At a glance: Pedro Costa runs Tribe Canterbury, a class-based functional training studio just outside Sydney’s inner west. After the COVID shutdown left the business “dwindled down to nothing”, he joined our fitness-vertical program (then branded More Gym Members) and added 104 new members in 90 days, with his show-up rate increasing “drastically” — as told by Pedro Costa on camera.
“104 new members in 90 days. With LeadsNow, people who book actually show up.” That’s Pedro Costa’s approved summary of his first three months with us — and the second sentence matters as much as the first. Here’s his story, in his own words from the filmed interview.
The numbers
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| New members in 90 days | 104 |
| Best pre-COVID month vs August | Up 30% |
| 90-day “100K target” | “Well and truly smashed” |
| Business position after 90 days | Breaking even, and profitable |
| New goal for year end | 200+ members (initial aim was 150) |
All figures as stated in the filmed interview (2020).
The situation: a studio shut down at its peak
Pedro opened his class-based studio in January 2019, just outside the inner west of Sydney. By early 2020 the business was finally taking off — “we found like a massive growth” — and then COVID hit. The studio shut for three months. Pedro moved training online, which “worked well for a bit, but then it just dwindled down to nothing until the gyms reopened.”
He doesn’t sugar-coat what that period felt like:
“I was gutted. I actually broke down as well, as soon as we shut down, not knowing what the future held, not knowing if I was gonna reopen.”
What was done
First, the honest context: this campaign ran in 2020 under More Gym Members (MGM), our fitness-vertical brand at the time — it predates the AI sales agents LeadsNow runs today. Pedro found us the way a lot of clients did back then: “Riley’s marketing kept on appearing on my Facebook feed, kept getting retargeted, and just before the gym was gonna open, I’m like, I’ll give it one more shot. And best decision I ever made.”
Having “worked with many different marketing companies before”, Pedro says what won him over was one thing: “what really got to me was the automation side.” Alongside the automation, he credits the training and guidance — “it is a whole team to work with you. From sales, business, growth, marketing.”
The approach is the same one we still use for every high-ticket coaching and fitness business we work with: don’t just generate enquiries — get booked prospects to actually turn up, ready to buy. If your calendar fills with bookings that ghost you, our guide on improving sales appointment show rates breaks down why that happens and how to fix it.
The results: 104 members, and bookings that show up
Asked about the highlight of his three months, Pedro didn’t lead with the member count. He led with show-ups:
“Actually seeing people who book in show up, seeing our show up rate increase drastically, and just seeing people actually signing up. It’s been a lot easier than it has been in the past. So selling memberships at a higher price and much easier is what I’ve found in the last three months.”
The business result followed. 104 new members in 90 days, a “100K target” for the period “well and truly smashed”, and a studio that came out of lockdown stronger than it went in:
“We’re breaking even and even profitable now. From the best month prior to COVID to August, we’re up 30%. So definitely did not expect that even after opening. So I couldn’t be more stoked.”
The goalposts moved, too. Pedro had been aiming for 150 members by the end of the year. On camera, he revised that: “I wanna aim to have over 200 members by the end of the year… never thought I’d say that.”
Book a call — see if we’re a fit for your business.
In Pedro’s words
His advice to anyone on the fence:
“I gave it a go and I couldn’t be happier. My business has never been better. The guidance you get from the team, it is a whole team to work with you. From sales, business, growth, marketing. Truly an incredible team. And they know their stuff.”
FAQ
Did LeadsNow’s AI sales agents run this campaign?
No. Pedro’s campaign ran in 2020 under More Gym Members, LeadsNow’s fitness-vertical brand at the time, using our automation, training and sales team — it predates our current AI sales agents. The same team and booking-first approach now power LeadsNow, with 50,769+ AI-booked sales appointments since 2017 and 1M+ leads generated.
Why does show-up rate matter more than lead volume?
Because leads that book but never arrive cost you time and money without any chance of a sale. The effect of getting follow-up right is well documented: two randomised controlled trials in NHS hospitals, published in PLOS ONE, found that simply improving the wording of SMS reminders significantly reduced missed appointments. Pedro’s highlight — “seeing our show up rate increase drastically” — is exactly this lever applied to sales bookings. We cover the full playbook in our guide to improving sales appointment show rates.
Are results like Pedro’s typical?
Every business is different, and we don’t promise anyone 104 members in 90 days. The figures above are Pedro’s own, stated on camera about his studio’s first three months in the program after reopening from the COVID shutdown. What is consistent is the approach: automation, training and a team focused on getting booked prospects to show up.
Book a call to talk through your numbers, or see all client stories.