Fitness gurus: Lifting entire gyms and not just weights

What can we learn from the gurus of the gym world?

The fitness industry like many other industries has its fair share of gurus. People whom others look to for advice and inspiration about getting to the next level. Or even surviving the level they are on. So what are their major learning points and lessons they have to teach us?

Fitness gurus tend to be interesting charismatic people who have had their fair share of knockbacks as well as successes. They look as good on YouTube as they do on a gym mat,  and their histories generally make for interesting reading.

Here are two people we thought you should know about., if you haven’t heard about them already, and some of the wisdom they import.

Vince Gabriele: The fitness guru

Vince has published no less than 8 books about the insights of the fitness business. He is also co-founder of KISS Marketing, a go-to digital marketing agency for America’s gym owners. Vince also has multiple sports and athlete-based programs under his belt. 

Like many aspiring athletes, Vince dreamed of playing in the NFL. But in 2001, an unexpected injury forced him to abandon that ambition entirely. But it turned out to be something of a blessing in disguise, and Vince discovered his new passion: the weight room. Somehow, the experience also brought Vince an important life lesson here: “Strength wasn’t just physical, but about pushing your limits through challenges,” 

Vince had majored in business but was always drawn to fitness, which set the stage for his journey into personal training. His career as a personal trainer started with an internship at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego. After spending five years in Physical training, he became a personal trainer for NFL athletes, so now he was training the players rather than being one himself. It was a variation of the original dream but one that he seemed destined for.

In 2007 Vince opened his first gym, Gabriele Fitness & Performance, with his wife, Vanessa. And it had a very humble beginning: Mike was training people in his mom’s basement and when weather permitted, just using local fields. 

By 2009, they signed a lease for their first facility. But as their gym grew, so did their problems. A lawsuit in the first few months, coupled with severe financial strain, tested Vince to the limit. Despite earning a substantial income in the gym’s early years, he had somehow learned nothing about money management. He soon found himself unable to pay a hefty tax bill. 

Vince also says that the MasterMind community was a big help during the dark days. Having people of the same mindset and collective wisdom gave him the tools to tackle his problems head-on. This way, he stayed focused on making better decisions and long-term success. Fast-forward to today, Gabriele Fitness & Performance has grown immensely. 

Despite the ups and downs, his ability to learn, adapt, and lead with clear eyes has kept the gym thriving for over a decade and his audience clicking on his videos.

What Vince has to teach us:

1. The value of small group training: Personalized, community-oriented approach often drives better results compared to larger, less focused classes. Vince emphasizes how this model can build stronger client relationships and improve retention. 
2. Be accountable for results: Vince encourages intelligent, result-driven fitness services but he says be wary of overtraining and injury. Vince emphasizes trust, hard work, and creating an enjoyable, engaging environment that fosters long-term good fitness habits.
3. Remember you’re a leader: As a gym owner you are leading a team who are leading your members to a higher level of fitness. Keep asking what makes leaders great and how they find their style of leadership.
4. Get a mentor to make sure you’re doing it well: Vince is passionate about guiding gym owners to run profitable businesses that can grow independently. He teaches gym owners how to design a business model that thrives even when the owner isn’t physically present. Work life balance is important, but you don’t have to be present to be driving your gym forwards.

Mike Arce: The struggles of a fitness marketing guru

Mike Arce set up Loud Rumors which has helped more than 2,600 gyms and studios grow, with an average growth rate of 89.6% in their first year. His marketing strategies have delivered an amazing 270.4% ROI for clients, helping them not just survive but thrive.

So, what’s Mike’s philosophy? Coaching. He believes that just like in fitness, in business, having the right coach can make all the difference. Now, Mike has become that mentor for countless fitness professionals, helping them not just get by, but truly succeed.

Mike Arce’s story really starts in 2001, when he was 19, competing in martial arts. Knocking out 180-pound opponents wasn’t easy for someone weighing just 135 pounds. Mike wanted to get stronger, but without YouTube tutorials and personal trainers, he had to figure it out himself. But every setback ignited a passion for fitness that would shape his future. As his muscles grew, so did his passion for fitness. 

Mike’s passion led to a pivotal decision to switch his college major from business to kinesiology. He wasn’t just interested in working out; he wanted to understand the science behind fitness. It clicked for him. 

By the time he graduated, he had four certifications under his belt. His next move? Leaving his part-time waiter job for a full-time role as a personal trainer at LA Fitness. He threw himself into the fitness industry, working over 60 hours a week. His hard work paid off when he broke the gym’s sales record, quickly rising to assistant manager and then general manager. His career was on the fast track, but something still felt missing. He wanted more than personal success— to make a bigger impact.

In 2009, Mike took a leap and launched LoudRumor which changed not only his life but the lives of many others. Like so many entrepreneurial journeys, its starting wasn’t glamorous. Mike and his wife ran the business out of their garage, living off ramen noodles, struggling with eviction notices and financial strains. But those hardships didn’t break him. If anything, they pushed him harder.

Mike always believed in the power of mentorship. For him, that mentor was the CFO of Cold Stone Creamery. Under his guidance, Mike sharpened his leadership skills and recalibrated his mindset. With newfound clarity, Mike turned his garage project into a fitness marketing powerhouse.

Of course, the road wasn’t smooth. One of the toughest lessons Mike learned was about people and how even good people might not be the right fit for the company’s long-term vision. He had to make tough calls and refine the way he ran his business. But with every challenge, Mike became more skilled and more focused.

Looking at Mike Arce today, it’s clear he’s far more than just a fitness marketing expert. He’s a pioneer in the fitness business world, a man who turned his passion for fitness and business into a legacy.

His journey shows that success isn’t about where you start but how you learn, grow, and give back.

The key planks of Mike Arce’s teachings include:

1. Profit over revenue: Mike emphasizes the importance of refining pricing strategies and improving profit margins and reminds us that this more than revenue is what counts. But to get that price point correct gym owners may have to overcome self-limiting beliefs about what they can and can’t charge their customers. Anxiety related to price increase is surprisingly common.
2. Marketing beyond social media ads: While many gym owners rely heavily on social media advertising, Mike encourages diversification. A comprehensive gym marketing strategy includes digital marketing, referral programs, and community engagement to drive growth​.
3. Your members can be your best promoters: Mike stresses the importance of expanding clientele through word-of-mouth marketing​. 
4. Resilience and adaptability: Cultivate a mindset focused on resilience, innovation, and problem-solving. Businesses create problems for you to solve every day, and the people who solve problems best, adapt best and ultimately outperform the rest.

No one is born a guru

Whether you find their advice helpful and inspiring or not, people like Vince and Mike are worth listening to, if only for their sheer energy and love of what they do.

No one is born a guru, it’s experiences that make them. Perhaps what these stories show is that a fair amount of adversity in the beginning creates the drive and ambition to succeed in health and fitness.