Return to blog home

Considering starting your own fitness business? James Anderson, our personal training expert, reveals 9 vital qualities you'll need to start and run your own fitness business successfully.
 

Anyone working in the fitness industry knows how special it is, but if you’re someone on the outside maybe thinking of getting involved, then I’d like to say jump on in - there’s something for everyone.
 
One of the most enticing things about the industry is that it’s so broad and diverse – offering up countless areas and niches from which to make a living from.
 
This is an amazing time to get involved in this industry as the sheer demand for personal trainers, combined with the prominence of media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter has born an opportunity to become a new breed of entrepreneur. The “Fitnesspreneur”.

But before we get started, let me preface by saying that it’s not all the glitz and glamour often associated with the word. It's not for everyone. It takes something, a special kind of person.
 
So what does it really take to be a Fitnesspreneur? Well, after having built successful (as well as not so successful) businesses across multiple industries, here’s what I believe to be some of the key things you need to know to become successful.  
 

1. Develop a love for people and business, in that order

If you don’t love business, then you’re not an entrepreneur - simple as that. But considering the health industry is very much  human-driven, then it should go without saying that you have to love people too.
 
Give more in value than is ever expected and you’ll be rewarded…eventually…maybe.

2. Understand that it’s a marathon, not a sprint

You can develop a business pretty quickly these days, but it takes time to build a brand. Just like a marathon, you have to train for it. You have to put in countless hours developing the business and yourself.
 
Most people don’t realise that “overnight successes” often put in decades of hard work and sleepless nights to be one.

3. Get good at the small things

Just like getting results in the gym, it doesn’t come all at once. It’s about consistent efforts day in, day out. You have to learn to focus your time and attention on creating massive value for people.
 
Become a master in focusing on the key things that will drive your business forward. 

4. Develop self-awareness

You should master this. Actually, you must master this.

Self-awareness is one of the most powerful tools to have in your entrepreneurial tool belt, if you can truly understand yourself, then you’ll be able to take the right action steps to ensure you’re moving forward as efficiently as possible.
 
This may mean that you outsource the things you’re not good at or just plain despise. For me, that’s accounting. So I just built a great financial team around me, so I am able to continue focusing on building the brand.
 
Trust and follow your strengths, build and develop plans for your weaknesses.  

5. Be humble

No matter how much you want some things to work, sometimes it just doesn’t go as planned.
 
This is a game in which you’re taking calculated risks. So many people put all their ego in the basket of business. When things don’t work out, they can’t handle it. 

You have to be humble, accepting and flexible enough to know when enough is enough - that even though your idea was good – it just didn’t work. 
 
Having a sense of humility will help you continue moving forward again if things don’t work out. You’ll be able to seek opportunity rather than being blinded by the things that didn’t work out.

6. Be OK with failure

It’s going to happen. You’re going to make a bad decision, things won’t work out, and you’ll fail. 

And guess what - that’s ok. In fact, it’s good.

Just don’t let the potential failure stop you from even starting something, because if you do - you’re not an entrepreneur. All of the biggest names in the world failed before they succeeded. It’s a rite of passage and something that makes the success more valuable.

7. Gain experience and the lessons that come with it 

There are some things you can’t buy, but when you do get it – it’s invaluable.  Experience is one of those things.
 
Tony Robbins said it best, “Success in life is the result of good judgement. Good judgement is usually the result of experience. Experience is usually the result of bad judgement.”
 
Trust me when I say that you are going make many bad decisions along the way, but they’re only bad if you don’t take the lesson they were designed to teach.

8. Continue your education

Never stop studying your craft, ever. Whether it’s business development or self-development, never stop putting the good stuff in.

If you want to double your income, triple your rate of learning. 
 

Discover how you can get nationally recognised qualifications, upskilled, or expand your skill set here.

9. Develop an insatiable work ethic

Some say you either have this, or you don't - but I beg to differ.

I believe that if you have a true passion for what you do then it won’t feel like work. It won’t feel like work when you’re putting in 15+ hours days, 7 days a week, often for less than minimum wage.

You have to outwork, outthink and outsmart your competition. When they’re sleeping, you’re working. When they’re partying, you’re working. 

So that’s what it takes to be a Fitnesspreneur. It’s not easy, it won’t always be fun, but despite the pain, sweat and often tears, it’s worth it.
 

Looking for more tips to run your own personal training business? Learn what else you can do to stand out from the competition as a fitness entrepreneur here.