In this episode of The Gym Owner’s Podcast, we sit down with Gonz, owner of The Kage Gym, to break down his incredible journey from inheriting a gym with only 10 members to building a thriving business generating $15,000/month in dues.

Gonz shares the real story behind the turnaround — from the early struggles of keeping the doors open to the strategic decisions that fueled explosive growth, including expanding his space, upgrading equipment, and creating an experience that keeps members coming back.

In this episode: ▶ The reality of taking over a gym with almost no members ▶ Key moves that drove growth from $7K to $15K/month ▶ Why expansion changed everything ▶ Lessons for gym owners who want to scale

Starting a gym can feel impossible until someone breaks down the actual steps.

In this episode of The Gym Owner’s Podcast, Anthony Pasquale sits down with Andrew Bono, a 23-year-old entrepreneur preparing to open his first gym, Agon Fitness. Instead of hearing from an owner years after opening, this episode captures the gym startup journey while it is still happening.

Andrew shares how he first connected with Gym Insight after seeing Steven Harvalias of Super Fitness talk about the software, and how those early conversations helped him start mapping out the path from idea to execution.

Anthony and Andrew walk through the startup process step by step, beginning with forming an LLC, getting an EIN, building momentum, preparing financial projections, and understanding why the first move is often the hardest. Andrew explains how creating his LLC took less than 30 minutes once he finally decided to take action.

The conversation also covers commercial lease negotiations and why new gym owners should avoid signing anything without the right guidance. Anthony and Andrew discuss lease terms, CPI increases, HVAC responsibility, location visibility, grocery-store foot traffic, and tenant improvement allowance that can help fund the buildout.

Andrew also shares his evolving approach to equipment, layout, and gym design. He originally wanted the modern all-black aesthetic, but learned that equipment quality, durability, member experience, and long-term value matter more than matching colors. The two discuss used vs. new equipment, turf, power racks, platforms, selectorized machines, and building a gym that appeals to everyday members without losing the serious training edge.

A major part of the episode focuses on SBA loans, financial projections, presales, founding memberships, and grand opening strategy. Anthony explains why starting with zero members creates unnecessary pressure and how presales can give a new gym a running start before opening day.

They also talk through cancellation policies, simple membership options, selling goals instead of prices, the power of giving a proper tour, and why thinking like the customer can help a new gym stand out.

For anyone who has dreamed about opening a gym but does not know where to start, this episode is a practical look at the real process: LLC, loan, lease, buildout, presales, software, and grand opening.

In This Episode:

• Opening a gym at 23
• Forming an LLC and getting an EIN
• Building financial projections
• Applying for an SBA loan
• Negotiating a commercial lease
• Understanding tenant improvement allowance
• Choosing gym equipment
• Designing a practical gym layout
• Creating founding memberships
• Building presale momentum
• Planning grand opening giveaways
• Keeping memberships simple
• Making cancellations customer-friendly
• Selling the tour before showing prices
• Using SBDC and SCORE as startup resources

Follow Andrew’s Journey: Instagram: @agonfitnessgym TikTok: @agon.fitness Facebook: Agon Fitness

Connect with Gym Insight: If you own a gym, studio, or fitness facility and want help managing memberships, billing, access, reporting, and daily operations, visit GymInsight.com or call 855-367-4967.

The Gym Owner’s Podcast is powered by Gym Insight.

THE SOFTWARE SWITCH THAT ALMOST BROKE THE BUSINESS

Data migration. Billing risk. A hard-earned lesson.

In Season 5, Episode 3 of The Gym Owners Podcast, Anthony and Natalia welcome Bernardo Guardado, owner of Iron Athletes Gym in Wallace, North Carolina, for an inspiring conversation about entrepreneurship, sacrifice, community, and building a fitness business from the ground up.

Bernardo's passion for strength training began with physical work on his family's farm. After working as a schoolteacher, he developed a vision for opening a fitness facility. When he discovered an underserved community where a gym had closed, he saw his opportunity.

But financing wasn't easy.

Instead of waiting indefinitely for a loan, Bernardo worked his primary job and took on DoorDash deliveries to fund his dream. After months of preparation, Iron Athletes opened in November 2022.

Two Weeks of Presales. One Major Victory.

Just two weeks before opening, Bernardo launched a low-barrier presale that generated enough revenue to cover his rent. Those founding members became the backbone of his gym community, with many remaining loyal years later.

When Gym Software Becomes an Obstacle

Bernardo shares the costly lessons of choosing gym management software that required separate applications for membership management and door access.

Members faced unnecessary steps, while annual maintenance fees required manual processing and spreadsheets.

When Bernardo migrated to Gym Insight, his member records transferred successfully, but his previous provider did not release payment information. Rebuilding those billing relationships required extra work and temporarily operating two systems.

His advice? Understand billing, access control, data portability, and customer support before committing to a platform.

00:00:00 — From DoorDash to Gym Owner

00:09:20 — The Software Nightmare

00:22:57 — Grow with Purpose

Growing Without Losing Your Purpose

Bernardo also discusses managing overhead, reinvesting in equipment, membership pricing, and expanding responsibly.

He explains why rate increases should deliver additional value, why networking with experienced owners matters, and why serving the community should always come before chasing expansion.

In This Episode:

• From schoolteacher to independent gym owner
• Working DoorDash to finance a gym startup
• Covering rent with just two weeks of presales
• Building loyalty through founding memberships
• Hidden overhead costs that threaten new gyms
• Avoiding disconnected billing and access systems
• Protecting payment data during software migrations
• Simplifying signups and member communication
• Knowing when to increase membership rates
• Reinvesting in equipment and the member experience
• Learning from experienced gym owners
• Building around your strengths instead of pleasing everyone

Whether you're opening your first gym or improving an existing operation, Bernardo's story proves that progress begins with action, success requires persistence, and a strong community makes all the difference.

Explore Gym Insight: https://www.gyminsight.com

Call: 855-367-4967

The Gym Owners Podcast is powered by Gym Insight.