The Future Is Now

Yesterday I had a tremendous opportunity to teach a private DVRT (Dynamic Variable Resistance Training) Workshop for a club in New Jersey and a topic came up during the workshop that I always love to talk about...Making their job a career.

When speaking to someone about this, there are a couple of questions that I like to ask them first:

1.  What kind of car do you want to drive?

2.  What type of house do you want to live?

3.  How many children do you want to have?

4.  How many vacations would you like to take a year?

Once we have received all their answers...I than ask them how much money do they have to make in order to make their dream a reality.  The answer that I always get is....A TON OF MONEY....and my response to it is...YOU ARE CORRECT and how do you plan on getting there.  This is where the conversation stops...People know where they want go, but most of the time do not know the exact route that it is going to take in order to get there.

So here is how we are going to form the exact route to get them where they would like to be:

If your goal is to make $75,000.00...Lets breakdown the exact numbers that it would take to get there:

One-On-One Personal Trainer

Goal:  $75,000.00

Revenue Per Month (Goal / 12 months) = $6,250.00

Revenue Per Week (Revenue Per Month / Number of Weeks-4) = $1,562.50

Number of Sessions Per Week (Each client pays $80.00, but the trainer only gets $40.00 per session):  39 ($1,562.50 / $40.00 = 39 sessions per week

Number of Session Per Day (week consists of 6 days because you want to be nice to yourself and give yourself a day off) = 6.5 sessions per day

Now if you break down these numbers, you realize that it is not impossible to make $75,000.00 in one year, but now we have to look at the reality of it.  We did not take into account holidays, snow days, client cancelations, clients on vacations (because we all know that if you do not train your clients...they do not pay you), and please make sure that you and your family do not have any type of emergency because you can not cancel any sessions for the next 365 days...Now our goal does not look as easy to attain as it did a couple of minutes ago.

Now that reality has stepped in and we have figured that it is going to be very difficult to achieve our goal with the plan that we are currently on...We have to think about what numbers can be changed in our breakdown.  Remember our goal is to make $75,000.00:

Increase the number of months in a year...CAN'T

Increase the number of weeks in a year...CAN'T

Increase the number of days that you work during the week...The answer is that you can work 7 days per week, but lets not establish a plan to burn you out...Let's just say, for argument sake, that you can not work more than 6 days per week.

The only thing that we can change is how much money we make per hour.  My goal is to find you a way to not just make $40.00 per hour...If I was able to find you a way to make $60.00, $80.00, or OMG...DO I DARE SAY IT...$100.00 per hour...Would that make achieving your goals a lot easier...ABSOLUTELY!!!!

The answer to our question is Small Group Personal Training 

If you would like to find out more about how I completely changed my business to what it is today at Next Generation Training Center, you are going to have to stay tuned to next weeks version of Next Generation Fit Pro's "Mo Money Monday"

See you guys next week

Next Generation Fit Pro "Money Makin Monday" Tip of the Week - 03/10/14

"Looking Into Your Fit Biz Numbers"

Whether you are taking business tips from Thomas Plummer, Alwyn Cosgrove, or me...The one thing that we will all agree on is that you need to you what your foundation has to consist of before you even think about starting your own Personal Training business or opening up your own facility. 

 

 Most fitness professionals that are looking to take the jump, often think that because they have 20 something clients and that they have a bunch of people that have promised them that they would follow (remember...do not count on anyone until their name is on a training contract) that they are ready.  Clients are obviously important because without clients than you will not have any income, but just as important is the fact that you need to know your numbers that are not only going to help keep your business afloat, but also allow you to turn your job into a career...Allow you to make an income that will allow you and your family to live the life that you have always desired to provide for them.

 

Here is Part 1 of what I call "Looking Into Your Fit Biz Numbers":

1.  Base Operation Expense (BOE)

This is the amount of money for you to pay your bills.  You need to know how much it costs to run your facility each month.  You also need to pay attention to when you BOE increases.  Increase in BOE = Decrease in profits.

2.  Cash Flow
Cash flow is how much money that you bring in to the facility in all of your different revenue streams.  Every single day I look at how much we brought in and are we on track to hit our weekly and monthly goals.  If you are behind, you better figure out a way to take action on one of your plans that are in the works that could bring in additional revenue.

3.  Receivable Base
This is money that is guaranteed to come in the future from your current clients.  This is not a guess...This is a fact and can not be based on if Mrs. Jones pays...These MUST be contracts and guaranteed revenue. 

An example of this is EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) for membership dues.  We sign everyone up to a 6-month or 1-year membership and guarantees us income every single month.

4.  Daily Numbers

I know that in Cash Flow, we discussed setting goals on a weekly and monthly basis, but I am really a BIG fan of micromanaging every day that we are open for business at Next Generation Training Center.  I want to know how much money I have to bring in every day to make sure that our weekly/monthly/yearly goals are met.

Figuring out your Daily Numbers are easy...First you have to figure out what you want to make each month.  Once you have that numbers, divide it by the number of days in the month and than GO GET THAT NUMBER and don't stop until you get it.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of "Looking Into Your Fitness Biz Numbers" where we will talk about profit mode, session numbers, and talk about some of the percentages that we look to achieve at Next Generation Training Center.

Live The Dream

Why did you decide to become a Personal Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Coach, or Group Exercise Instructor?

1. To make 6-figures? NOT

2. To be able to have a job with flexible hours? MAYBE

3. To help people? PROBABLY

Why can't the answer be all three? What is stopping you from becoming someone who earns 6-figures, helps a lot of people, and has flexible hours? I will tell you what is stopping you from this...YOU.

People in the fitness industry normally look at themselves as having a job, not a career. A job is something that you do for a certain amount of hours during the day or evening and a career is something that is going to lead you to the life that you have always wanted.

If you would like to take your job and turn it into a career, take some time out and think about what you really want in life. Think about how much money you would like to make, the house you would like to live in, or the financial burden that you would like to take off someone's shoulder...than write out where you would like to be in 1 year, 5 years, and than 10 years.

Once you have really narrowed down where you want to go, it is going to make figuring out how to get there so much easier

"It takes great challenges to do great things."
Alwyn Cosgrove

“MLB Power with the USB”

 (Rob Kaminsky-St. Louis Cardinals 1^st Round Draft Pick/Next Generation Training Center Athlete)

Let’s be honest, there is only two things that ALL baseball athletes must be concerned with:  Total Body Strength and Explosive Power.  Increasing these two areas will not only create a better baseball player, but will more importantly create a better athlete. 

Here are 6 exercises, with the Ultimate Sandbag, that are going to give you that MLB Power that you have been looking for:

1.     USB Rotational Lunge

The USB Rotational Lunge is a GAME CHANGER for us at Next Generation Training Center.  This move is a great way to develop flexibility in the hips, but also increase strength and mobility.  With the USB Rotational Lunge, we move in one plane and allow the weight to be moving in the other plane.

2.     USB Bear Hug Squat

Now this one is going to look easy and simple, but all I have to say is…WATCH OUT!!!  This exercise not only takes a lower body exercise and turns it into a total body exercise, but also puts the athlete in a perfect squat position, loads the right muscles, and builds flexibility.

3.     USB High Pull

The USB High Pull has become my replacement for Kettlebell Swings.  The USB High Pull is going to help us create power from our hips and is also the first step on teaching my athletes the Clean.

4.     USB Lateral Bag Drag

The USB Lateral Bag Drag is by far, my favorite exercise for training the Core.  This exercise will force you to stabilize the shoulder and integrate all segments of the body.  The key to this exercise is not to allow your hips rotate while you are bringing the USB across your body.

5.     USB Shouldering Lunge

The USB Shouldering position is one of the more challenging positions to perform a lunge with because of how unstable the USB is.  This position will not only challenge your legs, but also challenge your Core in a way that you never thought possible. 

6.     USB Shoveling

We use the USB Shoveling drill to teach our baseball athletes proper rotational patterns.  This is one drill that is guaranteed to get our baseball athletes hitting farther and throwing harder.

“Real World CORE Training”

What is your definition of core training?

The meathead bodybuilders will tell you that sit-ups while holding a 45lb plate and on a decline bench is a great core exercise….

Ahhhhhh OK????

The functional fitness trainers will tell you that a great core exercise is a plank on a stability ball with a super band wrapped around your waist and allowing the trainer to pull you in a certain direction…

Ahhhhhh OK????

Now I am not knocking anyone who does these exercises…well OK…I am knocking anyone who does these exercises, but before we can discuss what type of Core training that I suggest…We first must understand what my definition of Core actually is:

Core – Everything below the neck.

Simple isn’t it.  Now that we all understand what the true definition of core really is, here are 3 exercises that I use at Next Generation Training Center to challenge my clients core:

TRX Regressed Rollouts

TRX Rollouts are a great choice for training the anterior core, but this exercise is also very difficult for most people.  In order to have our clients all perform this exercise, we have decided to regress the movement by allowing the clients to start on their knees.

Trainers Tip:  When setting up for the exercise, make sure that you adjust the straps so that they handles are right below your waist.

Ultimate Sandbag (USB) Lateral Bag Drag

This is one of my favorite exercises, its not just about throwing the bag across your body.  It is about moving the USB across your body, in a controlled manner, while not having any change in your body position.

Trainer Tip:  Weight is not your only variable in this exercise…Try working with tempo and lets not forget about you base, or foot position.  The closer your base is, the harder you are going to make the movement.

TRX RIP Stack

This is one exercise that I have added to my programming last week after I attended a TRX RIP Training Course.  The TRX RIP Stack is a great exercise because it challenges the stability of the Core in a manner that really surprised me.

Trainer Tip:  Just like we talked about in the USB Lateral Bag Drag, weight is not your only variable.  Your hand position can be moved closer to create more of a challenge to this exercise.  Another way that I like to challenge my clients is by having them hold the Stack position for 10 seconds and than with the top of the RIP Trainer, have them write their name in the air.  This will really make them understand what the true definition of core training is.

 

“5 Fitness Marketing Tips That Will Lead You Into 2013”

When most people think of fitness marketing, they think of handing out flyers at a local 5k, direct mailers, or placing an add within a magazine or newspaper.  Now if these have worked for you, congratulations, but the bottom line is that they are very costly and often do not produce the return that we are all looking for.

Here are 5 fitness-marketing tips that you MUST apply in your preparation for 2013:

1.              Have a “carrot” for them.  This is something that I learned from the Martial Arts industry.  In Martial Arts, they use a belt system to determine a path for their members to follow.  I have never heard of anyone attending a martial arts academy that never wanted to become a Black Belt. 

Now your probably thinking that I am asking you to give your clients belts…NO!  What I am asking you to do is to offer your clients something that they can strive for.  Todd Durkin has developed his “Biggest Winner” Contest and Alwyn Cosgrove has developed their own “Jeans Challenge”.  It is contests like this that create a short-term deadline for your client to shoot for and achieve success that allows them to yearn for more.  

This is not the only way to create a carrot in your business, but it is a very smart way to start the New Year off with a BANG.

2.              Identify your client’s achievements.  If your client achieves even part of their fitness goals, recognize them for it.  Telling someone that you are proud of what they have done in a text, email, hand-written letter, announcement in front of the class, newsletter, etc., will create loyalty and loyalty is a tremendous part of a successful 2013.

3.              No better advertisement than you current clients.  Potential customers are tired of seeing the woman with the small waist and six pack abs or the guy that looks like he can bench the world.  They want to see real people with real results.  Start collecting testimonials, before/after pictures, and success stories from the clients and make sure that they are part of your website, blog, ads, and please do not forget to post them around your facility.

4.              Be an expert at something, not everything.  People want to work with an expert, not just any fitness professional.  If you clientele is made of mostly fat loss clients, than make sure that you educate yourself on fat loss and than you promote yourself as an exert in this field.  If I was looking to become better at boxing, than I wouldn’t hire a track coach.  Once you have a nitche, the rest is a piece of cake.

5.              Over Deliver.  You need to make sure that every time your clients come to your facility, that it is the best day of training that they have ever had.  You have to be energetic, motivating, and ready to leave all of your problems at the door.  Remember that you are not just delivering fitness, but you are also delivering an experience. 

Today is the day you set yourself apart and create a business that stands out from the rest.

“3 Business Mistakes that Are Killing Fitness Professionals”

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1.              Treat your business like a business

Now lets be honest with ourselves…Most fitness professionals are doing what they are doing because it is fun or they really enjoy working out and if they make some money while doing this…GREAT!!!  Wrong mindset! If you are thinking like this, you have a hobby, not a profession.  This is going to be nice when you are single and have no responsibilities, but the minute you get married, have 2.5 kids, dog, and house…YOUR SCREWED!!!

If you think that all you need to be a successful fitness professional is a couple of useless certifications after your name and a really good personality…I am sorry to say that you are wrong. 

Here are some of the things that I think a SUCCESSFUL fitness professional needs:

a.      LEADERSHIP-Not only do you have to lead and motivate your staff, but you also have to do this for your clients.  Leadership is something that is not given…It is earned and it is something that has to be practiced on a daily basis.

b.      UNDERSTAND MARKETING-Who is marketing your business?  Are you leaving it up to the facility?  OK, but know you are leaving your success in someone else’s hands.  If you ask me, I want full control.  I want to understand, to the best of my ability, how I can manipulate different types of marketing sources.  For example, are you marketing yourself on social media?  I don’t mean posting your workouts or what you are eating, but are you marketing your business and what you can do for people.  Marketing on social media is great because you can reach millions of people and it’s FREE.

c.      CUSTOMER SATISFACTION-Any moron can make someone puke or feel like they got hit by a monster truck in the morning, but are you listening to your clients?  Are you giving the clients what they need and want or are you giving them what you want?  Giving the clients what they need and want will also help you retain them long term.

d.     MONEY-Do you understand how to run a business?  Do you understand your businesses cash flow, daily operating expenses, billing, etc?  Before you can even think about trying to figure out whether your company, or business, is profitable…you must be able to not only understand what these are, but also how they affect your business.

e.     READ A BOOK-One of the best tips that I ever got was from my mentor, Todd Durkin.  Todd asked me if I read every day and my answer was, “No”.  He than asked me what I was going to read and I listed all of these great fitness books that everyone recommended to me.  He responded with wrong.  He told me that if I read 1 fitness book, I must follow that with one book on business, and one people to better my understanding my clients or myself.  This was the best piece of advice that I ever received because it forced me to learn more about myself and my business rather than how many cool ways I can do a push-up or squat.

2.              Understand SYSTEMS-This is something that I learned from Alwyn Cosgrove.  Do you know what the word SYSTEMS stand for?

S = Save

Y = Your

S = Self

T = Time

E = Energy

M = Money

Lets go deeper into it…why do you think that Starbucks is so successful?  Do you think that they have the best coffee?  No, they have the best system.  When you walk into any Starbucks and order a Grande Mocha Latte, you will get the same exact one no matter what time of the day or where in the world you are.

Systems in the fitness industry need to be as tight as Starbucks.  Are you generating leads, converting those leads, delivering the results that clients want and need?  This is your system…Now perfect it.

3.              UNDERSTANDING YOUR CLIENTS MINDSET-What are some of the things that we first hear when new clients come to us? We have all heard someone say, “I want to lose weight”, “get stronger”, “fit into my jeans”, blah, blah, blah.  Time to dig deeper. Time to really find out what they are here for.  Talk to your client and find out an emotional attachment for why they want to lose the weight.  It is not to fit in the jeans or for a vacation…it is probably to feel more comfortable, in the nude, with the love of their life or how about just being able to play in the backyard with their kids without having a heart attack.  Now to me, that is why they are here.  Not to fit in jeans, but to change their life for the better.  That emotional component is what I need to really help a client. With some people I can get that answer in 1 or 2 sessions and some people it may take me a couple of weeks.  The one thing that I can guarantee you is that I will not stop until I get it out of them. Simply because I want to make them happy.

Now these are 3 things that have taken me years to really understand and have probably cost me thousands and thousands of dollars.  Don’t make the same mistake that I made…Learn from my mistakes and make your “hobby” into a business.