As far as I can remember I’ve never been conventional.
I’ve always done things differently.
It’s probably something I learned from my father who
decided that we’d defect from a communist country back
in 1980 when I was six years old, effectively risking our
lives and what little ‘freedom’ we had.
My pops was one to never conform to things he didn’t
believe in – communism was one of those things.
Even as a humble tailor here in the states he found
a better way to improve his craft and the service tailors
were known to deliver in that time.
Within a couple years of opening up his small tailor shop in
Anaheim, California my father had celebrities, musicians,
and giant department stores as his customers…
…something unheard of for a typical tailor.
Then again, he was far from typical.
In his days he was the one breaking all the rules and
doing things his own way – a better way.
I’m pretty sure that’s where I get it from.
Back when I started personal training (1995) the model
was one-on-one 60 minute training sessions.
And all the trainers I knew would shlep from one client’s
house to the next and train the clients in their homes.
I did the same, and it didn’t last long before I found a better
way.
Within two years I was paying rent to a gym and training my
clients there doing one-on-one 30 minute sessions.
A couple years after that I was in my first of five locations
paying rent and overhead of $16,000 a month and generating
$55,000 – $65,000 a month by selling multi thousand dollar
12 month training programs.
I was told by many that 30 minute sessions won’t work.
I broke the rules and did it anyway – it worked.
I was told that $16,000/month in rent and overhead won’t
work for a trainer. I broke the rules and did it anyway – it worked.
I was told that no one will buy 12 month programs that cost
$5,000 – $8,000. I broke the rules and did it anyway – it worked.
In fact, it all worked so well that I went on to build up my
training business and sold it for a six figure pay out.
NEVER believe the naysayers.
ONLY believe in yourself.
In 2002 after selling off my training business I started coaching
and consulting other trainers becuase I wanted to help other
trainers achieve what I had.
I was told by several industry experts that the trainer space was
a dead end road. That there was no money to be made in it and
that I should consider moving on to another industry.
I wasn’t in it for the money – I knew that would come later as
the byproduct of delivering value.
So I broke the rules and stayed.
While others had shallow information products to sell to trainers
in the form or ebooks and poorly recorded audio programs, I created
physical books, manuals, “how to” guides, DVD’s and high quality
videos with depth, specific action steps, and gave away my entire
marketing swipe file.
In fact The Art Of Selling Fitness is still one of my best selling
programs.
I broke the rules by setting the bar high and delivering massive value…
…trainers paid hand over fist to get my personal trainer marketing,
sales, and business systems.
Like my father I’ve always been value driven and looked for ways
to better my industry.
More often than not that meant going against the grain and doing the
exact opposite of what others were doing.
I create software like Hiteach Trainer, FitPro Newsletter, and FitPro
Magazine – now used and trusted by thousands of fitness trainers
worldwide to get more clients, income, and web traffic.
Sure there’s always going to be someone trying to knock off my
products and ideas because they have no creativity and vision of
their own.
That’s okay, I can always create faster than they can copy.
AND SO CAN YOU.
I’ve helped more trainers by breaking all the rules than I would
have had I chosen to conform and do what other “guru” were
doing in the industry.
Conventional doesn’t work for me.
When I decided to create a fitness franchise (Fit Body Boot Camp)
we started out with one thing in mind – to become the anti franchise,
franchise.
We broke every rule in the franchise book.
Most franchises charge north of $20,000 to buy into their
franchise – we change under $10,000.
Most franchises take anywhere between 6% and 8% of your
gross monthly revenues. We take a flat $497.
What they don’t tell you is that if you’re doing $20,000 a month
in gross revenue, six percent franchise fees come to $1,200/month.
Compare that to $497/month flat fee.
While other franchises tell their owners to go figure out the marketing,
sales, and business systems… or worse give you old and unproven
systems – we do the opposite by doing all of the traffic generation
for our owners.
We handle website design, SEO, YouTube traffic, Pay Per Click
management, national Deal of The Day promotions, Facebook ad
management, constantly update and upgrade the FBBC sales sites
for better traffic and conversion.
We deliver coaching and support via phone and email and give FBBC
location owners access to ready-to-use postcards, print ads, lead boxes,
door hangers, plastic gift cards, and sales scripts and staff training…
PLUS we provide continuing education, hundreds of ready to use
workouts and meal plans – all professionally crafted by experts.
We’ve broken every rule in the franchise space by putting value
and our FBBC location owners first.
I’m proud to call Fit Body Boot Camp the anti franchise franchise.
And that’s probably what put us on the radar of Forbes Magazine.
(I’ll tell you all about the letter we got from Frobes on another day).
My point to you is this…
Never settle.
Never be conventional.
Never listen to the naysayers.
If you believe in yourself and your ideas then ignore the competition
and haters and deliver the best damn program or product on the
planet.
Break all the rules and do things your way!