Low membership costs
While I did not want to de-value the amazing
service we were providing for our members,
I knew we still had to compete with the
large fitness centres. These offer many
more services, including treadmills, weight
machines, showers and cafes. We had to
ensure that if people attended two to three
classes per week, the cost for them would be
less than, or similar to, the cost of a standard
gym membership.
Money in the bank
I restructured the cost per class to allow
a percentage to remain in the bank. This
allows the business to have a kitty which can
pay for promotions, equipment, and other
overheads.
Instructor requirements
While I have been responsible for the
establishment of the business, and the way
it operates, each instructor has input and
works as part of the team. However, they
are required to have their own insurance,
maintain all their records such as member
clearance forms, promotion of their classes
and communication with members.
Instructor payment
THE QUICK READ
• Loss of teaching opportunities
through previous employers need not
necessarily result in the end of your
group fitness career
• If the demand exists and you have a
following of regular participants, the
skills to teach a range of classes and a
passion for group fitness, you may be
well placed to start your own business
• Either on your own, or with fellow
instructors, establish a timetable
that meets the needs of your loyal
participants
• To keep overheads low, try to rent
local venues, such as church and
community halls, by the hour so you
only pay for the time you are
delivering classes
• Going it alone is not for everybody, but
if a market exists and you follow
strategies to keep costs low, you can
create a viable group fitness business.
Each fortnight, each instructor invoices the
business for the classes taught. Payment
is per-head. This means each instructor
is responsible for building the numbers in
their classes. The decision about what they
teach and when is entirely theirs. If only a few
people attend, they only get paid for those
people. If they want to do well and profit from
their hard work, they need to promote and
encourage people to attend.
Promotion
I set up social media pages for the business
and created a new web site, which was much
easier than I imagined it would be. I registered
the business and purchased a domain.
Booking system
I established a booking system for
classes. This helped us manage class limit
requirements imposed by COVID regulations
and created a sense of demand for the
classes.
Cashless payments
I set up a Square account, which enables us
to easily take credit card payments.
When classes resumed in May, we were
ready. We re-opened with a new sense of
confidence. Don’t get me wrong, things are
not always perfect. We have classes where
only five people turn up and we barely cover
our rent, and members complain about
the facilities, or get confused about how
bookings are made, but generally I feel we
have now established a business which is
here to stay. I’m still looking for our ‘forever
home’, a place where we can really put down
our roots, but we are secure where we are,
and with low overheads we can really focus
on building numbers.
Is going it alone for you?
Would starting your own group fitness
business be a possibility for you? Ask yourself
these questions:
• Do I have the skills to deliver classes that
are not offered at other facilities in my
area?
• Do I have a loyal following of participants
that will attend my classes rather than go
elsewhere?
• Do I have the skills to teach programs
that don’t require license fees?
• Are there venues locally that could
accommodate the number of people I
hope to have in each class?
• Do I have loyal and trustworthy peers
who could join me?
• Do I have an overriding passion for fitness
and do it for love, not just money?
If you answered yes to these questions, and
you are in the difficult position of being out of
work or unhappy at your gym, then setting up
your own group fitness business could be an
option for you.
Hot tips for budding entrepreneurs
While it’s still early days for my venture and I
continue to learn every day, I do have a few
big tips to give anybody looking to start their
own business:
• Don’t be greedy. People are more likely to
put their trust in someone who is not
overcharging or comes across as greedy.
• Keep your overheads low. Starting a
business is risky. Lower the risk by
keeping spending to a minimum.
• Be flexible. Give the people what they
want, when they want it. This might mean
making regular changes to accommodate
the needs of the majority.
• Think and then think more. Make well
considered decisions based on research,
experience and input from your members.
• Get financial advice. Run your ideas past
an accountant or financial advisor. Make
sure you are above board with your tax,
super and other legal requirements.
• Don’t go it completely alone. You may be
striking out on your own, but in terms of
decision making, two or three heads are
better than one. If possible, use the
support, advice and skills of people you
trust to help you along the way.
If you think this is an option for you, do it for
the love. Have fun and be creative and you
could reap the rewards of your hard work
and passion. There’s little more rewarding
than experiencing the pride that comes
with knowing you have used your skills and
initiative to create something amazing on
your own terms.
Kirsty Nield
Starting her career as a fitness
professional in 1999, Kirsty
has established herself as
one of Australia's leading
group fitness instructors
and educators. Her passion for group fitness has
driven her to start her own fitness studio, produce
online courses, write journal articles and present
at national and international fitness conventions.
Kirsty's experience in group fitness management
and instructor mentoring has allowed her to ensure
instructors are continually up skilling, and the art of
freestyle fitness stays on club timetables.
12 | NETWORK SPRING 2020