Beyond the Gym Floor: Why Creating a Multi-Business Model Could Be the Smartest Move You Make

 

Beyond the Gym Floor: Why Creating a Multi-Business Model Could Be the Smartest Move You Make

The fitness industry is full of passionate, capable operators. Many gym owners are excellent at running clubs, building member communities, and delivering great training experiences. But somewhere along the way, the belief that you need to “do it all yourself” has taken root—and in doing so, may be capping your growth and limiting the value you provide to members.

The future of successful fitness businesses may lie not in doing more yourself, but in creating an ecosystem: a collaborative, multi-business model under one roof that enhances your offering, supports long-term retention, and drives sustainable profit.

Why “Staying in Your Lane” Could Be a Power Move

At its core, a gym is a fitness space. But members don’t join just for access to dumbbells or treadmills. They join to feel better. To change something about their life. That journey rarely ends at just a gym floor workout.

They may want to lose weight. Sleep better. Build muscle. Fix an injury. Feel more confident. Eat better. Age well. And that means they need more than just training—they need a support system of services that wrap around their goals.

You could try to deliver everything in-house. Many clubs do. But often, this means you end up with underutilised space, overstretched staff, and half-hearted services that never really take off. Instead, imagine bringing in specialists and local entrepreneurs who are already brilliant in their niche—and giving them a platform inside your facility to thrive.

It’s not just smarter. It’s more profitable, more scalable, and far more valuable to your members.

The Power of the Collective Model

A multi-business fitness and wellness hub has the potential to become a true destination. Think of it like a retail park—but for health.

A place where people come not just for a gym session, but to see their physio, grab a protein-rich lunch, enjoy a recovery session, get advice from a nutritionist, or even take a moment of calm in a wellness pod or massage room. It’s a lifestyle, not a pit stop.

You’re not just creating a gym. You’re creating a health and wellness ecosystem.

Some real-world examples that show this model works:

• Third Space (London) integrates luxury gym experiences with medical-grade wellness services, spa treatments, and nutrition advice.

• Soho House clubs include co-working, social, F&B, spa, and wellness areas—not just for prestige, but because each element feeds into member experience.

• Smaller independents like The Foundry in the UK have created partnerships with brands like CryoLab and mental performance coaches to extend their value without bloating internal overheads.

What Could This Look Like in Your Club?

Think beyond the traditional tenant model. This isn’t just about renting out unused office space—it’s about strategic collaboration.

Imagine these under one roof:

• A nutritionist running 1:1 consultations and group weight loss clinics

• A sports therapist or physio offering injury rehabilitation on-site

• An external café operator that aligns with your brand, serving healthy meals and post-workout smoothies

• An EMS studio offering high-intensity, low-impact training as a separate business line

• A massage or recovery space using compression boots, infrared saunas, or cryotherapy

• A beauty or aesthetics therapist, or even a barbershop or tattoo artist, for clubs with younger or alternative markets

• A mental wellbeing coach providing coaching, meditation, or breathwork sessions

You can keep your focus on running a great gym—while these partners bring in new footfall, serve existing members, and pay you rent or commission.

Why This Works Financially

Here’s where it gets interesting.

You already have the overhead. The lease, the utilities, the insurance, the management structure. Adding another business under your roof doesn’t double your costs—it multiplies your value.

Let’s say you sublet 3 treatment rooms at £600/month each. That’s £1,800 per month in passive income. Or maybe a café contributes 5–10% of their turnover. Maybe an EMS partner pays for marketing space and books from your front desk.

Now combine that with what it does for retention. If your members can get more done in one place—train, recover, eat, relax—they’re more likely to stay.

Studies suggest the average gym member retention sits at around 14 months, but clients who engage in multiple services (e.g. PT + wellness) often stay 30–50% longer.

More services = more value = longer retention = better business.

Why It Also Expands Your Audience

Here’s another benefit: demographic reach.

The typical gym audience is still heavily skewed toward 20- to 40-year-olds. But what if you introduced services that appeal to:

• Older adults seeking injury prevention and joint care

• Parents looking for child-friendly classes or post-natal support

• Busy professionals wanting on-site food, recovery, and productivity tools

• People intimidated by traditional gyms but attracted by EMS or group yoga

These people might never have joined a gym—but they’ll walk into a wellness centre.

You diversify your audience, you increase your footfall, and you build greater brand equity in your community.

Why Don’t More Gyms Do This?

Some don’t know where to start. Others fear it means giving up control. A few are simply stuck in the mindset of “we do it all ourselves.”

But the truth is, trying to run five or six services internally—often poorly—is a fast-track to burnout, underperformance, and staff frustration.

Outsourcing, done well, can be your biggest lever for growth.

Start by asking:

• What do our members need that we don’t offer?

• What spaces are underused?

• Who in the local area already does this well?

• Could we collaborate in a way that benefits both businesses?

A Final Thought: Focus on Your Core, Empower the Rest

This isn’t about diluting your identity—it’s about focusing on what you’re best at and empowering others to do the same.

You remain the expert in gym operations. But alongside you are other passionate professionals who elevate your offer.

Together, you’re no longer just a club. You’re a destination.