Professional Blogger & Writer

Communicating interesting business ideas to the lay public drives my writing. Within every private company or organization, there is a compelling tale. For many, their stories bubble up every day as they construct and run their companies. It's my job to recognize those stories and turn them into good, relevant content. For a full biography, please visit my LinkedIn page, where I am a LinkedIn ProFinder Pro.  

CSM Media & Writing — Sharing Business Stories Through Blogs, Websites, Articles & More

Catherine Mitseas

Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Data Transfer Nightmares: How Two Gyms Survived to Tell Their Tale.

Part 2 of 3-part series “Digital Handcuffs.”


The fear of a data transfer should never stop a business from switching gym software. Yet these two Gym Insight customers waited months before installing our award-winning software, only to learn their credit card information was held in digital handcuffs.


In this second of three blogs in our series “digital. handcuffs,” we profile two gyms who simply needed to change software companies — yet instead, faced months-long headaches as they fought...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

How Payment Processors and Software Firms Keep Gyms in Digital Handcuffs

Part 1 of 3-part series “Digital Handcuffs”


In this three-part series, we profile the challenges of switching software, and how fitness center owners are caught in digital handcuffs – tied to gym software because payment processors won’t release their members’ credit card information.  


One of Gym Insight’s biggest jobs is untangling a new client from their payment processor. It’s grueling work. Often our sales representatives spend months calling a merchant processor attempting to retriev...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

What’s the Key to Your Gym’s Profitability? 24/7 Access!

Client Profile: Legion Training Camp


In this client profile, we’ve asked the owner of Legion Training Camp questions of interest to every gym owner. Ross Anderson runs Legion part-time while working full-time as a pharmacist. He manages this feat by investing in good technology and keeping the right mindset on growth and change. 


Legion is a lifter’s gym in Clovis, California. It began as a Cross Fit gym in 2012 and continues to evolve as it grows. The center now offers a total of 6,000 sq...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Here are 7 Gym Software Complaints We Hear Everyday!

We all want to stand behind our gym software decisions.


Unfortunately, when it comes to gym management software, many health club owners realize too late that their software provider’s promises often fall short. Here are seven common problems our customers report experiencing while using our competitor’s gym management software:


This is often a case of an unresponsive software company. A good gym software provider will support your business from day one — even during construction. That in...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

10 Easy Ways to Encourage New Member Gym Attendance

How can you encourage new member gym attendance at your health club? Once you’ve signed your members up, what are some good ideas to ensure they return regularly?


The most obvious is to provide an exciting, encouraging environment catering to your target demographic. However, after getting the vibe down, here are 10 other thoughts we’ve heard about from our many discussions with gym owners.


Because it is how independent gyms survive. Unfortunately, major national health clubs almost pride...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Three New Hidden Features from Gym Insight. Ready to Run a More Efficient Gym?

Read on to explore our new logo, tips on better messaging, and customizable tax settings.


This issue of Hidden Features, we’re excited to unveil a fresh new look for Gym Insight! After 17 years of helping gym owners build profitable businesses, we’ve refreshed our logo, expanded our color palette, and redesigned our website—all to better reflect who we are today and where we’re going.


While our look has evolved, our mission remains the same: delivering powerful, easy-to-use software that h...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Successful Strategies for Semi-Private Personal Training

I am writing this week’s blog on semi-private personal training and how you can bring more money into your gym by implementing this one simple idea. Unfortunately, executing a successful semi-private personal training program in your gym is not as easy as I thought it would be when I began my research.


Why? Because deploying a group training session for two to six people with individualized goals requires advanced planning, thoughtful logistics, and a streamlined exercise program. Personal t...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Why Gym Owners Love the Gym Insight Member’s App

Part 3/3


The Gym Insight Member’s App proves not all apps are built the same — our app both saves gym owners time and decreases access theft — a major problem in the 24/7 gym industry. Unlike most fitness apps, ours is free for gym owners. It’s also fully integrated with our gym management software, so communication is instant, secure, and automatically saved to your database.


One word gym owners consistently use when talking about the Gym Insight Member’s App is “convenient.”


Just ask...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

How Fuel Fortress Became a Gym Franchise Powerhouse.

Customer Profile: Fuel Fortress


When Josh and Kaitie Biggs launched Fuel Fortress, they weren’t just opening another gym — they were building a movement. A luxury fitness gym franchise rooted in intentionality, community, and high-performance culture.


Their entrepreneurial journey began back in 2018 with Fuel Nutrition, a meal prep company that promoted healthy living in Bowling Green, Kentucky. But it wasn’t until 2022 that their shared vision took physical shape — as a luxury gym franchi...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

3 Reasons our Gym Member’s App is a Fan Favorite.

Our gym Member’s App is sure to be a hit with your fitness clients. Why? Because it is easy to use and packed with useful features.


In fact, we’ve heard luxury gym goers expect to use their phone as an entry key and to manage their accounts with the touch of a button. 


How do we know this? Because our gym owners tell us.


Josh Biggs, owner of Fuel Fortress, believes the our mobile-based app complements his gym’s high-end feel. Using the digital key tag’s QR coded embedded in the Member...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Why Our Free Member’s App Is Right For Your Gym

Let’s talk about what your gym really needs.


How about a simple, totally basic, preferably free Member’s App? One you don’t have to build yourself or manage in the Google or Apple App Stores?


Well, if you’re a Gym Insight customer, you already have one.


Gym Insight’s gym management software comes standard with a free mobile-based app downloadable through both Google and Apple. The best part? Your customers don’t even have to search for it. As soon as they sign up for a membership, they...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Plan Your Independence Day Promotions Now to Boost Gym Memberships!

July 4th promotion


Ready for one of the biggest holidays of the year? The 4th of July is a huge retail holiday. It is also universally liked. I mean, who does not look great in red, white and blue? 


As a gym owner, take advantage of this prosperous holiday by planning your Independence Day promotions now. 


Why? People love the 4th of July. The National Retail Federation reports 87% of people make a purchase for the holiday.


Your gym demographic. If your gym attracts younger people, d...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Discover a Better Way to Hire: White Label Personal Training Certifications

Profile: Focus Personal Training Institute, co-owner Joe Masiello.


What if you could offer new employees a white label personal training certification? Would it make a difference for you financially?


This is the idea behind Focus Personal Training Institute’s corporate program – a custom-designed personal training certification that can be “white labeled,” to streamline and simplify the hiring process.


It is a personal training program uniquely tailored for each fitness company. The gym...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Easy Gym Equipment Add-on’s for Extra Income

Are you looking for ways to add extra income sources to your gym? Simple gym equipment add-on’s that do not require a renovation, but can increase the value of your fitness center? In this blog, we’ve identified several companies offering innovative equipment sure to generate new customers and build revenue for your gym.


Sound Off is the world leader in “silent headphone” technology. These wireless headphones give gyms the opportunity to innovate on a practical level. Best known for being fou...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Why Your Gym Should Offer Private Label Products for an Easy Locker Room Upgrade

If your fitness business is considering a locker room overhaul, there may be a simple way to stand out from competitors without spending a fortune: Add privately labeled personal supplies to your locker room’s wet and dry areas.


Imagine the scent of cucumber melon, cocomango, or citrus nectar wafting through the showers. And—rather than scrambling for a leftover hotel sample—your members simply pump body wash from an easy-to-use bottle emblazoned with your gym logo. What an inviting way to st...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

What Does it Take to Run and Sell a Successful Gym? Let’s Chat with Two Gym Owners Who’ve Done Both.

Club profile: Empire Gym


Empire Gym in Savannah, Georgia, is an 800-member, 9,500-square-foot gym with an 1,800-square-foot “Arsenal” space dedicated to group fitness. 


Opened in 2023 by Mary and Jamie Cain, Empire gym’s topography also includes personal training, nutritional wellness, and annual community-building challenges. This is Mary’s third gym and Jamie’s second.


To learn more about what it takes to run and sell a successful gym, we asked the Cain’s a few questions. 


The gre...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Hidden Features: Check Out What’s New in Fitness Center Software at Gym Insight.

Videos, Awards, Travel, & Software Updates


Did you know you can watch our extended podcast in bite-sized two-minute videos? These shorts present the most relevant fitness center software updates, industry information and club advice from across our podcast selection.


Find the answer to questions such as “How can I compete with a new 24/7 gym?” or “How do I manage multiple gyms?” Listen to top gym owners spill their biggest mistakes, and share how they started in the industry and their best...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Why the Time is Now for Your Gym to Invest in Functional Fitness Certifications.

Look at these diagrams on the aging of America produced by the U.S. Census Bureau. If you are considering adding personal trainers who specialize in functional fitness to your gym lineup, these illustrations should convince you the time is right.


Functional fitness is the buzzword for training older adults striving to maintain their physical fitness and personal independence. In the case of this blog, we argue it can be a boon for gyms looking to attract members who are both financially capab...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

The Ultimate Leveler For a Healthier Senior Life: Activity, Support & Nutrition.

Client profile: Truly Fit & Well


There are fitness owners who respond to industry changes. And then there are fitness owners who create change. Truly Fit & Well, based in Norfolk Va., is the latter. Founded in 2019 by Beth Higgins, her company is an in-home personal training service for those over 55-years-of-age seeking to create a healthier senior life.


By meeting with mature adults in their home, she closes the gap between physical therapy and supportive services by providing personal t...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Meet Jaz: Our New Software Customer Support Star

Our most recent hire, Gym Insight employee Jaz Sewell, may possess the ultimate personality for software customer service. She’s calm under pressure, enjoys extreme adventures, and is a self-proclaimed nerd. 


In other words — the perfect employee for Gym Insight. Jaz joined us in December after spending 10 years as a supervisor at a juvenile detention facility. The intense work drew on her quick thinking skills at defusing high-stress situations.


Unfortunately, the supervisory position als...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Three Dirty Tricks Played by Gym Management Software Companies.

Gym management software should improve your health club’s operations — not nearly destroy it. Unfortunately, in an industry as unregulated as gym management software, “buyer beware” is one of the few pieces of advice you can count on. In this blog, we explore how four Gym Insight customers faced nightmare scenarios orchestrated by their previous gym management software companies.


Kelli Porter of Mountain Top Fitness Gym, LLC in Overgaard, Arizona, runs two 24/7 health clubs and franchises a...
Gym Insight Blog | The business of fitness •

Pros and Cons to Being an Independent Gym Owner

Should you open an independent gym or go with a franchise concept? In our previous blog, we considered the pros and cons of owning a franchise fitness center. Here, we take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of being an independent gym owner and starting your own health club. 
It is a sole proprietorship or LLC, started by an individual or partnership, that provides fitness services to the public — essentially, one of the estimated 17 million small businesses founded every year by aspiri...
Load More