What got you here won’t get you there.
Because the problems in your business will change over time.
In the beginning, your big problems are mainly money problems.
Which makes sense.
Because money is like air.
If you run out,
You die.
It’s stressful as hell when you don’t have enough clients
Or aren’t charging enough.
It makes your life a total grind.
Because not only are you sweating paying your personal and professional bills.
But you sure as hell can’t afford any help.
Which means not only are you broke…
But you’re doing everything.
However…
If you have a good product and you learn the basics of marketing and sales, this starts to change.
Suddenly you have a few bucks in your pocket.
Looking at your bank account is no longer scary.
In fact… it starts to feel kind of fun. 😉
It’s proof of momentum.
Your income is creeping up.
You’ve got an extra swagger in your step.
And you’re making enough money to finally afford help.
You correctly assess being a LEADER is the next great journey.
And if you use your recently freed up time to drive marketing and sales…
You can hire help without hitting your income, at least permanently.
And this is AWESOME.
Until it isn’t.
Because people are complicated.
And while you have a bit more money and a bit more freedom…
(Both good things!)
You have a new set of pressing issues.
Like how to handle brutal client feedback about your recently-hired trainer.
Navigating tension between your front desk staff and your assistant GM.
Managing trainer arguments about the correct hip angle at the bottom of a deadlift.
The promising new employee demanding a big raise after only three months.
The loyal trainer who’s been on staff for a long time, but whose performance is starting to slide while they stress about their next professional move.
A staff that’s reluctant to apply some of your newest learnings about how to more effectively sell your services because they think it’s gross to ask for money.
And all of this is to say nothing about a popular coach trying to hide his side-hustle training former clients
Sleeping with a married client
And your staff resenting YOU as they assume you know and are just letting it slide.
Now your biggest problems are no longer money problems.
If you’re successful at the money part…
At a certain point your big problems are all people problems.
And of course, if you don’t solve your people problems,
They BECOME money problems. When they start to hurt business performance.
Running a gym or fitness studio is not for the faint of heart.
But at the end of the day?
If you’re wired like me?
I bet you wouldn’t have it any other way.
Whether you’re focused on the money problems
Or the people problems
I see you.
And I’m damn happy to be walking alongside you.
Here’s to another year of learning and serving.
New levels, new devils, but better than never leveling up,
Mark
