The Fit to Grit Cast

Why Google Ads Outperform Meta | Built to Grow Podcast w/ Tim Lyons & Zach Colman

Send us a textIf 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 want training, not just another dopamine hit in their feed.With Zach Coleman in the studio, we break down a no-fluff playbook for turning Google into a dependable lead engine. We compare interruption vs intent, then walk through the campaigns that matter most for gyms: branded search, local “near me” keywords, and performance-focused structures that respect the finite demand in your market. You’ll hear how dynamic call tracking and source-level reporting end the attribution guessing game, letting you see exactly which clicks became calls, consults, and clients. We also dig deep on Google Business Profile and the local map pack, where proximity and reviews drive trust and foot traffic faster than a thousand boosted posts.You’ll get practical review tactics that compound: start with longtime clients, ask daily in small batches, write real responses, and tie reviews to referral incentives to attract more members who already fit your culture. Expect occasional review purges and keep stacking legitimate proof. We share current ROAS results, why we’re shifting budget from Meta to Google, and how to set expectations for seasonal demand without overspending.If you’re ready to stop guessing and start selling, this one gives you the structure, tools, and language to make the switch with confidence. Subscribe, share this with a fellow gym owner, and leave a review to let us know which tactic you’ll test first.Support the showSubscribe to our Newsletter: https://creatitive.com/fit-to-grit-cast/

The Truth About Fitness Studio Finances Nobody Talks About

Send us a textIf 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 of treating numbers like a verdict, we use them as a map to smarter pricing, cleaner costs, and clearer decisions that grow profit without chaos.We start with the emotional side of money—why shame keeps owners from looking at data—and walk through the Finance & Flow approach that pairs mindset with method. From there, we dig into the Owner Pay Roadmap to define what you need to take home, then reverse engineer revenue targets, capacity, and acquisition. On marketing, we set practical guardrails (5–10% of revenue) and press the key question: is the spend producing the right results? With a simple funnel—lead cost, trial conversion, member conversion, retention, LTV—you’ll know where to fix leaks and where to double down.Operations and payroll come into focus next. We connect offers to staffing and schedule design so your team supports demand sustainably. You’ll hear how a tiny $12.40 per-class improvement rolled into more than $20,000 a year, proving that small, low-risk changes compound. We also cover trimming expenses with a blunt filter—either elevate the customer experience or drive top-line revenue—and show how phases of testing turn “risk” into structured learning that powers scale.Along the way, Lauren and Lisa share a client journey from heavy credit card debt to multi-studio growth, four months of reserves, and confident marketing investment tied to ROI. If you’re a newer owner with at least a year in business and $250K in revenue, or a multi-location leader chasing optimization, you’ll find a clear, actionable path here. Join the conversation, borrow the KPIs, and start acting like the CEO your studio needs. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a fellow owner, and leave a review telling us the one metric you’ll track this week.Support the showSubscribe to our Newsletter: https://creatitive.com/fit-to-grit-cast/

How Much Should You Really Spend on Marketing Your Fitness Studio?

Send us a textEver 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 through underinvestment.In this eye-opening episode, I break down the critical formula successful studios use to optimize their marketing spend: the Lifetime Value to Customer Acquisition Cost (LTV/CAC) ratio. This powerful metric transforms how you view marketing expenses by showing exactly what you should spend to acquire new members based on their long-term value to your business. The ideal ratio? 3:1 - for every dollar spent on acquisition, aim to generate three dollars in lifetime value. I walk through practical examples, like how a studio charging $300 monthly with 10-month average retention can confidently spend up to $1,000 to acquire each new member while maintaining healthy profitability.What makes this approach particularly valuable is its ability to evaluate different marketing channels. Google ads might attract members who stay longer than those from Facebook campaigns. Community events might bring fewer leads but with higher conversion rates and retention. By tracking channel-specific metrics, you'll discover where to double down and where to cut back, optimizing your entire marketing strategy. As HubSpot research confirms, businesses tracking these metrics grow 2.5 times faster than those flying blind. Download our free worksheet from the description to calculate your own LTV/CAC ratio and transform your studio's growth trajectory. Stop guessing with your marketing budget - start scaling with confidence based on real numbers that matter.Support the showSubscribe to our Newsletter: https://creatitive.com/fit-to-grit-cast/

How to Calculate Your Studio’s LTV in 5 Minutes

Send us a textWhat 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 growth system.We start by nailing your real monthly revenue per member across all packages, not just the headline price. Then we layer in average membership lifespan, showing why channel and offer matter: a Facebook challenge member who stays two months isn’t worth the same as an intent-driven Google member who sticks for ten. Multiply to get gross LTV, and you’ll see immediately which campaigns deserve budget and which ones quietly drain profit.From there, we tighten the model with profit-adjusted LTV by subtracting the actual costs to serve—coaching labor, processing, and other variable expenses—so you can set smart CAC targets and know your break-even window with confidence. We share a client example where LTV rose from $500 to $1,500 once the numbers were measured correctly, unlocking bolder, smarter acquisition and more sustainable scale. And we highlight why retention is the real multiplier: one extra month can add meaningful profit without a single extra ad dollar. Expect practical guidance on segmenting LTV by channel, deciding when to reallocate spend, and building simple retention systems that keep members engaged longer.Ready to make your marketing dollars work harder? Listen now, download our free LTV/CAC calculator from the description, and tell us which channel brings your stickiest members. If this helped, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a studio owner who could use clearer numbers and calmer growth.Support the showSubscribe to our Newsletter: https://creatitive.com/fit-to-grit-cast/

Don’t Let Old Leads Go to Waste: Relaunch Strategies That Work

Send us a textAre 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 relaunch campaigns reveals how fitness studio owners can achieve 5-10x ROI compared to traditional cold advertising. When you hit that growth plateau—what industry experts call the "valley of death" between $250K-$850K in revenue—the solution isn't always finding new leads. Sometimes, it's reconnecting with people who already know your brand.The secret lies in four powerful strategies. First, segment your list for tailored messaging that speaks directly to each prospect's previous experience. Second, showcase what's new since they last engaged, highlighting the evolution of your studio. Third, offer something exclusive that makes them feel valued and special. Finally, leverage fear of missing out (FOMO) by creating urgency around limited spots and special opportunities.One studio I worked with implemented these strategies after believing their old leads were "dead." The results? They reactivated 20 past leads with a 75% conversion rate. This isn't just about quick wins—it's about fundamentally shifting from a transactional mindset to building genuine relationships. When you reach this plateau point in your business, it's time to systematize your messaging, clarify your values, and evolve from being stuck in operations to becoming a true visionary leader.Ready to transform your approach to past leads and break through your growth ceiling? Subscribe, leave a comment, and share this episode to join our community of studio owners committed to staying gritty and reaching their full potential.Support the showSubscribe to our Newsletter: https://creatitive.com/fit-to-grit-cast/