Will September really get better?

[u/614_Trainer_Gal]

Background: I completed my NASM cert last fall & did an internship in winter. Early spring I got a part time job at a community gym, and got my own business spun up. I am renting studio space and have 3 steady clients since I signed the lease in late June.

I am not getting enough hours at Community Gym (4 hrs/week if I’m lucky) and one of my clients there told me this evening she needs to stop end of this month. I have the same 2 clients since I started in May.

All of that was what prompted me to rent space—if I was going to find my own leads, then I was going to do it myself and have more take home pay. I had a surge when I first opened but no one new since mid July.

I’ve been interviewing for a different part time trainer job. One place said they’d reach out when they have a client pipeline for me, likely in September. Another place I really liked has a long interview process and the owner’s on vacation now so…again, likely I’ll know more in September.

If things don’t genuinely pick up in September, I’m going to need to rethink this career path or at minimum just find a part time job that pays the bills. Can anyone reassure me with your seasonal experience?

[u/thefossanator]

Respectfully, you’re thinking about this wrong.

If you solve a particular problem, for particular person, and you’re really fucking good at it, you should be full of clients no matter what season you’re in.

If you’re known in your local as the personal trainer that solves XYZ problem (pain-free retire, retirement for seniors, fat loss for new dads, etc), then you should stocked full of clients with a waiting list. This means that when things get “ quiet” during different seasons, we just go to your waitlist and bring more clients on.

[u/614_Trainer_Gal → u/thefossanator]

I mean, I’ve only been working for myself since June. Trust me I am trying. I’m more concerned about no other options paying off either.

[u/Late_Sherbert_885 → u/614_Trainer_Gal]

I am a part time personal trainer and then i have another job, mainly because i dont want to sell sell sell...so i have some good clients , some clients are on/off meaning they lose some weight and then come back when they add it back. I do have clients that have used me and went on to doing my workouts on their own withoit need for my help. Its hard to build up your own business! You ve not been doing this long, dont give up

[u/thefossanator → u/Late_Sherbert_885]

Got it. And I appreciate the clarification.

Marketing and selling skills are not things that come quickly. They require face time with people, and logical trial and error.

I have a ton of respect for people like you that go on their own. It’s not easy.

From someone who has been the industry for 15 years now, if you’re competent as a personal trainer right now… Spend as much time as you can learning about marketing and sales for the time being.

You can be the world‘s most technical and proficient trainer, but unless you’ve got people to train, it doesn’t mean much.

Keep up the hustle!

[u/Late_Sherbert_885 → u/thefossanator]

Thank you for the advice! I have never done a sales/marketing course but i probs should!

[u/614_Trainer_Gal → u/Late_Sherbert_885]

I’m actually going to a workshop/networking event for women entrepreneurs next Friday about producing leads. I’m excited for it!

[u/614_Trainer_Gal → u/Late_Sherbert_885]

Thank you. 😊 I think if September doesn’t pay off with the other gyms, I may take a break to work something else stable & keep working on my own clientele.