Gym Business Plan Template (Boutique Fitness Studio Example)
Gym plans are membership math: how many members, at what monthly price, with what churn, against fixed costs that do not care whether anyone shows up. This example for a fictional small-group strength studio builds the member count month by month.
Example business: Ironwood Strength Studio, a 3,200 sq ft small-group training studio in a light-industrial unit near residential neighborhoods. Fictional; the numbers are illustrative and consistent with each other.
Executive summary
Ironwood Strength Studio is a coached small-group strength gym with 8-person classes, 28 classes a week, and three membership tiers from $129 to $219 a month. The two founders are certified coaches who have run classes at a larger gym for five years and bring 90 clients who have said they will follow. They are investing $70,000 and seeking a $90,000 equipment loan. The plan projects 210 members by month twelve, $402,000 in year-one revenue, 4% monthly churn, and break-even in month six at 148 members.
Key numbers
| Model | Small-group coached classes, 8 per class, 28 classes/week |
| Pricing | $129 (2x/week), $169 (3x), $219 (unlimited); average $158 |
| Members | 90 at opening, 210 by month 12 |
| Churn | 4% monthly |
| Year 1 revenue | $402,000 |
| Rent | $5,300/month |
| Startup costs | $160,000 (equipment $88,000, flooring and build $42,000, software and AV $9,000, marketing $8,000, reserve $13,000) |
| Funding | $70,000 founders + $90,000 equipment loan |
| Break-even | Month 6 at 148 members |
Market
About 41,000 adults live within a ten-minute drive; fitness participation in the metro is above the national average and small-group training has been the fastest-growing gym format since 2022 (industry association). Two large chains and one CrossFit box serve the area; none offers coached strength classes at this size.
Competition
The chains ($35 to $70/month) compete on price and equipment access, not coaching. The CrossFit box ($185/month) is the closest model with a different style and a full schedule. Ironwood positions as the coached option for 30-to-55-year-olds who want strength training without the competition culture.
Marketing and sales
Founding-member rate ($139 unlimited, locked) for the first 100 members. Free two-week trial through a local employer wellness partnership. Instagram and a referral month free. Google Business profile with reviews from the first 50 members. Marketing budget $14,000 in year one, target cost per member under $60.
Operations
Classes 5:30 am to 8 pm weekdays, mornings on weekends. Two founders coach 20 classes a week; two part-time coaches cover the rest at $32 a class. Membership software with class booking, waitlists, and billing. Equipment: 8 racks, barbells, dumbbells to 100 lb, rowers, turf lane. Liability insurance and waivers; a first-aid and AED plan.
Risks and what the plan does about them
- Churn above 5% would push break-even to month nine; the plan tracks class attendance and contacts anyone who misses two weeks.
- Injury liability: coaching ratios are capped at 1:8 and every member does an intake session.
- Founder capacity: the part-time coaches are hired before opening, not after.
Your gym / fitness studio plan, from your numbers
Answer twelve questions about your own business and get all ten sections written with the arithmetic shown, plus a one-page summary. Nothing invented; every figure to verify is listed. $29, once. Write my business plan