Most gym owners make the same mistake—they rent space to personal trainers and rely on membership fees. But this model has a low revenue ceiling and makes it difficult to scale. Lewis Majid, owner of Black Country Barbell, discovered a better way. By shifting to a hybrid model that combines 1-1 coaching, online training, and structured gym access, he grew his business to £50K/month and he’s just getting started.
Key Highlights:
1. Why Renting Space to PTs is a Losing Game
Many gym owners think renting space to PTs is an easy revenue stream. But this limits your earning potential and gives you no control over the client experience. Lewis realised that when a bad PT provides poor service, it reflects on the gym’s reputation even if he had no direct involvement. Instead, he decided to own the client relationship and ensure high service quality.

2. The Hybrid Model That Skyrocketed Revenue
Lewis introduced a structured onboarding process where every member starts with a 12-week coaching phase before gaining open gym access. This means clients get expert coaching first, making them better long-term members leading to higher retention and increased lifetime value.

3. Controlling the Client Experience = Higher Retention
One of the biggest problems in fitness businesses is client churn. By designing a system where every client receives tailored guidance, Lewis created a business model that keeps members engaged long-term. This also eliminated the issue of unregulated PT pricing, where some trainers charge £20/hour while others charge £50 leading to client confusion and instability.

4. The £50K/Month Blueprint for Gym Owners
Lewis’ journey wasn’t overnight success he spent years refining his business. But by implementing structured onboarding, a hybrid model, and strong retention systems, he built a highly profitable gym business. His next step? Expanding to a second location with small group training to scale even further.

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