He dragged a 420lb sled 500 miles alone in Antarctic... In this mind-blowing episode, Akshay Nanavati, author of Fearvana (with a foreword by the Dalai Lama), shares the hard-earned lessons he learned from solo expeditions across one of the most unforgiving places on Earth.

His journey from rock bottom to redefining fear itself will change the way you look at discomfort, anxiety, and even imposter syndrome.Whether you're a gym owner resisting expansion, an entrepreneur paralyzed by “what if,” or someone struggling with self-doubt, Akshay reveals a practical mental training framework to help you lean into fear and grow through it.

You’ll learn how to rewire your brain’s survival responses, use fear as fuel for courage and progress and build “mental muscle” through intentional discomfort. If you're ready to stop avoiding fear and start mastering it, this is the episode that flips the switch.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(02:13) The Origins of Fearvana
(06:03) Rider vs. Elephant: Training Your Brain for Leadership
(10:56) Mastering Yourself Through Exposure to Fear
(16:53) Acceptance of Is-ness and Taking Control of Reality
(20:49) Solo Trip Through Antarctica
(28:55) Imposter Syndrome: Why It’s a Sign of Progress
(32:04) Cold Pitching The Dalai Lama
(38:05) What Fearvana Actually Means & How To Use It

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

Connect with Akshay Nanavanti
Get His Book: https://www.amazon.com/FEARVANA-Revolutionary-Science-Health-Happiness/dp/1630476056
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearvana
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Fearvana
Website: https://fearvana.com

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Most gym owners start with a fitness passion, instead Sheetal started with a tech background and a structured business plan, and it worked. He built three Club Pilates studios that together do over $100K/month with 50% profit margins and scaled without him onsite. In this episode, you’ll hear how he built the system, sold the portfolio, and walked away with a multi-seven-figure exit.

We break down the real numbers behind his sale, how “add-backs” boosted his valuation, why clean P&Ls attract better buyers, and how NPS helped him grow without ads. Whether you're building for freedom, scale, or a future exit, Sheetal’s approach proves you don’t need to be a fitness expert to run a wildly successful studio, you just need to think like a business owner and implement the right systems.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(07:05) Scaling to A $100K/Month Portfolio
(11:10) Why Great Product Is the Best Marketing
(15:55) Using NPS and Online Reviews to Drive Growth
(23:12) Health Scare & When He Started Thinking About Selling
(27:24) Preparing for Exit: Financials, Add-Backs, Clean P&Ls
(36:01) Valuation Multiples: Portfolio Size & Profit Matter
(42:50) The Value Of Using A Broker vs. DIY Sale
(48:17) Why Future Gyms Must Adapt

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

In this powerful episode of Behind Gym Doors, Loud Rumor CEO Mike Arce joins Michael Benso on the Sweat Success podcast to share what truly separates thriving gyms from those that struggle to survive.

Mike goes deep on why marketing, sales, and retention strategies alone aren’t enough, and how building a high-performing team with clear standards can transform your fitness business. You’ll discover:

• Why 81% of gyms fail in their first year (and how to avoid it)
• How to get the right people in the right seats in your business
• How to tie compensation to outcomes
• How to raise your team’s standards so they self-correct, execute consistently, and win
• Why NLP and effective communication can unlock buy-in from your staff and members

If you’ve ever struggled with marketing campaigns that flop, team members who aren’t fully bought in, or retention issues that drain your profits, this episode is a must-watch. Subscribe to Behind Gym Doors for more real conversations with top fitness industry leaders who’ve built million-dollar gyms and businesses.

Check out Michael Benso’s Sweat Success Podcast: / @sweatsuccesspodcast 👉

Download Mike’s new book, The Standard, here: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA 👉 Join the next GSDCON fitness business conference: https://gsdcon.com/

Tai Kyon, owner of one of New York's most successful F45 studios, reveals how he turned his startup gym into a $100K/month powerhouse, without ads or gimmicks.

Formerly a 275-pound tech executive, Tai's personal transformation fuels a studio culture built on empathy, excellence, and elite service. Today, his team leads the most positively reviewed F45 franchise globally, powered by a $250/month kindness budget and a mindset rooted in “unreasonable hospitality.”

In this episode, Mike Arce covers how Tai mapped every member touchpoint, from the first walk-through to cancellation, to eliminate friction and create delight. From snow removal and childcare to handwritten holiday cards and birthday celebrations, this is a masterclass in how small moments drive massive results.

If you're ready to build a gym experience tailored to the customer that sells itself, this episode is for you.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(03:18) Tai’s 100 LB Weight Loss Wake-Up Call

(08:15) Stoicisms major Impact on Tai’s Life

(12:04) Random Acts of Kindness: The $250 KPI Explained

(21:09) Mapping the Member Journey To Remove Friction

(27:44) Specifics of Tai’s Unique Onboarding Process

(32:23) Why This F45 Is The Highest Rated In Network

(44:36) The Importance Of Creating Intangible Moments

(51:46) Time Is the Most Valuable Currency To Share

Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Get Mike's Book... The Standard Is You: The Gym Employee's Guide to Winning in Work, Life, and Leadership: https://a.co/d/atZ70dA

More From Loud Rumor Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/

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Mike Arce sits down with Megan and Scott Hanson, the founders of High Ride Cycle, to reveal how they’ve built a cult-like studio brand through next-level marketing automation, three iconic promotions a year, and an unforgettable in-studio culture.

They’ve grown to 800+ members across three locations while keeping their ops lean, their campaigns personal, and their customer journey fully mapped out from lead nurture to milestone celebrations to cancellation saves.

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(01:55) What Makes High Ride Culture So Addictive
(04:56) Automating the Customer Journey: Where to Start
(08:46) The Tools They Use: BrandBot & Mariana Tek
(13:05) Celebrating Members and Turning It Into Marketing
(19:17) The Cancellation Save Sequence
(25:00) How One Marketer Runs It All
(28:26) Inside Their Six-Figure Black Friday Campaign
(34:05) Targeted Promos That Actually Convert
(40:26) Scaling Automation Without Losing Your Mind
(46:04) Final Advice: Start Simple, Build Over Time

Enjoyed this episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest strategies from top fitness entrepreneurs.

🔔 Hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of The GSD Show!

🔗 Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

Connect with Scott & Megan
Website: https://www.highridecycle.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@highridecycle2859
Megan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megan_hansonn
Scott's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smhanson1

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Smart gyms don’t scale through hard working individuals, they scale through hard working systems. Grace Giles, the powerhouse behind one of the world’s highest-performing F45 studios, reveals how she turned burnout into balance, scaling to $141K/month while traveling and stepping away from daily operations. Grace shares how she leverages virtual assistants, tools like Loom and Canva, and detailed SOPs to free up her time while delivering elite-level client experiences. Her playbook is a masterclass for studio owners serious about sustainable growth.

In this episode of Behind Gym Doors, Mike Arce and guest Grace Giles break down what it takes to grow a fitness business that runs with precision, without burning you out. From scalable systems and long-term marketing to team accountability and member retention, this conversation delivers the tools you need to shift from working in your gym to leading above it.

Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(04:03) Planning for Slow Seasons & Building a Strong Team
(07:06) Systems Over People: The Foundation for Growth
(13:00) Long-Term Business Planning & Leveraging Technology
(19:44) Pricing, Value, and Mindset Shifts
(23:14) Team Culture: High Standards with Heart
(31:11) Engaging Community Through Events
(35:27) Hiring Philosophy & Leading with Grit
(42:19) Personal Growth & Vision for the Future

🔗 Ready to GROW your GYM? Schedule a free call to learn how we can help: https://loudrumor.com/discover

More From Loud Rumor
Website: https://www.loudrumor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudrumor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/loud-rumor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boom.loudrumor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoudRumor

Smart studios don’t just market, they engineer member behavior. In this episode of Behind Gym Doors (formerly the GSD Show), fitness business expert Mike Arce is joined by Dave and Kimberly from Blended Athletics, a high-performing gym in Nova Scotia, Canada. They break down the exact referral campaigns, email strategies, and retention formulas that drive over 90% conversion rates. This combination of strategies has maximized revenue per member without relying on costly paid ads.

Blended Athletics uses psychology-driven marketing emails, seasonal campaign planning, and strategic VA support to generate high-quality leads at scale. Discover why their biannual “$30 for 30” referral program outperforms industry-standard advertising, and how layering direct mail, social media engagement, and high-ticket offers creates a complete marketing ecosystem. Whether you're opening your first studio or scaling to multiple locations, this episode delivers step-by-step frameworks built specifically for fitness studios looking to win long-term.

Chapters
(0:00) Introduction
(1:37) Business Overview
(2:18) Marketing Strategies & Lead Sources
(6:00) Member Referral Campaigns & Sales Conversion
(10:00) Psychological Marketing Techniques in Emails
(28:30) Direct Mail Campaign & Organic Lead Generation
(33:00) Lead Quality, Sales Process & Virtual Assistant Role
(38:00) Marketing Philosophy & Multi-Channel Approach

Enjoyed this episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest strategies from top fitness entrepreneurs.

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More From Loud Rumor
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