We're gym owners. Just like you.
Every single person on our team is a successful gym owner doing $50K+ per month. We're not marketers who read about gyms — we're gym owners who mastered marketing. That's the difference.
From gym owners to gym growth partners.
We know what it feels like to run a serious gym business and still hit a revenue wall. We've been the ones investing in mentorship, building systems and processes, and running a real operation — only to wonder why the growth won't come.
We've felt the frustration of watching leads ghost. We've dealt with the no-shows. We've experienced the revenue plateaus that keep smart operators stuck.
That experience is exactly why LASSO exists.
We didn't just study gym marketing — we lived it. And when we finally cracked the code on predictable growth, we realized other gym business owners needed the same system. So we built it. And we've been installing it in gym businesses across the country ever since.
Meet Blake & Sherman.
The gym owners who built the framework.
Blake Ruff
Co-Founder & Growth Strategist
Blake is a StoryBrand Certified Guide, gym growth strategist, and co-host of the Gym Marketing Made Simple podcast with 125+ episodes. He's managed over $2M in Facebook ad spend specifically for gyms and has helped hundreds of gym owners install predictable growth systems. His approach is direct, data-driven, and built on real-world results — not theory.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Blake got into this because he watched too many smart gym owners stay stuck — not because they lacked work ethic, but because they lacked the right marketing system. He's obsessed with building frameworks that take the guesswork out of growth so gym owners can focus on what they do best: changing lives.
SUCCESS STORY
Blake has helped over 500 gym businesses implement the LASSO system, generating $30M+ in tracked client revenue. His clients consistently add 8+ new members per month and break through revenue ceilings that kept them stuck for years.
Sherman Merricks
Co-Founder & Sales Systems Expert
Sherman brings deep expertise in sales training, conversion optimization, and gym operations. As a former gym owner himself, he understands the daily challenges of scaling a fitness business. He's the architect behind LASSO's sales systems that consistently produce 70%+ close rates and 80%+ show rates on cold traffic.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Sherman saw firsthand how many gym owners were great at coaching but struggled to close leads. He built LASSO's sales system because he believes every gym owner deserves a repeatable process that turns leads into paying members — without feeling salesy or pushy.
SUCCESS STORY
Sherman's sales methodology has been installed in hundreds of gyms across the country. His speed-to-lead systems and objection handling scripts have helped LASSO clients achieve 60%+ show rates and 70%+ close rates, turning cold traffic into long-term members.
Strategy & Sales.
Gym owners who've built, scaled, and sold their own businesses.
Josh Martin
Strategic Growth Specialist
Josh is a seasoned fitness industry veteran who left his corporate career in 2011 to open his own gym — with a pregnant wife and a strong sense of purpose. He ran Coaching For Glory for over a decade, building it into a thriving community-focused gym. He's also the co-founder of Two-Brain Coaching, one of the most respected coaching education programs in the industry.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Josh believes every gym owner has the potential to build something extraordinary. Having made the leap from corporate America to gym ownership himself, he knows what it takes to bet on yourself. He's dedicated to helping entrepreneurs find their purpose, refine their leadership, and create a business that supports the life they want.
SUCCESS STORY
Josh successfully built and operated his own gym for over a decade while co-founding Two-Brain Coaching, which has trained thousands of fitness coaches worldwide. His journey from corporate employee to gym owner to industry-wide mentor is a testament to the power of betting on yourself and building systems that scale.
Jeff Burlingame
Sales Advisor & Gym Sales Coach
Jeff brings 15 years of sales experience in the fitness industry. He founded Friction Grand Rapids, a CrossFit gym, in 2014, grew it for five years, then successfully sold it to two of his original coaches in 2019. Before that, he managed seven gyms for a large fitness organization. He holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science and specializes in relationship-based, repeatable sales systems.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Jeff started as an underpaid personal trainer who felt undervalued in the industry. That experience lit a fire in him to master sales — not the pushy kind, but the kind that genuinely helps people commit to changing their lives. He's passionate about giving gym owners a simple, repeatable sales process so they never have to wing it again.
SUCCESS STORY
Jeff built Friction Grand Rapids from scratch and successfully exited by selling it to his own coaches — the ultimate proof that his systems create leaders, not just followers. His 'No Sweat' sales methodology and temperature-check closing techniques have been adopted by hundreds of gym owners through LASSO.
Your dedicated growth partners.
Every Growth Specialist is an active gym owner running a successful business. They've implemented the same systems in their own gyms — so they know exactly what works.
Tommy Allen
Gym Growth Specialist
Tommy started in finance during the 2008 financial crisis before rediscovering his passion for fitness in 2013 at a CrossFit gym. He began coaching in 2015 and took over an existing gym in 2019 to create District H Strength and Fitness. His finance background gives him a uniquely data-driven approach to gym marketing and growth strategy.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Tommy experienced a personal health transformation through fitness and knew he had to help others do the same. He's passionate about impacting his community through health and creating an environment where people can change their lives — just like he changed his.
SUCCESS STORY
Tommy navigated District H through the COVID-19 pandemic by building a resilient team and adapting his business model. His gym's growth and stability serve as proof that the systems he teaches work — even in the toughest conditions. His finance background helps LASSO clients understand their numbers and make smarter marketing decisions.
Mikilah Speer
Gym Growth Specialist
Mikilah holds a Master's Degree in Education and was an elementary school teacher before pursuing fitness full-time. A competitive CrossFit athlete who competed at the Regional level, she started training clients in her garage before opening FemFit Redding — an all-women's gym specializing in strength, conditioning, and prenatal/postpartum fitness. She's a wife and mother of three.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Mikilah experienced a lack of information about training during her own pregnancies and knew other women were struggling with the same gap. She opened FemFit to educate and empower women through fitness — helping them develop confidence and strength both inside and out.
SUCCESS STORY
After partnering with LASSO, FemFit Redding doubled its revenue in just six months and grew to a community of over 150 members. Mikilah went from training clients in her garage to running one of the most successful women-only gyms in Northern California.
Jeff Binek
Gym Growth Specialist
Jeff is a military veteran who started his fitness journey by hosting 'Friendship Friday' workouts in his condo garage with a small group of friends. That weekly gathering grew into Friendship Fitness — now a 10,000 sq/ft, two-location, 7-figure fitness business in Columbus. He specializes in strength training, body recomposition, and building gym communities that retain members for years.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Jeff believes fitness creates a better future for families. He's passionate about showing other gym owners that you can build a massive business while keeping the community feel that makes boutique fitness special. His 'Friendship Friday' roots remind him every day why he does this.
SUCCESS STORY
Jeff turned a garage workout group into a $2.3M real estate empire and 7-figure fitness business with two locations, 15+ employees, and industry-best retention rates. His gym has introduced over 20 married couples, seen 12 'Friendship Babies,' and helped three clients lose 100+ pounds each.
Dave Rubin
Gym Growth Specialist
Dave has owned and operated Courage Fitness Durham for nearly 17 years — making him one of the most experienced gym owners on the LASSO team. His gym focuses on high-touch, personalized fitness with individualized programs and a strong community. He specializes in helping mature gym businesses break through long-standing revenue plateaus.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Dave is passionate about proving that it's never too late to transform your gym business. After 15 years of steady but stagnant revenue, he implemented new systems and saw explosive growth. He wants every gym owner to know that the right strategy can unlock growth at any stage.
SUCCESS STORY
After nearly 15 years of consistent $65K-$70K months, Dave implemented LASSO's marketing and sales systems and cracked the $1M annual revenue mark — growing to $83K-$85K/month. His lead flow tripled from 20-30 organic leads to 80-100 total leads per month.
Aimee Moller
Gym Growth Specialist
Aimee is a retired police officer who co-owns Swift River CrossFit with her husband Paul. They opened the gym in 2014 as a 'retirement plan' while both were still in law enforcement. She's a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer and Nutrition Coach with a Masters degree in Justice Administration and specializations in weightlifting, endurance, and gymnastics. She ran her gym while working full-time as a police officer for five years.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Aimee loves witnessing the mental transformation that happens when people tap into their physical strength. She's dedicated to helping gym owners push past self-imposed boundaries — because she's done it herself, going from a side hustle gym to a thriving full-time business.
SUCCESS STORY
Before LASSO, Swift River CrossFit was stuck at $20K/month with failed DIY Facebook ads. After joining LASSO, revenue jumped to $30K within four months and more than doubled to $45K/month within 18 months. The gym now generates around 20 new leads every week.
Matt Giordano
Gym Growth Specialist
Matt holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Science and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry — starting at age 16. He holds NSCA CSCS, USAW Level 2, and CrossFit Level 3 certifications. A lifelong soccer player and coach, he built CrossFit Newtown into a community powerhouse and created the Newtown Youth Academy, a 100+ member youth program.
WHY THEY DO THIS
Matt is a strong advocate for youth fitness, believing gyms have a crucial role in providing physical education that schools often can't. He's passionate about showing gym owners that diversifying their programming — especially into youth — can unlock entirely new revenue streams.
SUCCESS STORY
During COVID, Matt started a small program for 16 kids who needed a place to do homework and stay active. That initiative grew into the Newtown Youth Academy with 100+ children and an 8-person coaching team, generating $5K-$7K/month in additional revenue — 10-12% of the gym's total.
Gym owners who built something real deserve a growth system that actually works.
You built a real business. You invested in mentorship, systems, and processes. You shouldn't be stuck at the same revenue month after month. Every day, our team of 10 gym owners wakes up to help gym businesses break through the ceiling and scale to the level their operation deserves.