Gym owners...

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Bill is 100% correct. If you are going to optimize the number of clients and the amount of money you make as an SSC you are going to set up different types of services for different types of markets.

I have tons of people who come to see me on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis just for form and technique work and programming advice. Many drive from out of state for this session. These people are LIFTERS. They want information and instruction. They don't need accountability or help with minor details.

Then you have PT clients. Totally different type of customer but one that you need for steady revenue each month. They value information and instruction but are also paying for accountability and the experience of working with someone they know like and trust in a private gym. These are the people Bill is talking about that just don't quite "get it." So part of what you provide to them is a little service as well as coaching by doing a lot of the grunt work for them. These people are not lazy or stupid - CEOs, Doctors, Attorneys, Business Owners etc generally aren't lazy or stupid. They have chosen to "hire out" their fitness.

Lots of people hire out shit. I pay to have my lawn cut, my oil changed, etc. I could do this, but I'd rather not. Some people eat out every night. Lazy? Or would they just rather have someone else do the work and enjoy a better product than they could make on their own and enjoy the service? Should the steak house owner tell his customers "you know, it's really not that hard to cook a steak? Why don't you just buy one and cook it yourself?"

That's what I referenced earlier about seeing your gym as a business first.

[mcclamic]

Bill is 100% correct. If you are going to optimize the number of clients and the amount of money you make as an SSC you are going to set up different types of services for different types of markets.

I have tons of people who come to see me on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis just for form and technique work and programming advice. Many drive from out of state for this session. These people are LIFTERS. They want information and instruction. They don't need accountability or help with minor details.

Then you have PT clients. Totally different type of customer but one that you need for steady revenue each month. They value information and instruction but are also paying for accountability and the experience of working with someone they know like and trust in a private gym. These are the people Bill is talking about that just don't quite "get it." So part of what you provide to them is a little service as well as coaching by doing a lot of the grunt work for them. These people are not lazy or stupid - CEOs, Doctors, Attorneys, Business Owners etc generally aren't lazy or stupid. They have chosen to "hire out" their fitness.

Lots of people hire out shit. I pay to have my lawn cut, my oil changed, etc. I could do this, but I'd rather not. Some people eat out every night. Lazy? Or would they just rather have someone else do the work and enjoy a better product than they could make on their own and enjoy the service? Should the steak house owner tell his customers "you know, it's really not that hard to cook a steak? Why don't you just buy one and cook it yourself?"

That's what I referenced earlier about seeing your gym as a business first.

Andy, when are you going to write a business book? I'd buy it as you lay things out in logical formats that are easy to digest

[Adam Skillin]

I would guess the same, if only because coaching is not inexpensive.....probably a lot of guys like me (or even a little older) who are white collar and don't have a ton of gym / lifting experience but who can afford to get some occasional expert instruction.

I think it would be an enjoyable sideline to build a really nice home training facility (wouldn't take much - half a two-car garage, a power rack and platform, some weights, and a couple accessories), and coach from there. I can imagine a few ways to make it work - small group LP classes (3 - 5 people) meeting 3x a week, one-on-one coaching, maybe get in with some local high school coaches and get referrals from them - do a little post-novice programming, etc. Outside a city like Boston I would guess you could pretty easily get $75-100/hour and manage to squeeze in 8 hours a week with decent word of mouth. Would more than pay for itself plus get you some writeoffs.

(I think this is similar to what Adam Skillin does although I have no idea his business model or fees - it would be interesting to hear his perspective).

I've been following this thread with great interest, since I'm currently looking at a few potential ways to expand my little operation. I don't know what I have to contribute to a business discussion except to detail some of the ways I've not been properly running one.

I have basically the smallest possible functional training facility in the loft of my condo. It's <100 square feet, including the off-platform seating area (standing area when anyone is using the bench). It's a supremely efficient space where 2.5# plates are kept on doorknobs, and if you put every single piece of equipment back in the exact right position, you can access them all without rearranging the entire gym, but only myself and 2 lifters who've been with me a long time know how to do it.

From a business standpoint, I do 0 advertising and 0 social media right now (on the list of things that would have to change if my plans for expansion are to be successful), since I have a day job and try to maintain some semblance of a social life (another item on said list). I do lots of one-off sessions instead of signing people up for bundled or packaged sessions. I charge by the session rather than the hour, and I stick it out until even the complete motor morons are doing passable squats, presses, and deadlifts.

I do no advertising or social media. Under current conditions, I get essentially 100% of my clients directly from the SSC directory. I live in a relatively high-income area that's easily accessible from lots of well-populated places that are devoid of SSC's (just far enough from NYC and near plenty of major highways). Lots of the people I work with travel 45 minutes to get to me, and a handful drive as much as 2 hours.

Ultimately, the loft of a residential condo isn't very conducive to group sessions, regular appointments, and all the things that would need to happen to make it a more profitable venture.

As far as I can see from here, building a real business out of my little coaching ventures would mean either moving the rack out of the loft and into a small, rented space once I find one that's right for the task, or buying a free-standing home with a minimum 2-car garage to work out of, building a base of regular clientele, and possibly some type of small group strength classes where I run maybe a few, several, or a handful people through 8-12 weeks of a novice linear progression.

I'm in no rush, but I'm looking at how to make that a reality at the moment, hence my interest in this conversation. I'm also beta-testing myself at online consultation with a former trainee who has moved away, which could potentially provide an additional income stream if I decide I can offer value there (I have 0 doubt that guys like Andy and Jordan offer real value in that format, but I'm not Andy or Jordan, and I want to be absolutely certain that I can feel like I'm giving something worth paying for before taking anybody's money).

If all the above scenarios become reality and this thing manages to grow into a revenue stream sufficient to support my quite reasonable lifestyle in 4 or 6 years' time, allowing me to quit my day job, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. If not, I find the way I'm doing it now rewarding on every level (financially for sure, but I also truly believe I'm making an actual positive difference in people's lives).

That all said, it's entirely possible that at no point in my rambling, incoherent response have I come close to anything that could be considered a coherent thought. Everyone on this board may well be dumber for having read it. I award myself no points, and may KOTJ have mercy on my soul.

[Adam Skillin]

Skillin, I appreciate the quote.

(I used "you" a lot here and it seems like I'm blabbering just to Skillin. In hindsight, it's meant to be more general for those who are running smaller outfits and have day jobs.)

Also, I'm thinking you do pretty well professionally, no? You should be making more at your first 40 also.

I do alright, but could most likely command a substantially higher salary if I wanted to work 60 hour weeks and commute to NYC. At present, my commute to work is 8 minutes on foot, and I'm usually out the door at 5. In spite of that, I manage to live beneath my means and save a larger-than-average percentage of my income, mostly in my 401(k). My goal is to have my retirement (65-death) fully funded by the time I'm 40.

You'd probably do well being the guy who gets a small unit in an industrial park or storage facility. You could buy a house eventually that has a garage and whatnot, but the area you're in is retarded expensive. Plus every client has to come to your house. Personally, I wouldn't be cool with that in some cases (complete strangers).

Or you could just set up a deal with a local iron gym or xfit box where you can schedule slots and use their equipment and just give them a cut of the profits. Possibly if only for initial sessions. If they seem like asshats that will possibly damage equipment or are just creepy as fuck, you can continue to use the third party locations.

That's kinda what I would do even with music lessons when I taught them years ago. I usually met the kids at school or their house the first time (as neutral as possible) and then opened a "studio" out of the extra bedroom in the first apartment my wife and I got together. I got a 2 bedroom unit specifically for that situation. I had a steady stream of weekly students to justify the extra rent.

Yeah, there are a handful of reasons the loft isn't ideal. Unfortunately rents are high here too, and I would need to start with a smaller space than what's readily available. I'm sure the right space is out there or will become available, and I'm actively looking now. Probably more of a craigslist endeavor than loopnet, since I really can't commit to $18-24,000/year for a place to coach people evenings and weekends.

[throwman]

How many lifting at the same time?

I would say around 2 lifting at one time.

[idlehands]

Numbers.
I think a visual chart with colored plates would work slightly better, but would still take 10X longer than just loading the bar myself, or telling them exactly what weights to put on, and also usually handing them the weights because they can't decipher the difference between a 5 and a 10, or a 10lb bumper and a 45lb iron plate.

Excuse for calibrated rogue plates. Color coded charts

[PaulBeech]

Some hospitals are also beginning to employ personal trainers on site and giving them a salaried job.