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Why studios with full-time managers are outperforming everyone else

After reviewing the data from hundreds of studios who completed our BFS Business Assessment, one finding from our latest BFS State of the Industry Report stood out. It wasn’t about marketing tricks or the latest tech—it was about leadership. The studios performing at the highest level, year after year, are the ones with a key role in place:

   The highest-performing studios in our survey all had one thing in common: a full-time manager.

Not a coach juggling admin between classes. We’re talking about a dedicated operations lead whose primary role is running the business day-to-day—so the owner doesn’t have to.

What the Data Tells Us

When we looked at the numbers, the correlation was undeniable: studios with a full-time manager brought in more revenue and kept more of it.

These businesses ran more efficiently, grew faster, and gave owners the headspace to focus on strategic work, like community partnerships, hiring, or expansion, while their manager executed the playbook.

Why It Matters

Managers don’t just lighten the load. They drive performance across every stage of the F.E.R. method:

• Find: They help generate 50+ new leads each month

• Enroll: They make sure those leads convert, from first visit to second purchase

• Retain: They lead the client experience that keeps members around long enough to boost LTV beyond two years

Studios without a manager? Many still see profit, but almost always hit a ceiling. One person can’t manage retention, marketing, conversion tracking, and still deliver a world-class class experience.

You Can’t Afford Not To

This expanded perspective comes from a conversation with BFS Member and Studio Operations Coach, Jennifer Maanavi.

Let’s also clarify something important: in different markets, "dedicated" can look different. It doesn’t have to mean a salaried studio manager with benefits. It might be someone in the studio 30 to 35 hours a week, with a clear set of responsibilities and ownership over specific areas of the business.

This kind of manager magnifies the leadership and presence of the owner. They’re an extra set of eyes and a sharp mind helping with marketing, operations, facilities—whatever the business needs. When that happens, the owner can stop reacting and start planning. They can shift their time and energy toward working on the business, instead of always in it.

Working in the business means understanding day-to-day operations, client behavior, and front line delivery. Working on the business means big-picture thinking: imagining expansion, improving the employee experience, building strategic partnerships, raising capital, and asking the hard questions about how to elevate the brand and grow long-term value.

But here’s the catch: it’s nearly impossible to do the second when you’re buried in the first. A strong studio manager creates the space for vision, strategy, and growth—the work only the owner or CEO can do.Think hiring a full-time manager is too expensive? According to BFS CEO Julian Barnes, it’s the opposite:

   “This was the biggest surprise in our entire report, and the most important. Studios with a manager consistently earn more and keep more.”

Read the rest of the takeaways and watch the recap or complete our Business Assessment to benchmark your studio.