American Gym Trader Client Reviews

After owning my personal training studio for the last 15 years I was ready to sell and retire....but how to do that?

I'd been in the business for over 35 years, had grown my studio from a one trainer operation into a solid multi-employee enterprise, but had no real idea of the best way to go about selling it and getting a fair price. Dave Didon and AGT helped educate and guide me and several months after our initial meeting I sold the business for the asking price and I couldn't be happier.

Dave's suggestions, support and above all, knowledge of the guidelines and protocol involved in selling a fitness business were the key to a successful sale. I'm grateful for his business acumen and his calming influence throughout the process.

Ned Webber

Phoenix Fitness

I recently sold my business through Dave Didion at American Gym Trader.  The process began in February 2019.  Dave did an excellent job of helping me value the business at a price that was acceptable to me without being unrealistic.  His marketing generated numerous leads with several viable candidates emerging during the 9 months it took for the sale.  We had a letter of intent in November and closed on December 31st. 

Dave was in constant contact with these prospects and communicated regularly by phone and e-mail with me.  When I did speak directly with a candidate it was obvious that Dave had properly screened them and they knew the details and financials of the business.

Selling a women's fitness business is not easy.  Dave was able to generate leads, screen candidates and manage the process efficiently without wasting my time.  I would highly recommend Dave if one is considering the sale of their fitness business.

John G

Results Fitness

I decided to sell my gym and when it wasn’t really getting “leads”, I contacted Dave Didion at American Gym Trader.

Dave said “I will sell your gym within 6 months”. WOW, was he right. In the first eight weeks we had over 60 leads and four offers. Amazing!

He priced it right and worked with me through every step of the process. He stayed in contact all the time and ensured things were running properly. Not only can he sell a gym, he coaches the seller (and the buyer) through the entire process. He works on the financials, with the SBA and everything needed to sell the gym. Best person to sell your gym is David. I feel like he has become a friend too. I am available to give a reference anytime!

Nina S.

Dave Didion of American Gym Trader is a true professional. He knows the ins and outs of the fitness industry and has many contacts to both buyers and preferred lenders as well as many other industry professionals. Dave put together a very comprehensive business review show-casing our businesses and had a robust marketing platform that generated tons of interest in our businesses. We went live on Dave’s platform Christmas week and had two full price offers within three days. Dave vetted the buyers extremely well so we did not waste time going under contract with buyers that would not cross the finish line.

Our experience with him was nothing short of phenomenal. His business acumen is second to none and his ability to navigate the multiple interested buyers through the due diligence process was amazing. Needless to say we were able to sell all three of our locations for top dollar actually far surpassing the price point of any prior sales in our franchise.

When you combine his level of expertise, experience and his marketing platform you get success. Hats off to Dave. We wish everyone we worked with on a professional level conducted themselves as Dave does.

I would strongly recommend utilizing his services if you are looking to sell your businesses. 

Chris B.

I Love Kickboxing, VA Beach

...

I have worked with Dave with AGT for three years and on a number of transactions. First, there is nobody out there who comes close to Dave in understanding the gym and physical fitness industry.

He is totally realistic when it comes to sizing up the businesses he’s working with, whether it’s their value and likely selling price, their cash flow, or at a more organic level what makes that particular business work or be lacking.

From my perspective and function, which is to finance an acquisition, having a business broker partner like Dave who truly understands health and fitness businesses and can communicate clearly all of the key information, is invaluable.

David Madison
Senior Business Finance Consultant
Diamond Financial

I have had the opportunity to work with Dave Didion on multiple transactions in 2019. Dave is an absolute pleasure to work with. He has a vast amount of Business and Transactional experience coupled with an in depth understanding of the complexity involved in a large scale Business Exchange.

Highlighting his process is a clear understanding of people and personalities. And he adjusts his forward motion to accommodate the parties while at the same time maintaining a keen focus on the task at hand. He is clearly a results oriented manager and drives the project with just enough force to keep individuals on task and the end result in clear site. And he accomplishes all of the above after an extremely detailed review of the businesses key components and elements, along with a detailed review of the financials. So he knows the business very well as well as the parties involved.

Dave Didion is a super individual with a great personality and a consummate professional that gets the job done.

Frank Chebalo, CBI, ABI, CMSBB, CBC

Certified Business Intermediary

Advanced Business Brokerage, LLC

Murphy Business & Financial Services LLC

Dave at AGT was recommended to us in our quest to sell four of our fitness businesses. I have worked with several other brokers in the past and nobody has come even close to Dave. It was a great experience. He instantly brought buyers to the table and we were able to sell the clubs much faster than we expected. He walked us through every aspect of the process and was a consummate professional.

I highly recommend his services!!!!

Chris L

Athens Health & Fitness

I have been in the health club business since I was a trainer in college in the early '80s.

I have had the great good fortune to have worked for and with industry icons such as Ray Wilson, co-founder of 24 Hour Fitness, Mike Uretz, co-founder of both Gold’s Gym and World Gym, as well as both Joe Cirulli and Geoff Dyer, each former IHRSA Presidents and legendary club owner/operators.

I regard Thomas Plummer as my role model for fitness industry consulting and how to do things right and do the right thing.

In my over 35 year career I would add Dave Didion of American Gym Trader to the list of colleagues and friends I am most proud of to collaborate with.

Dave has referred many of his clients to me before, during and after they have used his superbly professional company to assist them in purchasing or selling their fitness based businesses.

Accrosss the board, from assisting him and his clients with valuations, marketing and competitive research, business plan development, creating winning management, sales and marketing strategies and operational protocols to recruiting, hiring and training personnel - Dave and his team are an invaluable resource.

I highly recommend that if you want to both make money AND save time and money reach out to Dave Didion and American Gym Trader.

He is honest, diligent, creative, committed and thoroughly professional from initial meeting through project conclusion and beyond.

Andrew Levine
Owner/Operator
World Gym Desert Hot Springs, CA
Fitness Industry Consultant & Featured Speaker

Selling my Club which I owned and operated for many years was a difficult decision. However, for a number of reasons I felt the time was right.

When I first considered selling I contacted fitness industry leaders who I knew and trusted. No one was able to recommend a broker to me. I then learned of Dave Didion of American Gym Trader. I was impressed to find that he specialized in selling health clubs and had a data base of perspective and qualified buyers.

The first step was to agree on the asking price. I was pleasantly surprised when he and I were on the same page as to the value of the Club. What I did not realize was the importance of confidentiality. Dave educated me on exactly how important it was not only for me but also for the prospective buyer that confidentiality agreements be executed. He went to great lengths to assure that the sale was kept confidential from beginning to end.

He did a top to bottom review of the Club including the financials; property lease; the management team strengths and weaknesses; as well as trends and competition in the industry. Within six weeks he brought me an offer which was close to my asking price.

Little did I know there was so much more to accomplish. Dave’s expertise in packaging the loan so that it met SBA qualifications was beyond impressive. He had a team of professionals who assisted in structuring the loan application. The loan did get approved by the SBA. He was also instrumental in securing landlord approval.

There was much more involved in selling my business and if it weren’t for the depth of knowledge of Dave, I truly believe my attempt would not have been successful.

I would strongly recommend Dave Didion to anyone wishing to sell his/her Club.

YOUR BIGGEST FAN

Dave Didion is a hard driving, relentless health club professional with solid disciplines in the art of health and fitness, in addition to being one of the best club brokers in the industry today. Dave is a great resource and is as creative as they come at finding solutions when others can't. I highly recommend Dave at  A.G.T.

John Rogers

Fitness life Marketing and Health Club News

Selling a business is difficult, but working with Dave brought clarity to the process. 

Dave is very personable, professional and knowledgeable.  I highly recommend Dave's services. 

Paul F

Sky Zone Trampoline Park