About Max Gellert
Max Gellert
Co-Founder of BLUSH Boot Camp & BLUSH FITNESS
I’m Max Gellert, co-founder of BLUSH Boot Camp and BLUSH FITNESS.
My career in the fitness industry started at 19 years old — and since then, it’s been built on one thing: betting on myself, learning fast, and never quitting when things get hard.
Early Career & Foundation
I got my start working at GNC in Davenport, Iowa while recovering from a football injury and still pursuing my dream of playing in the NFL.
By age 20, I became a store manager at one of the top-performing locations in the company while also playing arena and semi-pro football.
After transitioning into Gold’s Gym, I developed the foundation that would shape my career:
- Sales leadership
- Team development
- Accountability-driven culture
At 21 years old, I:
- Broke membership and personal training sales records across a 13-location franchise group
- Led national sales training calls
- Began working directly with clients as a personal trainer
That’s where I discovered my passion for helping people transform their lives through fitness.
Business Ownership & Turnaround Success
At 26 years old, I purchased my first gym — an Anytime Fitness in Lansing, Kansas.
At the time:
- The gym was losing ~$3,000/month
- It had only been profitable once since opening
Within 18 months:
- I turned the business around operationally and financially
- Sold the gym for 6.5x the purchase price
This experience gave me the confidence to build something of my own.
Building BLUSH FITNESS
Using the capital from that sale, I launched BLUSH FITNESS — a women-only gym designed to create a space where women felt confident, supported, and empowered.
The concept was strong, but execution came with challenges.
Within the first year:
- I made critical mistakes in location, size, pricing, and staffing
- The business dropped to zero revenue within 9 months
Instead of walking away, I rebuilt:
- Corrected the model
- Stabilized revenue
- Built a sustainable foundation
Creating BLUSH Boot Camp
Through rebuilding BLUSH FITNESS, one key insight stood out:
Small group training was the most effective and scalable part of the business.
In 2018, I launched BLUSH Boot Camp — a simplified, results-driven model built around:
- Community
- Accountability
- Empowerment
The growth followed quickly:
- Expanded to 4 locations by 2021
- Successfully operated through COVID
- Launched franchising in 2021
Today, BLUSH Boot Camp continues to grow with a clear mission: To provide women with a judgment-free, empowering space to transform their lives.
Media & Recognition
My work in the fitness industry and entrepreneurship has been featured in Forbes.
Featured in Forbes:
Personal Turning Point
In December 2021, during a period of rapid business growth, I experienced one of the most difficult moments of my life with the loss of my brother.
That moment changed my perspective completely.
It led me to deepen my faith and redefine what success truly means.
What I Stand For
I live by a simple belief:
It’s not about the cards you’re dealt — it’s how you play them.
That mindset is reflected in everything I build and every team I lead.
I also believe:
- Growth comes from consistency, not shortcuts
- Leadership requires ownership and accountability
- Success is built through resilience
The Mission Behind BLUSH
At BLUSH, our goal is bigger than fitness.
We’re building an environment where women feel:
- Confident
- Supported
- Empowered
- Free from judgment
Because when people feel that, everything changes.We’re building an environment where women feel:
Closing
Everything I’ve built — from my early career to BLUSH Boot Camp — comes back to one principle:
Do the work. Stay consistent. Don’t quit.
And if you do that long enough, the results will follow.
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