The battle of Business for a PT / Instructor
I learnt quick that it wasn’t going to be easy
Here it goes….. When I was younger I always wanted to have my own business I just never knew what it was that I would do, I remember years of thinking and thinking, then I suppose you could say I gave up on the idea and let the wind take me where I needed to go. In late 2017 I qualified as a Personal Trainer, I knew what my mission was, who I wanted to work with and what direction I wanted to take. What I didn’t realise is how hard it was going to be. Do you ever have these fantastic ideas and once you get going, you think DAMN this is soooo much harder than I imagined? I bet some of you can relate that to trying to change your lifestyle for the better. Over the last 18 months I feel like I have been stuck on the waltzers at a fair ground ride, just less enjoyable, I hope some of you reading this are now reminiscing about those days of being at the fairground with your friends, in your little crop top in the freezing cold 🙂 I always knew I wanted to deliver group classes as-well as the personal training. There is this certain buzz and motivation you get in a room full of like minded people, with some great music, working a sweat, and I suppose that was my main goal with group classes. However let’s face it for those of you have been to exercise classes before how bloody intimidating, scary and serious can they be? Who has experienced this before I wonder… ? I wanted to create the opposite. One thing I have learnt with having your own business is it is tiring and you have to constantly think on your toes. More blogs will come on points of my business journey… So about 10 weeks ago I was at a breaking point of do I chuck the towel in and give up with classes, do I go and do Zumba or Clubbercise course because I felt like that is what people want. I decided to give it one last shot and created Fat Burn Blast, I changed the way that it is sold in that people need to pay upfront and book a block of classes, and then worked hard at advertising. I was exhausted of working hard to promote and hop people would turn up and have 2-4 people only. This happened a lot and it was extremely demotivating.I was set that if this new class didn’t work I was giving up.Over the last 18 months I have tried sooooo many different classes and methods. I have been out leaflet dropping, I have paid for ads, I have tried promotions, posting in loads of groups etc etc, I have created family classes, step classes, couples camps, ladies only, plus size classes, kids classes, strength and balance, core classes, kettlebells, Free Flow, weighted cardio and that is to name a few, always trying to give people what they want.Fat Burn Blast took off really well, we had 10 people sign up and others join over the coming weeks, the class has had me buzzing, the ladies that attend work sooooo hard, they are so relaxed, so friendly, are open to anything I throw at them, and are genuinely an absolute beautiful lot of women, as are all the ladies who train with us and have trained with us since we started. For those reading this who own a business or are thinking about starting one, please note…. I always said I wanted to be different to other trainers and fitness places. I tried my hardest to create different names for classes, being innovative and thinking outside of the box, but the reality is, there are buzz words that people want to hear. I swore I wouldn’t use certain names for classes but it turns out that actually that is what gets peoples attention. This hasn’t changed who I am, or what I do, but what it has enabled me to do is achieve what I have always wanted, a room full of amazing women who want to work out and feel safe while doing so. I look back and wish that I had adopted this sooner as there has been sweat and tears over the last 18 months trying to make things work, but I am happy for this process, it has made me who I am today and it has taught me a lot. Working for yourself and essentially being the owner, manager, marketing person, instructor, admin, accountant etc etc is flipping hard but I really feel like at PTK we are at a point where we have created something special, a family of women (and some men) that really are beautiful souls. I would be lying if I said that I am where I want to be, as other classes are nowhere near as busy, but this has been a turning point and has given me hope. So the journey will continue and the dreams will stand.
For those of you out there in a similar position to where I have been; Keep working hard, stay strong, let others support and guide you, think outside the box, talk to your clients and most of all don’t give up! Kayleigh PTK