November 1st was my one year anniversary of running an entirely online business. Here are some random thoughts:
- Part of me wishes I started sooner. However, I realize the importance of having a solid background of in-person coaching before moving online (I started coaching in 2011).
- I was surprised by how connected I can feel to people I’ve never met before, and how social it can feel to sit (or stand) behind a desk all day and talk to people on Zoom or the phone. I haven’t met most of my clients in person, but with the right tools (especially ongoing text, voice, video, and photo communication in addition to regular phone or video coaching calls), it feels like I have.
- Trading dollars for time is not scaleable. It’s tiring, potentially unpredictable, and the only way to increase earnings is to charge more, or work more hours. With online coaching, my clients are charged monthly. I get to work with more people, my clients aren’t stuck with someone else’s schedule, and I get to be focused rather than exhausted (i.e., I’m much more useful to my clients).
- Online coaching is much more customizable and there’s much more creativity involved compared to in-person training. My clients aren’t tied down to the typical 60-minute gym training sessions. Some train for 20 minutes daily. Others train for 90 minutes 3 times a week. Some have 9-minute abs workouts they do at home between regular lifting sessions. Others train exclusively at home.
- Certain folks are not a good fit for online coaching. And that’s totally OK! (Those include people who need to have an appointment at a gym with a trainer in order to get their workouts done.) For the people who are well suited to online coaching, the level of support, fitness/nutrition/lifestyle coaching, accountability, trouble-shooting, progress tracking, and general kicking-in-the-butt far surpasses what you’d get by seeing an in-person trainer at a gym.
- I never thought I’d have a sedentary job - especially as a fitness coach. But here I am. At least I have a gym a few metres from my house!
- Having an online business means I can live the lifestyle I’ve been dreaming of for a decade. My husband and I had been talking about moving to the Sunshine Coast for about 8 years. I’ve always wanted my own gym, to live near the ocean and preferably within sight of a forest, and to have the space for a music studio, vegetable garden, and decent-sized kitchen. This is not feasible in the ridiculous real estate market that is Vancouver, so it required moving 6 hours away.
- Given how long it took to establish a full-time in-person clientele, I’m kinda surprised how quickly things have grown in only a year online. I have 2 awesome assistants who’ve joined the K.I. team, and I feel like we’re just getting started!
- My clients are seriously the best. Seriously. THE. BEST. They are amazing humans and I’m extremely lucky I get to work with them. I’m thankful to each and every one of them for teaching me new things, inspiring me, and allowing me to help them on their journeys toward complete and utter badassery.
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