🌎 This week, Mateo sat down with Stu Brauer from WTF Gym Talk and the Gym Real Estate Company. Stu breaks down how he used gym cash flow to buy a 10,500 sq ft building with an SBA loan, filled the extra space with tenants to slash his monthly costs, and eventually sold the gym and leased the whole building. We also get into how to find the right location using customer data, why confusing zoning with building use is an expensive mistake, what lenders look for when underwriting a gym SBA loan, and why shopping for real estate before you're ready can quietly kill your reputation with listing agents.

P.S. If you like the show, then you'll love the Gym World newsletter. Every Friday, John Franklin breaks down the possibilities of making money in the fitness industry. Subscribe here, so you don't miss out.

📱 Socials:

WTF Gym Talk (Instagram)

WTF Gym Talk (Website)

The Gym Real Estate Company (Instagram)

The Gym Real Estate Company (Website)

📺 Watch On:

https://www.youtube.com/@GymWorldWorldwide

🔥 Show Notes:

• (0:00) - Visibility vs. Digital Presence: What Actually Drives Gym Traffic
• (2:25) - How to Use an SBA Loan to Buy Your Gym's Building
• (5:48) - The Right Time to Buy: Why Peak Profitability Is Your Window
• (7:19) - How to Evaluate a Location Before You Sign Anything
• (12:24) - Trade Area Overlap: How to Open a Second Location Without Cannibalizing the First
• (16:47) - Test Fits and Construction Costs: What Gym Owners Always Underestimate
• (20:40) - Working Backward: How to Model Expenses Before You Commit to a Space
• (24:28) - Open Gym vs. Semi-Private: Pros, Cons, and Square Footage Reality
• (33:13) - Anchor Tenants: When Paying for a Premium Location Is Actually Worth It
• (36:18) - How to Set Yourself Up for an SBA Loan Two Years Before You Need One
• (40:00) - Why the Land Is the Real Long-Term Play
• (44:29) - Buying Land vs. Building Out: The Real Costs and Timeline
• (47:20) - The Important First Step for Gym Owners Ready to Get Into Real Estate
• (48:26) - Where to find out more about Stu
• (48.43)- Run a successful gym with Kilo (visit https://usekilo.com/)