Alloy Personal Training Business

Just like a recipe can easily be ruined by one small wrong ingredient, so can a business. It doesn't matter how well you have done the other 99% of things correctly. If you don't connect all the dots all the time, it doesn't take much to break even a perfect machine.In a fitness business, if you over-promise in the sales office and under-deliver on the floor, and it may be just a small thing, you will push clients away. It doesn't matter how many things you got right if you got one small thing wrong.In this episode, Rick and Matt emphasize the importance of all details in a business. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details. As a franchisee or a gym owner, your most important role is to keep reminding your team of the details and why they should be doing them. Always sweat the small stuff.Tune in to listen to a few examples of the Paprika effect in the gym and how small things make all the difference.Key TakeawaysHow one ingredient can ruin your entire business (02:31)If you don't connect all the dots all the time, you'll break the machine (04:20)Sweat the small stuff: All small details are important (07:27)The barbershop experience: Clients expect one thing all the time (07:53)How it doesn't take much to push people away (12:27)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Many coaches or personal trainers find it hard to disassociate their likes and dislikes from their client’s needs. They are passionate about certain training types, modalities, or even equipment and project this to their clients. That’s why it easy to tell the preferences a particular coach has by watching their clients.However, this is not the right way to go about it. Rick and Matt persuade coaches and gym owners that the different types of training, modalities, equipment, etc., are just tools in our toolboxes. Our work in the fitness industry is to deliver happiness to our clients.To effectively do so, we have to dissociate our likes and dislikes from our client's needs. We have to look at everything we are doing from the lens of the client. Our goal should be to make as many people happy as we can, and to do this, we have to put our personal preferences and ego aside and focus on the client.Listen in as Rick and Matt talk about delivering happiness through fitness by ignoring their own personal biases when it comes to programming for clients.Key TakeawaysYou have to disassociate your likes and dislikes from the needs of your client (02:31)Fitness is a mechanism to deliver happiness (04:35)Why are you in the fitness business? (07:19)Our goals should be to make as many people happy as we can (10:15)The key to being a great coach and a great gym owner (11:04)The approach to having a successful fitness business (13:02)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

In today's episode, Rick is excited to announce that Matt has bought a stake in the original Alloy Mothership gym. This gym is more than 30 years old and has never had any other owner prior to Matt acquiring a stake.Matt shares with us his long and interesting journey from stumbling upon Northpoint Personal Training as it was called back then to being a fitness director at the mothership location to being a VP of product design at Alloy Franchise.The biggest motivator for Matt to buy a stake was because right now is an excellent opportunity to invest in a fitness business. With vaccinations ongoing, the end is in sight, and once the pandemic is over, the fitness industry will roar back.Tune in to this episode to hear Matt's exciting journey and what being an owner-operator for the original Alloy gym means for him.Key TakeawaysMatt's amazing story from how he found Alloy to where he is now (01:23)How Matt became a director of fitness at the mothership location (04:01)Fast forward to being a VP of program design at Alloy Franchise (08:11)Why Matt Approached Rick for a stake in the gym (09:03)Why it's an excellent opportunity to invest in a gym right now (12:50)The role of the operating partner in a partnership (15:41)How we use our corporate locations to test new ideas before rolling them out to franchisees (17:50)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

In today's episode, Rick is joined by Jared Breen, our head Franchise Business Coach, to discuss why entrepreneurs should be ready to hear many nos without getting frustrated or quitting. It's not easy to hear so many nos and fail many times, but this just means you are working hard, and you will eventually succeed.A no is an opportunity to learn and get better. Everybody who ever encountered massive success in what they did had to hear many nos and failed a lot. But they took the nos, stacked knowledge, and experience to them and eventually got better.Hearing no builds character, skill, and passion. Rick and Jared encourage you to resolve to take no as an actual gift. You are building the skills and tolerance that will benefit you further down the road.Listen in to learn why hearing no is an actual gift and why great success is built on a lot of nos and failures.Failing is one of the greatest arts in the world. One fails toward success." ~ Charles KetteringKey TakeawaysYou have to plow through many no's to get to a yes (01:06)Planting seeds and building relationships for an eventual sale (05:29)A no is an opportunity to learn and get better (10:24)No builds resolve, skills, and passion (13:45)Taking the nos and stacking knowledge and experience into them (17:35)Resolve yourself to the fact that a no is a gift (19:14)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

As an expert or a personal training brand, not only should you really understand your craft, but you should also manage your member's health and fitness in the gym and outside of it. That's why we always talk about nutrition, supplements, and other important health advice.In this episode, we debunk the 3 most common myths that exist in the fitness industry. With these myths out of the way, we hope you will give the right advice to your clients as they righty expect.The first myth we debunk is the one thing all clients want to do when they come to the gym. We are talking about static stretching. At Alloy Fitness, we don't do much stretching because it doesn't have much impact. Even though stretching feels good to the client, as fitness experts, we should do more to increase their mobility.Tune in to hear Rick and Matt debunk this and other myths and increase your fitness knowledge and ultimately educate your customers when they come to you for help.Key TakeawaysWhy we don't do a lot of static stretching (04:19)Mobility vs. Flexibility (05:41)Is unstable surface training effective? (13:33)How to train for balance with an unstable load (16:27)Does lifting heavy weights make women bulky? (20:22)Why most people would benefit from strength training (23:24)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The explosion in popularity of digital fitness streaming services poses a significant challenge to the brick and mortar fitness business model. Aided by AI, digital fitness is becoming more and more intuitive and appealing to a broader spectrum of people.Notwithstanding this meteoric rise of digital streaming fitness services, Rick and Matt believe that the brick and mortar fitness model is not dead. The secret lies in appreciating that in fitness, there exist two distinct markets; the younger customer avatar and the active aging population.Coming out of Covid, the success of the brick and mortar studio will largely depend on your customer avatar and how well you manage to convince them to come back to the gym. One strength that brick and mortar studios have is the human accountability and the community factors, which we believe will work in our favor.Tune in to this episode and learn how the brick and mortar fitness model can adapt to change and market around our competitive advantages to survive.Key TakeawaysThe interesting numbers and age spectrum of people consuming digital fitness (01:28)Understanding the fitness market and the different customer avatars (03:35)How digital streaming is disrupting the fitness industry (04:36)Why human accountability will be a significant factor in bringing people back to the gym (09:15)How we can adapt to tech change and move forward with it (16:10)Creating a nice community experience for your gym members (19:58)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Did you know that 70% of business partnerships fail? That's right, most partnerships fail due to some mistakes that the partners make early on. In this episode, Rick and Suzanne talk about their business partnership and why it has worked for a long time.The first thing to consider is choosing the right partner. Business partners should have trust and respect for each other and have complementary skills. It's super important to have clearly defined roles for each partner, ensuring that each person knows their duties and responsibilities to the business and what happens if they don’t perform them. All these arrangements and expectations are then brought together in a formal partnership operating agreement that clearly defines the nature of the partnership, including the exit plans and other scenarios that may crop up.Listen in to this episode to learn more about business partnerships and how to do them right from the beginning.Key TakeawaysWhy 70% of business partnerships fail (01:14)How to choose the right business partner (02:29)Why it's very important to have clearly defined roles in a partnership (07:09)Why you need a partnership agreement (09:45)Business partners should have complementary skills sets (12:10)Why it's a smart thing to have a formal operating agreement (13:59)Planning a partnership exit plan (19:00)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

As many gym owners will be quick to point out, the fitness industry has taken a beating and has been unfairly targeted in the past year. However, there's a great opportunity right now in the industry as there's plenty of real estate available and some great markets to venture into.In this episode, Rick and Jared talk about the where and the how of finding and building out real estate for your fitness business. As you'll be hearing from them, where you put your gym and who you put in charge are the two most important determinants of success.Before settling on one location over another, there are some metrics that we use at Alloy Personal Training Franchise to decide if we are giving the business the best chance for success. Some of these metrics include population density, average household income, drive time, and many more.Finding the best location for your fitness business is just one step in the process. There are numerous other details you should be on the lookout for before you sign that lease. Tune in to this episode to learn more about this process and how to do it right!Key TakeawaysThe demographics for a personal training studio (03:14)How drive-time and traffic patterns influence the location of a fitness business (05:59)How easy is it to get in and out of your shopping center (08:01)Low-level retail space vs. high-end malls (09:11)How to estimate buildout costs before signing the lease (10:58)The sweet spot between a nice build out and getting a return on investment (12:41)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

There is no one in the world who doesn't benefit from sales training or a scripted sales process. Even the most talented salespeople are 80% more effective when they sell with a system rather than just shooting from the hip.However, the context of today's episode is related to marketing hooks and unqualified leads. One marketing hook that many people in the fitness space have been doing that rarely works in the long term is offering a free trial or challenge. Any person attracted by a free challenge is not an ideal customer, as historical data reveals. And certainly not in the personal training model. Digital bait and switch hooks will not bring in the right customer to your business.Are you too good at sales? Tune in to this episode to learn why your marketing strategy may not be working for your brand.Key TakeawaysWhy you should sell from a scripted sales process and system (00:58)The one marketing hook that drives people crazy (02:18)Being too good at sales can lead to attracting the wrong customers (05:14)Finding the ideal client for your business (06:40)How marketing hooks can make the relationship transactional rather than relational (10:57)Bait and switch hooks will not bring in the right client (11:34)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

As a gym owner, you have to make the decision whether to offer annual or monthly memberships or even both. It is not a straightforward decision since your membership structure affects other functions in the business as well.Over the years, the fitness industry has changed its approach to memberships largely because how we purchase other services has changed as well. Almost everybody in the world of subscriptions is doing month to month, that consumers have come to expect.Selling an annual membership doesn't have any tangible benefits over a month to month. Even the retention rates between these two structures are comparable. Additionally, it's much easier to sell monthly memberships over annual memberships, thus simplifying your sales processes.Tune in to this episode and hear Rick and Matt discuss the differences between annual and monthly memberships for your gym and what we do here at Alloy!Key TakeawaysAnnual membership agreements vs. month to month agreements (01:28)Why consumers have come to expect the month to month memberships (05:41)How the retention rates compare between annual and monthly memberships (09:04)Why it's much easier to sell month to month memberships (10:01)How the monthly memberships remove the extra barriers in the buying cycle (12:06)How your membership structure affects your marketing and sales processes (13:55)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Occam's razor is a theory advanced by medieval times philosopher known as William Ockham, which states that the simpler explanation of any two is usually the right one. It gives preference for simplicity when looking for solutions or causes of problems.The razor part relates to shaving things down to the simplest solution. Entrepreneurs are always solving problems, but sometimes we make things more complex than they need to be. All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one.In the fitness space, Occam's Razor Theory can be used when dealing with your team and also with your clients. For your team, the processes and steps need to be the easiest and most efficient for achieving the desired outcome.Whether you are an entrepreneur or a coach, you need to understand this theory. Tune in to this episode and hear Rick explain how it relates to fitness and how you can apply it for greater results.Key TakeawaysWhat is Occam's Razor theory? (01:08)How we overcomplicate it in the fitness space (03:52)How to apply the Occam’s Razor with your team (06:29)At the end of the day, it's a lot easier if you go with the simplest solution (09:44)How the Occam's Razor could help clients move better (17:58)Occam's Razor vs. Hickman's Dictum (21:39)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Does it make sense to convert your existing facility into an alloy franchise? Ever since we announced the new smaller pod model, which is simpler and less expensive, we have had multiple inquiries from gym owners on whether they can rebrand and convert their existing facilities to an Alloy Franchise.In this episode, Rick and Matt take us through why you would convert an existing facility to an Alloy Franchise and how to go about it. We also talk of the criteria we go through to determine if one is a good fit for the brand.Among the many whys of converting to an Alloy Franchise is that it's lonely as an entrepreneur. Having a franchise behind you for support can make all the difference. Franchising is a partnership that helps the franchisee grow quicker. Another important why is the scalability factor. You are more likely to scale to multiple locations with an Alloy Franchise than when you are on your own.Tune in to this exciting episode to learn more about why converting an existing fitness facility to an Alloy franchise makes a lot of sense and how to go about it!Key TakeawaysDoes it make sense to rebrand an existing fitness facility to an alloy franchise (01:02)Why a franchise is a partnership that helps us grow quicker (02:24)How scaling and selling a business is much simpler with a franchise (04:49)Your chances of success are fivefold higher with a franchise than on your own (10:02)How to qualify financially for an Alloy franchise (12:37)Our systematic criteria for selecting an Alloy location (14:07)Retooling an existing facility to fit the Alloy brand specs and design (19:24)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Entrepreneurs are by their nature problem solvers; that's why they get into entrepreneurship to help people by providing a solution to their problems. However, in your business, the first instinct shouldn't be How but Who.As an entrepreneur and a leader, your time is the most valuable asset to the whole business. It wouldn't be wise to spend it doing mundane tasks that you could easily delegate, which is essentially finding a 'who.'Ultimately, asking Who rather than How allows you to focus just on those tasks that only you can do them. For a gym owner, the most important task that you should be doing is finding leads for the business.Tune in to hear Rick and Matt discuss why entrepreneurs need to start asking Who rather than How. You'll also learn why building this simple but highly effective habit will massively transform your business!Key TakeawaysThe most important question you'll face as an entrepreneur (00:36)You should only do what only you can do (05:18)Why finding your Who will make the How happen (05:58)Being growth-minded rather than cost-minded (08:11)People who work in your business are an investment, not a cost (09:34)How a franchise is a Who that gives you a head start (10:10)You don't need to know how; you need to know who (16:55)Reducing decision fatigue as a leader (20:47)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

In our small group personal training fitness model, we come across some questions all the time. These questions revolve around the construct of a small group training and how to do it.The first question that many people transitioning to small group training have is whether to do individualized training. Rick reckons that having an individual program design for each client makes it tough to coach. The coach cannot deliver a great customer experience while coaching four or six clients individually.At Alloy, we run the same workout for the whole gym on particular days but with variations to account for injuries, preferences, and other factors that come up when dealing with people. However, the coach is still following the same template, thereby delivering a more pleasant customer experience.So, debunking the first myth, don’t sweat on individualized program design in a small group personal training.Listen in as Rick and Matt debunk some more myths around this model and also explain how to walk that tightrope act between science and programming and entertainment to deliver a great client experience.Key TakeawaysShould you do individualized training in small group personal training? (02:41)Running the same workout but with variations to account for preferences (08:40)Avoid having a lot of things in the same workout that need a lot of coaching (13:15)Are clients in SGPT grouped according to their level of fitness? (15:29)Should you track load/progress for clients in small group training (20:58)Why you need to create the perception of variety in your workouts (23:48)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

What a better way to celebrate Rick's birthday and 29 years in business than sharing some key lessons Rick has learned along the way.As you'll be hearing in the episode, we had so much fun doing this but, most importantly, went through each of these 10 lessons in greater detail to help you get a more in-depth insight on how running a fitness business for such a long time entails.Number one in Rick's list of top 10 lessons is the 10,000-hour rule. What this simply means is that you have to put in the work so that you can be really good at something. This applies to virtually everything in life. You must be willing to suck in the beginning to be good.Another important lesson for entrepreneurs is that it is okay to be wrong. You'd rather take some action today and be proved wrong later than be paralyzed by fear.Click Play on this exciting episode to hear Rick and Matt go through these top 10 lessons as they sip some whiskey and crack some jokes.Key TakeawaysThe 10,000-hour rule and how it applies to fitness (02:58)Everyone is happy in a box until you put windows in it (11:51)Hard conversations now or harder conversations later (20:16)99% of entrepreneurship is boring (25:37)F!ck your feelings (31:00)Time and attention are more valuable than money (37:04)Get a dog to learn what type of a leader you are (43:24)It's okay to be wrong (47:47)If you can do it, do it now (51:46)DO the right thing (55:34)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Even though the fitness industry has taken a big hit and many gyms have closed down this year, we still have some positives we can take away from it. Just like the Stockdale Paradox, we can be optimistic about the future but realize that things aren't great at the moment.However, a lot of the challenges we are currently facing are opportunities to build a better business. In our case with our corporate gyms, we have taken this chance to trim some fat, and taken a more in-depth look at the systems to run a more efficient business.On the Alloy franchising side, we have taken this opportunity to introduce our new single pod gym model, which will help trainers own their own gyms. The smaller model is more COVID proof than the larger models, less expensive to get into and still very profitable.There are always two sides to the same coin in every situation. Even if things are tough for fitness businesses right now, we have an opportunity to come out of this with a better, more efficient business. Tune in to this episode to hear Rick and Matt discuss some examples of how you can go about this.Key TakeawaysApplying the Stockdale Paradox to the current situation we are in (01:51)How to turn the current challenges into opportunities (02:44)How to use this opportunity to trim some fat in your business (06:00)Building a better business out of the current challenges (08:18)Introducing a smaller single pod fitness model (09:32)The upside of staff turnover in your gym (12:07)There's always a positive side to every situation (18:06)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

We are excited to announce that we are releasing a new smaller franchise model to complement our standard model. Our standard model has two pods that two coaches can train 12 clients in each session. With the new smaller footprint model that we are releasing, we have one pod that one coach can train a maximum of 6 clients per session.This new model will lower the price threshold, making it less expensive to open due to the smaller footprint. However, it will still drive good revenue and good margins, making it very appealing, especially to fitness professionals who wish to own their own facility.There are several reasons why we are bringing this new model to the market. Firstly, over the years, we have worked with many fitness professionals, such as personal trainers and strength coaches, and amassed a big following. With our standard model, the investment threshold needed excludes many of these people.With the new smaller model, we are able to cater to the needs of this following and give them an opportunity to own a fitness facility. We are giving them a shortcut to owning a fitness business and continue doing what they are good at while the Alloy machine handles the rest.Tune in to this episode to learn more about our new exciting franchise model and why it might be a good fit for you. We also explain why now is the perfect time to invest in a smaller footprint model.Key TakeawaysOur new smaller footprint smaller fitness model we are releasing (01:30)Why this new model appeals to the fitness professionals wishing to own their own facility (03:07)Why we are bringing this new model to the market now (03:34)Smaller models are low-cost to get up and running and are wildly profitable (11:54)Merits of going for a franchise rather than going out on your own (13:57)How buying a franchise is buying a massive shortcut (16:38)Can investor type people consider this new smaller model? (18:03)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Getting new customers is pretty hard right now for everybody, no matter the size of your fitness business. Everybody is in need of customer acquisition because their topline revenue is down, which is why we want to talk about the 3 main ways of getting customers to your gym.Paid advertising is one of the most common ways to acquire new customers. It still works if you do it well, the trick is to understand how to run paid ads on different platforms. What works well on Facebook might not work on Google.Referrals are a great way to acquire new customers for your business. If you do it right, it's one of the easiest ways to get new members without spending as much money as other channels. For a local business, you can get referrals from your existing customers, cross-promotion from other local businesses who have a similar client profile, or from community outreach activities.Another channel for customer acquisition, which many fitness businesses surprisingly tend to ignore, is organic content. Creating compelling content on your pages and pumping it out on a schedule is something you should never stop doing. It may seem a lot of work but works over the long term.All these channels work, but you have to be doing them all and do them well to see the best results. You cannot do just one of them and hope it works all the time.Click play on this episode to learn more about applying these channels to get more members to your fitness business.Key TakeawaysWhy customer acquisition is the biggest problem in the fitness business right now (02:36)Where to run your ads (04:12)Understanding what works for different ad platforms (05:05)How to ask for referrals from your existing clients (12:04)How cross-promotion with other local business works (13:32)Why you should never stop creating organic, compelling content (17:45)Working on the small things all the time (21:37)Additional Resources:Episode 20: Guerrilla Marketing For Fitness Businesses------------www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Creating content is one thing, but making sure your content creates the engagement you want is another. If your content sucks, you are not going to get any engagement. Once this happens, most people tend to give up on that type of content, thinking it doesn’t work for them, but as you’ll soon find out, this is usually not the case.The biggest challenge that many people face when creating content is not knowing their audience. You have to know and understand your audience to create content that resonates with them. What this means is that you have to understand their frustration and fears which then allows you to meet them where they are at.Once you understand your audience, you need to know their pain points. This enables you to create content that hits them on an emotional level. All your content, including ads, should be designed to address their pain points and resonate on an emotional level.The third key to creating great content is telling a story. People love stories, and there is no better way to connect with your audience than through stories. The thing with stories is that you have to do it in such a format that makes your audience take the action you want.Click play on this episode to hear of a great 5 step framework for telling a story that will resonate with your audience and make them take the action you want. Key TakeawaysIf your content sucks, there will be no engagement (01:47)Knowing your audience to meet them where they are at through your content (02:55)Knowing your audience’s pain points (10:46)Connecting with your audience on an emotional level (13:31)The hero of your story has to be the customer (16:00)How to tell a story to resonate with your audience (17:10)5 step framework for how to tell a great story (18:09)Additional Resources:John Farkas Email blueoceanfitness.net------------www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

To level up in your business, you must level up personally. The very formula that got you to this level may be exactly what's holding you back from the next level. Rick and Matt take you through how to identify your sticking point and how to move past it.As an entrepreneur, your business will only go as far as you allow it or a far as you want. You are the gas or the brakes to your business. This means that before you scale your business, you need to scale yourself first. What this means is that you have to reinvent yourself over time so that you can then take your business to the next level.You have to keep learning and relearning. Whatever made you succeed in the past may be holding you and your business back. The strategy you used in the past will most likely not take you to the next level despite how good it was. It would be best if you created a different winning strategy that takes account of your new reality.Reinventing yourself is not an easy thing to do; it takes a lot of humility, a competitive streak, and a strong will to win. It involves breaking your old belief systems and changing your mindset to move to the next level.Tune in to this episode and learn more on how to level up in your business by identifying what's holding you back and reinventing yourself. Key TakeawaysHow to scale your business (01:57)Why you need to reinvent yourself as an entrepreneur to scale your business (02:44)Reinventing yourself as an entrepreneur to move to the next level (05:49)The number 1 goal of every entrepreneur (10:20)Breaking your old belief systems to move forward (11:20)Create a new winning strategy for your next level (13:54)The strategy that worked in the past might be what's holding you back (17:40)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Did you know that Team Alloy has 97% client retention month on month, which is 17 points better than any other studio model? Not only this, our average client lifespan is 36 months. These two metrics are absolutely huge for our business, but the number ONE reason we achieve them is attributable to our accountability sessions.An accountability session is a 15 minutes face to face sit down with our clients once a month to keep track of their progress and their goals. Now, many gym owners think that this will sap all their time if they do it, but we can assure you it won’t. Besides, the two main benefits of client retention and increasing the average lifespan, it acts as a perfect opportunity to upsell your other services.Accountability sessions help build trust in your business from your clients. They can see that you really care about their goals and how they are progressing towards them, and if you are running a personal training model, it makes it really personal.Tune in to this episode to learn more about what an accountability session entails and how it is a powerful tool for client retention. Key TakeawaysWhy our client retention and average client lifespan is very high here at Alloy (01:27)What is an accountability session and how to do it (02:31)How an accountability session solves everything (10:17)Using the accountability session to upsell your other services (13:23)Why holding accountability sessions is absolutely critical in the first 90 days (16:14)Communication within the team between accountability sessions (17:32)How accountability sessions make your personal training model truly personal (20:15)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

When it comes to marketing, most businesses struggle with the all-important question, how much should they be spending. Most people drastically underspend on marketing, mostly because they can’t see an immediate return on investment.To determine how much money you should be spending on marketing, there are a few formulas and metrics that you should be aware of. Two of the most important metrics are the lifetime value of a client and the total acquisition cost of each client.The higher the total lifetime value of a customer is, the more you can spend on the acquisition. Rick and Matt recommend that for a fitness business, the ratio of the total lifetime value of your average client to customer acquisition cost should be about 10 to 1.To give an example with our personal training business, the average client stays for 36 months and pays about $300 each month. This comes to a total lifetime value of around $10,000. The ideal amount of money we should be spending on marketing efforts to get each client then should be $1,000Click play on the episode to learn more about these important marketing metrics and formulas that will help you understand how much money you should be spending on marketing.Key TakeawaysWhy most people drastically underspend on marketing (03:01)The total lifetime value of a customer vs. customer acquisition cost (03:35)Determining the % of leads that end u as customers (06:53)Bullets before cannonballs (09:04)How to do maintenance marketing (10:52)Ensuring your team understands the value of a lead (13:33)Fixing the back end before sending money on the front end (15:03)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Have you ever felt that you didn't deserve your success? That any moment someone will find out that you are not as smart, successful, competent as they think you are? If so, you are not alone! As a matter of fact, it a natural part of growth and entrepreneurship. Listen in as we discuss our professional journeys and how you can use imposter syndrome as fuel for success.As a business person or a leader trying to level up, it is inevitable that you will occasionally suffer from imposter syndrome. Even though you'll feel like a phony when it hits you, it is a good thing because it means you are putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, which leads to your growth.Rick takes us through his personal training career and how the imposter syndrome has manifested at different times. He advises that if you are always trying to grow in your business or career, the imposter syndrome never goes away. You will always be trying new things, and you will suck in the beginning. However, this means you are stretching your abilities, and you are getting better.In the process of overcoming the feeling of being an imposter, you push yourself to be better and learn more, which ultimately leads to your growth. If you don't work to push through the imposter syndrome, you will never accomplish anything significant because you will always be paralyzed by fear.Want to know how to push through the imposter syndrome? Click play on this episode and hear how Rick combats these feelings every time they come up.Key TakeawaysWhat is the imposter syndrome (03:44)How the imposter syndrome manifested through Rick's career (04:57)How the imposter syndrome leads to your growth (12:42)Imposter syndrome never goes away at any stage of your life (12:53)How to push through the imposter syndrome (16:38)Combating the fear of being exposed by working harder (19:53)Using the imposter syndrome as fuel to get better (24:10)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

This week Rick sits down with Alloy's own coach Natalie to discuss the myths around women and heavy lifting.Should women lift heavy in the gym? This is a question that has been around for a long time with different answers, depending on who you ask. From the onset, we say that women should always lift heavy.The reason most women don't like lifting heavy is the fear that they will get too big. Natalie and Rick demystify this myth and advise women that it is very hard to get big unless you take supplements. On the contrary, you will actually look leaner, the scale may show you have added some weight, but you are packing on muscles, which is a good thing.Consistently lifting heavy weights will make you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. The confidence you build from being physically strong and powerful manifests in other areas of life as well. Natalie and Rick advise women to lift heavy, keep the volume low, keep the reps low, and see what happens to your body and your confidence.Listen in to this episode to learn more about the benefits of lifting heavy for women and why you should be doing it.Key TakeawaysHow your body changes when you lift more and run less (01:33)Will women get big if they lift heavy? (02:54)Why consistently lifting heavy will make you feel better physically, mentally and emotionally (05:03)Going lightweight and high volume builds muscles while lifting heavy gets you lean and strong (07:00)Less is more when it comes to lifting volume (08:54)Tracking your progression in the gym (16:50)Why most fit people in the gym are in the weight training floor (17:27)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

We've all been told by consultants and leadership gurus to "think outside of the box". We couldn't disagree more! In this episode, we discuss why focusing on your core business and focusing on the things inside of that box are the real keys to success.It doesn't really matter anything else you do, if you are not nailing the basics in your business, you will struggle to attract and retain customers. You need to look inside the box, which is your business's main function to your customers, and deliver a consistent customer experience.Very successful businesses have a relentless pursuit of the basics. They don't just think outside the box and do something amazing or creative every now and then, they consistently work on the basics every day. Doing the small things right every time is what will move the needle in your business.Remember, the only thing that matters in your business is the lens of the customer. Are they getting the same customer experience every time they walk into your premises? This is what is inside your box that you need to be committed to. Any innovation or creative new ideas should always improve what's inside the box, not to distract from it.To create a consistent customer experience and build a better business, Rick and Matt recommend a systematic approach. Decide what's important to your customers, build systems around it and then just go after it day after day. This is what will set you apart from other businesses.Click play on this episode to learn more about how to consistently nail the basics to move the needle in your businessKey TakeawaysWhat is the main function of your business to your customer (05:54)Your core service to your customer should be consistently good (08:03)It doesn't matter if you do something amazing every now and then. You have to be consistent (08:53)Your customers expect a consistent experience from your business (12:12)How to remain convicted to what's inside your box (15:56)How a systematic approach can help provide a consistent customer experience (19:23)Your commitment to doing the basics well is what will set you apart (21:37)Any innovation or new ideas should not be a distraction to your core business (24:34)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The biggest misconception that people have regarding back pain is that it is caused by The biggest misconception that people have regarding back pain is that it’s caused by lifting and workouts. That's why many people stop lifting when they experience back pain. However, as Dr. Eaby explains, the long term solution to lower back pain is strength training, which leads to a stronger back.MRIs and X-rays are not always needed to diagnose lower back pain unless there has been a traumatic incident or some serious red flags. Dr. Eaby advises that imaging is not required in most of the cases since there is a real risk of misdiagnosing the cause of the lower back pain as all MRIs will return some sort of findings even when down on someone who isn’t feeling any pain.When it comes to treatment and management of back pain, conservative treatment should always be the first option. It is not advisable to jump into injections and painkillers as these have been known to cause addiction and even lead to surgery later.Key Takeaways80-85% of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives (05:09)The biggest misconception on the cause of lower back pain (06:25)Back pain is caused by many factors, including posture, sleep, nutrition (10:22)Why strength training is the long term cure for lower back pain especially as you age (19:52)When you might need to do an X-ray or an MRI (22:06)Red flags that suggest a person has back problems that trainers should look out for (27:13)Conservative treatment and corrective exercises for lower back pain (28:52)Additional Resources:Website: www.missionmovept.comInstagram: @missionmoveptYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCasZZ--mBZQssQmJ4uGQhOA/E-mail: frontdesk@missionmovept.com----www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

‘Do Your Job’ is a simple yet powerful statement that can help a business or a team achieve all their goals if every team member were to do their job with conviction. It is almost like a substitute for our core value number 1 here at Alloy, which states ‘Own it.’These statements mean that you have to own your role and perform it diligently. In small businesses, you may need support from others, and part of owning your job is working with the rest of the team and understanding what they are doing.As a leader in your business, you have to make your team own their roles and do their job. First thing you need to do is to set up clear expectations for their roles. Some of the expectations can be numbers-driven or KPIs. With this in place, they will know what is expected of them when you tell them to do their job. The second thing is to create a culture in the gym where everybody owns their role. Tune in to this episode to learn of the different roles in a small group personal training and how ‘do your job’ applies to each as well as how to foster and enshrine this culture in your business.Key TakeawaysDoing your job with conviction (05:23)What gets measured gets managed (07:47)Why you need to set clear expectations for your team so that they can then do their job (08:11)The roles and expectations of the Director of Training and they can own this position (09:12)The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing (12:15)How to ensure the trainers and coaches are doing their job (13:00)How often to meet with the coaches and the team (17:42)What is ‘do your job’ for the front desk and customer service team (19:41)How to create a culture in the gym where everybody owns their role and does their job (23:39)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Flexibility is the type and range of motion you can achieve passively. Passively means that you are not under load, and you are not controlling it. For instance, if you lie on your back and someone pushes your leg up to the farthest it can go.Mobility is how much range of motion that you have actively, meaning you can use it. Flexibility and stability make mobility. You have to control the flexibility so that you can use it. So the big difference here is that flexibility is passive while mobility is active.We use the Functional Movement Screen to measure mobility. For the general population, a good dynamic warm-up and good exercise are sufficient to improve their mobility. Along with these, you have to manage their lifestyle to keep them safe and strong enough.In real life and when programming for the general population, mobility is more valuable than flexibility. You can use it in your normal day to day activities and thus improves the quality of life.Key TakeawaysCOVID gym update (01:42)What is the difference between flexibility and mobility ((08:05)Why mobility is more valuable than flexibility in real life (12:02)How we use the Functional Movement Screen to measure mobility (12:54)Taking a holistic approach towards achieving mobility (18:42)How managing lifestyle may be better for mobility than any other correctives (23:44)How to we work on mobility for our clients through in the gym (26:27)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Before getting into the fitness business, you need to decide which type of owner you want to be. Either the owner-operator or an investor, also known as an absentee owner. Neither of these two ownership structures is wrong or right. We talk about the pros and cons of each and also the type of person who fits into each of them.An owner-operator is somebody who is deep in the operations of the business. They work in the business. An owner-operator can have higher profit margins because they can tightly control the operations besides occupying the Director of Training position. They are usually a technician who decides to own a business. The cons of an owner-operator are that they are getting into a job. They might find trouble getting out of this job.An investor is normally someone who has a higher business acumen who wants to scale up to multiple locations by executing the systems of the franchise they have partnered with. They initially invest more capital because they need more people but their return on investment is much higher in the long run. This type of owner will need entrepreneurial and leadership skills to build a team to manage the business. Key TakeawaysDeciding the type of fitness business owner, you want to be (02:20)Who is an owner-operator and what do they do (04:13)An owner-operator can make more profits by tightly controlling the operations (06:14)Why it makes sense for owner-operators to work with a franchise (08:49) The cons of an owner-operator fitness business model (11:51)Why an investor has a higher return on investment in the long run (17:49)The cons of an absentee owner fitness business model (22:49)Why the Alloy Franchise appeals to both type of owners (27:46)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

With the COVID environment, many gym and clients are now understanding why large group training is not the ideal model. If you are looking to transition to small group personal training or are looking to get into the fitness business, listen to this episode to understand how the staffing structure in a small group personal training model looks like from the lens of the Alloy Franchise. The Director of Training is the most impactful position in this model. The responsibilities for this position include driving revenue, closing sales, asking for referrals, driving retention, running accountability sessions, and managing the team. They understand all the metrics of the business in addition to laying out the roadmap for clients from where they are and where they are going. The front desk position, which we call the Director of Customer Experience is another very important position in this model. This is the face of the gym. It is the first person clients interact with when they walk in. They are responsible for taking calls from leads. This person must be energetic, upbeat, wear a smile all day, and be customer-centric in all that they do. Coaches are the other position in this model. With about 300 clients, you need three full-time coaches and one part-time coach. They will comfortably cover all the shifts and service all the clients. Tune in to this episode to learn all about the staffing structure in the small group personal training model.Key TakeawaysWhy small group personal training model is the way to go for the fitness business (01:59)The role and responsibilities of Director of Training in small group personal training model (03:37)Why the Director of Training is more than sales (07:42)?The roles of the Director of Customer Experience (15:09)How many coaches do you need for a small group personal training model (21:03)A coach needs to be good with people then they can learn technique and programming (24:50)Communication between the Director of Training, Coaches and the Director of Customer Experience (27:07)The relentless pursuit of doing the small things well over time makes this model work (32:06)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The word classes in the fitness industry carry a certain awareness and expectation as far as price is concerned. It also carries a certain expectation as to what will happen. Think of it like music and busting a move like in a Zumba class. This is very different from what personal training is and that why we avoid using the word classes to refer to what we do.The concept of small group personal training is not yet well understood. That’s why the temptation to refer to it as a class is high. Small group personal training is very detailed and a lot of small things need to happen to make it really personal training and not a small class. It is more or less like one on one personal training but done in a small group to make it more affordable.Small group personal training gives the benefit of personalized attention and personalized programming that takes care of a client’s fitness goals, fitness levels, injuries, etc. You then add the sense of community and training with your peers that lack in one on one setting. This comes with group accountability. All these benefits make this model a very good one that is different from one on one personal training and definitely different from classes.Listen in to learn more about all the nuances of small group personal training and how the Alloy Franchise helps you run this model to serve the target market that wants personalized attention Key TakeawaysThe difference between classes and small group personal training (02:34)How to do warm-ups for different service layers in the gym (07:40)Having a clean clear customer journey in the gym 10:12)Should you be on the clock for small group personal training (11:55)Why you should not sell time but program and results in personal training (15:00)How to do demonstrations for exercises in small group personal training (20:15)Why 6 is the right size for us to run small group personal training (25:57)Doing a proper small group personal training warm-up (27:30)How a coach manages six clients during the workouts at the same time (29:34)Using the term sessions rather than classes and making it nuanced in small group personal training (35:34)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Ascension business model basically means the journey you take your customer though in your business. It can be based on revenues, or it could be in the programming. It is what you offer the customer so that they can be involved in the brand for a long time. The more the customer feels connected to the brand the more they will spend.You are only going to lose a customer if you run of things to sell them. If you think about that, then you understand the ascension model. You also understand why by not taking your customer on the ascension process, you are actually doing them a disservice. Customers want to reach their goals while you want more revenue. This is a win-win for both of you.However, all the ascending services must be related to the client’s goals. You cannot just sell anything that is outside of their goals. If you're not ascending people over time, you are going to lose them since they want to reach their goals.Listen in to understand the ascension business model and learn some examples of ascending services you can offer in a gym. Key TakeawaysWhat is the concept of ascension in a fitness business (04:14)You are doing your customers a disservice by not selling them other services that may help them reach their goals (06:26)You're only going to lose a customer when you run out of things to sell them (08:11)How the ascension model works on the revenue side of the business (10:51)Some examples of items you can sell to your members in addition to gym subscription (15:16)How the ascension model improves your customer retention rates (19:15)Why your ascending services must be related to the client’s goals (22:43)Ascending model in relation to gym programming (23:51)Finding revenue opportunities by offering solutions to client’s problems (28:59)If you're not ascending people over time, you are going to lose them (30:58)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Gyms across different states have been unfairly targeted with the shutdowns, without any relevant data showing that they are responsible in any way for spreading the virus. Some gyms have been closed again which is very frustrating. In the episode, we look at the kind of business model you need moving forward.First off, we believe that in-person gym training will not go away. People will still need to come back to the gym for the social and community aspects of it. However, you also need to have virtual training in place for circumstances such as these and for those people who may prefer it.You need to be equipped with the technology, staffing and structure to go virtual. So, the best business model is a combination of the two; live training and virtual. For clients who prefer to come to the gym, you have to build their confidence with the cleaning, and social distancing protocols.Having the tools and expertise to pivot in either direction should be the goal of any gym. That way, whatever happens, you don’t lose your members because you can’t really predict what will happen in the future as we have learned so far. In addition, coming out of this, we’ll have some people who will prefer to continue training virtually. This creates another income source for your gymKey TakeawaysThe implications of gym getting closed again across different states (00:53)In-person training in the gym will not go away (05:42)Being equipped with the technology, staffing, and structure to run both live and virtual training (07:08Having the right tools to service personal training clients (11:19)Why franchises will be forced to disclose how COVID affected their financials going forwards (20:18)How a hybrid model works best to service all personality types (23:15)Being ready to pivot quickly in either direction by having the right assets in place (25:51)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Our programs are geared towards a full-body workout every time a client walks in. There is no metabolic benefit to doing body part workouts. This means within the hour they are here, we ensure that the programming gets them some mobility, stability, metabolic and emotional work. The full-body workout is very efficient.In every workout, we get four main movements and two core movements. The four main movements are pushing, pulling, hip dominant, and knee dominant. These four patterns are compound movements that involve a lot of muscles at the same time. The two main core movements are anti-extension and anti-rotation movements. These are about resisting movement and remaining as stable as possible to strengthen the core.In addition, to these four compound movements and two core movements, we have a metabolic finisher to raise the heart rate. This is for cardiovascular health and an emotional workout for the client. We talked about this in the previous episode.There is so much science and thought that goes into building these great programs. Tune to learn how we use the best programming conventions to come up with custom programs for every client. Key TakeawaysWhy our programs are geared towards a full-body workout every time (01:05)The four compound movements that we use for our programs (04:26)Resistance core movements to stabilize the core (08:44)The core is meant to prevent movement, not to create movement (11:30)Our programming is scientific and systematic (12:24)How we create custom programs but within the best programming conventions (13:35)The three levels of fitness we place our clients and how we do it (16:44)How we accommodate health history, injuries and different fitness levels to build truly great programs (25:06)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Welcome to another episode of the Alloy Personal Training Business Podcast. In this two-part series, we break down the process we go through to design great programs for our clients. We explain in detail the how and why of what we do. Today’s episode is part one, and we go through the process through which we figure out where to place the client into the programming.Once a client comes to us, we have the starting point session. We are trying to get as much information about them as possible. We call it peeling of the onion or golden needs analysis. We take their health history and their fitness goals. We take note of any injuries they may have now, or they had in the past, their pain motivator, and their expectations.We then marry the health history with the measurements of the Functional Movement Screen. The FMS is a scientific way to measure movement. In our case, we use an abbreviated version called Modified Screen, which is appropriate for the general population. We then tie this with their health history to determine what programming to place them on. We place our clients into four quadrants based on a scored system. So all clients fit in one of the four quadrants. Listen in to this episode and learn more about this process and how to determine the right program for every client. Key TakeawaysGetting the health history of a client during their first session with us (04:07)Using the Functional Movement Screen to place our clients in either one of four quadrants (05:39)Marrying health history and functional movement screen scores (08:03)How many our clients fall in the second and third quadrants (09:21)Why you may have to refer people in the fourth quadrant for medical help (12:48)How we accommodate our client’s emotional needs in the programming (15:48)Additional Resources:https://www.functionalmovement.com/www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Today, we talk about the technologies we use at Alloy, how we use them, and why we picked each one over others in the market. We begin with the CRM. This is the software that runs your business. At Alloy, we use MindBody as our CRM, we took advantage of the coaching they offer, to learn more about it then simplified and customized it for our model. We closed off all the options that didn’t relate to our model.The reason we decided to work with MindBody is that their customer interface is excellent. This is very important as our clients can schedule and maneuver with ease. For the backend, as with any other CRM, you have to invest time and money to figure out how it works.One guiding principle for picking software to work with is simplicity and that the software should enhance human engagement not eliminate it. A personal conversation beats an automated message all the time. Besides lead management, we use Mind Body for communication, billing, and scheduling, which it does well.For our franchisees, we have a backend dashboard where we see their high-level metrics. This way, we can see where they are doing well and where they might be having trouble and look at ways to coach them. Lastly, we talk about our Alloy app and how it helps us improve the customer experience and how it came in handy during the lockdown as we pivoted to virtual training. Listen in to this great episode and learn more about the different fitness technologies available in the market and how to pick the best to work with. Key TakeawaysWhy we use Mind Body as our CRM (02:57)Using Frederick as our lead management software and marketing suite (06:54)Technologies should drive better human engagement not replace it (10:35)How MindBody handles scheduling well for a personal training model (17:01)Why we use Zipwhip for communication with our clients (20:10)The software we use to run our reward system and why we chose it (23:44)How the Alloy app helps us improve the customer experience (32:08)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Most of our clients who come to the gym have a secondary goal of fat loss especially the ladies. It is our duty as fitness professionals to figure out how they can achieve these goals. There is the misconception that some people think that for fat loss you have to do cardio. They have been led to believe that the intensity of cardio burns calories and helps lose fats. However, strength training is how to lose fat. In as much as cardio may be more enjoyable and appealing to a lot of people, it is not as effective in fat loss as strength training. Natalie takes us through why this is the case and shares her experience coming from running seven days a week to strength training four days a week and slowing down on the cardio. To achieve better results sooner, Natalie advises women that they should cut back on the running, biking, and cardio and do more strength training. This way, you’ll feel better, your hormones will be happier, you’ll have less inflammation and you’ll sleep better. This is how you create the right environment for fat loss and getting leaner. Some women have the fear that strength training will get them big. This is not true. You become lean and achieve your fat loss goals sooner. It will also make you feel better physically and mentally.Listen in to this episode and learn some other interesting facts about strength training and fat loss.Key TakeawaysWhy you’ll achieve better results through strength training (03:41)Cutting back on cardio despite enjoying it for the bigger goal of leanness (05:44)Why strength training won’t make women get big, but will make them lean (09:37)Doing more will not result in more results and may reverse your gains (12:24)What is strength training and how to go about it safely (14:50)How over-exercising messes up your hormones and works against you (20:10)Creating the right environment for fat loss through strength training, sleep, and nutrition (21:46)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The first concept we discuss is known as the Stockdale Paradox. Stockdale was the highest-ranking POW in Vietnam. In explaining how he and his troops survived the ordeal, we get some interesting perspectives that apply in life and business. He had unwavering faith that he would make it out of the prison camp but was also very realistic about the daily realities of the horrible conditions and uncertainties of life in the camp. The second concept is known as Productive Paranoia. This basically means knowing what you need to protect to survive. You can’t just have blind optimism without knowing what you need. It might be cash, people, or brand equity, Once you know what is important for your business to survive, then you need to stick with it and protect it.The third concept is Fanatical Discipline. As a business, you need to understand your metrics and once you do so, stay disciplined in achieving those metrics without getting distracted. Good times and tough times can distract us from metrics. Successful businesses are those that remain fanatically disciplined. Listen in to learn more about how these three interesting concepts apply to your business and how they help you have a different outlook, a different way to judge your performance as a leader and ultimately how to operate your businessKey TakeawaysGetting our first Alloy franchise up and running (00:53)What is The Stockdale Paradox and how it relates to your business (06:11)Having unwavering faith in the long term outcome of your business but being realistic of our current situation (10:00)The concept of Productive Paranoia and how it helps your business survive tough times (12:40)Fanatical discipline, how to avoid distractions in your business (19:48)Avoiding distractions and making rash decisions during good or tough times (24:33)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

In this episode, we discuss why high intensity interval training (HIIT) may not be the best type of exercise for your business.We talk about high intensity training - the pros and cons, and how it fits in somebody's program.High intensity interval training just means getting hot and sweaty. And it's super popular right now.It's just really been popular since the explosion of the studio model, which has really been probably eight years or so of the real popular studio models.And because of that, the “heart rate” was introduced.And that sort of drove that as well. The brand promise of some brands is heart rate.And so when you start tying effort level during a workout to the number of calories burned, and the end goal is like what happens just in these 45 minutes or this hour or these 30 minutes or whatever, you run the risk of then effectively telling your customer that the most important thing is how many calories they burn and how high they can get their heart rate in the next 30 minutes.And then you might make claims like: “Hey, this not only is going to burn calories; it's also going to build muscle.” Which is not true if you know the science behind muscle-building.Stay tuned as we delve deeper.Key Points of Discussion:Benefits of a short, intense exercise (5:05)You can't put out that much effort in 30 to 45 minutes (7:31)It doesn't actually produce maybe any of the results you're looking for (9:05)Doing metabolic-based training is better than sitting on the couch (9:30)The metabolic finisher - at the end of a true strength training workout (10:33)Your body's going to adapt to strain, strenuous activities, and stimulus (11:04)Doing it with strength training and sensible eating (13:51)There is a really high churn rate in a HIIT-based business (17:14)Fitting HIIT into clients’ schedules (22:45)If you’re looking for fat loss, general fitness, and you want to feel better… (29:12)---------Additional Resources:Learn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

A brand is more than just the name and logo. Building a relevant brand takes time and effort. There is a lot that goes into it. Initially, you have to decide what the brand has to do and the promise it has to deliver. Eventually, if you do everything right and deliver on the promise, the brand will take a life of its own. You’ll get some people who will champion for the brand and take it to the next level.Rick takes us through the process of branding he went through from the early stages when his gym was known as Good Bodies Personal Training which was a good name back then. This was until one of the subcontractors in the gym left with some clients to start a gym known as better bodies. Rick had to change the name to NorthPoint Fitness. This went on for a while till the licensing business began and the name had to change. That’s when Alloy Personal Training business was born after a long process.The name was just the start, trademark rights, branding and launching were to follow which took about four and a half months. Having done with the logistics of branding, delivering on the promise was the most important thing. You can have a good sounding name and branding but delivering on the promise is what counts. Listen in to learn about how you deliver on the brand promise and the customer experience and grow your brand.Key TakeawaysHow to build a brand (02:35)How we started our gym back in the day when it was called Good Bodies(03:31)Rebranding to Northpoint fitness (06:02)Searching for a new name that we could trademark for our licensing model (07:28)Settling on the Alloy Personal Training Business name (10:48)Delivering on the promise of the Alloy brand (17:00)How long it takes to build a brand (24:33)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Many fitness professionals such as coaches and instructors have the ambition of transitioning to being a gym owner. However, they do not know how to go about it. They do not know where to start. In this episode we look at the steps you have to take to successfully transition to being a fitness entrepreneur. The first step is having a business plan. Many entrepreneurs start their businesses without one which leads to failure. A business plan should be built around your vision. To have an effective business plan, you have to simplify your vision. Determine precisely what kind of service you want to offer and build your business right from the start. Securing capital to start the business is a big deal. Many business professionals underestimate the amount of capital needed to open a new business and building a brand. You can get this money from your own savings, friends and family, or a bank. However, for a bank to give you money, they have to see a solid business plan. If you cant come up with this, a franchise would be a better option since all the details are taken care of. A fitness franchise is like a massive shortcut. You don’t have to make the same mistakes entrepreneurs who came before you made. The system is already well developed. Listen in to hear more of this and other steps you need to take in your journey from a fitness professional to a fitness entrepreneurKey TakeawaysHow can a fitness professional transition to being a fitness entrepreneur (04:16)Why having a business plan is the first step to starting your fitness entrepreneurship journey (05:04)Simplification of your vision and your business plan is a core value in business (07:38)Finding and securing enough capital to start and run your business (10:36)Why getting hold of a franchise is better if you cant come up with a solid business plan (13:46)Being part of a fitness franchise is like a shortcut. You avoid making the same mistakes (20:25)Looking at the end game of your fitness business and planning your exit strategy (25:02)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

We start off the episode with a quick update on reopening the gym. Half of our clients are coming to the gym while the other half is training on virtual. This shows the need for gyms to remain flexible after reopening and cater to both groups of clients. We have sold some new memberships to our gym without marketing. We lost about 20% of our overall clientele due to the situation. The kettlebell is a cool training tool. Clients love it, we explore how they fit into our personal training model, how we use them, and the good things about them. We look at some not so good things about them. Lastly, we look at kettlebells through the lens of gym business.Kettlebells are one of the favorite tools in the gym for many clients. They help in increasing strength and even building muscles. They may not be the best for building muscle but they certainly have a place. In addition, kettlebells swings help with balance and movement and generally make us feel great which is important to keep clients motivated. With social distancing in the gym now, kettlebells are a great tool for workouts. They make everything better but just like any other tool, gym owners should test them with their clients and find out the right use of it. Key TakeawaysGym reopening progress and update (01:33)Why Kettlebells are the perfect tool for social distancing workout (05:56)Why coaches should disassociate their likes and dislikes and focus on their client’s fitness goals (17:47)How to use the kettlebell to increase strength (18:41)How the kettlebell can help build muscle (25:27)Kettlebells make you perform better, feel better and look better (29:51)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

It’s been two weeks since we reopened our fitness facilities and adapting to the new normal. Rick takes us through an update on the business side of things and how we have ramped up our marketing to attract new clients since some other gyms and fitness facilities are yet to reopen.When you reopen your training facilities, you should be prepared to support people who may not be comfortable coming in yet. Running a hybrid system of virtual and onsite training will be good for your business. It is also a great opportunity to find good talent in the market right now. There are many coaches and managers coming from other fitness centers and others making a career change. It’s the best time to keep your funnel full in case you need to fill a position. Even if you haven’t reopened yet, you can still start working on the screening process and interviews for potential candidates. Listen in as we talk about these and other major lessons we have learned after reopening.Key TakeawaysRamping up your fitness marketing efforts after reopening to attract new clients (03:28)Running a hybrid system of virtual and onsite fitness classes to cater to clients who may not be comfortable coming to the gym (08:29)Expecting some hesitancy from coaches and team members about reopening and how to encourage them (09:55)Taking this opportunity to find good talent in the market and hiring them once you reopen (12:47)Keeping your funnel full with good candidates in case you need replacing or adding up some positions (15:22)Starting the screening process virtually to eliminate candidates who don’t fit with your brand (17:41)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Many businesses are still under lockdown across the country and are facing uncertainty on when they will be allowed to reopen and how they will go about it. Having reopened earlier than planned we talk about this experience from the perspectives of the owner, the coaches, and the clients.As the owner, you have to make sure you build trust. People need to be sure that you are taking every precaution necessary to keep them safe. If it involves taking them through the process, you have to do it. This should be your main message. You should then back it up by taking care of even the smallest details and maintaining high standards of cleanliness. Small group personal training helps in social distancing. This worked in our favor since we had already pivoted to this. Our clients are able to trust each other more because they are a small tight-knit group.We talk about why owners need to communicate effectively to the coaches while reopening and anticipating that they may have some hesitation to get back to work for fear of their safety. Letting them participate in safety measures around the gym can help them feel safer. Key TakeawaysBuilding trust and confidence after reopening by demonstrating you are taking all precautions to keep people safe (05:26)Enforcing social distancing with smaller group personal training (09:03)Going public with the efforts you are doing and let your clients know (16:14)How we dealt with our coaches during the lockdown and turning to virtual personal training (18:35)Understanding that your team may not be nervous about their safety after reopening (24:10)Communicating clearly with your team on why you need to get back to business (25:23) Taking personal responsibility for your business (34:24)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Covid-19 has brought a lot of disruption. One thing everyone in the fitness business should be prepared for is the changes that will come after the lockdown measures are lifted. The future of fitness is small group personal training. Having a business model that is based on a smaller number of people who are more controllable and more specific and who can social distance is the future. We take you through the transitioning process. Whether you are running one on one programs or bigger classes. The transition might be scary at first, but you’ll soon realize the benefits of small group training. You have to convince your clients and coaches why you are making the change. Building systems and programs to help with the transition makes it easier.If you manage to get your coaches on board with the new model, it will be easier to convince your clients. Coaches have personal relationships with clients and can easily convince them to try out the new small group training model.Tune in to find out how to go about the transition and all the benefits of small group training. Key TakeawaysWhy you need to transition your fitness business to small group personal training (04:02)Why is much more profitable to run a small class fitness business (5:00)Building systems and programs around small group training (12:35)Benefits of group training and why it is the best model going forwards (20:05)How to convince your coaches and clients to shift from your current model to small group training (23:39)Getting the coaches on board who will then convince the clients about the new model (36:18)Why small groups help you have accountability sessions with your clients to address any specific issues (42:18)How to make your small group training feel like personal training rather than team training (45:12)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

80% of all communication is nonverbal. It doesn’t matter how great your words are, if you are not matching them with your body language, you are not communicating effectively. Improving our body language is something all of us, especially in the personal training business can greatly benefit from. We talk about different body parts such as the feet, legs hips, torso, and arms and how to use each of them from a coaching and sales perspective to improve communication. The legs are a big part of body language which we should never ignore. We also learn how to read the small nonverbal communication cues from our clients. Your arms and hands are the most important of all body parts as far as body language goes. Some of the things we do with them are subconscious but as a coach or a salesperson, you should learn how to use them to communicate better. Crossing your arms, hiding your hands behind your back, and definitely no pocketing. Tune in and learn how powerful body language is not only through the lens of fitness but in all aspects of communication. Key TakeawaysWhat are the two types of body language? (5:06)Why your feet and legs are important in body language and how to use them effectively to communicate (5:39)What can you read from the hips and laps in a sales setting (15:30)Why the arms are the most important in nonverbal communication (19:27)Why you should never cross your arms or walk with your hands behind your back as a coach (21:28)How to look out for discomfort signs from your clients (29:08)Recognizing body language through the lens of fitness (31:16)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Listen in as we talk about the Enneagram which is a great tool of communication. We talk about this test, what it entails, how to use it and how it gives you an idea about the different types of people on your team and how they communicate. There are nine different personality types on the Enneagram Test, we go through each of them in detail and how their personality affects their communication and how they relate with other team members. It is important to note that there are no wrong or negative personalities. The key is to understand your own type and how it may affect other people. Everybody has one dominant personality type and a secondary one. As a business owner, once you understand your individual team member’s dominant personality types and their secondary personality types, you can assign them the roles that suit them well. Tune in as we go through each of the nine personality types in great detail.Key TakeawaysWhat is the Enneagram Test and how to use it to improve communication in your team (2:06)The nine different personalities in the Enneagram Test (4:35)The advantages and downsides of a reformer (4:48)Identifying your dominant personality and your secondary personality type and why it is important for coaches to have a caring interpersonal personality (7:53)Why an achiever personality type is good at sales and marketing (11:06)Why the challenger personality type makes a good team coach (24:28)Understanding the positives sides of every personality type and coaching to improve on the negative side (31:47)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The first thing we talk about is working on yourself. You achieve this by planning a routine and organizing your day just like you were going out to the office. Keeping your routine ensures you remain productive. Have some stuff scheduled throughout the day and even the week. This is the time to do those things you have always pushed aside due to lack of time.The second thing you need to do is to look at your business model and why you set up your business. Are you in the right trajectory? Do you need to change anything? Are you solving the problems you set out to solve? These questions will help you bring the motivation back and remind you why you are in the fitness business. The third thing we talk about is working with your team to improve some of the processes in the business and special projects. Having team accountability by everyone knowing what each team member is working on while at home is critical. Key TakeawaysHaving a daily routine even while working from home (4:31)Why having some personal challenges helps you become more productive (5:44)How to take a reflective look into your business model and why you do it (9:05)Taking advantage of this time to work on new revenue streams for your business (15:21)Connecting and interacting with people in your industry to learn new things (19:13)Team accountability while working virtually (19:44)Why now is an excellent time to upgrade your facility (23:06)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Listen in as we discuss how virtual/online training is a viable option to many gyms especially as many have been forced to close due to the current pandemic the world is grappling with. It is also a good opportunity to keep your membership engaged.We talk about choosing the best tools to help you run your online program as well as being creative with regards to equipment your clients may have in their homes.Virtual training is more than just fitness. It involves a lot of communication, emotional support and holding your clients accountable. You should thus consider it a premium service and don’t sell your services short.We talk about how virtual training can help you handle more clients due to automation. You also get to put out workouts several weeks in advance and adjust them as you get feedback from our clients and incorporating deeper personalization of your client’s programsKey TakeawaysKeeping your membership engaged through virtual training (1:55)Tools to help you run a virtual training session (8:01)Developing your program around what available equipment your client has at home (9.15)How to sell virtual training as a premium service (11.30)How virtual training helps you handle more clients and automate some things (16.46)Why virtual training is not just about fitness, it's a chance for life coaching as well (17:28)Virtual training allows for deeper personalization of client's programs (18:32)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Leadership is important and leaders must do what they set out to do. This is amplified in a time of chaos like now. A leader must step up to the plate. We discuss this and much more in this episode. We look at it from three angles. Leading yourself, leading your team and leading your customers. To lead yourself, you must have your mind right. You must take good care of yourself and the best way to do this is through a routine. You need to control what you feed your brain as this will affect your decision makingSecondly, you must lead your team with confidence, not false bravado. Your teams look up to you for confidence and guidance. This involves things like your body language, being emotionally available, how you present yourself and your facial expressions. All these subtle features are what your team looks at. Remember a team reflects its leader. If you are short of confidence, so will be your team. Your team is responsible for leading your customers. If you lead your team poorly, your team will lead your customers poorly. Being a leader doesn’t mean having all the answers but showing confidence in what you can control. Meeting regularly with your team during these uncertain times and reassuring them. Key TakeawaysLeaders must do what they set out to do (2:20)Leading yourself by taking care of what you feed your brain regularly (3:45)Keeping things in perspective during uncertain and chaotic times (6:58)Having a routine that involves reading positive materials and having core values (8:45)Being confident by how you show up, your body language and facial expressions (10:21)Being the best version of yourself, bring your A-game, then passing this to your team (14:06)Consistent communication with your team and your customers. You can’t over-communicate (16:41)Get yourself in the right frame of mind to lead your team, be open and available, project confidence to them so that they can then project that to your customers (21:56)---------Additional Resources:Learn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!