Categoriesbusiness

Maintaining a Sense of Calm and Comfort: How Fitness Professionals Can Serve Their Clients Amidst the Chaos

The world has changed.

I’ve joked about the impending “zombie apocalypse” for years now. And while zombies are fake and don’t exist (except they 100% do), what we’re all currently experiencing with the COVID-19 outbreak is very much real and very much scary.

The entire world is being held hostage to the unknown.

At least with zombies you can see them (and run really fast in the other direction or throw an ax at their face).

With this virus, however, we’re just stuck with this invisible inevitability of a dumpster fire. It’s going to affect our lives in every shape, form, and fashion for weeks, months, if not years to come.

The health/fitness industry, like many industries, has been decimated in a matter of days. People have lost their jobs, income, and (sadly) much, much more.

I am not going to sit here and say I’ve figured it all out. My business has taken a hit too in the past week, and there’s no clear path as to when things will return to normal. Nevertheless, I wanted to share some insights and ideas I’ve used and implemented in recent days which I hope will help others.

Copyright: idealnabraj / 123RF Stock Photo

Maintaining a Sense of Calm and Comfort Amidst the Chaos

1. Be a Leader

I understand this may sound cheesy and a smidge “eye rolley.”

I mean, the real leaders out there are the doctors, nurses, care givers, researchers, and scientists out there who are trying their damndest to circumvent the storm.

Telling someone not to round their back on their deadlift does not a leader make.

I think one of the things that scares people the most given current events is our daily routine(s) have been disrupted:

  • Schools and daycares are closed.
  • Concerts, workshops, seminars, conferences, sporting events, hell, sport seasons have been put on pause.
  • Self distancing and in some cases, shelter-in-place protocols, have been put in place.
  • We can’t go to the movies or visit our favorite bars and restaurants.
  • It’s impossible to find toilet paper (huh?) or kale (fuuuuuuuck).

Compound all the above with gyms closing and there’s only so much a person can tolerate…

via GIPHY

We have to be a voice of reason and comfort for our clients.

Their fitness is not going to deteriorate.

I’ve reminded several of my clients that both aerobic endurance and maximal strength “stick around” for a fair bit of time.

Much of the research states that the residual training effect – retention of changes induced by systematic workloads beyond a certain time period after cessation of training – for both aerobic endurance and maximal strength hovers in the 30+/- 5 day range.

Meaning, given a drop off in exercise duration/intensity/frequency you can (and most likely will) maintain those physiological and motor abilities for 25-35 days.

Put another way: Unless someone succumbs to a MAJOR case of the “eff its” and decides to do nothing but binge watch Netflix and bathe in Cheetos dust their fitness levels won’t drop off as much as they think.

The body only needs subtle reminders to maintain those qualities. In lieu of lifting “heavy” we can tweak things like tempos, rest periods, drop sets, mechanical advantage sets, pants on, pants off, lots of things.

(Speed/Power, on the other hand, dissipates quickly…to the tune of 5 +/- 3 days. But even this can be maintained with sprints and simple plyo drills like skipping & bounding).

So, just doing that – and reminding clients that all their hard work won’t just disappear – will go a long way in dampening their anxiety.

HOWEVER: It’s imperative as their coach to encourage them to be proactive.

2. The Part Where You Encourage Them to Be Proactive

One of the first things I did was to email my clients to give them my plan and to offer direction/options.

I’m in a bit of a lucky situation in that I train people in a semi-private fashion out of a small studio space. Unlike larger commercial gyms I haven’t had to shut down (yet), but I have taken precautions to practice social distancing:

  • No more than two clients in at any given time.
  • All clients are required to wash & sanitize their hands upon arriving, and are encouraged not to train if they feel ill or have a cough or fever.
  • Workouts are limited to 60 minutes only.
  • All bars, DBs, KBs, handles, pens, everything will be sanitized between transitioning of clients.

Still, and respectively, 40-50% of my clientele have opted to stay away from the gym altogether.

So the second email I sent was a link to PerformBetter.com who are offering FREE shipping on all online orders.

OG status right there.

I encouraged my clients to pick up, at the very least, some (mini and super) bands in addition to some kettlebells, and told them that between those two things – in addition to basic bodyweight movements – they’d have hundreds of exercises to choose from and to keep them occupied.

To that end, I plan on filming and sending my clients 2-3 “at home” workouts per week that utilize minimal equipment.

Here’s an example I shared on social media the other day:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I’ll play! . Like many of my colleagues I’ve been busy tweaking all my clients’ programs to reflect the times we’re currently in. . I.e., More “at home” workouts. . And while I’m up for the challenge I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had to conjure up my inner McGyver: . “I’ve got one band, an ab wheel, a mat, a roll of duct tape, and a yo-yo. I need a 3x per week program.” . Go! . I’ve been enjoying seeing what everyone else has come up with and it’s helped me tremendously tap into my creative juices. . Here’s a sample day I’ve sent a few of my clients: . Each exercise is done as a EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute) set. Once you complete an exercise you rest until the top of the next minute. . 1️⃣ Scissor Jumps x4-5/leg (substitute = 20 Jumping Jacks or 5 Vertical Jumps w/reset). . 2️⃣ Push-Up w/Elbow Tap x4-5/side (substitute = 8-10 “regular” reps elevated). . 3️⃣ 1-1/2 Reps Squat x 8-10 reps (no substitute. Fucking do it…😉). . 4️⃣ Prone Pulldown w/ Hip Add-Abduction x8-10 (props to @movement.with.meghan for this one). . 5️⃣ Step-Through x5/leg (substitute = Reverse OR Forward Lunge only). . Optional: Practice nunchuck skills. . Perform for 5 Rounds. You’re so diesel! . I’d like to post more of these moving forward so long as people want them and find them useful?

A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

If there’s ever a time to lead by example it’s now.

3. The Part Where You Encourage Them to Be Proactive (Part II)

I don’t think we’ll see any shortage of coaches uploading at home workouts on social media in the coming weeks/months (thank goodness).

I am flabbergasted at the inventiveness and creativity of my colleagues.

A few resources I’ve been directing people towards are:

  • Dr. Ryan DeBell’s At Home Movement & Workout Program (it’s free to download, but you have the option to donate $$ if that fills your love tank).
  • Jen Sinkler’s Lift Weights Faster Daily (you get DAILY emails highlighting workouts that use minimal equipment).
  • THIS free bodyweight training manual via Jim “Smitty” Smith of Diesel Strength.
  • Dean Somerset is offering two months of free access to his High Tensile Strength resource (which includes a section on bodyweight training)
  • Citizen Athletics’ home workout program(s) – HERE.
  • Anything BJ Gaddour produces – particularly his “Daily BJ” (which is just a brilliant marketing name).

And, honestly, I think going out of your way to check in with your clients via email/texts is an apropos way of doing business.

I’m challenging my clients to send me accountability emails after completing the workouts I send them. One of my clients sent me this message yesterday:

“Workout 1 in the books. I think this will work just fine 🙂 For extra fun, I added some rucksack curls and wore the rucksack during pushups.

Thanks so much for putting this together. Didn’t realize how much it would boost my mood (didn’t even know my mood needed a boost). Excited to keep going on the coming days.

Thanks again.

PS: I miss your biceps (<— added by Tony).”

He even sent me a screen shot of his workout stats:

I want more of this.

ADDENDUM: My good friend, John Rusin, had a nice re-frame regarding this whole fiasco. He reminded everyone that while it’s cool we’re all trying our best to serve our clients and inundate them with at home workouts to perform, we also can’t forget about CONNECTING with them.

He’s encouraging fit pros to just talk with their clients, check in. Another coach, Melanie Redd, suggested making a private group on FaceBook or Slack.com to share ideas on books to read or shows to binge or to just co-hyperventilate into a paper bag (my add, not hers).

In short: Remain human with your clients.

4. Distance Coaching – It’s a Thing…;o)

I’d do this discussion a disservice if I didn’t defer to Jon Goodman, founder of Online Trainer Academy:

“You don’t need to pay for software to start online training. But if you do want to use it, any of them are more than adequate. Google Drive and email is fine too for now. It doesn’t matter what video tool you use either. Skype or Zoom both work. And you can accept payments with PayPal.

There, that answers the 10,000+ questions I got yesterday. I know that this is a change and it’s scary and feels foreign and uncomfortable. Everybody is struggling right now. Nobody really knows what’s going on. We’re all scared.

But I beg you, don’t overthink this. Move fast. Speed is paramount right now. Jump all in and it’ll be fine and you’ll figure it out. I promise.”

5. A Brief Rant on Selling Products During This Time

For starters have some feel and use common sense.

While it’s a very small percentage, I’ve seen some health/fitness professionals (not coincidentally ones they have a vested, financial interest) suggesting certain diets or supplement stacks will slow down, stave off, or altogether silence the Coronavirus.

In short: To say they suck is an insult to sucking.

They’re the worst.

Secondly, I’ve seen a rash of Tweets and IG posts from some fitness professionals reprimanding other fitness professionals for having the audacity of selling their products during this time. I can’t help but think these are the same people who just hate and complain about everything; even kitty cuddles.

From what I’ve seen the vast number selling products are adopting this tone:

“Hey, if you’re going to be stuck inside for the next several weeks you may as well get smarter and earn some CEUs!”

I think it’s a completely fair and ethical approach.

Tossing myself to the pitchforks I’ve not only lost income from clients pressing the pause button on their in-person training, but have also had all my workshops in the coming months cancelled as well.

I know others have it far worse, and I am not looking for a pity party.

I’m going to be okay, but still…

…that’s revenue I won’t be getting back.

Is the expectation that I (and others in a similar predicament) am supposed to offer free services and 100% off codes on all products for the foreseeable future? Am I supposed to renege on the endless hours (and $$) I’ve spent producing these resources?

Am I?

Would you?

Listen, it’s one thing to be a dickhole and market things in a way that’s blatant profiteering (not cool). It’s another thing altogether to make a living (totally cool).

All of this to say: Assuming you’re not the former example…if you’re someone who has products to sell amongst a horde of fitness professionals yearning to kill some time and learn I say…sell away.

  • Offer payment plans
  • Give people an option of what they want to pay (you’d be surprised how many will pay more than you think).
  • Free hugs for every purchase?
  • I don’t know.

We’re in a weird time now.

I hope this helped.

Categoriesbusiness

2 More Ways to Stand Out With Integrity in an Industry That Has Little

Last week my friend and colleague, Jill Coleman, wrote a wonderful piece titled “8 Ways to Stand Out With Integrity  in an Industry That Has Little.”

You can check it out HERE.

I thought it was the bees knees…and 1) I’m sorry for using the phrase “bees knees,” and 2) I shared it here on this blog (on my weekly Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work series) in addition to tossing it up on my social media outlets.

HINT: it…was…that…good.

Copyright: turgaygundogdu / 123RF Stock Photo

So I Figured I’d Jump In

There isn’t much to add to Jill’s post; she hit on a lot of “big rock” themes I feel behooves any professional, regardless of occupation – to follow.1

To that end, I wanted to add a few salient points into the mix and to expound a bit on some of MY thoughts hovering around the same topic.

You know, just a few tidbits, tiddlywinks, and tickles(?) <— I couldn’t think of another good t-word to finish the alliteration.

1. Practice What You Preach

I’m a coach.

I like helping people get strong(er), feeling better, and/or conjuring their inner meathead. To steal an analogy from my good friend Dean Somerset: I like to think of myself as a fitness Sherpa.

Except in this case, instead of guiding people up Mt. Everest, I guide them through their Goblet Squats or get-ups; or my Gangstarr play list (alliteration!)

My job is to be their support system and direct them from Point A to Point B in the safest, most time efficient path possible.

The key here, of course, is the coaching part.

I actually coach.

Meaning, I work with people in real-life. It boggles my mind that there are some “fitness professionals” out there, a minority to be fair, who sell themselves as these industry messiahs who have worked with 1000’s of people and are “world renowned” despite being 21.

Now, I’m not saying someone can’t be a successful coach or even well-known in this industry at 21.

However, you know it, I know it, your best friend’s second cousin’s dog trainer’s Little League coach knows it…

…you’re full of shit.

Or, even worse, there are some fitness professionals out there – regardless of age – who market themselves as “experts” and write a good game – are featured on popular sites or sell a bunch of E-books – but train zero people.

Ben Bruno and I like to play a game whenever we come across an insane workout or program online. You can always tell those programs written by real, well-seasoned coaches (who work with real people) and those written by wannabes:

Real Coach

A1. Trap Bar Deadlift 3×5
A2. (Loaded) Push-Up 3×8,8,MAX

B1. Front Squat 5×3 @ 75-80%
B2. Chin-Up 5×5

C1. Chest Supported Row 3×12,10,8
C2. BearSaw 3×8-10

Coach Who’s Never Trained Anyone…Ever

A1. Deadlift 10×10
A2. Handstand Walks over Broken Glass 10x400m

B1. Bench Press 10×10
B2. Punch a lumberjack in the beard 10xMAX reps

C1. Back Squat 10×10
C2. Barbell Bicep Curl w/ Weight Releasers, 5/5/5 Tempo – Blindfolded 10×5

Listen, all I am saying is this:

Don’t be a clown. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. It’s not worth it and (most) people are going to be able to see right through the nonsense anyway, which is not going to help your career in the long run.

Moreover, and this is just my own personal aside: I have rarely programmed an exercise (or protocol) that I haven’t performed myself.

  • 20-rep squats?…yup.
  • 21 straight days of deadlifting?…stupid, but yes.
  • THIS?

 

Well, the video proves it…;o)

I can think of no better way to hammer home this point than with a story I heard Martin Rooney say years ago centered around the Monk, the Mom and the Toddler (paraphrased):

A mother was incensed she could not get her toddler to stop eating sugar. As a final hail mary she decided to seek the advice of the wise Monk.

Mother: “Oh wise Monk, can you tell me how I to get my toddler to stop eating sugar?”

Monk: “Come back in two weeks and I will tell you.”

Mother: “FML, (like I said, paraphrased) that doesn’t help me, but okay. See you in two weeks.”

(Fast forward two weeks)

Mother: “Alright Monk, it’s been two weeks. How do I get my toddler to stop eating sugar?”

Monk (looks directly at the toddler): “Stop eating sugar.”

Mother (incredulous): Wait, what? That’s what I have been doing all along! This makes no sense. Some wise Monk you are!”

Monk: “I had to stop eating sugar before I could tell someone else to do the same.”

That’s integrity.

via GIPHY

2. Don’t Buy Followers

Recently I watched Bret Contreras’s presentation via the NSCA Personal Trainer’s Virtual Conference on how to grow your Instagram following.

Bret’s someone who has over 800k+ followers so he knows a thing or two about what to do and what not to do.

To Do:

  • Prioritize actionable content
  • Treat it like a job (I.e., good content takes more than 10 minutes to produce. Bret spends, on average, 3-4 hours PER DAY creating content and interacting with his followers)
  • Good content is a combination of training yourself, training other people, and READING
  • A good microphone, lighting, and knowing your angles matters.
  • Be authentic

Not to Do

  • Buy followers

I see it all the time.

Someone has 100,000 followers yet two comments on each post.

Don’t buy followers.

Just. Don’t.

3. I’m Done, Just Realized The Irishman is Now Available to Watch on Netflix

Peace.

Categoriesbusiness

Dangers of the Discount Trainer

thodonal@123rf.com

There’s no shortage of topics to debate in today’s world.

  • Keto vs. CICO?2
  • How to best tackle the issue of healthcare?
  • Is Pluto a planet?

I don’t have a horse in the race on any of the above, except:

  • Keto zealots are the worst.
  • We need to be more PROACTIVE than REACTIVE with regards to healthcare.3
  • You’re goddamn right it’s a planet.

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing your team – or side of the fence – with any topic I always say the real right answer is…

…it depends.

It’s rare for something to be so clear-cut and definitive; there’s always a degree of nuance and extenuating factors to consider.

Seriously, Pluto’s a planet.4

Dangers of the Discount Trainer

I’m going to just come right out and say it: I’m not a fan of trainers offering discounts for their services. Now, I say this with a grain of salt because I completely understand (and respect) that it’s a delicate matter and that there’s a number of factors to consider.

For example, I think it makes a lot of sense for larger, commercial gyms to offer discounts.

In Boston, like any major city, there are several notable, big chain commercial gyms vying for people’s attention (and wallets):

  • Equinox
  • Boston Sports Club
  • HealthWorks
  • LifeTime Fitness
  • 24 Hour Fitness
  • Golds
  • Planet Fitness
  • Beacon Hill Athletic Club

In addition there’s dozens of mid-level commercial gyms (not chains, but pretty big) peppered throughout the city, not to mention a CrossFit box in every major neighborhood. That’s a lot of competition and it makes sense that many of them would offer a free consultation or discounted introductory rates on training to entice more people to join.

Moreover, and as Cressey Sports Performance business director, Pete Dupuis, has noted in the past: Roughly 30% of people who are offered free consultations actually end up taking advantage of them.

“This may be a solid conversion rate from the perspective of the commercial gym owner, but not for the independent contractor who doesn’t see a single penny of the monthly membership dues these potential leads are paying.  A 30% conversion rate tells me that 7 out of 10 people decided that something for nothing was actually worth nothing.”

As a small business – and more to the point, as a gym that only offers personal and semi-private training (no open gym or classes) – I don’t have the luxury of hundreds (if not thousands) of people paying a membership fee just to walk through the doors.

Why would I offer my services and time at a free or discounted rate when I have bills to pay?5

I can hear the cacophony of pitchforks now.

“But Tony, if you offer free/discounted stuff it’s less intimidating and allows people to see whether or not you’re a good fit.

Stop being such an uppity a-hole!”

To that Point

1. Try walking into a hair salon, attorney’s office, or, I don’t know, Gringotts Bank and ask someone for 30-60 minutes of their time in order to sample the goods and to see if “you’re a good fit.”

HAHAHAHAHAHA – no, seriously, do it.

UPDATE: I should add that it’s not lost on me there’s a bit more robustness to the client-coach relationship compared to the client-attorney relationship. Helping someone to change their behavior takes a lot more nuance. That said, it’s one thing to offer complimentary sessions/discounted rates in conjunction with a clear-cut on-boarding protocol geared towards improving the client experience.

My good friend Todd Bumgardner, owner of Beyond Strength Performance in Sterling, VA, remarks that their conversion rates are very high utilizing a heavily discounted first month of training for new members.

But that’s also because they’re laser focused when it comes to their systems; new members go through a thorough “itinerary” in order to proceed.

And it’s another thing altogether to just haphazardly toss out discounts for the sake of generating some quick  revenue. 

2. This is my livelihood, not a garage sale.

Sorry not sorry.

To that end, I don’t want to sit here, come across as some crotchedy old bastard (GET OFF MY LAWN!), and rag on the notion that you should never discount your rates as a trainer.

I mean, only Sith’s deal in absolutes, right?

Some Pros or When to Offer Discounts

1. You’re New

If you’re a new trainer or coach in the industry, need experience and more eyes on you – particularly in a crowded commercial gym scenario where there’s a few dozen trainers vying for the same thing – then it makes sense to offer some discounted training to build your client roster.

It’s not beneath you to do so.

I did it.

When I was a commercial gym trainer I’d often offer free 15-30 minute “Deep Dives” for on my own time for members:

  • Deep Dive: REAL Core Training
  • Deep Dive: Learn How to Deadlift
  • Deep Dive: Shoulder Friendly Strength Training
  • Deep Dive: How Hot is Jennifer Garner in Alias?

As a result I got more eyes on me and would often have members reach out to begin training.

For the more mathematical minded in the crowd, you can also think of it this way courtesy of  Finnish coach, Joni Jaakola of Optimal Performance:

“Offer 45 minute free training sessions + 15 minute consultation => client can experience what they are about to sign into => convert 50% of them => fully booked weekly calendar in two months or so.”

2. One-Time Special Offers

My friends over at Mark Fisher Fitness in NYC are huge proponents of offering special one-time only offers of 20-25% off packages when people attend a special class or charity event.

I like this idea.

If you’re already making the time to be at a certain place at a certain time, go for it.

Offer free shit – training, tickle fights, whatever.

People attend a class, you get their names, you offer the offer, and then you follow-up with a PHONE CALL (or text) – people just delete email – for a few weeks to remind them of when the offer expires.

3. It’s August

In the fitness industry, August (in the Northern hemisphere anyway) is…the…worst.

It’s a dead-zone.

Gym floors often resemble the barren, desolate wastelands of Mordor.

Except in this case it’s because people are on vacation in Martha’s Vineyard (and not so much because of the whole Sauron thing).

So, I get it.

Sometimes you have to discount your rates to attract people’s attention and to get bodies on the gym floor.

Totally legit reason.

However, my buddy and I were headed to get some pizza after a killer squat session last week when we walked past this sign located at the main entrance of a gym chain here in Boston:

Now, admittedly, I have zero insights into this business’s numbers or the inner workings of their operation, maybe they’re crushing it, but to me this is what’s wrong with offering discounts…

…especially ones this, shall we say, aggressive.

My Take (the Cons)

Again, offering discounts is not wrong or altogether a waste of time.

There IS a time and place and a way to implement them that can and will behoove your business as well as the (potential) client.

That said, it’s important to remain aware of the concept of anchoring.

If you’re a fan of behavioral economics – such as myself – and read a lot of books on the topic as it relates to decision making and marketing this should be a familiar term.

Via Wikipedia:

“The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias that describes the common human tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered. … During decision making, anchoring occurs when individuals use an initial piece of information to make subsequent judgments.”

In the case of the above offer ($15 for 70 minutes of training), the more the discount gets away from your full price, the more problems and reticence you’re going to have – from the consumer – when you reveal said full price.

 

1. Creates Price Sensitivity & Unsustainable Expectations

This is the double-edged sword of anchoring.

“Anchor” your price too far removed from your actual rates and you run the risk of creating a bevy of price sensitive clients who are going to jump ship to the next trainer or gym who offers an even better discount.

Canadian nutritionist, Steph Hnatiuk, agrees:

“I think huge discounts can attract clients who are only willing/able to pay bottom-end rates, and you’re unlikely to wow those people into full-price paying clients if their budget just doesn’t allow it. I think you wind up giving too much of yourself away in the process.”

2. Creates Discounted Effort

Pigging back on the above, in my experience I have found that discounted prices sometimes (not always) creates a culture of discounted effort.

Humans are very loss adverse.

This refers to people’s tendency to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains: it is better to not lose $5 than it is to find $5.

If a client pays my normal rate they have invested in themselves. There’s a degree of “buy in” from the individual to the tune of if they don’t show up – and I enforce my cancelation policy – there’s an inherent loss there.

And people hate loss.

Even more than the Patriots…;o)

Investment = people (usually) go out of their way to put forth some effort and consistency.

They show up.

$15 sessions = “meh, charge me, I gotta catch up on Ballers.“

3. Creates Awkwardness

The less mental gymnastics I have to do as a business owner, the better.

  • Who’s coming in today?
  • Who needs a new program?
  • How many sessions does so and so have left in their package?
  • Why am I not wearing pants?

I prefer to keep things simple:

– I use Google Calendar to book my sessions.

– I use Excel to write my programs.

– I have an assistant who tracks all client sessions (and to let me know who needs what when).

– I almost always wear pants.

Too, when it comes to training packages, I also prefer simplicity and go out of my way to not offer a robust array of  options because, frankly, I don’t want to have to deal with that dumpster fire.

If I charge Client A “x” (a discount) and then Client B who is charged “y” (no discount) finds out about it, and is like “dafuq, Tony?”, it makes for some awkwardness I’d rather avoid.

Me touching my wife’s butt in public = awkwardness I can handle.

Me not shaving my head for two weeks = awkwardness I can still kinda-sorta handle.

Me explaining why two clients are charged two different rates = no thank you.

4. You Get What You Pay For

This is 90% meant to be more than tongue-n- cheek than anything.

But, yeah, you get what you pay for.

Categoriesbusiness fitness business

Should You Follow Your Passion into Starting a Fitness Business?

Note From TG: I am passionate about a lot of things:

  • 90’s hip-hop
  • My wife’s butt
  • Tickle fights…to name a few.

I have yet, however, to follow my “passion” in any of those things and attempt to make a career out of them.

There’s a facade in today’s society where we put on our rose colored glasses and think that, so long as we follow our “passion” and pursue something we love doing, that that will be the panacea of a happy life and fulfilling career.

I am not going to rain on everyone’s parade…but it’s not quite that simple.

Today’s guest post by Exercise.com founder, Joel Ohman, hits the nail on the head.

I wish I could make out with it I like it so much.6

Copyright: olegdudko / 123RF Stock Photo

Should You “Follow Your Passion” into Starting a Fitness Business?

It seems that many times, maybe even most of the time, the calculus for entering the fitness industry involves a variant of this internal discussion:

“Well, I like working out, and I like wearing shorts to work, and, at least I’ll never have an excuse to not work out, right? A career in the fitness industry seems great for me!”

And then, quickly thereafter,

“You know, I can’t stand having my boss tell me what to do, and I hate having to share my hourly rate with the gym, so I’ll just go out on my own. I’ll start my own fitness business!”

Tony has long argued that new entrants to the fitness industry should put in their time, working for at least a year, as a personal trainer in a commercial gym setting, but is passion enough to propel you into starting your own fitness business?

At Exercise.com, we encounter trainers, gym owners, and fitness professionals of all stripes. Some of the trainers we work with train professional athletes, Olympians—including a trainer who is himself an Olympian—those with large social media followings, those who are just starting out, and all across the map, but the common denominator to success is that one must be willing to put in the work.

Passion, energy, and excitement are great things, but let’s be honest, there comes a time in any career or business venture where you just have to do the hard things necessary for success, passion plays little to no part in it.

Author Cal Newport in his (excellent) book “So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love” labels this common misconception the Passion Trap.

The Passion Trap

Newport describes the Passion Trap:

“The more emphasis you place on finding work you love, the more unhappy you become when you don’t love every minute of the work you have.”

This seems counterintuitive and certainly runs against the modern advice given to job-seekers to “follow their passion” in a career or business they love. Yet, if this is the case, why do only 20% of workers claim to feel very passionate about their jobs? 

Rather, Newport argues that we are focusing on exactly the wrong thing.

Similarly to the paradoxical way that focusing on becoming more happy tends not to make us happier, but just more conscious that we are not, in fact, happy, but if we instead focus on something outside of ourselves—helping others or focusing on an important external mission, for example—then happiness is more likely to “just find us” so too, focusing on something besides what we are passionate about in our work will tend to have the same effect.

So what should we concentrate on?

What are some of the things we should focus on to determine whether starting a fitness business or launching a career in the fitness industry is a good fit for us?

Newport outlines a number of things that are important, from autonomy, authenticity, and mission, but the single biggest factor is skill.

Skills Trump Passion

Developing skills by working hard over an extended period of time, by deliberately practicing and improving in a particular area of expertise, trumps any short-term nebulous claims of passion when it comes to finding long-lasting job and career satisfaction.

In other words, when you work hard at something for a long time and become a true expert, viewing your work from the vantage point of a craftsman and true master, then satisfaction naturally follows.

But if you spend all your time chasing after the ephemeral passion bubbles floating by you on the wind then your satisfaction will be temporary and disappointing.

Kevin Mullins echoes Tony’s earlier advice about working in a commercial gym setting with his article, “You Are Never Too Good to Work in a Commercial Gym Setting” because true masters, those with a craftsman’s approach to their work, realize that one must trust the law of the process, and you can’t skip steps on the journey to mastery. Mastery, expertise, a craftsman’s mindset, all of those elements have a much great contribution to lifelong satisfaction in the fitness industry.

Does this mean that you should never start out on your own and build your own fitness business?

Absolutely not!

As a 5x serial entrepreneur I couldn’t imagine doing anything different, so if you are wired the same way—and being wired a particular way is not better or worse than anyone else—then by all means, strike out on your own and start that fitness business!

But don’t skip steps.

Put in the hard work of getting certified, picking up some personal training experience, get some business savvy, learn about marketing, and learn from case studies of other successful personal trainers and fitness business owners.

To be clear, a career in the fitness industry can be a great thing.

But to really succeed and to experience long-lasting satisfaction you must commit to the lifelong deliberate practice of building the skills and craftsmanship necessary to become a true expert.

And, yes, you can wear shorts to work.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT: If you want custom-branded iOS and Android apps for your fitness business, then check out Exercise.com’s fitness business management software to scale your business in-person and online using assessments, clients/class scheduling, gym check-ins, billing, workout software, and more then mention this article to get an extra month free.

About the Author

Joel Ohman is a serial entrepreneur, author, and angel investor. He is the founder and CEO of Exercise.com and a number of tech startups. He lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Angela and their three kids.

His writing companion is Caesar, a slightly overweight Bull Mastiff who loves to eat the tops off of strawberries. He lifts weights six days a week and does Krav Maga twice a week to try to ignore the fact he’s still just a washed up ex-college basketball player.

You can connect with Joel at JoelOhman.com.

 

Categoriesbusiness fitness business

How Being Radically Candid Can Transform Your Fitness Business and Client Relationships

Wow – do I have a treat for everyone today.

Best selling author and Exercise.com founder & CEO, Joel Ohman, is in the house today with a stellar guest post on “radical candidness,” and how it can make you a better, more successful personal trainer and human.

Enjoy!

Copyright: albund / 123RF Stock Photo

How Being Radically Candid Can Transform Your Fitness Business & Client Relationships

At Exercise.com, we work with fitness business owners of every type, niche, and specialty. From sports performance gym owners and celebrity fitness trainers to incredibly witty and intelligent cat lovers who can deadlift a Buick one-handed while wielding a lightsaber with the other hand.

Did I say that right, Tony?

Oh, wait, the image you made—um, right:

Anyway, all that is to say we work with all different types of fitness professionals, and it gives us a unique insight into the psyche of personal trainers and, specifically, how they communicate with us, their co-workers, and their clients.

Different trainers have different communication styles.

Like all business owners, and people in general, there are certain communication traps we can all fall into that can sabotage our client relationships and undermine the success we are all working so hard for in our fitness businesses.

Radical Candor is a book by former Google and Apple executive Kim Scott that outlines a framework to be a better boss, colleague, and human being.

The book outlines a quadrant representing four different very common styles of communication.

On the Y-axis is your level of demonstrated personal care for the person you are communicating with. On the X-axis is your level of willingness to challenge directly in your communication with others.

The ideal stated goal in communication with clients, colleagues, and partners is to land in that top right square titled “Radical Candor,” where you are simultaneously demonstrating that you personally care about the person you are talking to while also not being afraid to challenge them directly and give them the hard truths that they may need to hear.

Radical candor is what happens when you both Care Personally and you Challenge Directly at the same time.

 

What Radical Candor is Not

But first, it’s important to outline what Radical Candor is NOT.

  • It’s not a license to act like a jerk.
  • It’s not an invitation to get creepily personal.
  • It’s not just for managers, personal trainers, bosses, or those in a position of authority—we all want to succeed.

It’s also helpful to look at each of the four different possible communication approaches/attitudes in the grid and see if you can recognize some common trainer/coach personality types, and then, of course, do the introspective work of seeing which one you tend to land in.

It won’t be hard, you should recognize which one fits you right away (or, just ask one of your clients, your colleagues/partners, or even better: your spouse).

Radical Candor

Radical Candor happens at the intersection of Care Personally and Challenge Directly.

Care Personally means that you care about the other person, not about whether you are winning a popularity contest.

Challenge Directly means that you share your perspective and invite the other person to do the same.

This is the gold standard of where we all want to be.

This is the personal trainer who obviously cares about their clients and wants them to succeed, but is also willing to say the hard truth when it comes to encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, following medical advice when it comes to weight management, and other sensitive topics.

Obnoxious Aggression

Obnoxious Aggression is mean but may be helpful.

Obnoxious Aggression is also called “brutal honesty” or “front stabbing.” This is the classic Marine boot camp instructor or the raging high school football coach that breaks his clipboard

This is the personal trainer who screams at clients but is more invested in checking out their own biceps in the gym mirror than they are in seeing their clients succeed.

We recently created a comprehensive guide on how to become a successful online trainer packed with case studies, and surprise, surprise, yelling and screaming at clients, whether in-person or via video, was not a recipe for success.

In a weird way, we have experienced coaches, trainers, or bosses like this and they have actually made us better people though.

This is why this is the second best square in the quadrant.

Even though that screaming football coach might make you want to hang your head and quietly cry in the shower after a game, can you rely on that coach to ALWAYS tell you exactly where you stand with him?

Can you count on him to communicate directly with you, tell it to you like it is, and give you immediate and specific feedback on what you need to do to improve?

Umm, yes.

At least the communication is clear, direct, and immediate. But, as we probably all know, any success is usually short-term as athletes tend to underperform for coaches who motivate solely with fear.

Ruinous Empathy

Ruinous Empathy is “nice” but ultimately unhelpful or even damaging.

It’s seeing somebody with their fly down, but, not wanting to embarrass them, saying nothing, with the result that 15 more people see them with their fly down—more embarrassing for them.

It’s a personal trainer not wanting to tell their client the hard truth, that yes, their doctor is right, they do need to lose those 60 pounds. It’s a fitness business owner not wanting to confront their head personal trainer when they are not meeting expectations.

Manipulative Insincerity

Manipulative Insincerity is a stab in the back.

This is active sabotage, and the worst of what we all think of when we think of interpersonal relationships and communication, whether that’s office politics or gym politics.

What About You?

In our weekly team meetings we like to start off with a 10-15 minute segment we call “Weekly Wisdom” that has one member of the team sharing something they recently learned, whether business, personal, a book they read, etc. and then we discuss as a team.

We recently discussed, you guessed it, Radical Candor, and here are some of the questions we discussed:

  1. Can you provide an example of someone who communicated something to you using Radical Candor? How did that make you feel?
  2. Can you provide an example of someone who communicated something to you using Obnoxious Aggression, Ruinous Empathy, or Manipulative Insincerity? How did that make you feel?
  3. When faced with difficult conversations, which of the four communication approaches do you find yourself gravitating towards? How might you intentionally become Radically Candid instead?
  4. How might we encourage Radical Candor as a team?
  5. How might you utilize Radical Candor in your personal life?

So, what about you? How might becoming Radically Candid transform your fitness business, your client relationships, and maybe even your personal life?

About the Author

Joel Ohman is a serial entrepreneur, author, and angel investor.

He is the founder and CEO of Exercise.com and a number of tech startups. He lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Angela and their three kids.

His writing companion is Caesar, a slightly overweight Bull Mastiff who loves to eat the tops off of strawberries. He lifts weights six days a week and does Krav Maga twice a week to try to ignore the fact he’s still just a washed up ex-college basketball player.

You can connect with Joel and send your own Radically Candid personal communication to him at JoelOhman.com.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT: If you want custom-branded iOS and Android apps for your fitness business, then check out Exercise.com’s fitness business management software to scale your business in-person and online using assessments, clients/class scheduling, gym check-ins, billing, workout software, and more then mention this article to get an extra month free.

Categoriesbusiness

Remember That Time I Said I Never Wanted to Open a Gym?

Some of you may recall an article I wrote years ago, not long after I left Cressey Sports Performance, where I demonstrably stated I would never want to open a gym on my own.

For those who need their memory jogged – or for those who missed it altogether – you can check it out HERE.

I just re-read it.

LOL – I was cute.

Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo

Tony Gentilcore, Gym Owner, Um, Nope

I joke, but there was a time where you would have been more likely to see the words “the next Bachelor” or “Kumite champion” or “vegan” next to my name before you ever saw the words “gym owner.”

To quote the article above:

“All of This To Say….

I have NO interest in opening or owning my own facility.

I’ve spent over a decade building my own brand and a “business,” but I am in no way, shape, or form a businessman.”

There’s still much I agree with in that article:

I still feel, strongly, that gym ownership can often be a facade. We’re programmed to believe that just because someone owns a gym that they’ve somehow reached the pinnacle in this industry, that they’ve “made it,” and that they read scripture to orphaned kittens and shit rainbows and stuff.

That they can do no wrong and they’re inherently better than us.

Pfffft, whatever.

I still feel, strongly, that many fitness professionals enter gym ownership for the wrong reasons.

I still feel, strongly, that as much as hard work, consistency, resiliency, and perseverance play a role in everyone’s success, that luck, too, is an often under-appreciated and under-reported factor.7

And finally, I still feel, strongly, my pecs can cut diamonds.

Alas, time has a funny way of making us eat our words.

I left Cressey Sports Performance in the Fall of 2015 to begin training people out of a small studio in Brookline, MA where I’d was sub-lease underneath another gym owner.

In the summer of 2016 I took over the lease and as a result…

…CORE was established.

It not so many words: I became a bonafide “gym owner.”

Now, I put “gym owner” in quotations marks because, while my name is on the lease, and while I am responsible for making sure the rent is paid every month, liability insurance is covered, and that the utilities are taken care of, I still don’t consider CORE a gym gym.

It sounds silly, but because it’s so tiny – 450 sq. feet – I consider it more of a “place where I happen to train people” more so than it being regaled as a gym.

Studio?

Training Space?

Deadlifting Dojo?

I don’t know.

Gym just seemed/seems like a bit of a stretch.

Moreover, there’s still a degree of imposture syndrome that plagues and festers inside me. I’ve never considered myself a savvy business person. I mean, I still have to Google things like “the difference between net and gross income” or “in the black vs. in the red” or “will I be sued if I don’t wear pants to work?” on a regular basis.

There’s a reason I barely passed (business) economics class in college.

Suffice to say, despite my best efforts to besmirch and (de)aggrandize my success over the course of the past three years of gym ownership – it’s a personality trait I work hard to battle – things have gone quite splendidly.

So splendidly, in fact, that I am on the cusp of moving CORE to a larger location.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa8

Excuse Me, That’s My Sphincter Clenching It’s Sphincter

If there was ever a more opportune time for Dramatic Chipmunk to make an appearance it’s now…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

 

It’s still in the early stages and nothing is cemented yet, but an LOI (Letter of Intent) has been agreed upon and it’s looking as if I’ll be moving my 450 sq. foot “something-er-other” into a 3,500 sq. foot TECHNO & DEADLIFTING PALACE OF FISTPUMPS.™

(Excuse me while I go destroy the back of my pants).

A lot has gone into this decision, it’s been brewing for a while, but I felt it prudent (and a bit cathartic) to hash out and explain a few details that helped inspire this bold move:

1. My (New) Vision

As it stands now, I coach my own clients 20 hours per week out of CORE. I also have six other coaches running their own businesses out of the same space.

One coach, one space.

There can be only one.

Some, like me, follow a semi-private model (coaching anywhere from 2-4 clients at a time), while others use it solely to train their clients one-on-one.

Either way, each coach pays an hourly rate to use the space. They’re all coaches I know and trust, and who are very competent.

And what’s more to the point, the system has worked very well to help offset my overhead.

My model has proven to work on a small scale.

However, can I make it work on a grander scale?

As in, instead of one coach using the space at a time, maybe two, three, or four coaches could utilize the space simultaneously?

I love the idea of providing a space for other fitness professionals to grow their businesses & brands; a consortium of like-minded fitness professionals supporting and helping one another to create an environment that’s welcoming and inspiring to all.

One of the things I miss most about being at CSP is the camaraderie amongst the coaches; sharing and bouncing ideas off one another.

I also love the idea of actually having showers, changing rooms, a lounge area, and more than one squat rack (something CORE doesn’t have access to at the moment).

Goals.

2) My Jerry Maguire Moment

This idea would only work if 1) I was 100% sure I had reached a tipping point in my own ability to accommodate clients and more importantly 2) the coaches who were sub-leasing under me currently would also be willing to take a risk and follow me to the new space.

So I sent an email a few weeks ago and it said…

“Who’s coming with me?”

I explained my umbrella theme for the new space, how things would benefit everyone – for myself AND them – in addition to outlining some baseline expectations.

They all said yes.

NOTE TO SAID COACHES: You can’t back out now. We pinky swore. WE PINKY SWORE.

3) Onward!

I’m scared to fail.

I’m scared to take a risk.

I’m scared to step outside my comfort zone just like everyone else.

But then I remembered 13 words my friend, Todd Bumgardner, uttered to me years ago when I was going back and forth on whether or not to leave Cressey Sports Performance. They punched me in the face and nothing has resonated with me so much:

“Scare the shit out of yourself. It’s the only way to do it.”

I have the support of my wife. I have the support of my clients and colleagues. And, seemingly, I have the support of my bank account.

The numbers seem to add up.

The move seems to make sense.

The timing seems to be right.

Tony Gentilcore, (real) gym owner.

Well, well, well. Who woulda thought?

Categoriesbusiness

5 Things You Can Do Today to Retain Clients

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the most savvy business person.

I likely wouldn’t be able to tell you my P & L breakdown for the month of September, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you how many sessions I completed in June, and I assuredly, still, would need a few seconds to remember which is better:

  • Being in the red?
  • Being in the black?9

I’m not entirely inept, though.

(And, Stephen King, if you happen to be reading this post, apologies for the initial onslaught of adverbs).

I’m no Pat Rigsby or Pete Dupuis, but when it comes to the “x’s” and “o’s” of (fitness) business acumen I’m on par with Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.

Okay, not great.

And with that I want to share FIVE “things” you can do TODAY to help you retain more clients.

Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo

No Diggidy, No Doubt

1. Stop Selling/Pushing/Requiring Packages

I understand this won’t resonate or apply to those coaches/trainers who work out of a commercial gym setting, but for all others reading hear me out.

This is something I adopted from my time at Cressey Sports Performance and a concept CSP business director, Pete Dupuis, has championed for years.

Not many things are going to make someone pump the brakes on hiring you as their coach more than you asking/requiring a massive amount of money out of the gate.

You: “That was an excellent assessment, I think we’ll be able to get a lot accomplished if we can work together.”

Client: “I agree. How much will it cost to get started?”

You: “I require six months in advance, and you have to share your Netflix account with me.”

via GIPHY

Not many people are going to do cartwheels and take out their checkbook when they hear something like that.

It’s daunting and absurd.

Instead, offer a monthly rate.

  1. It’s way less intimidating.
  2. It forces you to EARN their business every month.

2. Know the WHY.

This Tweet should explain things:

3. People LOVE to Hear Their Name

I learned this subtle trick from my friends at Mark Fisher Fitness.

The coaching staff there have a rule:

“Each client must hear his or her’s name a minimum of three times during any given session.”

It ensures to the client that YOU’RE present and validates you’re paying attention to THEM.

  • “Great to see you today Matt Damon. Go a head and warm-up and lets get to work.”
  • “Hey, Matt Damon, that set of squats looked amazing.”
  • “Matt Damon, have I ever told you you’re the wind beneath my wings?”

It’s a brilliant if not altogether underutilized tactic.

4. Maybe Consider An After Hours Fight Club?

Kidding.

Or not.

I don’t know.

Maybe it’d be cool?

No, it’s not. I’m totally kidding.10

4. Little Things Matter

This is going to be the most cliche piece of advice I’m going to give.

Call your mother.

Seriously, stop being a jerk.

Also, don’t discount the power of a hand-written note or card.

Every client of mine receives a Birthday card of some sort every year. Here’s this year’s iteration:

In it I’ll write a little sumthin, sumthin and also include a $10-$15 gift card to a local coffee shop or movie theater.

Clients love it, and there’s little doubt in my mind that this teeny-tiny gesture produces an immense ROI that bodes in my favor.

Likewise, if I haven’t seen a client in a while, or he or she has fallen off the grid, I’ll send them a wildcard card like this:

One of two things usually happens:

1. They come back.

2. I’m handed a restraining order.

5. Just Do Your Job

Smiling (without being obnoxious or creepy about it), showing up on time, providing feedback and a fun, inviting environment, showing empathy (albeit not refraining from offering tough love when needed), and writing programs based on your CLIENT’s ability level and your CLIENT’s needs and your CLIENT’s goals doesn’t require a fancy algorithm or a bevy of letters next to your name.

It’s called doing your job.

And it’s amazing how that alone will make all the difference in the world.

Categoriesbusiness

Answers To Your Most Pressing Fitness Business Questions

Last summer I had the honor of being invited to speak at the Elite Fitness & Performance Summit in Chicago.

I don’t say this lightly: It was one of the best experiences as a speaker (and attendee) I’ve ever had in my 15+ years in the industry. The only way it could have been better is if my hosts, Ryan Ketchum and the rest of the Fitness Revolution crew, gave me my own ticker-tape parade.11

It was well-organized, well-paced, provided a ton of actionable content, had an amazing roster of speakers and attendees, and included a plethora opportunities for everyone to mingle and interact.

It was the perfect blend of professionalism, pithiness, and “laidbackness” that I’ve grown to respect and appreciate after attending so many conferences throughout my career.

So to say I was legitimately sad when I had to decline Ryan’s offer to come back this year to present (due to a prior engagement) was an understatement.12

That said, I still wanted to inform all my readers about the event, to let them know why it will help them grow their fitness business(es), and to also let them know they can still save $100 off their registration.

BOOM.

Copyright: langstrup / 123RF Stock Photo

Answers To Your Most Pressing Fitness Business Questions

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to create a high powered, cash generating fitness business that allows you to live the life you want, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

A world-class fitness business that pumps out predictable revenue and doesn’t drive you insane trying to manage all the chaos is a fantasy that many fitness business owners and fitness pros only dream of. This can seem like an unattainable business target only achievable by the super-humans you see on social media.

While contemplating multiple locations, building sales funnels and taking several weeks off to spend time on vacation with family may seem like goals for the elite, many fitness business owners struggle with the day to day challenges of running a business. If you resolved those issues you could create a substantial impact on your business, growth, and career.

The most pressing challenges are:

  • How do I attract more quality leads and build my business with Ideal Clients?
  • How do I sell my training at the price I deserve without selling out and being a sleazy salesperson?
  • How can I automate more of my business so that I don’t have to spend 18 hours a day running around with my hair on fire trying to manage the chaos?
  • How I can predict my sales and profits so that I can run my business?
  • How can I build a reliable team of ‘A Players’ who help me grow my business and build my culture?
  • How do I lead a team and become a fitness entrepreneur?
  • The answers to these questions elude most fitness business owners for their entire career.
  • How can making killer cat memes increase my net intake?

That is, until now…

For the past 12 years Fitness Revolution has been helping fitness business owners implement strategies that grow their business and develop the skills needed to reach their full potential as a fitness entrepreneur. From the startup fitness business to well-known gyms that appear in the Men’s Health Top 10 Gyms list, FR has helped them all.

Many fitness business owners wonder how they can achieve more in their business without having to kill themselves doing it. Because of this, FR hosts the Elite Fitness & Performance Summit each year to provide you with TWO full days of strategy and innovation for your business.

If you’ve have ever wanted to the chance to learn from the best in the industry join the Fitness Revolution Team and our top industry experts to learn how to IMMEDIATELY transform your business with more sales, greater efficiency, and more profits, YOUR opportunity has finally arrived…

 Click Here To Book Your Ticket Now (Save $100 Today)

Categoriesbusiness coaching

What You Didn’t Expect When You Opened Your Gym: 6 Lessons On Building a Team

It must be “gym ownership week” on TG.com this week.

Yesterday’s post on the effect social media has on the perception of gym ownership – everything is seen through rose colored glasses – was a huge hit.

Today I have guest post by another gym owner, Doug Spurling of Spurling Fitness located in Kennebunk, ME, discussing how to best build a team to help your business thrive.

Doug’s done an amazing job building a successful fitness business and he’s someone I respect a ton. Read what he has to say. He’s smart.

NOTE: Next month I’ll speaking alongside Doug (along with his staff, and my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis) at the Spurling Spring Seminar. It’s going to be a great event and tonight (3/14) at midnight is your last chance to take advantage of the early bird registration of $50 off.

Copyright: eugenelucky / 123RF Stock Photo

6 Lessons On Building a Team

Hang out in sweats all day long…

Listen to cool music all day long…

Talk shop and change peoples lives…

Life of a gym owner, right?

That’s part of it.

But they don’t tell you about the “other” stuff.

Getting good at marketing, financial statement analysis, strategic planning, holding good meetings, putting out fires, and that you’ll never be able to actually shut it “off.

I’m sure the list could go on and on, but today I want to focus on one particular aspect that I don’t think we spend enough time on as an industry.

HUMAN RESOURCES.

More leads, more clients, and more growth usually means….

More team members.

They are our biggest asset, but can also be our biggest headaches if you don’t know how to lead them.

We thought we got into this business to train people, change some lives, and do it all hanging out in comfy gym clothes.

Now I’m telling you if you want long-term success you need to get really good at human resources.

Today I spend the majority of my time on human resources, team development, holding meetings, and making sure our margins are strong as I run a payroll that exceeds a half a million dollars a year.

I love it, but it’s not what I expected as a gym owner.

I now have seven families I am responsible for, only one of which is mine.

With six full-time team members, that means six people that look up to me, six people that count on me running a successful business so they can get a paycheck next week, six people who live their life mission through my business, and six people who support their families with my business.

Woah!

via GIPHY

That’s a big responsibility when we think about it.

That being said, I’ve made some major mistakes as a leader, but I also feel that I have one of the strongest teams around.

Here are six lessons I’ve learned so far…

1. Hire for Personality, Train for Skill

I want driven, hard-working,  value-focused people, I don’t really care if you can coach a squat.

I can’t train a smile, I can train you how to coach a squat.

We aim to hire people that fit our core values, and then have a strong onboarding system that teaches them the technical stuff like how to coach.

2. Have Clear Systems

We have a master folder called “The Spurling Way.”

Every process in our business is documented under that folder.

There’s no questioning how to do things.

We get feedback when we create a new process, but once it’s put into this folder the team has agreed that this is the way we do things.

We don’t want people that want to do it “their way.”

Follow the system.

Run the play.

3. Hold Good Meetings

I think good meetings are totally underutilized.

Every day we have a meeting.

It starts each day with a daily huddle-a quick 5-minute accountability meeting about what each team member is doing that day and what that needs help with.

We have a leadership meeting every Monday, a coaches meeting every Tuesday, individual meetings every Wednesday, and a team meeting every Thursday.

Now, notice above I said, “good meetings are underutilized.”

Read a book like “Death by Meeting” and learn how to hold good meetings.

They can be some of the most productive hours of the week, or if done wrong, they can be the biggest waste of time.

4. Balance Multiple Personalities

We can’t have a universal leadership approach.

Each team member is different.

How you talk to one team member is different than how you talk to another.

One may be motivated by public praise, one may want a small note left on their desk.

We use things like the DISC profiles and the 5 Languages of Appreciation to understand how each of us functions and how each of us gives and receives appreciation.

As your team continues to grow the possible communication flaws, the potential drama, and headaches can quickly multiply if you don’t stay on top of it.

Understanding each team member, what they value, how they tick, treating them as an individual, and not have a universal leadership approach is key.

5. Communication Is Key

Communication is not what’s said, but what is understood.

Nothing drives us crazier than when we tell someone something and they don’t do it or don’t follow through with it the way you wanted it to be done.

  • Or you tell Coach A how to do something, they nod their head, and then don’t go it the way you taught them.
  • Or you come in and hear the Coach A hates Coach B but isn’t doing anything about it.
  • Or Coach A is annoyed because they feel they’re working so much harder than Coach B.
  • Or Coach A is complaining about something but then isn’t doing anything about it.

I’m sure you can think of a million scenarios that cause you to pull your hair out as the leader.

However, as the leader, you have to take extreme ownership (good book, btw), and take charge of the situation.

Quite often if you hire good people (see number one), most situations come down to poor communication and/or assumptions.

  • Someone makes an assumption that someone else took care of it.
  • Someone makes an assumption that the person understood what they just told them.

We need to over-communicate with our team, never make assumptions, and make sure that we understand each personality (see number four) and how they like to receive communication.

6. Treat Them the Way You’d Want To Be Treated

Seriously.

Seems like common sense, but as they say, sometimes common sense is not so common.

I get a lot of questions on why I have an all full-time staff, all salaried, all fully benefited, have unlimited time off, and they all work a “normal” 40ish hour work week.

It’s the culture I’m trying to build.

I don’t want people that want to train “their clients.”

I don’t want people that are just here for a paycheck.

I want people that are going to devote their lives to our mission.

I want people that are here for more than just a job.

In order to do that, I need to treat them really well.

That means a good salary, a good schedule, good benefits, constant leadership, constant appreciation, and a constant pitch of why we’re doing this.

Is it easy?

No.

Most months I shed a few tears when the payroll gets withdrawn.

It’s my biggest expense, but I also know it’s my biggest ROI.

The most common message we get from client always comes back to something along the lines of…

“You have the most cohesive team I’ve ever met. You can tell they are here for the right reasons.”

It all comes back to driving the mission, communicating clearly, leading them, and treating them the way you want to be treated.

We all got into this business to change lives, and depending on what kind of impact you want to make, if you want to change the lives of hundreds of people, you’re going to need a team to support you in your mission.

Hope this helps.

Want More?

Next month Doug will be hosting the Spurling Spring Seminar in Kennebunk, ME alongside myself, my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, and the entire Spurling Fitness staff.

There aren’t many events outside Boston that cater to the fitness community, so this will be an awesome opportunity for any personal trainers, strength coaches, gym owners, or anyone interested in assessment, program design, business, and mindset skills to enjoy a day of learning.

You can read all the details HERE.

ALSO: If you register by TONIGHT (3/14) at midnight you can still take advantage of the early bird registration and save $50.

Categoriesbusiness

What Social Media Isn’t Telling You About Owning a Gym

Long before I owned CORE, and even now, as a current gym owner, I’ve championed the message that gym ownership is not for everyone, and more to the point that it should not be perceived as the holy grail of the fitness industry.

There’s a running theme – which is nauseatingly prevalent on social media – that owning a gym provides some sort of pinnacle, “I’ve made it!” mentality, and that once it happens it’s nothing but rainbows and kitten kisses for everyone.

Sure, the fairy tale ending can happen.

However the reality is, for many….being a gym owner is fucking brutal.

My friend and colleague, Mike Connelly, who’s a recent former gym owner, took the time to write this beautifully honest guest post today on the trials and tribulations (and general dumpsterfireness) of owning a gym.

Cue slow clap.

Copyright: gekaskr / 123RF Stock Photo

What Social Media Isn’t Telling You About Owning a Gym

“I’m so sorry to hear about that.  Must be tough, man.”

I’ve heard that line from a lot of people in the past two months. The reason I’m hearing that so much is because after six years I am moving on from owning my business, Rebell Strength and Conditioning, and all I can think about when it comes up is how happy I am about the situation.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you it all went as I planned and that I’m coming out of this footloose and fancy free.

That’s not the case.

But, since being out of the operation of my business for the last two months, my life has changed and only in positive ways. I’m averaging just about twelve more hours of sleep a week, I’ve lost thirty pounds, my mental health is back to being stable (as stable as it will get anyways), and, most importantly, I feel like myself again.

When you own and run a business, it’s easy to get so caught up in things that you don’t even realize what is happening to yourself.  You think about bills, timelines, clients, marketing, bills, social media posts, blogs, bills, complaints, finding new clients, keeping current clients, bills, programming, systems, bills, platforms that run your business, networking, bills, finding good employees, keeping good employees, how to manage your revenue, and finally…. bills.

It’s a lot.

It’s nauseating at times. To feel stress at a molecular level (Paul Lyngso hit that description on the head) all the time becomes your new normal.

And it sucks.

But you keep going because you’re “living the dream.”

A mentor of mine once described entrepreneurship to me like this:

“There you are, riding the bull that is business, through town. People are cheering for you and admiring your courage to go out and do it on your own. You are revered and respected at the mere mention that you own a small business. Yet, through all the accolades all you can think about is, “how the fuck do I get off this bull?!”

I know that’s not the case for all business owners.

There are some out there that are owning it through and through. These people are running a business and not just getting paid for their hobby. It took me a long time to realize and then admit it, but I never broke through to that level of ownership.

I never owned my business.

My business owned me.

I could go on vacation whenever I wanted, but I always had to add the cost of people covering my work to the price tag. I didn’t have a boss, but a long client list that could, at times, be much worse than a boss.

I had the opportunity to take as much free time as I wanted, but it always came with the sacrifice of progress. When all that became too much, the progress suffered, and once that ship sails, it’s hard to get it back to shore.

As coaches, we should teach our clients to own movement, not just survive it. Well, for a long time I was merely surviving being a business owner. And that, my friends, is not a path to success or happiness.

I’m not writing this to shit all over your dreams of being a business owner.

Nope, far from it.

Nor am I here to make excuses.

I fucked this whole thing up.

I always had good intentions, but that and a nickel will get you a jaw breaker from a vending machine at your local arcade. I wanted to share this with you because the coach in me wants you to move forward with caution. I want you to realize that before you get on that bull, you better have those ducks in line and know that the glory and freedom that often get put on owning a business rarely become a reality.

I want to share this cautionary tale, because chasing down the dream of business ownership seems to be trending in our industry, and I don’t hear too many people talking about why it might be a bad idea.

I’m not the smartest guy around, but I’m not the dumbest either. I’m intuitive and have a wicked creative side. I’m strong willed and will fight to the death at the drop of a hat.

I’m a Marine.

I once did 177 get ups in one hour with a 24Kg bell for a fundraiser and then drank whiskey and danced the night away at a wedding. I can get shit done – when I want to – and that’s the thing about being a business owner that caught up to me.

The accounting, the marketing, the interviewing, the blah, blah, blah side of business that I didn’t like finally became not as fun anymore, so I just let off the gas and coasted.

That’s how you lose $4,000 in revenue in a month, and that’s the thing about losing business, it always goes much, much quicker than it comes.

It wasn’t over a bad customer experience either. In six years I can count those on one hand.

It’s because people move, lose jobs, get in relationships, and any other reason that has nothing to do with you.

There is no amount of success that can protect you from that and for that reason, you can never let up. Never.

Well, I did.

I knew what I had to do, and I just didn’t want to anymore. It didn’t make me happy like it used to. I know, I know, you’re supposed to delegate and hire out for all those items that you suck at, and that brings me to my next shortcoming.

I suck with money.

via GIPHY

I mean, I’m good at spending it without thinking, but I really suck at doing the right thing with it.

If you don’t want your business to own you, you better have a fucking stellar plan for every dollar that comes in the door.  It seems to me that every successful business has a numbers guy somewhere in the mix.

That’s no coincidence.

Then there’s me, just throwing money at things that won’t do me any good in six months, let alone a year.

I paid my staff too much; I charged too little for my product; I wasn’t patient with purchases, and I got into a lease that put me in a position where I was fighting uphill from day one.

I never gave myself a chance, but I never saw it because I always thought that if I treat people better than they would ever expect, then that would motivate them to produce. I thought that if I was aggressive with purchases and leases that it would pay off overall.

I’m not saying that employees shouldn’t be paid well and that aggressive moves don’t pay off. I’m just saying that you should have a plan for everything, and it better make sense to someone that knows numbers.

Have a numbers person!

In the end, that will make or break your business no matter how good your product is.

There are plenty of shitty gyms out there making a large profit because they have their numbers on lockdown. There are also a lot, and I mean a lot, of unbelievable coaches getting their asses kicked because they are not equally as good of a numbers person.

I’ve learned from the many, many mistakes that I’ve made over the years.  I know that I will continue to learn as I sort through and process all of this.

For that, I am grateful.

Any time we can learn from our mistakes it was worth it.

The only thing I’m ashamed of is that I allowed myself to think that my identity and character were defined by a title that I slapped on myself but was never really cut out to live up to.

That kills me a little bit when I think about it.

I let it stress me out and change who I am. It stressed all my relationships and probably none more than the one that I have with my family. My hope is that maybe one or two business owners out there who are feeling alone and completely fucked mentally read this, and it lets them take a breath and realize that they are not bad people or coaches because they are having a hard time with their business.

It’s easy to feel like a failure in that position, but the reality is that you had the guts to take a shot and that’s great. If you’re the type that just cannot go back to working for someone, then I hope this pushes you to get the help you need to right the ship.

But if you’re like me and can be perfectly happy and have a lot to contribute in another arena then I hope this gives you the guts to do the right thing for yourself and the people that you love.

About the Author

Mike Connelly: Former Owner of Rebell Strength and Conditioning for 6 years, current Fitness Director for Fitness Formula Clubs at their Oak Park, Il. location and co-owner/coach at Strength Faction.

Serves as a consultant to the Chicago Blackhawks organization for off-season camps for the past three years.