Apr 11
19
One of the biggest Frustrations most trainers have is ‘finding the right trainer’ who ‘wont rip me off’, who’ll ‘deliver the sessions like me’ and who doesn’t ‘want something for nothing’.
This guy used to work for me!
I have a really cool piece on this coming up soon, but you know what?
I can tell you EXACTLY how to find one, what contracts you need and how you should pay them based on their performance BUT none of that matters unless you change your mindset.
I recently came back from a 2 weeks stint in Thailand and didn’t get a single email, text or phone call while I was there- despite having 14 bootcamps and 10 trainers ‘working’ with me.
In the summer I‘m heading out to Marbella for 6 WEEKS of holidaying with my little family.
In an era where most fitpros cant take a few days off without stressing about there business and whether its going to be there when they get back, this is indeed quite rare.
In fact most bootcamp owners cancel their camps, take a week break and lose momentum or they run a 2-week camp.
In other words, when they go on holiday- they don’t earn ANYTHING.
I used to be like this too you see. I’ve had the trainers try to steal all of my clients and try to start their own bootcamp!
I had all the systems in place, all of the contracts, the S.O.P manual, the phone script etc etc but it dint matter. I was still scared of taking that ‘next step’ so to speak.
Then after a conversion with Dax Moy, I thought to myself:
“Sure the trainer could take some cash or put a cheque in their back pocket but at the end of the day, I’m still getting money for sitting on a beach. So I’m still earning more than I would have if I just ‘shut up shop’”
Make sense?
To explain my point a little more I asked one of the awesome members of my fitness camp team Katie Bulmer to explain her reasons and mindset shifts when she recently took on her first ‘staff member’:
Here’s Katie:
the BULMER!
8 months ago I gave birth to the most beautiful girl in the world, baby Heidi, and becoming a parent turned my world upside down in more ways than one. Not only has she brought so much joy into my life but she’s also taught me a HUGE amount about business, and kicked me outside of my comfort zone and into making some decisions I should have made years ago.
With my husband working shifts, there is no way I can be out training clients and teaching classes 4-5 nights per week like I was before. So my choices were…give up classes and turn down clients OR bring another pair of hands on board.
This was a MASSIVE decision for me…you see, I’m one of these control freak types who is completely anal about EVERYTHING to do with my business! But I knew that if I wanted to continue to earn great money and be able to give Heidi the best things in life, it was a decision that HAD to be made.
And boy am I pleased I made it! I know only work 1-2 evenings per week but am still able to run and take an income from 5 group fitness classes and a small group personal training course.
So who did I trust with my business’s reputation…the fabulous Alex. She’s amazing! We are so alike…her passion and drive is as high as mine, she wants to grow the business, and she is super keen and always wants to learn!
Next question…how did I find her?
Well, she’s an ex client, who worked with me 1:1 and got fantastic results and she was also a newly qualified instructor.
For me this is the perfect combination for 2 reasons…
1. She knows how I work; she knows methods and most of all she knows they work.
2. Being brand new to the industry she hadn’t been tainted by negative health club, minimum wage, maximum work, jealous instructor type environments. Instead she’s keen to learn and get stuck in.
I would encourage all fit pros out there, looking to take on an assistant trainer, to look for someone just like Alex. Even go as far as identifying an existing client and suggesting the get qualified.
To maintain Alex’s motivation and to make sure that my business values continue to shine through all aspects and avenues of the business I do 3 things…
1. Have Alex attend my classes and vice versa (and provide each other with feedback)
2. Have a development catch up every 6 weeks, to plan new class content and discuss what improvements we can make to the running of the business
3. I DON’T pay her by the class! Why? If I did, it wouldn’t matter to her whether she had 5 or 50 people in the class. Also, she has no ability to increase her income unless she works more hours (I wouldn’t wanna do that so why should I expect someone else to?). So instead I use a profit share plan, with me taking 30% and her taking 70%.
I absolutely LOVE Alex! She gets what I’m all about and shares my mentality, plus it means I get to bath, and put my baby girl to bed 6 nights per week…PRICELESS.
You see, I’m not chasing 6 or 7 figures (if I make that then great), I’m chasing a lifestyle that enables me to spend the maximum amount of time with my family…something you really can’t put a price on!
I hope this article helps you take the often-tough leap outside your comfort zone and into a better work/life balance.
Katie Bulmer-Cooke
