About Jim Thomas’ Fitness Management &
Consulting
Jim
Thomas is the well-known founder and president of Fitness Management
USA, Inc., a management consulting and turnaround firm specializing in the
fitness and health club industry.
With over 25 years of experience owning, operating
and managing clubs of all sizes, Mr. Thomas lectures and delivers seminars and
workshops across the country on the practical skills required to successfully
build teamwork and market fitness programs and products.
Since forming Fitness Management, Mr. Thomas has
been turning health clubs around at an amazing rate and garnering a reputation
as a producer of change…a sharp-eyed troubleshooter, a brilliant sales trainer,
and a motivator. Fitness Management
provides programs that show measurable results and Jim’s team is proud of their
ability to glean profit from every square foot of a client’s investment.
A dynamic, articulate motivator, Mr.
Thomas exudes confidence without artifice and accomplishes wonders
without the bruised feelings that can so often accompany change. “We pride ourselves in reaching people and
motivating change in a way that encourages self-esteem on the part of the
players.”
Whether you operate a health club, fitness center,
gym or other type club, Jim Thomas and Fitness Management have a program to fit
your need, expand your market base, and keep your members and staff productive
and enthusiastic.
Jim can be reached at jthomas@fmconsulting.net, 800-929-2898 or by fax at 214-292-9553
Characteristics of gyms that succeed
- The club conducted a third party feasibility study and projected
sales growth conservatively
- Management brought proven sales, service and management skills to
the project
- The club has sufficient operating capital to cover inevitable cash
shortfalls in its first 6 – 18 month period.
- The owners regularly reinvest in the facility.
- The club operates within normal industry expense range.
- The club enjoys a reputation for cleanliness, friendliness,
hospitality, efficiency and integrity.
- The club is involved in community activities and enjoys proactive
relationships with community leaders and community institutions.
- The size and scale of the club is consistent with the potential of
the market.
- The club negotiated lease agreements that keep lease payments, once
the club reached maturity, in the 15% to 18% range.
- The club exceeded its revenue projections in the first 12 months of
operation. The measure of a club’s
long-term success can almost always be accurately projected from how it
performed in its first 12 months. A
fast start is a sure sign of a successful club. Conversely, a slow start is almost
always a sign of future trouble.
Characteristics of gyms
that fail
- Developers never conducted third party feasibility study.
- Owners/managers had no previous club sales, service or management
experience.
- Club owners consistently chose not to reinvest in club while
continually extracting cash from club.
- Club had marginal location and/or poor visibility and
accessibility.
- Club facilities were inferior in size, quality, and cleanliness to
those of close competitors.
- Club never has sufficient operating capital.
- Club’s routine response to competition was discounting.
- Club was unable to operate within standard industry expense ratios.
- Club acquired negative image because of sales tactics, service
quality or unkempt facilities.
- Developers built “too much club,” I.e., the scale (size and cost)
of the project exceeded by far the ability of the market to support it.
Thought for the Day
A
man fell into a deep hole and couldn’t find a way to get out. Several people walked by and the man pleaded
for help.
Each person stopped and tried to help him, but none of them could see
how to get him out of the hole.
Then,
a friend was walking by, heard him crying out, and stopped. When the friend saw the situation, he jumped
into the hole.
The
man cried, “Why did you jump into this hole?
Now, we’re both in here!”
And
the friend replied, “Yes, but I’ve been here before and I know the way out.”
Moral: You don’t need to know how to do everything
yourself. You need to find enough
friends who can help you when you don’t know.
When The Going Gets
TOUGH The Smart Get Help
www.fmconsulting.net
800-929-2898 | jthomas@fmconsulting.net
| Skype: jtmanagement
New
Gym Start ups * Gym
Sales Training * Operational
Analysis/Troubleshooting and Turnarounds * Real
Estate Site Selection/Lease Negotiation/Broker * Webinars/Tele-Consulting
* Gym
Equipment and Accessories * Direct
Mail * Leasing
& Finance *
Corporate
Fitness Management * Health
Club Promotions
