Active Management

Category: Management

From Our NPE Friends: From Fitness Coach to Business Owner
Have you ever felt like your time is MAXED OUT?

If so, you’re not alone. Every successful fitness coach and business owner reaches a point where they stop growing because there are no more hours in the day.

You spend your days training clients, trying to find the right space to continue growing … and maybe hiring a coach to help train clients. You have to do more and more work to keep everything going … and at some point your time and energy get MAXED OUT!

These are the very real and significant challenges fitness business owners like yourself must solve at this stage to continue growing.

Download your copy of NPE’s Grow Beyond Trading Time for Money: How to Navigate the Journey From Fitness Coach to Business Owner business guide

Fortunately, the good news is you can (and will) continue growing with the right systems, tools, and support around you.

Learn more about how to grow from a stressed and pressured coach to a successful fitness business owner in NPE’s new business guide: Grow Beyond Trading Time for Money: How to Navigate the Journey From Fitness Coach to Business Owner.

Inside this guide, you will discover:
- How to develop a mindset change from individual contributor trading time for money to business owner that gets paid for creating results
- Learn how to create a strategic plan for getting (and keeping) more clients every month
- Understand the system and process of hiring and developing quality coaches who care about serving clients as much as you do
- And much, much more.
Dive into the guide to learn more.

Download your copy of NPE’s Grow Beyond Trading Time for Money: How to Navigate the Journey From Fitness Coach to Business Owner business guide

P.S. Too many successful fitness coaches continue struggling and grinding away, just “hoping” that things will improve.

But they don’t improve when you’re stuck working both IN and ON the business. And when this continues for too long… your health and relationships suffer, you get trapped by declining profits, and cash flow eventually gets tight (and you may even have to take on debt) to pay your bills.

Don’t let this happen to you.

Use this guide to grow beyond trading time for money and learn how to navigate the journey from fitness coach to business owner–while improving your quality of life!

Download your copy of NPE’s Grow Beyond Trading Time for Money: How to Navigate the Journey From Fitness Coach to Business Owner business guide
July 27, 2018
On-Boarding New Members Is A Key to Fitness Business Success: 3 Simple Tips.
Click Here To Win Your Copy

Firstly, according to Robbie Kellman-Baxter in her book the Membership Economy she defines on-boarding as:
- Providing new members a road map of what to expect;
- Help them get up to speed with your culture, so they don’t look or feel stupid;
- Provide them with knowledge and habits to be successful in their new community.
If you have not read Membership Economy, I highly recommend it and you can grab a copy here: Amazon. What are you doing to tick these boxes in your business?

Dr Paul Bedford says that by conducting ‘an induction session’ you can add up to 7 months to the length of a membership. If each month of membership is just $50 and you can get 7 extra months that’s $350 MORE income for the investment of a $40 wage. To me, that’s a great return!

I believe there is more to ‘inducting’ a new member than just having a session with a trainer and have a few ideas for you to consider.

A simple structure to consider is:

Remove the friction points for new members. This means you must remove anything that will slow the integration into your club culture down. Simple things like:
- Where do I park when the parking is full?
- How do I log in if I forget my key tag?
- How do the lockers work?
- Remembering how to use equipment
- And the list can go on . . .
Deliver immediate value. I would aim to deliver immediate value through my ‘workout experience.’ I want them to get enormous value from their touch points with members and staff when in the club.

Reward the desired behaviour. We need to develop an exercise adherence program and a reward system for members in their first 12 weeks. We want them to feel the love when they do what they are suppose to do.

I have put together a step by step guide to on-boarding your members in my ebook: ‘On-Boarding Members For Long Term Loyalty.’ You can grab a digital copy by clicking here.
Click Here To Win Your Copy

Reminder for Active Management Members: this ebook is available on the Member Hub at no cost, it is included as one of your member resources. Click here to see it.

Not an Active Management Member: get started now and you will receive access to this ebook PLUS 11 other ebooks including our most popular: “7 Point ‘About Us Page’ Checklist that will turn your ‘About Us’ page on your website into a lead generating page.
July 24, 2018
Avoiding Sham Contracting In The Fitness Industry – Part 2
Contractor or employee? How do I know?

Determining whether a personal trainer is an employee or a contractor is a matter of looking at the circumstances holistically and determining whether the arrangement was in substance an employment or an independent contractor relationship.

There is no single factor or set of factors that will automatically make a personal trainer an employee or a contractor.

Sham contracting is the name given to a situation where an employer misrepresents an employment relationship as an independent contracting relationship. Sometimes this misrepresentation is by mistake. Other times the misrepresentation is made in an attempt to avoid certain legal entitlements that employees are entitled to (for example, minimum wages and leave entitlements).

Sham contracting, if proven, carries heavy legal penalties. These can be imposed against the employer, and/or particular individuals within the employer’s organisation who were involved in the sham contracting (such as HR managers and directors).

The Fair Work Act contains a number of provisions aimed at preventing sham contracting. Under the Fair Work Act, it is unlawful to:
1. Misrepresent an employment relationship as an independent contracting arrangement;
2. Dismiss an employee to re-engage them as an independent contractor; or
3. Knowingly make a false statement to persuade or influence an employee to perform similar work for the employer as an independent contractor.
Organisations that contravene any of the above provisions may face significant legal penalties. The maximum penalty for a contravention of these provisions is $12,600 for individuals and $63,000 for corporations.

Burying your head in the sand about these issues is a dangerous approach.

A complaint from a personal trainer engaged as a contractor can open Pandora’s box, leading to significant costs.

It may be better that gym owners take a prudent and proactive approach to managing these issues instead of waiting for the Fair Work Ombudsman to open the box.

In this 2-part series, Solicitors Scott McKenzie and Adam Colquhoun explain how business can avoid the pitfalls of whether their personal trainers are employees or independent contractors. This has been reproduced with the permission of Australasian Leisure Management as it was an article in Issue 126, 2018.

Authors:

Scott McKenzie is a Director with Velocity Legal and can be contacted at E: [email protected]

Adam Colquhoun is Principal at WestmoreJacobs and can be contacted at E: [email protected]

The views in this feature do not constitute legal advice, are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Readers should seek legal advice or other professional advice in relation to any particular matters you or your organisation may have.

As seen in Australasian Leisure Management
June 19, 2018
Disruption!
It’s the buzz word in the fitness industry – Disruption.
- forgetting everything we know about exercise and turning it on it’s head,
- getting ahead of the trends and setting them instead,
- anticipating what our members want and delivering it to them before they even know they want it,
- creating a new market with a radical new offering/strategy/product/service,
- creating a market where none existed before.
Summary

The fitness industry evolves and changes rapidly and continually and we can’t afford to be left behind.

To get yourself at the forefront of the industry and stay there, you need to be disrupting.

Let’s be innovative and forward thinking. Disrupt in your space!
June 6, 2018
Avoiding Sham Contracting In The Fitness Industry – Part 1
Whether a personal trainer is an employee or contractor is a balancing act that all gym owners and managers should keep in mind. Recent cases and media attention have put this distinction in the spotlight, and it is clear that burying your head in the sand is a dangerous approach to take.

Key thought starters:
1. Whether a personal trainer is an employee or a contractor has significant legal implications.
2. Personal trainers and gym owners can suffer financial consequences if they do not understand the difference between employment vs contractor relationships.
3. If a gym member is injured while being supervised by a personal trainer, it is likely that the employee vs contractor distinction will be closely scrutinised.
4. Just labelling a personal trainer as an ‘independent contractor’ is not enough. The question of employee or independent contractor comes down to relationship between the parties, and focuses on the substance of this relationship.
5. Mischaracterising an employee as an independent contractor can have big consequences.
Sham contracting can carry large penalties for both the employers and the individuals involved in the sham contracting.

Why it matters:

Gym owners and personal trainers have very different legal obligations and legal rights depending on whether a personal trainer is an employee or an independent contractor.

Some of the ‘big ticket’ items include:
1. Tax and superannuation – Employers are responsible for tax compliance on behalf of their employees. However, independent contractors are essentially working for themselves and are expected to manage their own tax compliance (such as paying income tax and GST). Independent contractors will need to make their own superannuation contributions. However, there are some general exceptions to this rule which may apply (for example, where a contractor is hired principally for their labour and is, therefore, an employee for superannuation guarantee purposes).
2. Employee entitlements – Employees receive a number of entitlements which are protected by law, such as annual leave and personal leave (although these benefits are not provided to casual employees). Employees may also enjoy protection from unfair dismissal. Independent contractors do not automatically receive these benefits.
3. Insurance and liability – From a liability standpoint, independent contractors are usually held liable for the legal risk involved with the services they provide. For this reason, personal trainers who are independent contractors are generally expected to arrange their own insurance. On the other hand, employers are generally liable for what their employees do in the course of their employment. For example, if a member sustained an injury because an employee personal trainer was negligent during a training session, it’s likely that member could sue the personal trainer’s employer.
4. Training plans – Intellectual property created by an employee is traditionally considered to be the property of their employer, whereas intellectual property created by an independent contractor is usually deemed to be the property of the independent contractor. Intellectual property arguably could include all training plans and meal plans created by personal trainers for clients. However, a gym owner may contractually agree with their personal trainers that all intellectual property created by the trainer is the property of the gym.
In this 2-part series, Solicitors Scott McKenzie and Adam Colquhoun explain how business can avoid the pitfalls of whether their personal trainers are employees or independent contractors. This has been reproduced with the permission of Australasian Leisure Management as it was an article in Issue 126, 2018.

Authors:

Scott McKenzie is a Director with Velocity Legal and can be contacted at E: [email protected]

Adam Colquhoun is Principal at WestmoreJacobs and can be contacted at E: [email protected]

The views in this feature do not constitute legal advice, are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Readers should seek legal advice or other professional advice in relation to any particular matters you or your organisation may have.

As seen in Australasian Leisure Management
June 5, 2018
In 2018 The Fitness Industry Leaders Roundtable For Personal Trainers Returns
After a 12 month hiatus the Victorian Personal Trainers Industry Leaders Roundtable will relaunch in February 2018.

I have now conducted 173 Roundtable meetings since 2005, including over 50 for personal training business owners. In fact, the very first Roundtable I ran was for personal training business owners.

Our website gives you plenty of information about the meetings, agendas and testimonials from current and past Roundtable members. Head over to www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au for greater detail than the below.

What Happens At A Meeting?

Perhaps the most common question I receive and the hardest to answer! There is a summary of a meeting here.

What I can assure you is you receive professional facilitation to ensure you and your business get maximum value on your money and time investment as we collaborative think about business.

The meetings will be a full day from 8am to 4pm and we will be meeting on:
- 15^th February
- 12^th April
- Roundtable Retreat: 30^th May & 1^st June
- 9^th August
- 18^th October
- 13^th December
From experience with personal training business owners, shorter more regular meetings create the most traction in the business. Hence, the meeting every 2 months.

Who Can Join?

You must be:
- The Managing Director, CEO or business owner of an independent fitness business or at least have full decision making authority in the business
- Committed to raising the standard for your business.
- Open to innovative thinking.
The Industry Leaders Roundtable is the most unique business development program on the planet with over 500 gyms, fitness studios and personal training businesses involved.

These Bits Of Roundtable Are Super Important

The success of the Industry Leaders Roundtable comes from an environment of trust. This means:
- What is said on Roundtable stays on Roundtable – confidentiality is paramount. If you feel uncomfortable with this responsibility, please don’t apply.
- There are no competitors on the same Roundtable. This means the first people to apply and be accepted will determine on going members. So apply early.
I Don’t Sell Roundtable, You Choose To Apply.

This is not meant to sound arrogant but your Roundtable peers need you to join for the right reason – you want to! When joining the Industry Leaders Roundtable, it is a commitment to your business and your peers.

Please be aware that while I like to be professional and diligent in my ‘sales follow up’, the timing must be right for you to join and I will not hard sell you. I’ll answer all your questions, explain all the benefits but there no “special offers” or join “now” bonuses!

Your Investment

I also like to be open and transparent in the investment in Roundtable. The ongoing investment to be a member will be $175 per fortnight (ex GST). There are no contracts, so you can leave Roundtable whenever you wish but as a courtesy to your peers, you attend a meeting to resign.

To attend the first meeting on the 15^th February 2018:
- Commit by the 30^th December: $500 (ex GST)
- Commit by the 30^th January: $680 (ex GST)
The Most Important Point Of All

Between 12 and 15 members per Roundtable. Remember, no competitors and the first to commit will have a say in who is a competitor.

Want to Chat With Me?

If you would like to speak with me about the Victorian Personal Trainers Industry Leaders Roundtable, why not make a time to chat with him by clicking here.

Want To Apply Now?

If you know this is the right thing for you and your business, then please complete the application form by clicking here.

Apply now at www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au
December 13, 2017
What’s The Difference Between A Mastermind Group & The Industry Leaders Roundtable?
In the fitness industry consultants forming mastermind groups are occurring as regularly as the sun coming up. My Facebook feed is filled daily with a new group being formed but none are the same as The Industry Leaders Roundtable.

Mastermind groups are powerful and advantageous for business as the intensive learning can catapult progress. But the majority of mastermind groups focus on operations which spike performance. For some business owners mastermind groups are what they need to stem the bleeding of income and boost personal motivation.

For others The Industry Leaders Roundtable is what they need as The Industry Leaders Roundtable is not a mastermind group.

We are built on a far more powerful foundation: peer to peer learning. The unique aspect of our Roundtables is with no competitors the culture of honesty and trust sets the scene for strategic based meetings. We are not about a promotion that will generate 10X leads (although we do cover that), we are about developing the people, culture and plans that will generate profit (whether that be cash, time off or other assets) 10X!

Joining the Industry Leaders Roundtable is not a reactive solution to a problem. Joining the Industry Leaders Roundtable is a commitment to improving the entire business. It is about permanently changing how we do things.

At the Industry Leaders Roundtable, your personal well-being is as important as the business well-being. We appreciate that owners and managers are leaders of the business so we need to look after you emotionally, mentally and physically if you are to lead your Team.

For some mastermind groups are what they need at the time. For others the Industry Leaders Roundtable is what they want for permanent development.

Background:

I have been Chairing Roundtables in Australia since 2005. I have lead 172 Roundtable meetings. I currently have Roundtables for Club Owners, personal trainers and Anytime Fitness franchisees. We have amazing retention of members, results for members and relationships that have been fostered.

Currently REX operates in the US, Europe and in Australia under the brand The Industry Leaders Roundtable. You can find out more by:
1. Going to www.REXRoundtables.com if you are in the US or Europe
2. Checking out www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au if you are in Australia
NOTE – In 2018, I am launching two new roundtables and taking applications now for:
- Victorian Personal Trainers – first meeting 15^th February 2018
- New Zealand Gym & Studio Owners – first meeting 6^th to 8^th March 2018
Apply now at www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au
December 8, 2017
“This Is Not What I Thought!” The Statement Uttered By Fitness Business Owners Across The Globe
Last month, I attended a 3 day professional development program with REX Roundtables in the US where I learned that gym owners have their expectations exceeded in what is covered in a meeting. They are completely blown away by the culture, the relationships and the genuine care (maybe even love) members have for each other.

As Chairs of Roundtables, we shared what members say about their experiences at meetings. Some have been members for over 15 years, others a decade and some are in their first 12 months but all are unanimous in saying that you cannot explain a Roundtable experience in a brochure, website or even a video. Just have to commit and attend!

But what totally blew me away was how REX members in the US rallied around other REX members who were devastated by the floods in Houston. As a collective they raised over $40K not for the owners but for the staff who had lost possessions.

And that story reminded me of when I was a member of a Roundtable and when I fell ill, that a member of my Roundtable offered to come to my club and manage it until I was better.

The relationships that are made and developed on REX Roundtables and in the Industry Leaders Roundtable are unique, powerful, life long and deep. There is enormous trust built in the groups and the support between the members is perhaps indescribable.

At each meeting, the agenda covers trends (in the industry and out of industry), how to look after our Team for longevity, improving member and team culture, scaling the business and so more strategy. But for many the true value comes over lunch, in the bar or working out with their peers.

There simply is NOTHING like Roundtables in the fitness industry. PERIOD!

Background:

I have been Chairing Roundtables in Australia since 2005. I have lead 172 Roundtable meetings. I currently have Roundtables for Club Owners, personal trainers and Anytime Fitness franchisees. We have amazing retention of members, results for members and relationships that have been fostered.

Currently REX operates in the US, Europe and in Australia under the brand The Industry Leaders Roundtable. You can find out more by:
1. Going to www.REXRoundtables.com if you are in the US or Europe
2. Checking out www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au if you are in Australia
NOTE – In 2018, I am launching two new roundtables and taking applications now for:
- Victorian Personal Trainers – first meeting 15^th February 2018
- New Zealand Gym & Studio Owners – first meeting 6^th to 8^th March 2018
Apply now at www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au
December 1, 2017
Fitness Industry Leaders Roundtable Launches in New Zealand in 2018
After operating in Australia since 2005, I am super excited to announce that I am launching an Industry Leaders Roundtable exclusively for New Zealand fitness business owners, managing directors and CEOs.

I have now conducted 173 Roundtable meetings and have been asked previously if I would launch a Roundtable in New Zealand but the timing was not quite right. I have given up on the Wallabies winning a Bledisloe game, let alone the cup, so now is the right time.

Our website gives you plenty of information about the meetings, agendas and testimonials from current and past Roundtable members. Head over to www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au for greater detail than the below.

What Happens At A Meeting?

Perhaps the most common question I receive and the hardest to answer! There is a summary of a meeting here.

What I can assure you is you receive professional facilitation to ensure you and your business get maximum value on your money and time investment as we collaborative think about business.

The meetings will be 2 and a half days and we will be meeting on:
- 6^th to 8^th March
- 17^th to 19^th July
- 20^th to 21^st November
The first meeting will be held in either Auckland or Wellington.

Who Can Join?

You must be:
- The Managing Director, CEO or business owner of an independent fitness business or at least have full decision making authority in the business.
- Committed to raising the standard for your business.
- Open to innovative thinking.
The Industry Leaders Roundtable is the most unique business development program on the planet with over 500 gyms, fitness studios and personal training businesses involved.

These Bits Of Roundtable Are Super Important

The success of the Industry Leaders Roundtable comes from an environment of trust. This means:
- What is said on Roundtable stays on Roundtable – confidentiality is paramount. If you feel uncomfortable with this responsibility, please don’t apply.
- There are no competitors on the same Roundtable. This means the first people to apply and be accepted will determine ongoing members. So apply early.
I Don’t Sell Roundtable, You Choose To Apply.

This is not meant to sound arrogant but the Roundtable need you to join for the right reason – you want to! When joining the Industry Leaders Roundtable it is a commitment to your business and your peers.

Please be aware that while I like to be professional and diligent in my ‘sales follow up’, the timing must be right for you to join and I will not hard sell you. I’ll answer all your questions, explain all the benefits but there are no “special offers” or “join now” bonuses!

Your Investment

I also like to be open and transparent in the investment in Roundtable. The ongoing investment to be a member will be $199 per fortnight. There are no contracts, so you can leave Roundtable whenever you wish but as a courtesy to your peers, you attend a meeting to resign.

To attend the first meeting on the 6^th to 8^th March 2018:
- Commit by the 30^th December: $1090
- Commit by the 30^th January: $1340
- Commit by the 28^th February: $1590
The Most Important Point Of All

Between 12 and 15 members per Roundtable. Remember, no competitors and the first to commit will have a say in who is a competitor.

Want to Chat With Me?

If you would like to speak with me about the NZ Industry Leaders Roundtable, why not make a time to chat with him by clicking here.

Want To Apply Now?

If you know this is the right thing for you and your business, then please complete the application form by clicking here.

NOTE – In 2018, I am launching two new roundtables and taking applications now for:
- Victorian Personal Trainers – first meeting 15^th February 2018
- New Zealand Gym & Studio Owners – first meeting 6^th to 8^th March 2018
Apply now at www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au
November 24, 2017
What Are Opporthreats For Leaders Of A Fitness Business?
Last week, I attended a meeting of the Chairs of REX Roundtables from around the world. This was a 3-day intensive, peer to peer, professional development program to make me a better Chair of The Industry Leaders Roundtable.

It was during this meeting that the concept of ‘Opporthreats’ was explained to me.

‘Opporthreats’ are events that could be opportunities or threats based on how we respond.

Here was my insight: the time frame for ‘Opporthreats’ fit into a nice little quadrant:

In 2018, I will be adding discussion on ‘Opporthreats’ to every Industry Leaders Roundtable meeting where we will brain storm each of the quadrants. My goal of this discussion is to have owners focus on their business of the future – not for tomorrow but for a year from today at minimum.

Background:

I have been Chairing Roundtables in Australia since 2005. I have lead 172 Roundtable meetings. I currently have Roundtables for Club Owners, personal trainers and Anytime Fitness franchisees. We have amazing retention of members, results for members and relationships that have been fostered.

Currently REX operates in the US, Europe and in Australia under the brand The Industry Leaders Roundtable. You can find out more by:
- Going to REXRoundtables.com if you are in the US or Europe
- Checking out IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au if you are in Australia
NOTE – In 2018, I am launching two new roundtables and taking applications now for:
- Victorian Personal Trainers – first meeting 15^th February 2018
- New Zealand Gym & Studio Owners – first meeting 6^th to 8^th March 2018
Apply now at www.IndustryLeadersRoundtable.com.au
November 17, 2017