Business At A Glance
Startup Costs: $10,000 – $50,000
Franchises Available? No
Online Operation? No
Business Overview
In the past 20 years, fitness centers havenot only proven to be popular and very much in demand by fitnessconscious consumers, but they have also been proven to be veryprofitable as a business opportunity. Opening a fitness center requirescareful planning and research, and the following are aspects of thebusiness that should be considered:
- Location. Where will the fitnesscenter be located, how much square footage will be required, what arethe leasehold improvements going to cost, is there good visibility,access, and parking, and is the business located in an area comprisedmainly of the target market customers?
- Operating format. Will thefitness center cater to all people, or will the focus of the businesstarget one specific group of people? Will the fitness center be fullservice, meaning optional aerobic classes and one-on-one personaltraining for clients?
- Staff. Is there access to trained fitnessinstructors and staff in the community where the fitness center isbeing established, and if so what are the wage and benefit demands, aswell as expectancy of staff in terms of career opportunities?
- Marketing. How will the fitness center be marketed? Will it be by wayof membership drive or a drop-in rate established? What enticements orservices will be used as a marketing tool to draw members fromcompetitors’ fitness clubs or facilities?
- Competition. How much localcompetition is there in the fitness industry, and is the competition inthe form of a chain fitness center, community-operated fitness center,or independently-operated fitness centers? How much does thecompetition charge? Is there the possibility of a price war? Can theproposed business gain enough clients to be profitable? What is theeffect on the business from potential future competitors? There aremany aspects to carefully consider prior to starting a fitness center.However, with careful research and proper planning a fitness center canbe a fabulous business to start, operate, and own, not to mention thatit also has the potential to be very profitable.