the three stages of fitnesspreneur

FITNESSPRENEUR’S LIFE

THE THREE STAGES OF FITNESSPRENEUR

Have you ever felt like your ability to determine your income and lifestyle level isn’t in your reach? I’m sure you have.

The truth is that in our industry we are not only unprepared for thinking about ourselves as entrepreneurs, we are locked into an old way of doing business. We rely on clients and one-on-one sessions, which top off and prevent us from making any real money. But deep inside, we’re entrepreneurs at heart.

If you follow me and listen to my podcast, you know I’m always talking about the limits of the traditional trainer model. Believe me, I’ve been there.

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It wasn’t until I embraced the Fitnesspreneur mindset that I was able to understand the lay of the land and which way the wind was blowing. Now I’ve got the income and job satisfaction that creates less stress and the life I deserve.

I want to share with you the three stages of a Fitnesspreneur. They are basically three categories that have their challenges and rewards. I think you’ll know which one I am a fan of.

The good news is that nothing is written in stone. By embracing the right mindset, you too can be on your way to living the life you know you deserve. It’s not about where you’ve been but we’re you’re about to go.

FITNESSPRENEUR’S LIFE: THE THREE STAGES OF FITNESSPRENEUR


FITNESSPRENEUR'S TIP:

The lifestyle that awaits you will begin

when you make a conscious choice to

move towards it.

















3FITNESSPRENEUR’S LIFE: THE THREE STAGES OF FITNESSPRENEUR


This is where it all begins. You’re on the floor and you love working the sessions. Whether it’s running the programming or interacting with your members, you love the physical side of things and maybe this is where you shine best.

But like anything, this approach has its limits. Mathematically you simply cannot achieve any significant level of wealth by working as a trainer. You’re a technician and that limits your opportunities.

There’s only one of you and only so many hours in the day. If you’re trading your hours for money, there’s no way to generate income unless you’re physically on the floor. But you may get injured or hurt. You may be called away or out of town on personal business. Plus, if you think about it, there’s only so much you can charge an hour. How much can that be? If you live in a big city, that’s maybe about $250 an hour or less in smaller parts of the country.

STAGE ONE: CLASSIC TRAINER TECHNICIAN

















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The reality is that you can only train so many people a day. And when do the majority of those clients workout? Before work or after the work day. You’re on their schedule. So forget about being there for your family in the morning. Your weekends are spent working. You’re either working or not making money.

It’s hard to see any of this when you’re in it. I certainly didn’t. But clients come and go. They move or lose their jobs. A million things can happen that are out of your control. That’s a hard way to live.

There are ways if you're living at this stage to increase your revenue streams. Stop depending on your physical presence to make you money and incorporate these two options.

1 - Mobile ProgrammingYou have to build in mobile programming to your client’s lives. Don’t want to be there all the time? Be there all the time instead with an app or some other online presence. Social media and apps have changed everything. Get on board.

If you somehow believe that this is impossible because you have no experience with this or aren’t technically savvy, think again. It’s not difficult anymore. You have to look at the technology and now it’s easier than it’s ever been.

Don’t know the first thing about apps? Use Facebook or Instagram in creative ways that will generate buzz and value for your customers.

If you look into these platforms, I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at how much potential you have to make money. Anyone living at a distance, say five to ten miles, can still be coached by you!

The online world has no limits, and neither will your earning potential. Take your programs and package them online. Create some additional revenue for yourself so that you have time to have a life.




I don't like waiting or depending on other people's schedules. Maybe that's why I'm

beyond the just being a trainer.

















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2 - NutritionThere’s so many nutritional supplements (shakes, powders, whatever) that are out there. Find one line that you like and be ready to provide it for your clients.

Chances are, they’re already asking about it. Be ready for this and keep the money that they would be spending at a GNC or whatever. Start plugging in that revenue stream.

You’re not “selling" it to them. You’re inviting them to build a better person. Make sure it’s something that exhibits a quality that you’re adamant about. Share it with them. You hold a lot of influence with them and this is a natural part of building that relationship, that trust, with them.

You know their lives and personalities. Are there nutrition lines that would work better for some than others? Get educated. Do the research. Try them out. And share. Don’t worry about keeping the stock. Lots of places do referrals and have sharing codes.

Both of these streams, online programming and nutrition, are great ways to make money when you’re not on the floor. They free you up to decide how much you want to work, whenever you want to work.

You’ve now got a three-pronged attack moving you toward your goal of living better. You’ll still be limited by the number of hours in a day and clients you can see. You’ll still be at the mercy of client lifestyles. But these additional streams decrease your dependency on being there physically.




Your clients need solutions. Provide

them.



















I owned and operated my own studio and the feeling at the time was a dream come true. Putting up the sign in front of my own shop was the best feeling in the world.

Owning a small business brings you a new sense of purpose. You feel like you’re making your mark on the world. It’s an amazing and rewarding experience, and I continue to use the skills that I acquired during this stage.

It’s a good idea to get on the ownership side of things if you’re good with business and marketing. That’s what people don’t really consider until they’re in the thick of it. They make the mistake of thinking that they can transfer the skills they use training clients into running a business. Developing strong relationships one-on-one with clients is far different than generating new business. That’s what ownership

STAGE TWO: SMALL BUSINESS OWNER

















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means. It means keeping the lights on, paying the permits, and getting new people to join.

Because of the constant costs of running a small business, you have to generate new customers to stay ahead of the game. And this is something that every studio, whether it’s a gym or yoga or whatever, has to do. You have to have a high tolerance for stress and risk, because it’s your name on the line. The buck stops with you. And it takes a certain kind of personality to weather that storm, which can sometimes be relentless.

Unfortunately I’ve seen people get in over their heads with ownership. They take out loans of sixty, seventy or even eighty thousand dollars and then get quickly crushed within the first year. That mounting debt puts a significant amount of stress on their families, lives, and relationships. It pulls apart marriages and worse.

Word of mouth referrals aren’t enough. A prime location isn’t enough. We’re talking about a full on marketing blitz that you have to personally face because you’re in charge of the building, equipment, and employees. Can you handle that?

Some people can. People who love business and love marketing make great owners and their scores of satisfied clients and employees attest to that. But you’re still at the mercy of the economy and other financial trends. That’s something to think about now and not when you’re under crushing debt.

Should you want to do this, there are some ways to mitigate any looming disasters.

Network marketing or MLMs are a great system to put in place among your trainers. An MLM is just a revenue share program. Enough with the boogeyman label. It’s not a bad thing and there’s nothing “evil” about it. I imagine some companies out there have given this way of making money a bad rap and that’s a shame.

Check out my video series on MLMs, but basically if you find the right nutrition products and programs, you can bring aboard trainers to support one another and really push them to help your clients. Now you’re creating sales for themselves and encouraging them to spread the word.




You need to love two things if you want to own your own gym or studio. You have to love business &

marketing.

















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It’s a business model that works. If you find the right products, you can just watch the money generate itself. You’ve incentivized your trainers and employees to get everyone onboard with this model and you’re taking some of the pressure off of the need to have people walk through the door.

No matter how involved your MLM becomes, don’t forget that last M. The name of the game is marketing. Become as knowledgable as you can about ebooks, apps, online courses, all kinds of cool stuff and be prepared to share with your clients via emails, text blasts, or whatever. Keep your trainers updated on the latest trends and products and empower them to be your best sellers.

Best of all, many networking companies give you all the tools you need without forcing you to take on inventory. This way you don’t have to stock up on anything or worry about spoilage. This is also helpful if you don’t have a lot of space to work with. No heavy investment, no heavy inventory. Just a solid revenue stream that works.

In this way, you can unplug a bit from your business and try to have a life. Get automated. If you insist on being a business owner, put some automation in place. This way you keep your sanity and outside obligations intact. Take your weekends off and remove yourself from being the person that has to turn on the lights first thing in the morning.

Both of these stages are fine, but they’re a lot of work for possibly little return. For me, it’s all about stage three.




The future is automated and

online. The future is in the palm of your

hand on your phone. Don't fight the

future!



















In this stage we find the true entrepreneurs. This is the person who absolutely loves being a thought leader. This person seeks out challenges and meets them head-on. This is someone who studies the history of the industry as well as where it’s going. They love the idea of being a catalyst for change and aren’t afraid to explore the outer reaches of the online world.

Maybe this is you. Do you embrace the idea of sales, networking and whatever the future holds for internet marketing? Do you think about the concept of leadership and search for ways to make yourself a better leader?

Maybe you have a high tolerance for risk. You know that only by risking things can you achieve greatness. You aren’t afraid. You want to create, innovate, and live outside the box.

STAGE THREE: THE FITNESSPRENEUR

















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I’m living proof that you can work when you want and how you want. By establishing numerous businesses, I’ve set up a foundation for consistent income. And that income isn’t dependent on my vigilance or presence. It happens around the clock and even when I’m on vacation. Imagine what that feels like.

My fortunes don’t rise and fall based on foot traffic. I’m not relying on the health and lifestyle of my clients. I’m not even relying on remaining healthy myself. I could be on my butt for weeks and I’m still making money!

My fellow Fitnesspreneurs are able to embrace the lifestyle they want and become the managers they need. They oversee, coordinate and outsource their multiple income streams, often shifting gears as their schedules permit. That’s a business that conforms to your schedule, not the other way around!

And they have teams working in tandem with them. I’m working with a group that innovates and share information. I have a team that executes brilliantly our upcoming programs, finds the best practices, and then, when they’re ready, I load them into our app. Then the app goes out and everyone benefits. We all make money this way, lots of it.

By working with a team that helps each other out, I’m able to have a life. You can travel. You can set your own schedule. You can never miss a single one of your kid’s games. You can even work from anywhere in the world. Get on a boat or do it beachside from half a world away!

What I’m talking about is a whole different style of learning how business works. It’s a new paradigm of both leadership and management. Once you’ve mastered all three, then you just decide where to spend your time and how to maximize your team’s gifts.

It’s awesome. I’ve seen trainers who want to get in on the business side of things, but don’t want to open a brick and mortar studio. They see the writing on the wall and know that the future resides online. They link up with me and now we’re buzzing through apps, online programs, nutritional training, and now they’re successful beyond their wildest dreams!




Knowledge is power and powerful. Learn about nutrition, new equipment, trends,

thought leaders...everything!



















Look, there’s no right or wrong way to go about this. I’ve seen trainers move among the different

stages according to the circumstances of their lives. Once you have an understanding of all three, decide where you’d like to be.

But knowing and understanding the limitations of each stage so important when it’s your life you’re talking about. Too many times people don’t plan ahead and they find themselves unhappy and unable to live the life they want to lead.

WHAT STAGE DO YOU WANT TO BE AT?

















I’m happy to share what I know with you and want to hear from you, as well. Be sure to let me know where you are in your life’s journey and how these stages resonate with your experience.

You have the power to create whatever life you seek. We’ll continue to put out great content so long as you share what you value.

Start living the Fitnesspreneur life!



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As a certified High Performance and Funnel Optimization Coach, Vito La Fata, is the NO BS business & personal brand coach to the wellness and fitness professional or company that is looking to get outside the box of the industry and start learning how to grow a personal brand online and offline utilizing a hybrid business model of offline and online marketing strategies that deploy customer value optimization systems in order to create as much benefit and offering for the customer and as much profit and lifestyle for the company as possible.

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