more of my responsibility to look after our staff and ensure they are set up for success . Working on new opportunities , partnerships and client groups is also a priority these days . I do , however , still enjoy training clients who I ’ ve known for years and consider close friends .
How many hours do you spend working on your business ?
This is how I try to spend the majority of my time these days , and it varies week to week . We ’ ve opened a new facility in conjunction with Baseball WA , so I ’ ve spent much of this year working on setting up our systems and processes . As a partner of AIF for VET in schools , we also have over 120 students in Cert III and IV classes across three facilities , so there ’ s a large amount of work that goes into coordinating that .
What hours do you work ?
We open our facilities at 5:30am and close them at 7pm . We also hold workshops , info sessions and various other events , so it really depends . My usual day is up at 6:00am to start on admin before heading to a facility check-in with staff and members around 8:00 . I ’ ll then take a Cert Class or work on an existing project and fit my own workout in ( practice what you preach ). For the busy afternoon period I ’ ll help out on the gym floor , and aim to be home by 6 or 7pm .
What do you do in any downtime during the day ?
Usually a workout is my downtime , an hour or so on five or six days a week . I generally try and run on the days I don ’ t lift .
How much do you charge ?
We have a range of memberships from $ 25 - $ 99 per week .
What do you do in terms of your ongoing education ?
There are some really great podcasts that I listen to weekly and we invest in our staff via professional development courses from industry leaders , which the team member will then report on back to our staff group . We use a range of sources including Australian Fitness Network .
How many clients or members do you have ?
We have about 300 members across our facilities .
How long do your clients stay with you ?
We are a high service facility , so most of our clients / athletes join with the big picture in mind . We have some members that have been with us since our first day , and others that have trained with us since they were kids . We take a long term approach and are very upfront about that .
How do you get new clients ? Through existing client referrals and partnerships .
Do you vet clients before you agree to train them ?
Yes , we have a CRM system that combines screening and goal setting as part of our initial consultation .
Do you ever turn clients away or refer them to other PTs if you don ’ t feel they are the right fit for you ?
Yes , for sure . We generally offer clients a two-week grace period where we can both get a feel for each other and ensure it ’ s a good fit . We are in it for the long haul , so there ’ s no point rushing at the start .
What differentiates you from other trainers ?
To be honest , we don ’ t really worry about other trainers / businesses . We really focus on trying to improve our services and getting better at what we do every day .
What is the best thing about being a PT ?
Meeting lots of people and trying to make a difference in their lives .
And the hardest ?
Making sure you bring your A game every single day !
What ’ s the biggest misconception about working in fitness ?
That every fitness environment is the same . The world of fitness has exploded and there is literally something for everyone . If you ’ ve had a bad experience , keep looking for a good fit !
What are you aiming for next in your career ?
To be known as the place to go for athlete development .
What is your fitness philosophy ?
Put great people around great people !
What key piece of advice would you give to someone starting out as a PT ?
Worry about the clients you do have , not the ones you don ’ t .
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