The gym that scaled to 8 locations by serving an overlooked group

Hey Gym World,

Most gym owners choose a niche. But for Ryan Webb, the niche chose him.

He was running a typical semi-private gym for gen pop clients when he started coaching a neurodivergent athlete. After seeing the life-changing impact it had, he realized there was a massive gap in the fitness industry and decided to do something about it.

He rebranded as Agrove Academy and built a space specifically for neurodivergent athletes. Two years later, he’s running 8 locations and still expanding.

Click the video below to hear Ryan break down the model, the potential of serving neurodivergent athletes, and what to consider if you’re thinking about adding a program like this to your gym.

Or keep reading for the summary:

Why Neurodivergent Athletes?

Most gyms work just fine for the general population. But for neurodivergent athletes, it’s a different story. They’re often looking for things like sensory accommodations, more personalized attention, and coaches who understand their unique needs.

Unfortunately, that kind of environment is still hard to find.

Ryan first noticed the gap when a nonverbal child with autism joined his gym’s youth program. The parents told him they’d struggled to find a space that could meet their son’s needs—yet in just weeks at Ryan’s gym, he made breakthroughs they’d never seen before.

That experience was more rewarding than anything Ryan had done in the gym before. It made him realize he could:

• Offer something most gyms couldn’t: a space where neurodivergent athletes are fully understood and supported

• Serve a community that had long been overlooked

• Carve out a competitive edge in a market with very little competition

He started with one class for neurodivergent athletes. Demand grew so quickly he rebranded the entire business as Agrove Academy in 2023 and shifted his focus to only serve this community.

Two years later, Agrove has grown to 8 locations across the Sacramento area. And with demand still far outweighing supply, Ryan says he’ll keep expanding.

How the Model Works

Each Agrove location is about 2,000 sq ft and serves roughly 150 members. They run semi-private training with one coach and four athletes per group, though 1:1 and 1:2 options are available for those who need extra attention.

Ryan says this setup works well because neurodivergent athletes often benefit from more personalized coaching—and it’s a model he already had experience with at his old gym.

Memberships are priced at a premium:

• $380/month for training once a week

• $650/month for training twice a week

Those numbers are high compared to traditional gyms, but they’re justified by what families receive:

• Low coach-to-athlete ratios

• Highly trained staff

• An environment designed for neurodivergent athletes (quieter spaces, brighter lighting, and sensory accommodations like headphones)

Most of Ryan’s members come through referrals and word-of-mouth, but he also runs location-specific ads with lead funnels and client managers in place to handle follow-up and sales.

With so few options available, news of a gym like this travels fast within the community—and families are often willing to travel farther to access it. For example, members at Damon Vincent’s gym drive over an hour, twice a week, just to train there.

Each location has two full-time coaches and three part-time coaches. When hiring, Ryan looks for people who:

• Are caring and patient

• Want to make a difference

• Have experience working with neurodivergent individuals

What’s the Opportunity?

There’s a large and underserved community of neurodivergent athletes in every city, but most gyms aren’t equipped to support them. That’s exactly why this niche holds so much potential.

You don’t have to rebrand or open eight locations. Ryan says even a small, intentional program inside your existing gym can go a long way.

Here’s what to consider if you’re thinking about adding one:

1. Smaller programs are better. These athletes need more attention, so large group classes aren’t ideal. If you already offer small group or semi-private training, you’re in a good place to start.

2. Your space might need adjustments. Loud music, bright lights, and crowded layouts can be overwhelming. It’s best to set aside a quieter area with fewer distractions, softer lighting, and a more controlled environment.

3. Coaching is more hands-on. Neurodivergent athletes often need more structure and individual support. You may need to train your staff on accommodations or adjust your coach-to-client ratio.

4. Do it for the right reasons. Interest in this niche is growing because of its business potential, but it only works if you genuinely care about helping this population. Parents can sense when it’s not authentic.

5. Funding takes time. State subsidies can make programs more accessible, but becoming a vendor or getting approved doesn’t happen overnight. Be ready to play the long game.

TL;DR

Ryan Webb was running a solid semi-private gym. Then one neurodivergent athlete changed everything.

He saw how life-changing the right environment could be and realized almost no gyms were serving this population. So Ryan rebranded, built a space just for neurodivergent athletes, and in two years, scaled to 8 locations.

The crazy part? He didn’t have some secret playbook. He filled a massive gap in the market and delivered on it better than anyone else.

So if you’re stuck on what to do next with your gym… maybe the answer isn’t doing more. Maybe it’s just solving the right problem, really well.

For more insights, watch or listen to Ryan’s interview on Gym World.

ttyl,

j

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