In the wake of the pandemic there seems to be a major reshaping of how we work happening right before our eyes. Businesses have closed, business owners are being forced to go in a different direction and many fitness pros are reeling trying to figure out their next move. It’s abundantly clear that we are not going back to “normal” anytime soon. 

As an entrepreneur you already know it takes grit and determination to bring your vision to life, but how do you make it through challenging times such as these?

 Develop an Opportunity-Focused Mindset

We believe your #1 tool is to adopt an opportunity-focused mindset or a growth mindset.

According to Carol Dweck, psychologist and researcher, “in a growth mindset, people believe their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work…This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” 

Individuals with an...

Life before Covid was not just busy, but frankly it was too busy - almost to the point where most of the time we were running at a frenetic pace that left us exhausted and stressed.

And now after 5+ months of our “new normal” – a quarantine, safer-at-home orders, school closures, work transitions and many activities canceled or rescheduled we now have a new relationship with our time – one that is not anchored in the busy-ness of a schedule or routine but one that is forcing us to make the most of the pockets of time we do have.

Personally, the lack of routine presents a new challenge for us. And the lack of boundaries between work life, home life and now school life as we help manage virtual school makes it even harder to stay focused, productive and efficient. 

We know some of you can relate to being trapped in this vortex where time feels both extremely sluggish and like it’s slipping through your fingers at the same time.

So how can we all make...

It’s long been said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result.

Well friends if you are trying very hard to run your studio or business the way you used to then it’s likely you are feeling out of sorts and like you’re fighting an uphill battle.

The world has changed, and it’s likely we’re not going back to the way it was before… at least not for a long time. 

So as business owners where should we put our focus?

No, we don’t have a crystal ball, but here’s our best “one foot in front of the other” guess of how business will shift in the coming weeks, months and years.

1) The future of fitness is personal – With so many opportunities out there and different virtual platforms available (ones with presumably larger budgets than we have as small studio owners) it is going to be hard to compete in that space… unless you already have a lot of notoriety...

There’s a saying, “necessity is the mother of invention,” and truer words have never been spoken.  The last few months have proved that we, as business owners are resilient, strong and when we take a solution-focused approach to leading our businesses we can come out on the other side of this Covid pandemic.

Like many of you our business was hit hard when the pandemic started. It was a scramble to transition our business online, but thankfully we are continuing to maintain and we’ve even managed to add 3 new revenue streams to our business despite the pandemic.

Here’s more: 

1. Offer premium services – It seems that the future of fitness is personal so what services can you offer that are highly personalized in nature that also add to your bottom line? 

For us, we started offering in-home personal training for a very select few clients – those who are willing to pay a premium for such convenience. It’s funny because we...

Since the inception of our coaching business we’ve heard from dozens of studio owners that marketing their fitness studio is their most pressing issue.

Enter 'rona, she says in parentheses (sung to the tune of My Shot from Hamilton – sorry I only watched the Disney+ version twice this weekend and it is FANTASTIC as expected).  

But seriously – enter Coronavirus. How does one even begin to market in the midst of a pandemic?

Here are 4 strategies we’re leaning into right now to re-engage old clients and encourage new business.

1. Weekly Email Communication – Prior to the pandemic we were sending an e-newsletter about once/month. Since we closed down we have moved to sending useful content weekly to two lists – our active clients and our prospective clients (i.e. ones who have opted in to our newsletter or content either as a previous client or another marketing initiative).

This strategy is highly efficient and allows us to stay front and...

It seems there was a line drawn in the sand on March 13, 2020 and we are now affectionately referring to our lives as pre-Covid-19 and post-Covid-19. What a strange trip it’s been (and continues to be), and there’s no doubt we’re all a little beaten up, a little scarred, a little broken – but the good news is we’re still here and we’re still standing. 

We know everyone’s path and experience is different – some are deciding to close their studios, others are downsizing, some are pivoting in a new direction and others are figuring out how to run a studio in the post-Covid world.

We’re still waiting to open our doors (technically not allowed in NC yet AND our cases are going up), but here’s what we know about our studio and our business going forward.

1. We Must Be Anti-Racist: Just as we were all catching our breath from the Covid crisis we were reminded that the longest standing pandemic in the US is systemic and...

System: a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or interconnecting network; a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done.

Let’s face it – the last few weeks of studio ownership have been all about pivoting to a virtual model, servicing our existing clients and working hard to maintain our businesses.

For most of us we haven’t had much time to work ON our businesses and create systems around how we do things.

Stop the press because NOW is the time to take a good hard look at what’s working and what’s not. If you felt like your business ran you instead of the you running your business BEFORE the pandemic then things are about to get even more messy as we start to re-enter our studios.

So what systems are absolute MUSTs?

• Profit Systems – First and foremost your pricing structure, compensation structure, and expense management must all align so you can be profitable. Many of us are adding new services (like...

Here we are smack dab in the middle of our “new normal” of managing a business during a global pandemic. Our brick and mortar studio has officially been closed since March 18 which means this week it will be 1 month since we’ve had clients in our studio.

If you had told us even just 2-months ago that we would close our doors for 30 days and still be standing we would have probably laughed at you.

This is surely not to brag because we have had our fair share of setbacks and challenges and each day feels like we’re running a sprint marathon trying to keep all the balls in the air.  We are not out of the woods yet, and yes, we’ve made some wrong decisions along the way. It’s definitely not all rainbows and unicorns. But we are “open for business” and we’re even starting to see some growth and new opportunities as we near the 30-day mark.

Here are the 6-Steps we’ve taken to manage our business during this time.

1. ...

First and foremost… it’s time for a giant collective exhale. We hope that you, your family and your studio community are all healthy and safe.

The last few weeks have been non-stop as we all try to do our part to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus AND figure out new ways of working. For most studio business owners this means that we’ve had to bring our businesses completely online in a matter of days… a process that usually takes months… or even years.

But the wellness community is strong… and resilient. And we love seeing fitness business owners creating and expanding in new and different ways. Your ingenuity, your commitment to your team, the way you leading your community and your strength and perseverance is truly unparalleled.

One topic that’s been on all studio owners’ mind is how do I continue to be profitable as we weather this storm. 

When times get tough it’s common to focus on your revenues – after...

It’s a fact that the fitness industry is notorious for high employee turnover- an unfortunate opportunity cost that can be both financially draining and emotionally exhausting. So, how do you attract top talent and foster long-term staff loyalty so your business can run on auto-pilot?

Step 1 – Build a team culture

The very first step is creating a collaborative, team-oriented culture where all members feel like their thoughts and contributions matter. Building a team culture takes time and your culture is ultimately an extension of your core values as the owner. 

You must first define your core values, your vision and your mission and then teach it to your team members. Ultimately, they will help you carry this vision forward so it is extremely important that you work every day to instill your values in your team. You can do this by sharing your vision regularly and making sure your team is aligned and on the same page. If and when problems do arise or you notice...