The Business of Fitness Podcast

This is part two of a conversation between Tim Karajas and Dan on the Extension Fitness podcast. 

Tim and Dan we explore how to improve retention by helping our clients and members build long-term exercise habits within your business. They talk about practical strategies and mindset shifts you can use to turn your customers into life-time exercisers.

We work so hard to increase retention rates in our bus...

Dan was recently interviewed by Tim Karajas on the Extension Fitness podcast. This is part one of a two part conversation between Tim and Dan.

Today, you’ll hear Tim ask Dan about whether there are clues he can pick up on when first speaking with a business owner that let him predict whether a fitness business will be successful.

Dan talks about the importance of being unique, how to test n...

Dan Williams explores nine powerful ways fitness business owners can stand out by being truly different, because in today’s crowded market, being better isn’t enough. For each area of differentiation we’ll look at a well known business case study, and Dan will brainstorm some unique fitness business ideas.

5 things you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why competing by being ‘better’ traps you in a red ocean, an...

In this episode, Dan explores how successful fitness professionals are building multiple income streams. He covers real-world examples, lessons from failed ideas, and a repeatable framework to help you test your own.

Dan is joined by Bodie Webster from Intent Strength and Fitness, Jake Morgan from Habitual Strength and Conditioning, Aidan Dawson from CrossFit Access, Lucia Tennant from Formotion Physio, Scott Hook from Vasse Streng...

Today we’re talking about how to create better videos for your fitness business. 

In the first half of the episode, you’ll hear Dan talking to professional videographer, Bruce Garrod from Gingerbeard Media. This was part of a webinar he ran for the business owners he mentors.

Bruce teaches us how to create better video content with our phones. He covers the fundamentals of filming, lighting, audio, framing, composition, camera tech...

Here's something very different from my usual stuff.

Here’s something I wrote for myself to help me ‘work out life’.

It helped me.

Maybe it can help you too.

I cover:

• The role of pain and suffering in life. How do I remove them? Should I remove them?
• How can I balance ambition with contentment? Striving with settling? Journey an...

In this episode, I explore how Jesse from Bloom Allied Health consistently converts short-term trial clients into loyal, long-term customers, sharing her proven strategies to double client conversion rates.

5 things you’ll learn in this episode:
- How Jesse consistently converts 30–50% of trial sessions into long-term paying clients—double the industry average.
- Three practical strategies to effectively turn short-term or trial cl...

In this episode, I explore how Grant Hancock built a thriving fitness business with a 167-person waiting list by uniquely positioning his services, overcoming burnout, and balancing growth with life priorities.

5 things you’ll learn:
- How Grant created overwhelming demand in a regional location with minimal competition.
- The hidden downsides of rapid business growth—and how to handle them.
- Practical strategies to use scarcity e...

Exercise Professionals shouldn't sell 'exercise' or even 'results'. To create positive, long term change, they need to deliver an EXPERIENCE. In this episode, Dan explains why the best business strategy is to be DIFFERENT, not better.

5 things you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why trying to be better isn't enough—and how being different creates your own category.
• How to write a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that actually makes ...

Stories are the most powerful marketing tool we have for sharing ideas and experiences. In this episode, Dan shares the content from a presentation he's giving at the Exercise and Sports Science Australia National Conference in Hobart. He'll teach you how to craft and share stories to benefit your business, your career and the impact you have on the world.

5 things you’ll learn:

• Why stories outperform facts in driving behaviou...

In this episode Dan unpacks the six-step system he uses (and recommend to fitness business owners) for launching a successful fitness side hustle – from identifying real problems to testing and scaling the idea. This is based on the process we follow in the Fitness Side Hustle Project.

5 things you’ll learn in this episode:

Dan sits down with Renee Cabassi, who gets 80% of her new clients and members by being 'locally famous'.

Renee walks us through the actual steps she took to make her fitness business widely known and talked about in her local community.

This episode is extremely practical, and offers up clear and immediately actionable steps you can go out and take starting tomorrow.

If you want to create local buzz around your business, this is th...

In this episode I explore whether gym owners should add Hyrox training to their fitness business, by unpacking six key questions to help decide if it’s the right strategic fit.

6 things you’ll learn in this episode

• How to assess whether Hy...

Download the PDF accompanying this article.

Summary: In this episode I ask eight experts to rate the quality of ChatGPT generated training programs. I explore how AI-driven programming frees up hours for PTs by automating routines, preserving personal style, and allowing you to shift your focus to empathy and human connection. 

5 things you’ll learn in this episode

• How to use ChatGPT prompts to create programs for a w...

Summary: This episode uncovers the ten key questions every fitness business professional should ask to evaluate their side-hustle ideas, boosting the chances of success while minimising risk.

5 things you’ll learn in this episode:

• How urgency can determine the immediate success of your fitness side hustle.
• Why narrowing down your market size can help you attract paying clients faster.
• How pr...

Download the 2025 Fitness Business Strategic Plan here.

In this episode, Dan explores how to review your fitness business for 2024 and strategically plan for a stronger and more successful 2025 using a step-by-step framework and workbook.

5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to assess the impact your business has on your life and make adjustments for improvement.
• A method to...

Five things you'll learn in this episode:

1. How tracking every minute of work can transform your time management and life quality.
2. The importance of balancing billable and non-billable hours for business and personal success.
3. How to optimise your work schedule for deep, meaningful productivity.
4. Strategies to increase your hourly rate while reducing overall working hours.
5. Why time is your most valuable resource and how to priorit...

Here are the five things you'll learn from this episode of The Business of Fitness Podcast:

1. The five essential objectives every fitness business must meet to succeed.
2. Why failing to create value turns your business into a hobby.
3. How ineffective marketing leads to your business becoming a flop.
4. The risks of undercharging and failing to deliver value.
5. Why profitability is the ultimate measure of a sustainable fitness business.
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