Posted by on Nov 6, 2023 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

A Formal Introduction: Welcome Lisa Miroballi

Lisa discovered My Gym in 2001 after answering an old fashioned newspaper ad. She had already earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Vermont, but classroom teaching was put on hold, as the My Gym position spoke to her. It combined her passions, her active lifestyle, and her background in gymnastics, dance, sports, and teaching, and it’s been a major part of her life ever since. She began as a director and then became Regional Director and part owner of 3 top-level Connecticut locations, each with over 500 kids, until 2006. During her tenure in CT, she was awarded “Director of the Year” by My Gym Enterprises for 4 consecutive years. On January 1, 2007, Lisa moved to the Midwest to purchase the Wheaton, IL location. Under her ownership in Wheaton, she received the “Franchisee of the Year” award for 4 years. Lisa served on the Franchisee Advisory Board and, in 2012, became one of the founding members of the “MGE Programming Team.”  Also in...

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Posted by on Oct 26, 2023 in Marketing, Technology | 0 comments

Warning to Gyms Using Text Request

MGE has been alerted by Text Request of some locations with extremely high volume (10x the average) and a large number of spam reports. These locations are in danger of losing texting privileges on any platform, and you are also at risk of having your phone number be permanently blacklisted by phone companies. Furthermore, this volume of texting opens My Gym up to privacy lawsuits. Text Request does not limit the number of recipients in group messages. This is great when sending to targeted groups such as November birthday children or campers. That said, we do not recommend utilizing the All active, eligible contacts group message option that is built into Text Request. Many locations have upwards of 6,000-8,000 contacts that have amassed over time, many of whom may no longer be relevant to our business and/or have aged out. Please also take into consideration that, although you are not limited to 160 characters, every text that goes over 160 uses multiple credits. Emojis are counted as 2 characters....

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Posted by on Oct 25, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

Email Marketing Statistics

We are aware that your recent email marketing campaign reports are showing as 0 delivered. MGE has been receiving our normal copies of your emails, and has observed normal email volume and activity, so we believe it is simply a display issue. Our developers are looking into this now. If you would like us to confirm that your recent campaigns have been delivered, please contact Tech with the exact subject line of your email. Thank you,MGE Tech...

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Posted by on Oct 24, 2023 in Products | 0 comments

Merchandise Division Updates

This is an update regarding all things merch at MGE! New contact info, best practices, & FAQs are all addressed. Please reach out to the contact info provided with any questions. Contact: merch@mygym.com, ndell@mygym.com, ashahrani@mygym.com ShopMyGym.com (Wholesale) Ordering SOP: Register your gym(s) on SMG Go to shopmygym.com and click “register new account.” It is best to have one shared account for your team under your official @mygym.com emailIf you have more than one location, make an account for each location Orders from other email addresses will not be accepted; this is to secure the wholesale businesses of all gyms Add your items to cart Checkout! Free shipping on orders over $90 If you are interested in bulk pricing, have any questions about an order you placed, or require any assistance with Shop My Gym at all, just shoot an email to the contacts above! Merch Customer Service is fast and sure to go above and beyond to solve any and all difficulties. Product Requests, Size Exchanges, Address Changes, etc.,...

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Posted by on Oct 20, 2023 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

New MGE Mandates

Hello My Gym Franchisees, We wanted to give you a heads up that the MGE Support Team will be performing mandate checks beginning this November. These new mandates went into effect June 1, 2023. You can find the new mandates in the Operations Manual in the “AAA – Franchise Support” folder. If you have questions, please email support@mygym.com. Thank you! You can read the original MGE Mandates email sent on June 1, 2023 below. +++ MGE cares deeply about the services we provide, the quality of our gyms, and the reputation we’ve earned through 40 years of hard work. Our brand enjoys a premium position in the minds and hearts of families everywhere, and it’s not something we ever want to take for granted. To ensure we stay ahead of the competition and retain our top status, the MGE Executive Board has reviewed the mandates that every My Gym franchisee must follow. Our MGE Mandates have long been the backbone of what allows us to be so great. They...

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Posted by on Oct 18, 2023 in My Gym Foundation | 0 comments

A New Way to Donate

The My Gym Foundation is excited to offer another stress-free way for your members to donate to the cause. MGF is now on Venmo! You can find us here: @MyGymFoundation. Offering an additional platform for clients to donate makes gifting kids in need just that much easier! You can now give them options while fundraising with PayPal, with Venmo, and through our website at mygymfoundation.org. We are so grateful for your tremendous efforts to provide children with disabilities the equipment and services they deserve. Each donation helps gift critically-needed items to improve the daily quality of life for children everywhere. Thank you dearly for your continued support. We appreciate you! *Also available on the Print System in Programs > My Gym...

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Posted by on Oct 17, 2023 in General | 0 comments

Resale Update

We are extremely excited to introduce our newest franchisee, Mason Pulde. Mason has recently purchased the Huntington, Stony Brook, and Babylon locations on Long Island, NY from longtime franchisees, Evan and Debbie Greenberg. Warm wishes and congratulations can be sent to...

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Posted by on Oct 12, 2023 in Marketing | 0 comments

NEW Milestone Signs Now Available

Exciting news… NEW milestone signs are here! These milestone signs are going to add a whole new layer of fun and excitement to both your gym and the social media world. From “First day at My Gym” to “I rocked my first big kids class,” we’ve got a variety of signs that your members will absolutely love. And the best part? Parents will likely be eager to share these special moments and milestones on social media which means one thing: FREE advertising for us! You can easily download and print these signs from the Print System in the Printable Signs > Milestones section. They’re 11×17 inches in size, and you can print them at your local print shop. For extra durability and extended use, we recommend having them printed on foam boards. It’s a simple and cost-effective way to add some excitement to your...

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Posted by on Oct 11, 2023 in Marketing | 0 comments

Cyber Monday Directives

Note: This may be applicable in countries outside of the United States. Adjust accordingly. Plan your Cyber Monday promotions during October and early November for a successful rollout after Thanksgiving. Franchisees may utilize the recommended Cyber Monday promotions listed below or customize your own. Please add your own disclaimers and terms. Strategy Part 1: Our strategy is to make our Cyber Monday deals available from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. They will simply be called Cyber Monday Deals, although valid a few days prior. This common practice keeps the offers simple for the consumer while reducing work for you. Strategy Part 2: The day after Cyber Monday, you may choose to extend your Cyber Monday Deals for an additional 1-2 days “due to popular demand.” Develop promotions now. (See suggestions below) Cyber Monday promotions should be available for purchase from the Friday after Thanksgiving through the Monday after Thanksgiving (11/24/2023 – 11/27/2023), however, you can choose to start them earlier if you wish. Any day except Thursday during Thanksgiving...

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Posted by on Oct 4, 2023 in Marketing | 0 comments

Free Class Preview Week

We are excited to announce the Free Class Preview Week marketing strategy. During this special week, we invite you to offer complimentary preview sessions of our classes to potential customers. This initiative aims to showcase our outstanding programs, foster community involvement, and drive interest and enthusiasm for our offerings.  While paid trials remain our evergreen offer, you can introduce our exceptional services while creating a limited time sense of urgency to a wide audience during Free Preview Week.   Directives can be found on the Operations Manual > Marketing Folder > Marketing Information and...

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Posted by on Oct 4, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

MGM Release – Sunday, October 8th at 9 PM ET

A release is scheduled for Sunday, October 8th at 9:00 PM ET. The release will require a server reboot that may cause MGM and the website to go offline for 5-10 minutes. We aim to announce planned downtime with as much notice as possible. Sometimes, however, issues arise between announcement and release that necessitate rescheduling. We will continue to keep you updated as any changes come about. The majority of this release includes behind-the-scenes upgrades and fixes. Some new enhancements: Additional sales and tracking functionality for our My Gym Socks pilot gyms Print/Email Confirmation buttons when enrolling a child in MGM Overtime hours designation in timesheets Promo code usage eligibility for classes with a future start date Addition of week day (e.g., Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) to party booking date selection and confirmation...

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Posted by on Sep 22, 2023 in Products, Support & Programming | 0 comments

New Items to Purchase for Curriculum

The My Gym Tents are HERE!!!  As per our last update, you will need to purchase at least 1 My Gym tent from shopmygym.com and 3-4 other tents from Amazon for our newest Adventure. We will also use these for Independent Time, Coming In, and Birthday Parties. They’ll be so fun for your Halloween Parties coming up too! The tents will be written into the curriculum for the 1st week of November. Details about the My Gym Tents:Double-sided Adventure Mymo printed artZip up mesh entrance with lookout window on each sideFold up + down latches for easy setup + teardown Packaged in My Gym-branded bag Order now on ShopMyGym.com! Order 2-4 other tents similar to the pictures below from Amazon. +++ Winners of the Skunk and Groundhog Puppets Thank you to everyone who submitted such creative and amazing ideas for the newest puppets. It was really difficult to decide the winners, but we think you all will love the new shows! Congratulations to the winners of the Skunk and...

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Posted by on Sep 21, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

My Gym App Restored

The latest version of the My Gym App (v. 4.52) has been approved and is available in the App Store. We have observed minor bugs and are working to resolve them. Please contact the Help Desk if you have a specific issue. Alternatively, you may encourage customers to use the App Support form within the app or email...

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Posted by on Sep 21, 2023 in Marketing | 0 comments

Level Up Your Social Media Webinar

Ready to level up your organic social media presence? We’ll be diving into the nitty-gritty of taking your social media from good to WOWZA! Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store: Maintaining and building a strong social media strategy, elevating your Instagram Stories, and implementing creative ways to increase website clicks, reach, and engagement. NOTE: This webinar is open to all teachers. Webinar date and time: Thursday, September 28, at 1:00 PM PST Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvdOGgrTMoGtXWQmNQzEFx-pciLgxvGehK#/registration See you...

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Posted by on Sep 18, 2023 in Products | 0 comments

Party Time! Mymo Spoons available now!

The perfect Party Time utensil! Mymo Spoons! Use at birthday parties and events, or for a quick snack! Made of cornstarch, these spoons are biodegradable and reusable. Pair these spoons with our Party Time plates, cups, and napkins for a fun themed Mymo party! Sold in packs of 100 per color. Click here to order...

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Posted by on Sep 11, 2023 in My Gym Foundation | 0 comments

Halloween Parties

Can you believe it? We’re rolling into our final 40th Anniversary event – Halloween Parties! The My Gym Foundation is excited to be kicking off the fall season with one last 40th Anniversary celebration. In years past, YOU have raised an incredible amount of money for deserving children everywhere through this nationwide event. We ask that every gym participate in this fundraiser by adding a $5-$10 donation to your regular seasonal party fees for your Halloween party. In the past, gyms have found great success raising all or nearly all their 100% Program $1,000 goal from this one event with minimal additional effort! Feeling extra festive? Consider raising money all month long with additional fundraising ideas like Guess the Number of Spiders in the Jar and Pumpkin Cutouts. Directives for all Halloween-related fundraising events can be found in the My Gym Foundation section of the Operations Manual. Here are a few suggestions on how to close out our anniversary celebrations: Use the 40th-themed Halloween images on social media and email...

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Posted by on Sep 7, 2023 in General | 0 comments

Grand Opening in Brentwood, CA

We are extremely excited to announce the grand opening of My Gym Brentwood, CA. The gym resides in a beautiful shopping center on the west side of Los Angles. This is a corporate owned location and the first we’ve opened in many years. The team is comprised of My Gym veterans and shining new stars. Trialists and Founding Members filled the gym yesterday for the first day of classes. Congratulations to everyone on adding another My Gym to the...

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Posted by on Sep 1, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

Enrollment Stats and General MGM Update

In our haste to send the update below, we realized that the wording was confusing. Enrollments are not considered delinquent until their first payment is declined, so after two weeks of unsuccessful collection, the enrollment will be dropped from the paid number. Example: Child Goofy Foot’s last successful payment was August 1st. Goofy’s payment on August 29th did not go through. On September 12th, Goofy will be removed from the paid enrollments number if collection remains unsuccessful. +++ In April 2023, the Paid Enrollments number and definition was updated to not count severely delinquent accounts. Earlier this week, the update was inadvertently rolled back to include all paid enrollments plus all delinquents. This caused an artificial uptick in your numbers. We have since reinstated the update from April, so your numbers are now back to where they are supposed to be using this formula: All current + delinquent by no more than 6 weeks = Paid Enrollments. Any account that passes the 6 weeks delinquent mark is dropped from...

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Posted by on Aug 31, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

My Gym App Update and Notice to Families

At this time we do not yet have an ETA on a fix for v. 4.50 and later. Our developers are working with App Store support on a solution. We have added an email template to the General Promotions folder titled My Gym App Service Interruption to send to your families if you wish. +++ We recently released a fix to the My Gym app where a socks alert was inadvertently shown to all customers. Unfortunately, this update caused a separate issue in the latest version (4.50). Customers who download or update to this latest version will not be able to load the app. Our developers are working to fix the issue and hope to have it resolved by early morning tomorrow (EDT). We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience during this...

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Posted by on Aug 22, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

MGM Release – Sunday, August 27th at 9 PM ET

A release is scheduled for Sunday, August 27th at 9:00 PM ET. The release will require a server reboot that may cause MGM and the website to go offline for 5-10 minutes. We aim to announce planned downtime with as much notice as possible. Sometimes, however, issues arise between announcement and release that necessitate rescheduling. We will continue to keep you updated as any changes come about. Enhancements and updates scheduled in this release: ⚠️ Action Potentially Required Archiving of Older Email Marketing Images We plan to archive email marketing headers and images that contain older colors and/or masks. Please be sure to check on your scheduled and future email campaigns and update any images that may have been removed. Please contact designer@mygym.com if you experience any issues with broken images.  🔷 Updated Zipwhip/Text Request Script Field The Zipwhip Header and Zipwhip Contact fields in Admin > Website > Settings > Scripts have been renamed to Chat Header and Chat Contact. All gyms on Text Request should have removed their...

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Posted by on Aug 10, 2023 in Technology | 0 comments

Zipwhip Replacement / Transfer to New Platform

As you all know, Zipwhip is shutting down permanently on December 1, 2023, and we tested Twilio Frontline in the gym for several months. During that phase, we concluded that it is not the right product for My Gym. Though Twilio has the MGM integration element, it lacks several other key features that we know gyms will miss coming from Zipwhip. We resumed talks with other potential platforms and chose Text Request for these key reasons: Text Request is one of Zipwhip’s top recommendations and has onboarded thousands of former customers. You will not lose your contacts, templates, or conversation history. You can continue automating Facebook ad responses using Zapier. An SMS chat widget for the website and convenient Chrome browser extension for one-click texting in MGM are available. Integration and automation within MGM (e.g., class confirmations) is an option for the near future. There are currently 14 gyms that have been using the system for several weeks. You are invited to schedule your own gym’s transfer by clicking...

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Posted by on Aug 3, 2023 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

Post-Seminar: what’s new and fun in Core Programs!

The Programs and Curriculum Division is excited to let you all know about a few new welcome additions to our programming, which you will see throughout curriculum later this fall. First, we will be rolling out a new Adventure featuring adorable pop-up play tents! Exploring these tents will help My Gym kids work on gross motor skills, sensory integration, and imagination (and they’re a lot of fun, too). 😊 Their first appearance in curriculum is slated for Q4. Each gym should buy a total of 4-5 tents: a mix of store-bought pop-up tents (choose your own – make sure no assembly is required! – or buy from a list of MGE-suggested tents on Amazon), and at least one My Gym branded tent, as seen here: These charming My Gym branded tents are being made by our friends in My Gym China and are en route stateside to ShopMyGym. A subsequent update will go out when they are available for purchase! In addition to the play tents, we will also...

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