5 Things I Learned From Starting My First Personal Training Studio

#1 Having a baseline

Having an established baseline of at least 10 clients was key for me. The alternative was opening up a studio with zero clients. What may sound like common sense isn’t for most. People open up a business and have no idea how to get people through the door. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. People spend $30-50k on a sweet gym that no one’s even there.

Having some experience and some clients on hand will be a huge advantage when starting out. You might not have everything figured out, but at least you have a start point.

#2 Retention

Retention is everything. Over-deliver, over-deliver, over-deliver for your clients. They are your walking billboards. They are your income. They are what turn the gears of business. They help you build a strong reputation.

#3 Grassroots marketing

Friends bring friends. That’s one of the best ways to double your clientele. Friends bring friends. Cut a deal. Get them in the door. Whatever you must do that makes sense for your business, get them in the door. Referrals are at the top because you know they’re coming. They feel comfortable because they’re coming with a friend that already feels comfortable.

#4 People count on you

I’m one of the most consistent people you’ll ever meet. You all know that, that’s why you’re here. And, the fact of the matter is, that’s why my clients stayed with me. I didn’t jump around from gym to gym. Yes, I made business decisions when it was necessary, but they were always calculated. I don’t make rash changes. I’m there, and they can count on me. Now, have I slept in or messed up before? Of course, but these occurrences are extremely rare.

#5 Keep it different

You don’t have a choice but to be different. If people catch you being a clipboard trainer, you’re fucked. It’s not going to end well. You aren’t being original and there’s no element of surprise. There’s no excitement. It’s just not going to work in the long term.

Many of you know me from my free daily workouts from the MusclePharm days. All of those were from my personal training workouts. That’s how I honed my skills. That’s how I got better and gained a better understanding of programming. Ten years of working those programs through 30-40+ clients per week. Keep it different and change it up.