#JTInTheRaw Show 60: Your Fitness Business Doesn’t Have To Be Big

Something has changed for many business owners in the past few years.  It seems being an entrepreneur or a top-quality employee is now a sport and the score depends on scale.  How big can you get?  How fast can you get big? 

Ambition is good. Vision is great but what is more important is profit – profit as determined by you: cash or lifestyle. 

Stay tuned as I help us ALL – yes I am guilty as charged – rein in our entrepreneurism and realise big is not always better. 

Welcome to #JTInTheRaw show 60 where I chew the thin on business and share my battle wounds in business so you don’t make the same mistakes as me!  And boy I have made a few! 

One way to minimise my mistakes or get better at my job is reading.  And while I didn’t attack a book this week, I did read 3 industry magazines & listened to 3 podcasts.    

What did you read this week? Or what did you listen to make you better at your job?  Tell me in the comments below what did you do this week to get better at what you do . . . go 

Now no matter your role, business or industry I think today you can walk away with some ideas today.  So stay tuned! 

Last week’s show 59 was the most viewed show ever.  Over 1600 views, 48 engagements, 6 shares and 86 comments.  I received emails, private messages and even a few phone calls.  Perhaps the feedback that touched me most came from Scott who said “The registration service topic was very thought provoking. As always, I appreciated hearing your views and I like the way you express yourself (no filter!). I think that you make some interesting points about the broader implications for the fitness industry. I had not really turned my mind to those broader implications before listening to your episode… so, long story short, thank you for sharing your views!” 

And that was my goal, have people stop, think and then talk! 

If you missed the show, click here.  My rant starts at 13:33 into the show and is fairly explicit.  In fact my language was described by one viewer as “appalling and an embarrassment to those on the outer looking in at our industry.”  So don’t watch it around kids and I apologise in advance.  FYI – others loved the passion and authenticity in my language!  

Oh and thanks for people asking about how my rugby team faired last weekend.  Unfortunately, we came second in a game of two teams. 

Don’t forget this week’s question – Tell me in the comments below what did you do this week to get better at what you do? We can all learn from each other, so you can put one word, a sentence, a book, a podcast or an action. Go . . . what did you do this week to get better at what you do?

Shout Out 

I have a shout out this week to Jono ‘j-z’ Petrohilos from Fitness Education Online who listened to Show 120 on The Fitness Business Podcast.  In this interview with Chantal I share all the secrets behind a having your own Facebook Live show. The day after he listened he launched his own Facebook Live Show, which last night had been viewed 1600 times!  Well done Jono! 

And when I hear that people do shit with what I share, I friggin love it!  It makes me all squirmy inside and I feel proud that I have helped. 

So, if you want to make me feel squirmy on the inside tell me if you ever put my ideas in place! 

Now I am wearing a jersey today to celebrate JERSEY DAY.  This is a simple concept designed to raise awareness of The Organ and Tissue Authority and the DONATE LIFE network.

Today we are asking schools and workplaces across Australia to allow students and employees to wear their favourite sporting jersey to school or work to show their support for the DONATE LIFE network and begin the conversation with their friends and families about Organ Donation.

JERSEY DAY has been inspired by the story of NATHAN GREMMO who was tragically lost in an accident in May 2015. Nathan’s family chose to give the gift of life to others to honour the legacy of Nathan’s generous personality.

This campaign is all about raising awareness. Today wear your favourite sporting jersey to school or work on and show your support for this cause. 

You Can Be A Small Giant 

The world we now live in inspires people to open their own business or provides opportunities for the less risk adverse to push up the corporate ladder.  The problem with the world we live in is we are inspiring people to run before they can walk let alone crawl. 

There are loads of forces driving the agenda of scale up or go big or go home: 

• Follow Gary Vee, copy Zuck’s moves or start wearing a black turtle neck and be the next Steve Jobs.   
• Fast oops super fast growing companies make great media stories, even though they are not turning a profit. 
• And then we have reality TV and social media that feed aspirations with snap shots of people’s lives.  Remember you are only seeing a single scene from their full life feature film – it’s not always a reality. 

This year I coached the U9A netball team.  Every training session we did passing and catching drills.  And when I mean passing and catching drills I mean standing opposite each other passing the ball to each other.  We would do the catch & pass 40 times then I would have them do the same drills under fatigue.   

My team lost only one game this year.  We scored 107 goals in 10 games.  And people from our club were amazed at the skill level, passing combinations and performance of the team. 

You see the basics – the fundamentals – of netball are passing and catching.  And while we weren’t perfect we were better than our competitors.   

In business that’s all you need – have better fundamentals than your competitors. 

As a business owner or manager or someone who wants a career we must build our business, skill set and career on fundamentals.  You need to understand what the catch & pass skills are for your business.  And you need to be able to do these fundamentals in your sleep.  You have to be unconsciously competent at these skills. Period! 

Without successful understanding and completion of the fundamentals you are destined for failure . . . you cannot build a house on sand you need a concrete slab.   

As I said … ambition is great.  A vision is awesome.  Entrepreneurship pumping through your veins can be your fuel.  But focus your energy and pour everything into making it a business that has a line of people out the door, down the street and around the corner.  Make it a place that cannot be ignored.  And when you have achieved all of that with profit and a smile on your face with no grey hairs, then consider expanding or multiplying.   

If you think this advice could help anyone, then please tag them in the comments below. 

This Week 

I have a super doper week planned and it starts today!  In under 5 hours I’ll launch an industry first: Active Management Industry News or for short #AMIN!  This is a Facebook Live show which allows you to engage, learn and share industry information.  As far as I am aware no fitness business coach is doing anything like this, so yet another example of how we think and do different at Active. 

Jump on at 1pm (Sydney time) on the Active Management Facebook page where I share industry news from Australia, the US and even China!  Two special guests.  And challenge for you to complete in the next 30 days! 

I have four coaching sessions. 

My 6 weekly body measurements with my personal trainers. 

And then next Friday I’m delivering the opening key note at the YMCA Victoria conference.  And yes thanks to everyone’s comments, votes & support I am opening with the Village People! 

So next week show 61 will be coming to you from Melbourne!  TuneIn

Thanks for being part of the fun today.  I hope you picked up a few tips around being a small giant!  About not moving on to fast until all the fundamentals are in place. 

And if you know anyone who you think could benefit from today’s show, pop their name in the comments and tag them!  I’m always grateful for everyone who shares my shows.  Thanks in advance. 

Quote of the Week

Focus your energy and pour everything into making it a business that has a line of people out the door, down the street and around the corner.  Make it a place that cannot be ignored.