Episode 67 - Sales, Fitness & Referrals: The Key to Lasting Success with Devan Gonzalez

In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sit down with fitness entrepreneur and sales expert Devan Gonzalez, founder of a revolutionary gym model that combines personal training, boot camps, and no-class schedules. We dive deep into his journey from selling Cutco knives (for about a week) to building a thriving fitness business and a fast-growing franchise.

Devan shares some wild sales stories—including a late-night call from a jealous husband—and breaks down how relationship-based selling, referrals, and social proof have helped him scale his business. Whether you’re in sales, fitness, or any service-based industry, this episode is packed with real talk, tactical strategies, and mindset shifts you can use to level up today.

 

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Key Highlights

💥 Crazy Sales Story – A midnight phone call from a husband convinced his wife’s trainer was up to no good… until he ended up signing up for training himself!

🔪 From Cutco Knives to Fitness Empire – Devan’s journey from an unenthusiastic knife salesman to a six-figure fitness entrepreneur.

💡 The Power of Authenticity in Sales – Why knowing (and believing in) your product is the #1 key to closing deals with confidence.

📈 The Referral System That Scales Businesses – How Devan built a six-figure training business without online ads, just by leveraging handshake marketing, referrals, and community engagement.

🏋️‍♂️ Gamifying Fitness & Sales – How his gym uses heart rate monitors, body scans, and competition to boost retention, increase client results, and generate word-of-mouth referrals.

🛠 Know Your Metrics! – Why lifetime client value, cost per acquisition, and retention rates should be the foundation of every sales strategy.

🚀 The Shift to Social Media Marketing – How integrating DMs, personal branding, and content marketing helped Devan attract even more clients to his gym.

 

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Actionable Takeaways

1️⃣ If You Don’t Believe in It, Don’t Sell It – Customers can smell BS a mile away. Know your product inside out and use it yourself.
2️⃣ Master the Referral Ask – Every happy customer is a walking testimonial. Always ask: "Who do you know that could use this too?"
3️⃣ Track Your Business Like a Trainer Tracks Progress – Your sales KPIs (cost per lead, retention rates, referrals) are just as important as a client’s fitness results.
4️⃣ Use Social Media as a Tool, Not a Crutch – Digital marketing is powerful, but relationship-building is irreplaceable. Leverage both.
5️⃣ Find Your Sales Style – Not every script or strategy works for everyone. Develop your own unique approach to closing deals.

 

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How to Connect with Devan Gonzalez

🔗 Website: https://devangonzalez.com
📍 Gym Locations: Los Angeles (with franchises launching in Tampa & Dallas in 2025!)

 

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Call The Damn Leads

By sales professionals, for sales professionals. Each week, I bring you humor, real-world stories, and powerful strategies to help you dominate in sales.

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