Justin Andrews, a former personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness and now a thriving independent coach, shares his journey of building a successful training business. He discusses the importance of finding clients, utilizing early lead generation tactics like referrals, and mastering SEO and ad copy. Justin emphasizes listening to clients as a superpower for trainers and highlights how embracing failure can fuel growth and innovation. He also explores enhancing client experiences and building referral networks for sustained business success.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Leaving The Corporate Gym To Go Independent
Justin left 24 Hour Fitness because corporate growth was slow and he preferred taking action over waiting.
He befriended a successful independent trainer, learned marketing, and launched his own website and ads to attract clients.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Build A Website And Learn Marketing
Do build a website, learn ad copy and SEO, and use client case studies to drive online leads.
Test ad copy and keywords repeatedly until you start getting clicks and leads within a few months.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Hustle Locally And Own A Niche
Do hustle in-person: hang out at the gym, talk to members, and craft targeted flyers for the audience.
Position yourself by owning a distinct niche (e.g., functional/athletic work) to attract referrals from other trainers.
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In this episode of The Elite Trainer Podcast, Kyle sits down with Justin Andrews to unpack the journey of building a successful personal training business from scratch after leaving 24 Hour Fitness. Justin shares exactly how he found clients, built referral relationships, learned SEO and ad copy on the fly, and adapted to failures along the way. You'll learn how to build a high-end brand, retain clients long term, and why listening—not guessing—is your greatest tool as a coach. If you're thinking about going independent or scaling your fitness business, this one’s for you.If you got value from this episode, make sure to follow or subscribe to The Elite Trainer Podcast so you never miss an episode. If you know a friend, client, or fellow trainer who could benefit, share it with them — it’s the best way to support the show and help more coaches level up.Thanks for listening — we’re just getting started.00:00 – Justin’s Story: Before Mind Pump01:23 – Leaving 24 Hour Fitness02:14 – Starting His Own Training Business03:33 – The Struggle to Find Clients04:28 – Early Lead Gen Tactics: Flyers & Referrals06:00 – Learning SEO and Google Ads10:15 – Group Training, Bootcamps & Pivoting Offers13:56 – Crafting a High-End Client Experience16:53 – Getting Comfortable with Feedback and Failure24:17 – Client Experience Over Business Tactics25:06 – How Mind Pump Used Feedback to Grow29:23 – Why Listening to Clients Is Your Superpower36:17 – Building Referral Networks & Partnerships42:04 – Adding Value Beyond Training44:53 – Final Thoughts on Growing a Sustainable BusinessFollow Kyle Pullin - @MindpumpKyle on InstagramFollow Sal Distefano - @MindpumpDistefano on InstagramFollow Justin Andrews - @MindpumpJustin on InstagramFollow Adam Schafer - @MindpumpAdam on InstagramFollow Doug Egge- @MindpumpDoug on InstagramFollow Mind Pump Fitness Coaching - @EliteTrainerAcademy Follow Mind Pump Media Podcast on Youtube - @MindPumpShow Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6i2iSdbEu9PFJ62bYvrj58?si=f66779f77fc7488f
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