Building a Gym with Real Community

Today I sat down with Jeromy Bryk, Owner + Head Coach at Bryksquad Barbell in North Royalton, OH, Elite Powerlifter, Natural Bodybuilder - servicing clients around the world in powerlifting, bodybuilding, and general fitness.

Jeromy’s journey from commercial gym trainer to successful gym owner and online coach offers a masterclass in building a sustainable strength and conditioning business. His story reveals the strategic decisions and mindset shifts that transformed his career from surviving to thriving. In just four years, Jeromy has built Brick Squad Barbell into a thriving hybrid coaching business with 40+ online clients, 35 gym members, and plans for expansion—all while maintaining over a year average client retention rate. These ten takeaways distill the most crucial lessons from his experience for coaches ready to elevate their practice and impact.

10 Key Takeaways from Building a Gym with Real Community

Embrace the Hybrid Model for Maximum Impact and Revenue

Jeromy's success stems from combining online coaching with in-person training rather than choosing one or the other. With 40-45 online clients and 12 consistent in-person clients, he leverages both touchpoints to create higher-value packages. This approach allows coaches to serve clients when they're not physically present while maximizing revenue per client through multiple service layers.

Start Lean and Scale Systematically

Instead of taking massive loans for equipment, Jeromy bought everything with cash, utilized Facebook Marketplace, and kept overhead minimal in a 1,400 sq ft facility. His "lean and mean" approach allowed sustainable growth without the financial pressure that kills many gym ventures.

Community Building Drives Retention More Than Perfect Programming

Jeromy maintains over a year average retention rate through team chats, group meets, and creating belonging. He organizes powerlifting meets where online and in-person clients meet, strengthening the entire community fabric.

Walking the Walk Creates Unmatched Credibility

Having completed 30+ powerlifting meets and continuing to compete, Jeromy can relate to his clients' struggles authentically. He emphasizes that certain experiences—like putting 800 pounds on your back or going through a bodybuilding prep—can't be taught without being lived.

Master the Pedestal-Relatability Balance

Clients need to see you as an aspirational figure while still feeling understood and unjudged. Jeromy achieves this by being transparent about his struggles and relating to clients at their current level rather than talking down from his advanced position.

Boundaries Are Business Assets, Not Limitations

Early in his career, Jeromy struggled with saying no and found himself resenting his business. Implementing clear boundaries—like not answering messages after 1 PM Saturday through Sunday—actually improved his service quality and client relationships.

Price Based on Value Delivered, Not Personal Comfort

Jeromy learned that underpricing creates scarcity mindset and actually hampers the quality of service you can provide. He emphasizes that taking care of yourself financially enables you to show up better for clients.

Treat Business Development Like Training Periodization

Jeromy and his wife set monthly objectives on a whiteboard and reverse-engineer daily actions needed to achieve them—exactly like programming a training cycle for strength gains.

Quality Before Scale—Always

Rather than rushing to expand, Jeromy focused on perfecting the experience for his current clients first. This approach creates organic growth through referrals and ensures that scaling doesn't compromise service quality.

Personal Development Is Professional Development

Jeromy credits therapy, working with business coaches, and continuous self-improvement as essential to his business success. He specifically mentions that addressing self-limiting beliefs and emotional regulation became crucial as his business grew.

The coaching industry needs more professionals like Jeromy—those who understand that true success comes from elevating others while building sustainable businesses. These insights from Jeromy's journey demonstrate that successful strength and conditioning coaching isn't just about technical knowledge—it's about building systems, relationships, and personal capacity that create sustainable impact for both coach and clients.

Find Jeromy:

Website - https://taplink.cc/bryksquadbarbell

Instagram - @bryk_squuaadd 

X - https://x.com/bryk_squuaadd?s=21

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