As a retired gymnast, you may be looking for a business opportunity to guarantee yourself an income for the future. Naturally, you’ll probably decide to continue doing what you do best – gymnastics. You can do what you love and earn an income from it, with your own gymnastics studio.
Whether you choose to offer personalized coaching for professional gymnasts, beginner’s lessons, or gymnastics-based fitness classes for city dwellers, is up to you. But if you follow our 5 steps to opening your own gymnastics studio, you can’t go wrong.
Choose A Niche And Become Licenced
There are many ways you can approach your new business. The simplest way to get your business up and running is to choose a niche.
This can be anything from urban dwellers looking for a healthier lifestyle, to young kids starting in gymnastics. Once you have determined your niche, you can get licensed. The type of classes you intend to offer will influence your choice of certification.
Investigate your options and, if necessary, do a short course to increase your qualifications. Many of these courses are available online, and you can do them at your own pace. And you can also continue studying toward further certification once you have opened your studio.
Invest in Business Automation Software
Invest in your business with specialized software for gymnastics studios. Automation is the key to any successful business, including yours. It will help you to operate more efficiently and reduce the time spent on day-to-day admin tasks.
Running a gymnastics studio will keep you very busy, so you need all the help you can get.
Forget about constant data entry. The right software will take care of your background office work while you get on with coaching your clients. Everything from member onboarding to cash-flow management and setting up a website is possible with software dedicated to the fitness industry.
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the software, you can move on to the more concrete steps of opening your business, like finding a studio and getting it set up.
Find Studio Space And Plan The Layout
When choosing your studio space, factor the location and your target market into your decision.
If you are offering gymnastic exercises for urban dwellers, is the studio located in an area where your target market resides? If you’re planning on coaching kids in gymnastics, is there a need for it in the area where your studio will be? It is wise to check the crime stats in the area if you intend to offer gymnastics classes for children.
Once you have chosen a good studio space that is in the ideal location and meets your budget, plan the layout. You will need changing rooms, restroom facilities, a gym, and office space. Check that the plumbing works and that there are enough electrical sockets where needed.
Also, keep in mind that accidents can happen. This is one of the risks of opening a gym of any kind. Check your chosen studio space for any hazardous features or materials that may cause harm to your clients. And protect yourself with the best insurance for your needs.
Purchase Gymnastics Equipment
Now that you are certified and ready to get started, you need to fill your studio with the necessary gymnastics equipment. And don’t forget, you will also need certain items for the changing rooms, restrooms, and the office.
But there are many creative ways to tackle the issue of gym equipment and furniture expenses. Take advantage of bulk buys, sales, and discounted demo model items.
Because the costs of equipment can run high, you may want to consider entering into a sponsorship deal with a supplier. Sports sponsorships are a multi-billion dollar industry, and sponsorship deals, even on a lesser scale, can be lucrative for both parties. Remember, you don’t have to start with all brand-new gym equipment and furnishings if you’re on a tight budget. Look online for good quality used gym equipment too.
Hire Trained Staff And Start Marketing Your Business
The next step is to hire capable staff and train them to use your chosen gym management system. Ensure that they are 100% digitally fluent and know how your system operates before opening your studio to the public.
With your gymnastics studio all kitted out, and your staff in place, all that’s left to do is to market your business. There are several ways to do this. Invest in online advertisements, social media marketing campaigns, or even flyers that your staff can hand out at schools. Your chosen niche will determine your choice of marketing.
Depending on the service you wish to offer, be sure to select staff with the right qualifications. Check their qualifications and references, and if necessary, offer further training. And if you intend to work with children, do thorough background checks on all prospective employees.
