common practice among studio owners who deliberately hide their pricing...
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How Your Studio’s Look Impacts Pricing Power
Send us Fan Mail What if your pricing strategy could boost conversions by 30%? That's exactly what happens when fitness studios align their visual pricing displays with strategic verbal communication. Many studio owners excel at verbal sales pitches but stumble when creating effective visual...
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Why Fitness Studio Growth Depends on Experience
Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why some fitness studios instantly command premium prices while others struggle to justify their value? The secret lies not in what they charge, but how they communicate that pricing to potential clients. Pricing confidence is the hidden differentiator in today's...
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How to Build a Studio Culture That Boosts Retention & Loyalty
Send us Fan Mail Most fitness studio owners face a costly problem they don't see coming until it's too late: a disconnect between their personal values and studio culture. This fundamental misalignment leads to frustration, team turnover costing upwards of $39,000 annually, and member attrition...
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How to Build a Studio Culture That Boosts Retention & Loyalty
Send us Fan Mail What happens when a successful gym reaches a breaking point? In this revealing conversation, former CrossFit gym owner Tyler Sullivan shares his 13-year entrepreneurial journey from startup struggles through exponential growth to a successful business exit. Tyler takes us back to...
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How to Create Gym Offers That Actually Get Clients to Act
Send us Fan Mail Studio owners, are you tired of running challenges that attract bargain-hunters instead of ideal members? Ever wonder why your "lose 10 pounds in 10 days" promotions bring in crowds but fail to convert to paying clients? The Fit to Great Cast tackles this common frustration…
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Why Gym Owners Can’t Ignore This AI Shift
Send us Fan Mail What if the key to health was simpler than we've been led to believe? Mohamed, Chief Strategy Officer at ABC Fitness and founder of Sweatworks, challenges the notion that healthy living is unaffordable or inaccessible. "You just have to move for 20 minutes a day, drink water, and...
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How to Use Client Testimonials to Boost Gym Credibility
Send us Fan Mail What happens when your outstanding results aren't enough to convince potential clients? That's the frustration Zach Coleman faced in his early business days, discovering that without documented testimonials, each new client relationship started at square one—despite a track…
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The Lost Art of Local Fitness Marketing
Send us Fan Mail What if everything you've been told about building a successful fitness business is wrong? In this eye-opening conversation with Paul Waters, a 25-year veteran of the health and fitness industry, we challenge the conventional wisdom that bigger always means better. Paul's journey...
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Avoid This Scaling Mistake Fitness Studios Always Make
Send us Fan Mail Ready to take your fitness studio to the next level? Before you sign that lease for a second location, pause and listen. The journey from running a single successful studio to managing multiple thriving locations isn't just about ambition—it demands strategy, systems, and perfect...
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Why Your Gym Feels Intimidating — And How to Fix It
Send us Fan Mail The fitness industry has long overlooked an essential truth: while exercise improves mental health, most gym environments actively create anxiety and stress. Gabriel Sclean, founder of Angel Gyms in London, is revolutionizing the personal training experience by creating spaces…
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This Social Strategy Keeps Fitness Studio Clients Coming Back
Send us Fan Mail Frustrated with social media marketing that doesn't deliver results for your fitness studio? You're not alone. The problem isn't social media itself—it's how you're using it. Most studio owners experience what I call "marketing fatigue"—spending thousands on agencies and content...
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How a Mobile Fitness Business Grew Without Ads—Just Real Connection
Send us Fan Mail Chelsea's journey from Division I volleyball scholarship athlete to mobile fitness entrepreneur reveals how authentic passion transforms into sustainable business success. After playing at Eastern Kentucky University and working with USA Volleyball at the Olympic Training Center,...
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How Retention Can Boost Your Fitness Studio’s Profit
Send us Fan Mail What's the single most overlooked metric that could transform your studio's profitability? Retention. While many studio owners chase endless promotional challenges and acquisition strategies, the true path to sustainable growth lies in building genuine community connections and...
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Turning Disability into a Superpower: Creating an Inclusive Business Culture
Send us Fan Mail Disability isn't a limitation—it's a superpower. That's the transformative message Kevin McCann brings to our latest conversation on the Fit to Grit podcast. Born with cerebral palsy that affects his ability to walk independently, Kevin has turned his lived experience into a...
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How Proper Pricing Positions Your Fitness Studio for Profit
Send us Fan Mail Pricing isn't just about what you charge—it's a sophisticated form of communication that shapes how potential clients perceive your studio's value. Studios that strategically optimize their pricing see an 11% profit boost year over year, compared to just 3.5% from focusing solely...
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How AI and Leadership are Shaping the Future of Fitness
Send us Fan Mail The boundary between technology and wellness is blurring, creating revolutionary opportunities for fitness professionals and businesses ready to evolve. Mike Hansen, a 25-year veteran of the fitness industry turned business incubator, shares his journey from gym operations to…
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How Fitness Studios Use Communication to Build Brand Trust
Send us Fan Mail The fitness industry is rapidly evolving beyond physical training into spaces where people seek community, mental well-being, and genuine human connection. At the heart of this transformation lies the crucial element that can make or break your fitness business: authentic client...
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How Overcoming Injury Led to Helping Others Break Limits
Send us Fan Mail "I was told that maybe I would never walk properly again. Hearing that, something in my mind clicked and I said, no, that's never going to happen." These powerful words from Stuart capture the essence of resilience that defines both his personal journey and his approach to…
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Let Your Clients Sell for You
Send us Fan Mail Struggling to grow your fitness studio despite investing in expensive lead generation tactics? You're not alone. Many studio owners find themselves trapped in a cycle of diminishing returns from traditional marketing—paying for ads, making cold calls, and running endless…
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Educating for a Healthier Future
Send us Fan Mail What happens when a father witnesses his teenage daughter struggle with an eating disorder in a world dominated by Instagram-perfect bodies and misinformation? For Todd, it sparked the creation of EdiFit Education, a revolutionary approach to health literacy that's challenging…
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Why Your Brand Is Invisible
Send us Fan Mail Reputation management isn't just about damage control—it's the cornerstone of sustainable business growth that too many organizations overlook. When business owners feel frustrated by lackluster results despite investing in marketing, the problem often lies not in their product…
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From Weight Loss to World Change
Send us Fan Mail What if America's health crisis could be solved by better education? Ashton believes it can. After his personal transformation from a 300-pound high school athlete to losing over 110 pounds through lifestyle changes, he discovered a critical gap in our educational system:...
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Your Clients Are Searching...But Can They Find You?
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever felt like you're constantly creating content but not seeing the results? You're not alone. The disconnect between what businesses say and what audiences need to hear is the fundamental challenge most brand owners face. With raw honesty, this episode unpacks the...
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Why You Need to Build a brand
Send us Fan Mail When a severe health crisis forced Christy Renee Steele to reevaluate her priorities, she made a radical decision that transformed her life: selling nearly everything she owned to become a digital nomad. "Health is our greatest wealth. Time is our most valuable resource," she...
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Being the Best Isn’t Enough—Here’s Why They Passed on You
Send us Fan Mail Stop wasting your fitness studio's marketing budget on expensive digital ads that drain resources and deliver minimal local results. The truth? When you're a local business, you don't need to follow the e-commerce marketing playbook that demands 20-30% of your budget for...
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The New Era of Fitness and Wellness
Send us Fan Mail What happens when weight loss drugs are prescribed without behavioral change support? Fitness and biotech consultant Nathan Hyland offers a compelling perspective on the rapidly converging worlds of wellness and biotechnology, with particular focus on GLP-1 receptor agonists that...
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Escaping the Lead Generation Struggle
Send us Fan Mail Are you feeling overwhelmed by the constant chase for leads? In this episode, we're tackling the misconception that more leads translate into greater success. Join me as I share my personal journey of breaking free from the lead-generation trap and stepping into a realm defined…
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Leadership and Growth in the Fitness Industry
Send us Fan Mail In this engaging episode, we dissect the essential dynamics between visionary and operational mindsets in the fitness industry, featuring insights from Vanessa Severiano, a veteran growth strategist. As a consultant with over 24 years of experience, Vanessa helps us understand…
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Essential Insights on Studio Growth Strategies
Send us Fan Mail Are you struggling to decide between hiring a marketing agency or an in-house director for your fitness studio? This episode addresses the critical choices studio owners face as they navigate their growth stages. We unpack the effective strategies that can propel your business...
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The Hard Truth About Gym Debt Most Owners Miss
Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how a repossessed Honda Accord and a mountain of $130,000 in debt could spark a journey to financial redemption? Billy Hofacker, our guest on this episode of the Gym Break Cast, shares his inspiring story of overcoming financial hardship. From the brink of financial...
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The Key to Sustainable Marketing Success
Send us Fan Mail Struggling to balance the urgent with the essential in your gym's marketing strategy? Discover how to master the art of balancing short-term wins with long-term growth in this enlightening episode of the Gym Break Cast. We unravel the complex relationship between chasing…
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The Smartest Way to Beat Your Competition
Send us Fan Mail Unlock the secrets to thriving in the highly competitive fitness landscape with Tessa from Pipeline Solutions, our special guest on the Fit to Grit cast. A former NCAA D1 softball player turned fitness coach and entrepreneur, Tessa brings a wealth of experience to this…
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Break Through What's Holding You Back
Send us Fan Mail Unlock the secret to overcoming marketing fatigue in your studio or athletic-driven brand with our latest Gym Break cast episode. Join me, Zach Coleman, as I reveal personal insights from my journey as a business owner and marketing agency leader. Discover how recognizing the…
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Are You in the Right Community for Success?
Send us Fan Mail Discover the secrets of community-driven success in the health and wellness industry with our guest, Brian Von Aiken. As a seasoned veteran, Brian shares his journey from working with Tough Mudder to founding the Wellness Growth Mastermind—a dynamic community where leaders...
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The Marketing Word We Avoid
Send us Fan Mail Discover the secrets behind transforming your gym or studio business as I, Isaac Coleman, unravel the complexities of marketing that might hold you back. With insights drawn from my extensive experience in the sports and entertainment industry, I'll challenge the stigmas...
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Attract Better Clients for Bigger Wins
Send us Fan Mail Life can often feel like a game, one where strategy, humor, and unexpected inspirations guide us through its complexities. Imagine viewing your everyday challenges as levels in a video game, where you learn to laugh off minor annoyances and focus on the truly important quests.…
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About this show
Fit to Grit is an audio/video/newsletter hybrid featuring in-depth conversations with leadership within the athletic space. Guests range from top executives within the athletic space to professionals in adjacent industries with a proven track record of success working in the athletic industry.
We explore visionary ideas and practical strategies driving the industry forward, covering areas such as marketing, finance, branding, equipment, product development, biz dev, and more. Join us as we share actionable insights and real-world experiences while embodying the "fit to grit" spirit.
Hosted by
Zachary Colman
Categories