Stop signing up members who quit in 90 days.
Build a studio that retains.
We work with boutique fitness studio owners doing $400K-$2M in annual revenue (CrossFit, Pilates, yoga, F45, Orangetheory-style, spin) who are tired of the membership churn rollercoaster. Our 12-month engagement gets you to 75%+ 12-month retention, 85%+ class capacity, and 20%+ net margins.
8 patterns we see in >70% of fitness studios
12-month member retention under 50%
Root cause: No onboarding system for new members. New members hit weeks 6-10 plateau and quit. Studio replaces them with new members - treadmill never stops.
What we do: Structured 90-day new-member onboarding: weeks 1-2 intro intensive, week 4 progress check, week 8 community integration, week 12 retention conversation. Retention lifts from 45% to 75%+ within 12 months.
Class capacity averaging 50-65%
Root cause: Schedule built around instructor preferences, not member demand patterns. Off-peak classes drag average down.
What we do: Schedule audit: capacity-by-class-by-time analysis. Cut bottom 20% of class slots. Concentrate on peak demand windows. Target 80%+ capacity on retained classes.
Mindbody/Mariana Tek POS underutilized
Root cause: Studio uses for booking only. Not running retention campaigns. Not tracking attendance patterns. Not running win-back flows for at-risk members.
What we do: Full POS deployment: at-risk member alerts (4+ days no visit), automated win-back campaigns, attendance-pattern dashboards, lifetime value tracking by member cohort.
Pricing not differentiated for usage (all-you-can-eat or class packs)
Root cause: Pricing model doesn't match member behavior. Heavy users get bargains, light users feel they overpay.
What we do: Tiered membership: Basic (4 classes/month - $89), Standard (8 classes - $149), Unlimited ($199), Premium-unlimited + perks ($249). Migrate existing members carefully. Average revenue per member up 15-25%.
Instructor compensation purely per-class (no incentive for retention)
Root cause: Instructors paid $25-50 per class regardless of member retention impact. Best instructors leave for higher per-class rates elsewhere.
What we do: Hybrid comp: base per-class + monthly bonus tied to class capacity + member retention. Best instructors become studio owners' biggest retention asset.
No new-member referral system
Root cause: Studio relies on Google Ads and Instagram for new members at $60-120 CAC. Members refer friends informally, no incentive structure.
What we do: Structured referral program: free week + 20% off next month for member, free week trial for friend. Referral becomes the lowest-CAC channel (target: $15-25 CAC).
Owner-instructor teaching 18+ classes per week
Root cause: Owner is the lead instructor. Member loyalty tied to owner personally. Studio can't scale because owner can't step away.
What we do: Owner-instructor reduces teaching load to 8-10 classes/week over 9 months. Develop 2-3 'signature' instructors who carry their own following. Member loyalty shifts from owner to studio brand.
Retail revenue (apparel, supplements) under 3% of revenue
Root cause: Studio doesn't carry retail or has dusty unsold inventory.
What we do: Curated retail (8-12 SKUs, not 80): branded apparel + 2-3 supplement partners on commission. Target 8-12% retail mix within 12 months.
The numbers we hit
| KPI | Market avg | Plan B target | After 12 mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month member retention | 40-55% | 75%+ | 65-78% |
| Class capacity utilization | 50-65% | 85%+ | 75-88% |
| Average revenue per member (monthly) | $110-$165 | $200+ | $170-$220 |
| Member CAC (cost to acquire) | $80-$150 | <$50 | $40-$80 |
| % revenue from MRR (vs. drop-ins/packs) | 55-70% | 85%+ | 78-88% |
| Owner-instructor weekly classes taught | 15-22 | <10 | 8-12 |
| Net profit margin | 5-12% | 20%+ | 15-22% |
What working with us looks like
- 01
Month 1: Retention + capacity deep-dive
We pull 13 months of POS data. Every member's attendance pattern, every class's capacity-by-time, every instructor's retention impact. We identify exactly when and why members quit.
- 02
Months 2-3: Onboarding system + schedule rebuild
90-day new-member onboarding journey goes live. Schedule audit complete - bottom 20% of slots cut. At-risk member alert system deployed in Mindbody/Mariana Tek.
- 03
Months 4-6: Pricing + instructor comp restructure
Tiered membership pricing rolls out with careful migration of existing members. Instructor compensation restructured to include retention bonuses. Referral program launches.
- 04
Months 7-12: Owner freedom + compounding
12-month retention crosses 70%. Capacity above 80%. Owner-instructor teaching 10 or fewer classes per week. We shift to quarterly cadence.
Common questions from fitness studios owners
What size studio is this for?−
Our concept depends on the owner-instructor's energy. Can we really reduce their teaching?+
What about franchise models (F45, Orangetheory, Pure Barre)?+
We're a one-on-one personal training studio, not group classes. Does this apply?+
What POS systems do you work with?+
Will you help with Instagram and content?+
Who does the work?+
Fee structure?+
Stop selling memberships that quit.
30-minute strategy call. We'll diagnose your top 2 levers and tell you if we're a fit. No pitch. No pressure.