Tips to Win Your Fitness Business Game from Award Winning Fit Pros
Spring is here – a time for renewing, refreshing, and revamping our business strategies, systems, and routines. What is working? What needs some attention and nurturance this season?
Whatever season your fitness business or career is in – whether you are just starting, a long time veteran or just looking to get out of a rut – this is a wonderful time to take stock and do some spring cleaning and tuning up for a new season of growth. With summer only a few short months away, this is the time to dig in and do your due diligence to cultivate more success.
To inspire you with fresh insights and perspectives on what you need to do, hear are some quick tips from some of canfitpro’s extraordinary PRO TRAINERs and presenters. All of these incredible fitness professionals have won awards from canfitpro and been recognized for their excellence, achievements, and contributions to our industry, and we are honoured to share their words of wisdom below.
1. What are three key traits that allow you to be successful in your career?
Adenike Charles: Integrity, Consistency and Determination.
Daniela Goode Thomas: Confidence, Commitment and Creativity.
Funk Roberts: Having strong passion for serving and helping people achieve life changing results, a willingness to take calculated risks, and the ability to adapt and innovate to meet the changing needs of the fitness industry.
Melanie Levenberg: Resourcefulness, Optimism and Playfulness.
Nathalie Lacombe: Joy, Compassion and Curiosity.
Trevor Pickett: Patience, Persistence and Humility.
2. What is the best advice you have ever received?
Adenike Charles: Let your faith override your fear and dream big audacious dreams.
Daniela Goode Thomas: Who you are is not defined by what you do; but what you do should be a reflection of who you are!
Funk Roberts: Always treat others the way you want to be treated, with kindness, empathy, and respect because, ultimately, it is the relationships you build with others that will define your success and happiness in life.
Melanie Levenberg: Imagine you are running east, as fast as you can, with as many people as you want supporting you along the way. You may be having a blast, but if your goal is to see a sunset, all the energy, resources, and momentary fun is not going to matter. An aligned strategy, with aligned energy, will give you the career/love/life of your dreams.
Nathalie Lacombe: Have eyes for the front row, ears for the middle, and heart for the back of the room.
Trevor Pickett: Speak less and listen more.
3. What is the best advice you have given to a fellow industry peer?
Adenike Charles: There are so many trainers out there but only one you. Be authentic and never compare your journey to anyone else’s. It is not about perfection; it is about consistency.
Daniela Goode Thomas: The fitness industry is so dynamic; there is no need to be bored or unfulfilled. If you feel stagnant or dissatisfied, make a change that allows you to enjoy the work you do!
Funk Roberts: Ensure that you are solving a need, problem and/or void and once you uncover this make sure you provide a solution with value to your customers above all else, because if you can consistently meet their needs and exceed their expectations, the rest will fall into place and you’ll build a loyal customer base that will support your business for years to come.
Melanie Levenberg: Find your people. The fitness industry can seem broad and oversaturated, yet in many ways too many fitness professionals feel isolated or lonely in their work. Taking the time to network, meet new colleagues and foster relationships with them can provide a powerful foundation to rely on as you build your career or business. And attending events like canfitpro Global Conference and Trade Show is like networking at hyper speed!
Nathalie Lacombe: Create your programs and classes on coaching for success, not for results. The best exercises are the ones that will have them feeling like, “Yes! I crushed that and cannot wait to come back!!”
Trevor Pickett: Be patient. Your business/career is just like your own personal fitness. It takes time and struggle to see actual results.
4. What advice would you give a newly certified Fitness Instructor Specialist or Personal Training Specialist?
Adenike Charles: Get a mentor in the same field and stay relevant on topics having to do with your interests and desires.
Daniela Goode Thomas: Remember that this is the beginning of an exciting and adventurous journey. Now that you have gotten your start, keep learning! Keep growing. Keep developing. Keep sharpening your skills and adding more value to the services you offer your clients and community.
Funk Roberts: Never stop learning and growing in your field, but make sure you have a system to implement what you have learned into your fitness business instead of piling up certifications for things you never use. In the end, it comes down to experience which can be cultivated by acting on everything you learn.
Melanie Levenberg: People will not remember your choreography sequencing, the music you spent hours finding or the technical cue you gave for alignment. Your class participants will remember how you made them feel. Find ways to make connections with your members, in every class. Simple things like learning your members’ names and calling it during class in a moment of encouragement, making eye contact, moving throughout your class to be in closer proximity to individuals, smiling or nodding at someone when you see them achieve an exercise can go a long way in helping your members feel appreciated.
Nathalie Lacombe: Keep attending classes. You will be tempted to fill your time teaching but consistently filling your own cup will keep you energized and fulfilled.
Trevor Pickett: Find mentors and increase your network. I learned the most by training with trainers and going to workshops/events like canfitpro Global Conference and Trade Show.
5. What are you working on this year that is calling on your COURAGE to move your career or business to the next level?
Adenike Charles: Applying for my Master of Divinity degree to deposit more faith-based encouragement into my clients and this world.
Daniela Goode Thomas: Developing further as a thought leader, educator, and mentor within the fitness industry. Carving out more time to read, learn, write, and create.
Funk Roberts: I am pursuing multiple endeavors, including writing and launching my own book, developing specialized certification courses for Fitness Professionals, continuing to attend Harvard University for a Master’s degree in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and investing in a large-scale marketing campaign to expand my online fitness membership site for men from 10K to 30K paying members by the end of 2023.
Melanie Levenberg: A commitment to saying NO to people, new projects, screen time, unhealthy habits etc. As an overachiever, productivity can feel satisfying but just because I am moving does not mean I’m actually going where I want to go. Learning to take a moment to assess if my commitments are in alignment with the results I want to achieve in my personal and professional lives has been a discipline in itself and having the courage to take a breath and actually say NO is a skill I’m still practicing.
Nathalie Lacombe: Turning my business growth goals towards wellness, and inviting my peers to join in. The courage comes in remembering that I am not thereby turning away from fitness, but rather having it be a portion of what I do.
Trevor Pickett: Creating more educational content by committing to being available to write daily.
What is courage calling on you to do? The canfitpro Fitness Professional of the Year Award presents a massive opportunity for your career and business. To receive this recognition means you are being recognized as one of the best in the country for their leadership and impact on our profession and the Canadian fitness industry. In addition to receiving a generous prize pack with a cash prize of $2,500, you will receive recognition and promotion for yourself and your business through exclusive spotlights, interviews and receiving your award on stage at our 2023 canfitpro Global Conference and Trade Show closing ceremonies on Sunday August 20, 2023.
Just think of what this could mean for your business and career and how it could help you achieve new levels of growth. As a business owner or operator this is an incredible opportunity to elevate one of your fitness instructors and/or personal trainers and raise your brand reputation at the same time.
Nominations for the 2023 canfitpro Fitness Professional of the Year are now open! Click here to access the nomination form. Nominate yourself or someone today!
Contributors:
Adenike Charles: BSc Kinesiology, canfitpro PTS, Owner of JUST2SWEAT.
Daniela Goode Thomas: BSc Kinesiology, canfitpro FIS and PTS, canfitpro Participant’s Choice PRO TRAINER of the Year 2022.
Funk Roberts: Certified MMA Conditioning Coach (MMACA) NESTA, Certified Master Metabolic Trainer, Nutrition Specialist, Core Conditioning Specialist- NESTA, Kettlebell Training Specialist, TRX Approved, Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach. Owner of Funk Roberts Fitness Inc. and 2022 canfitpro Delegates’ Choice New Presenter of the Year.
Melanie Levenberg: M.Ed., Founder of PL3Y International, canfitpro Fitness Professional of the Year 2022 and contributor to canfitpro Children’s Fitness Coach Course.
Nathalie Lacombe: M.Sc., Vice President of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada, canfitpro Advisory Panel Member, 2022 canfitpro Delegates’ Choice Canadian Presenter of the Year.
