What Great Gym Owners Do That Other’s Won’t

 

When you’re in a leadership role—owner or manager—it’s not just about making the right decisions. It’s about making the toughest right ones.

And those decisions? They’re usually about people. They shape your club’s culture more than any policy or promotion ever will.

In 2022, I walked the Gettysburg battlefields with my REX Roundtable. The leadership decisions made there—some bold, some delayed—shaped history. The lesson? Not making a decision is a decision.

Here’s a simple 3-step filter for big calls:

  1. What’s the upside if it works?
  2. What’s the downside if it bombs?
  3. Can I live with the downside—really?

Protecting culture might cost you in the short term—but it pays dividends in loyalty and legacy.

Jeff Bezos sums it up best:

“If the decision is reversible, go fast. If it’s hard to reverse, pump the brakes.”