10 Apr 2017
We spoke with Goodlife Personal Trainer Christina Davis about her life as a PT and what she considers to be the most important elements in running a fitness business.
There is nothing else that brings me more joy than empowering people. We live in a world that screams at them from every angle that they are not pretty enough, strong enough, happy enough, skinny enough or wise enough. There just aren't enough people out there telling someone they are beautiful, capable, talented or strong enough to be all they desire to be. In my job, I don't just get to change body shapes and teach people about diet, but I get to empower people and show them how to embrace life to the fullest.
Nine strong years. This business has been in many locations and countries, incorporating:
Personal training
Outdoor bootcamps
6 month internships, helping Personal Trainers to start their business off strong
Online programs.
The best advice I ever got was, “When starting a business, what separates the successful from the non-successful, is desperation!”. If you are really hungry for something, you won't let fatigue, failure, fear or opposition hold you back. You will find a way to overcome it to get your ‘goal’.
The other tip I would give is, GET A MENTOR. This way, you have accountability and guidance. This will also help you from not make all the common mistakes in the industry in your first year. Even if it costs a fee, what price will you put on your long term success?
It's not what you do but why you do it.
It's one thing to train the body to look good, but what good is it if that person doesn't enjoy it? That's what gets me out of bed every day. Yes, I have the knowledge to get someone the perfect six pack body, to train athletes or help people on their weight loss journey, but my main passion is to help inspire people to love their body and life, regardless of what's happening around them.
I LOVE functional fitness. After being in the gym six days a week for nine years, it can become very boring. So when I'm not in the gym, I'm outdoors. I have also played Gridiron for Queensland, surfed professionally and played touch and squash.
Additionally, I have developed a very successful style of training that combines powerlifting, Crossfit style training and plyometrics.
When starting any business, a successful method is to start five at a low cost and then advance on the one or two that take off. At any one time, I'll have online promotions running, consistently uploading business or fitness stuff on social media,
texting old clientele, asking current clients for referrals and have in gym promotions. It costs no money and takes minimal effort, and the reward is great.
Pre - speciality black coffee. Post - cottage cheese on rice cakes.
A minimum of twice a week. I don't desire my clients to be with me long term (yes, I have some clients who have stayed with me for three to nine years because they love the push and my lifestyle motivation, but my heart is to teach). I want to teach my clients about their body type, about what training works best for their goals and time frames, what diet is beneficial to their lifestyle and wants correct bad posture and techniques and set them up for success for the rest of their life.
I personally believe if I can't equip my clients to be knowledgeable and be successful with their results, I'm not doing my job as a Personal Trainer.
My prime time is the morning, in training clients and working productively, whereas other people work better at night. When you own your own business, you don't just have the ability to work whatever days you want, but you also have the
flexibility to work the hours you want. I love this because it means I work in the morning and surf during the day.
Becoming comfortable. I want to reach the world. I desire to teach people about their bodies and their health and equip them to be everything they have been designed to be. Yet because my business offers me such a great lifestyle, sometimes I lose sight of the bigger
picture when focusing on the present.
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