"When I started this [gym], to me I had nothing to lose. I was already rock bottom." - Gunnar Edwards, Rally Point Fitness

Gunnar Edwards is an open book, and we appreciate his candor and willingness to tell us like it is. Today, we toured Gunnar's business - Rally Point Fitness in Tuscola at the former outlet mall.

"When I started this, I was going to figure it out no matter what," Gunnar said. "There's no book on how to run a business. You just have to figure things out as you go."

Rally Point Fitness opened in downtown Tuscola September 1, 2020. Two years later, RPF had grown to 2 storefronts downtown, occupying about 3,000 sq. ft.. Now, Rally Point Fitness occupies the 11,000 sq. ft. former Nike outlet.

Gunnar talked us through the decision to move his gym, his typical day, his employees, and his expenses - including his actual monthly expenses. He talked practicalities, like charges tacked on to the basic lease, how Ameren helped him replace fluorescent lights with LEDs, hopefully cutting his electric bill in half, the cost of his business loan (now paid off), employee pay periods, gym subscription renewal periods, and the cost of gym software to manage members and point of sale. He explained how he had planned to start his gym buying one machine at a time, until a connection told him about a gym in southern Illinois wanting to sell all of its equipment (over $200k worth, for $8k) that week. Two semis and two box trucks later, Rally Point Fitness had more equipment than it could fit. Gunnar is an open book, and so are his books, which really brought the business side of the gym to life for us.

So, how did Gunnar learn the gym business? "I've invested a lot in coaching to learn how to do this," he says. Services like Gym Launch, started and then sold by Alex Hormozi, taught Gunnar how to run his gym differently than most. Instead of monthly gym fees, where members come in when they want with very little interaction from staff, Gunnar is more full-service.

"I do things a lot differently than most other gyms," Gunnar says. He doesn't give his prices over the phone. He wants to sit down one on one with clients and discuss and set their health goals. He wants clients to make an informed decision, not an emotional decision based only on price. "With health, if you look at it like an expense, you'll fail every time."

Yes, his gym costs more than others. But one of the most valuable lessons Gunnar has learned is, "You can't sell people based off of your wallet or your emotions." When he first got into selling high quality supplements, he doubted Tuscola consumers would want to pay up for better supplements. But, he found that with the right social media marketing, honest testimonials and clear results, people were not questioning the cost, and supplements became a vital revenue stream.

"I don't really consider us a gym," he says. "We're a transformation center."

"I joined the military as a broken kid," he says. After Afghanistan "I was pretty jacked up. I always found myself in the gym - that was my escape, my therapy." After the Army, and working in a state prison, Gunnar definitely wants to help other veterans and first responders, so his gym strives to give them "a positive release" in a place they feel very comfortable, amid myriad flags and patches.

Many people have found release and transformation at Rally Point Fitness. Likely, one of the biggest transformations at Rally Point Fitness is Gunnar, himself.

Thank you, Gunnar Edwards, for taking time out of your busy day to share your entrepreneurial experiences and knowledge with us. We left with several practical and thoughtful lessons in hand.