Break Free from the Fitness Industry’s Playbook: Create a Business That Works on Your Terms
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The Fitness Industry has become a trap.
Just like the education system funnels people into a set path (school → university → job), the fitness industry does similar.
It creates an illusion of choice.
The system is designed for you to follow what seems ‘easiest’, but that path ultimately leads to burnout, underpayment, and lack of freedom.
Estimates suggest that as many as 80% of PTs leave the industry within their first year - this shows that the current 'system' is failing Fitness Professionals.
> It isn't supporting them
> It isn't giving them the freedom they wished for
> It isn't providing a good income
…It simply isn't working.
Let's take a look at why this is…
The Hidden System Keeping You Stuck
Systems are extremely powerful.
Especially those that hide in plain sight.
We are surrounded by systems…
The education system, the money system, the social system - to name a few.
I don't want to get too 'woo-woo' on you here, but I do want to bring your attention to the fact that things can exist, feel 100% real, and be completely invisible at the same time.
A system is a predetermined path designed to create a predictable outcome.
For example…the education system was designed to churn out 'workers' based on what was required in the Industrial age.
This isn't a dig at Teachers or Educators by the way.
They do their best but are limited by the 'system' they are part of.
They aren't allowed to simply 'teach what they want'.
Nor are they allowed to refuse to teach certain parts of the curriculum.
…They have to follow the system as it's laid out.
I don't want to get hung up on school and education - it's just the most easily recognised 'system' for people to understand.
The main premise of this system is: go to school > get good grades > get a job > work until retirement
It's a key element of a much bigger 'social system'.
Your System: 'The Fitness System'
The Fitness Industry has become it's own system.
In the same way that the school system favours 'the job market' and being a 'good employee' - Fitness has become a place designed to benefit Commercial Gyms and big establishments.
And like any good system, it remains invisible to 99% of people.
Apart from those who question and challenge it!
Here's what the Fitness System looks like currently…
Qualify > Join a gym > Deliver classes, pay rent, or both > Try and build a client base > Repeat
There are different versions of that same system at play.
But that example above should give you a general idea.
Gyms no longer want to pay for staff.
Gyms don't want you working for yourself.
Gyms want You (the Fit Pro) doing as much as possible, for them…for FREE!
Open the gym
Clean the gym
Look after members
Deliver classes
Do show-arounds
Maintain the kit
Pay some rent
Close the gym
…then do it all again. And again. And again.
Meanwhile, the thing you want to build as your career (your PT business or similar) becomes somewhat of a side project that earns you virtually no money at all.
…thus keeping you trapped in the system that's stalling your growth.
*Side Note - I mentioned above that the gyms expect you to do those roles 'for FREE' - yes, technically they pay you. But name me another industry where you get paid a wage and then immediately return it to your employer as a way of reducing what you owe them!?
Here's the important realisation…
Your aim isn't to change the system.
Your goal is to be aware of it, its pitfalls, its potential opportunities, and make a plan for existing outside of that system whilst still being a part of the industry.
That's quite an undertaking.
But as I, and others, have proved - once you do this, you're FREE.
You can do what you want, how you want, when you want.
You can build anything and take it wherever you like.
Let's look at breaking this down in to steps and milestones to aim for…
How to Build a Fitness Business That Thrives Anywhere
Step 1: Escape The Gym Staff Stage
Most (but not all) PTs now operate in a system based on doing gym hours.
This is not a bad thing in the early days.
It gives you much needed experience, exposure to members, and builds your confidence.
But it quickly becomes a 'comfort blanket' if you're not careful.
…and that's where the problems start.
Let me explain…
Every hour you do for the gym is an hour you're not doing for your business.
Whilst the gym might pay you £12 per hour for classes…a client could have been paying you £35+
If you do 8hrs a week for the gym, yes you've earned £96
(8 x £12)
But you've also missed out on the chance to earn £420+
(8 x £35+)
The comfort of 'guaranteed wages' can quickly eat away at your earning potential.
It's also hours that you have to complete but are not in control of.
In most cases, that 8hrs a week you do for the gym doesn't even cover your rent. You end up having to 'top-up' what you get paid by the Gym just to cover what you owe them.
But if you had been doing those hours for yourself all month, you would have earned £1,680+ and easily made profit on top of your rent payment, whilst working the bare-minimum hours per week.
"But Matt, I haven't got clients yet and need that money!"
…that's cool, my friend.
I'm not saying "don't do the gym hours" - I'm saying: "don't get trapped by them"
Most PTs are covering up the slow growth of their business by the fact they have some wages to rely on.
When in fact, your goal should be to make your PT Business viable and profitable regardless of the wages the gym pays you.
A.K.A. Get your PT hours to the point where they could cover 'full rent' as quickly as possible!
(Don't include your 'wages' as part of your revenue or profit calculations)
If you need help generating the leads and sales to make that possible, make sure you check out these resources…
The Secret to Never-Ending Leads
How to Achieve 78%+ Sales Conversions Without Being Pushy
Once you have a few clients in the door, and have made your business viable without being propped up by gym wages, you can now escape the 'Gym Staff Stage' of the Fitness System and progress on to…
Step 2: Go All-In On Your Fitness Business
Most people think they've gone 'all-in' on their business from day one.
The hard truth is that if you do gym hours it's impossible to be 'all-in' - too much of your time and energy is already accounted for by something else related to your business.
You can't be 'all-in' on a relationship if you have other 'options' on the table.
…why would running a business that supports your entire lifestyle be any different?
This isn't to say it's wrong to rely on other income to get started.
But to fully embrace this next step - we have to let go of that.
At this stage you are fully self-employed.
…you are 100% accountable to yourself
…everything is on you
Yes, this is your reward for making it this far - congratulations!
But all jokes aside, this is a big step.
Not many make it to this stage - so don't understate what an achievement it is to get here.
The key difference between this stage and the previous is that you now have 100% control over your time.
Your diary is truly yours.
This unlocks much larger earning potential, time-freedom, and the flexibility to create a business model suited to you and your lifestyle.
For example, one of my 1-1 Business Coaching Clients (Neil) wanted to take 7 weeks off per year without taking big hits in his income. So we built his business model around this and implemented it immediately.
He takes 7 whole weeks off per year with his family and still gets paid (in full) every month.
You might think that's impossible…it's not.
When you are in charge, you have full control to build what you like.
…You just have to think and act a little differently to everyone else.
To summarise…
Step 2 of breaking free from the 'Fitness System' and building a business that can thrive anywhere is to go fully self-employed and cut all ties with any gym-related hours or income.
The ultimate goal here is to have 100% control over your time.
If you manage that, you're winning.
Step 3: Benefit From The System, But Build Outside Of It
At this stage you are still operating within a gym but you're now separate from it.
You are your own entity.
You have taken back your agency (a hugely important component of feeling fulfilled).
If you're smart, you'll use the positive parts of being in a gym to build a bigger business.
Become well-known as the best Coach in the gym
At the same time, become well-established in the local area
Seek to dominate the local market by sharing the great work you do
Doing this alone will see you fully booked for years to come and charging higher rates than everyone else.
This is exactly what I did in my 9 years on the gym floor.
While other PTs and Coaches earned £25-£30 per hour
…I was earning £50-£100 per hour (in an area not considered 'affluent')
This meant I could earn way more than the average coach, whilst working less hours - giving me time to build, and work on, other aspects of my 'Outside of the System' Fitness Business.
Some key points to clarify at this stage…
(You can even use these as milestones if you like)
You're still working in the gym but not for the gym
You retain 100% control over your working diary
You have fully booked out the hours you want to be working
You have successfully increased your prices or packaged your services more profitably
Your business generates high recurring revenue (£4.5K+ per month)
You are able to pay yourself well from your business due to great profit margins
You have set boundaries around working hours, time off, and the types of clients you work with
You have have other professionals helping and advising you e.g. an Accountant
You've probably set up a Limited Company
…I could go on, but this is a great set of checkpoints to work towards
And look - none of the '£10k per month Online Gurus' talk about ANY of this.
Mostly because they don't have a clue!..and because it isn't sexy.
Step 4: The World Is Your Oyster
I hate using cliché statements like that, but it's true!
By the time you have nailed the steps above you are…
> Running a high-profit business
> Working with clients you love
> Never struggle for leads or enquiries
> Get referrals without even asking for them
> Are in full control of your diary
> Have regular holidays, adventures, and time off
And quite frankly, you could stay there if you liked.
You don't HAVE to go any further.
…It's your business after all.
I work with several coaches who I have helped reach this stage and many of them are happily running gym-floor businesses that earn £5k-£6k per month (every month) and run a diary that affords them a lot of freedom and flexibility.
They love it!
But if you did want to go further, this is where you could explore…
Online Coaching
Specialised Services
Digital Products
Memberships
Group Programs
Consultancy (e.g. Corporate Wellness)
…whatever your imagination can conjure up.
You could have started exploring some of these along the journey so far - that's okay.
But I wanted to show you how far you could get just doing ONE THING better than anyone else.
And the benefit to doing it this way is that you create the free time and surplus of cash to make the next venture easier to grow.
…You can dedicate proper time to it
…You can invest in additional coaching or support
…You can use paid marketing to speed things up
Unlike the first business you built with grit and grind mentality - this one feels different (because it is!)
I've had this experience myself recently in starting and growing Fitness OS.
At this stage, you are acting as an 'Owner' not an 'Operator' and you see the world differently.
From this place you can do whatever you want
…wherever you want
…with whoever you want
You're free.
I'm 2,000+ words deep on this subject now.
So let's leave it there for now.
If you want to continue the conversation, drop me a message on Instagram - I am a normal dude who likes to connect with likeminded people. If my writing connected with you, let's connect.
-Matt
