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Paul just closed out his best revenue month ever, in rural Missouri.
This isn't a story about overnight success. It's about a lifelong martial artist who understood something most gym owners miss: the difference between knowing the playbook and having a coach who makes you run the plays.
Paul didn't start Jiu-Jitsu Outlet as a gym. He started it as a podcast in 2021, born from a failed e-commerce attempt and a deeply personal mission. As someone on the autism spectrum, Paul found jiu-jitsu to be more than exercise. It was a tonic for mental health, a structure for daily life, and a community that accepted him exactly as he was.
"Most of us are not normal folk—the ones that really stick with it over 20 years. We all got some collection of diagnoses, whether it's OCD or ADD or autism. Jiu-jitsu really helps with just... everything."
For two years, Paul interviewed martial artists from around the world, discovering a universal truth: the people who needed jiu-jitsu most were the ones who felt different, struggled with mental health, or couldn't find their place in traditional fitness spaces.
The podcast built a following. The message resonated. And Paul realized he needed to stop talking about jiu-jitsu's power and start building a place where people could experience it.
Two and a half years ago, Paul opened his first location in his garage in the middle of the Missouri woods. Not exactly the typical story. But Paul had something better than a prime location: a hunger to make something for himself and his community.
Paul ran a few Facebook ads, and started to get the word out on his gym. Then he opened a second location an hour away. Then a third. Things were moving, but Paul knew he was leaving money on the table.
Here's where Paul's story gets interesting, and where most gym owners will recognize themselves.
Paul had read Gym Launch Secrets. He'd studied Alex Hormozi's YouTube videos. He'd even programmed ChatGPT with Alex's content and the book's PDF, trying to create his own AI coach.
"I was basically trying to bastardize it," Paul admits. "I was hitting record months, and the third location launch went really good. But I realized I was trying to funnel hack you guys instead of just... hiring you."
Paul grew up with parents who taught him a simple principle: hire the professional instead of half-assing it yourself. But like many entrepreneurs, he'd been trying to DIY his business growth anyway.
"I was like, man, I'm trying to basically DIY my house build right now," Paul realized. "This is some important stuff I'm getting into, hitting bigger numbers. This is a real thing now. I gotta get professional help."
The breakthrough wasn't about needing more information. Paul had the information. He needed implementation, accountability, and someone to tell him which plays to run and when.
When Paul joined Gym Launch and started working with coach Rod, the shifts happened fast.
The creative output multiplied.
"I realized right away I wasn't doing nearly enough creatives. And the level of creatives needed—I don't have time to put together that many ads."
The offer structure got dialed in. The sales process tightened up. The six-week challenge that Paul knew about but hadn't fully implemented? Now it was running smoothly along with other revenue generators..
But the biggest shift was mindset.
"Rod {Gym Launch Coach} really helped me see that I needed to coach less and sell more and work on the business more"
In his first two months with Gym Launch, Paul doubled his revenue.
When asked what he'd tell gym owners on the fence about investing in coaching, Paul doesn't sugarcoat it.
"Unless you're just straight up lazy or not doing the work, you're going to make the money back in 30 days. It's handed to you on a silver platter. If you don't make the investment back, that's on you."
Paul treats Gym Launch like he's getting a PhD from Princeton. He cleared his schedule. He told everyone in his life what he was doing. He shows up to every coaching call and every group training call.
"The more I just shut up and did the thing and didn't question it, the better things have gone.”
He's even looked at the one-star reviews of Gym Launch out of curiosity.
"They're not from people showing up to coaching calls. They're from people who thought this was a get-rich-quick scheme. It's not. I'm working more now than I ever have in my whole life."
But that work is building something real. Paul's now employing other coaches. He's creating jobs in rural Missouri. He's giving people with mental health struggles a place to belong. And Jiu-Jitsu Outlet just got sponsored by Fuji, a major tournament company, to attend their big Kansas City event next month.
Paul still lives in the middle of the Missouri woods with his dog. He still practices jiu jitsu for his own mental health every week, driving four hours to Illinois to get better so he can teach better. He still runs his podcast, sharing stories of how martial arts changes lives.
But now he's running three locations, closing profitable months, and building a business that proves a powerful truth: you don't need to be in a major city to build a major gym.
You need the right systems, the right guidance, and the willingness to implement instead of overthink.
