Okay to cut a long story short i have been Captivated by health and fitness & gyms in particular for my whole life. I want to build my own chain of fitness centres eventually. untill then I am just another regular joe armed with a business degree(marketing and E-commerce) and a heap of enthusiasm.
I am not sure how to go about getting to my goal and I NEED SOME HELP PLEASE PEOPLE!.
If you could take a quick squizze at my plans and tell me if they are good bad etc that would be awesome!
Firstly I already have my degree and currently work selling health cookware. I am thinking of getting a fitness leader certificate and personal trainer cert to let me be a trainer in australia. Then from there i want to go and study another undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics and human movements. during this time i hope to be personal training people and either have a personal training business or be assistant manager at a gym. Then Ill probably work more as assist manager/part time dietitian at the gym or hopefully be manager. then save save save...
then comes the tricky part I will hope to invest all my capital in a gym with help from a financial institution. Hopefully my manageing experience will help me with loans etc. and then comes hard yakka.
Has anyone any advice??? what should i do/not do. how can i do it better?
Originally posted by Erika: Yeah, I have advice, the best here... DON'T DO IT!!! It is too much hard work.
Erika (wife of a gym owner)
I love how she says "a gym owner", not my name specifically.
As you may see from this thread so far, business ownership can have its hardships. I would say that if you are married, perhaps consider a different career path. Being an entrepreneur can be hard on the spouse because they have to make the same sacrifices you do, and to be successful in the long term, the sacrifices are many.
Location: Philly on one side, Pittsburgh on another, the Green Between...
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With all due respect, JP and Erika, that seems kind of lame. I think this guy has a sincere desire to own a gym and do it well. Your advice is DON'T DO IT???
Yes, there are sacrifices. But look at where you are now. Would you change it? You have a great gym, you are respected as a businessman (local award winner!), and as a fitness guru (even the Governor wants you). And, you have the respect and esteem of your colleagues (published in MH!) plus you've made some great friends along the way (except for Rob and John from PA, I'd say you're in good shape!).
I htink more helpful would be where did you fall down along the way? What would you change if you could go back? What do you wish you knew then that you know now? You're a guy that has done it andf done it well....Don't belittle that. Your wisdom, insight and experience can be as valuable in the buiness arena as it is in the fitness realm.
You ask a very good question. I would say that this is the best route for Jean-Paul. It makes him happy more than punching a time clock could. It is very hard work, high stress and although all that was listed is true (and felt good to hear) we are living a very modest lifestyle.
I have to work plus my job supplies far better insurance than our gym can. It is extremely difficult to work full time with three kids and your partner is working full time running a gym plus doing a ton of other things like fitness events and board meetings and conventions and tons of other stuff after work hours. January through May, especially May, had me ready for the looney bin.
I would say this business is hard in the same way any small business is hard. I bet owning a restaurant is worse so thankfully we don't do that.
I was reviewing the responses to this question and I believe that JP and Erika's answers have a basic truth in them that is common to all small businesses. When you start a small business you are taking a risk. You don't have the same umbrella of protection that employees of a bigger business have. You often do not have insurance or the insurance you can purchase is not as good as a bigger business. You generally have to work longer hours because in addition to doing all those things you started your business to do, you have to perform all the managerial tasks as well like paying bills, calculating payroll and benefits, billing and chasing down slow pays or no pays. Your family sees you less and as Erika stated, frequently your spouse has tro work because she can get better benefits from a big corporatrion. Oh, and I forgot all the Chamber of Commerce and service orgsnization meetings to get your name out in the community. However, on the good side, you may reach a point that you can choose the business you take, you don't have to answer to anyone, and you can run your business in a manner you can be proud of.
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