Gymnastics centre in your own premises

Families of children from toddler age up, adult beginners, and parents booking birthday parties and holiday camps.

Monthly or term class fees, competitive team fees, camps, parties and sometimes apparatus rental to other groups. Main costs are rent, coach wages, insurance and equipment.

• Gymnastics coaching and programme planning
• Managing and hiring coaches
• Budgeting and lease negotiation
• Marketing to families

• Zoning, building and fire code approvals for the unit, check with your municipality before signing a lease
• Commercial general liability insurance with cover suited to gymnastics, and waivers parents sign
• Coach certification, police record checks and safe sport policies, check provincial requirements
• WCB/WSIB registration when you hire staff, rules vary by province
• High fixed costs, so a slow first few months can be a big risk; keep cash reserves
• In Quebec, check French-language rules for signage and customer communications

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $60,000 to $300,000, depending on the size of the unit, lease terms and how much apparatus you install, such as a sprung floor, vault, bars, beam and foam pit.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on membership numbers, whether you run teams, camps and parties, and your pricing. Fixed costs are high, so keep cash reserves for slow months.

Check zoning, building and fire code approvals with your municipality before signing a lease. Check commercial general liability insurance suited to gymnastics, parent waivers, coach certification, police record checks, safe sport policies, WCB or WSIB registration, and Quebec French-language rules.