The Obvious Choice

In this episode, Jon and Amber challenge the established order and talk about the outdated curriculum of the certifications out there and the self-serving purpose behind them. 🌱 Grow Your Career and Business with Online Trainer Academy The ‘student-first’ business education for trainers and nutrition coaches. Launched in 2013, we were the first to teach online training. Since then, over 250,000 trainers in over 100 countries have purchased educational materials from us with over 20 million visitors to our website. https://www.theptdc.com/online-trainer-academy-certification/ 🎧 Listen to Us On Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-online-trainer-show/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=r7pZbv3TTN-LzCTK5Wllcw&dl_branch=1 🎙️ The Online Trainer Show Learn to take better care of your online clients and build a profitable business. Jonathan Goodman, the #1 online training strategist, has helped over 50,000 fitness and nutrition coaches create real and lasting change in their lives. In this podcast, he's joined by Amber Reynolds, program director for the Online Trainer Academy. Let Jon and Amber declutter your mind by teaching you the strategies and tactics you need in order to have the business you deserve so that you can live the life of your dreams full of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

In this episode, Jon and Amber chat about how to make sure companies like Peloton aren't your competition. 🌱 Grow Your Career and Business with Online Trainer Academy The ‘student-first’ business education for trainers and nutrition coaches. Launched in 2013, we were the first to teach online training. Since then, over 250,000 trainers in over 100 countries have purchased educational materials from us with over 20 million visitors to our website. https://www.theptdc.com/online-trainer-academy-certification/ 🎧 Listen to Us On Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-online-trainer-show/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=r7pZbv3TTN-LzCTK5Wllcw&dl_branch=1 🎙️ The Online Trainer Show Learn to take better care of your online clients and build a profitable business. Jonathan Goodman, the #1 online training strategist, has helped over 50,000 fitness and nutrition coaches create real and lasting change in their lives. In this podcast, he's joined by Amber Reynolds, program director for the Online Trainer Academy. Let Jon and Amber declutter your mind by teaching you the strategies and tactics you need in order to have the business you deserve so that you can live the life of your dreams full of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

In this episode, Jon and Amber talk about the tip of the iceberg versus the rest of the iceberg and the importance of identifying the tip of the iceberg (what the customers see and care about). 🌱 Grow Your Career and Business with Online Trainer Academy The ‘student-first’ business education for trainers and nutrition coaches. Launched in 2013, we were the first to teach online training. Since then, over 250,000 trainers in over 100 countries have purchased educational materials from us with over 20 million visitors to our website. https://www.theptdc.com/online-trainer-academy-certification/ 🎧 Listen to Us On Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-online-trainer-show/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=r7pZbv3TTN-LzCTK5Wllcw&dl_branch=1 🎙️ The Online Trainer Show Learn to take better care of your online clients and build a profitable business. Jonathan Goodman, the #1 online training strategist, has helped over 50,000 fitness and nutrition coaches create real and lasting change in their lives. In this podcast, he's joined by Amber Reynolds, program director for the Online Trainer Academy. Let Jon and Amber declutter your mind by teaching you the strategies and tactics you need in order to have the business you deserve so that you can live the life of your dreams full of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

In this episode, Jon and Amber answer the question on how much online personal trainers realistically earn, the discrepancies and reasons behind it. Help us create the industry’s most in-depth census of personal trainer careers and salaries by taking a few minutes to complete our short survey. https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/lzbSoY 🌱 Grow Your Career and Business with Online Trainer Academy The ‘student-first’ business education for trainers and nutrition coaches. Launched in 2013, we were the first to teach online training. Since then, over 250,000 trainers in over 100 countries have purchased educational materials from us with over 20 million visitors to our website. https://www.theptdc.com/online-trainer-academy-certification/ 🎧 Listen to Us On Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-online-trainer-show/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=r7pZbv3TTN-LzCTK5Wllcw&dl_branch=1 🎙️ The Online Trainer Show Learn to take better care of your online clients and build a profitable business. Jonathan Goodman, the #1 online training strategist, has helped over 50,000 fitness and nutrition coaches create real and lasting change in their lives. In this podcast, he's joined by Amber Reynolds, program director for the Online Trainer Academy. Let Jon and Amber declutter your mind by teaching you the strategies and tactics you need in order to have the business you deserve so that you can live the life of your dreams full of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

In this episode, Jon and Amber discuss the various ways that personal trainers can earn a living training clients online. Help us create the industry’s most in-depth census of personal trainer careers and salaries by taking a few minutes to complete our short survey. https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/lzbSoY 🌱 Grow Your Career and Business with Online Trainer Academy The ‘student-first’ business education for trainers and nutrition coaches. Launched in 2013, we were the first to teach online training. Since then, over 250,000 trainers in over 100 countries have purchased educational materials from us with over 20 million visitors to our website. https://www.theptdc.com/online-trainer-academy-certification/ 🎧 Listen to Us On Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-online-trainer-show/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=r7pZbv3TTN-LzCTK5Wllcw&dl_branch=1 🎙️ The Online Trainer Show Learn to take better care of your online clients and build a profitable business. Jonathan Goodman, the #1 online training strategist, has helped over 50,000 fitness and nutrition coaches create real and lasting change in their lives. In this podcast, he's joined by Amber Reynolds, program director for the Online Trainer Academy. Let Jon and Amber declutter your mind by teaching you the strategies and tactics you need in order to have the business you deserve so that you can live the life of your dreams full of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

In this episode, Jon and Amber discuss the new podcast format and address the stigma associated with having a career as a personal trainer. 🌱 Grow Your Career and Business with Online Trainer Academy The ‘student-first’ business education for trainers and nutrition coaches. Launched in 2013, we were the first to teach online training. Since then, over 250,000 trainers in over 100 countries have purchased educational materials from us with over 20 million visitors to our website. https://www.theptdc.com/online-trainer-academy-certification/ 🎧 Listen to Us On Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-online-trainer-show/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=r7pZbv3TTN-LzCTK5Wllcw&dl_branch=1 🎙️ The Online Trainer Show Learn to take better care of your online clients and build a profitable business. Jonathan Goodman, the #1 online training strategist, has helped over 50,000 fitness and nutrition coaches create real and lasting change in their lives. In this podcast, he's joined by Amber Reynolds, program director for the Online Trainer Academy. Let Jon and Amber declutter your mind by teaching you the strategies and tactics you need in order to have the business you deserve so that you can live the life of your dreams full of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Today the team talks about what the podcast will look like going forward and all the changes listeners should be excited about.   The Episode: The Final Episode   We have learned so much over the last year, doing this show twice a week, and today we are announcing how we are shifting things moving forward. We also believe there is a lot of value here for students, in our decision to evolve and change things up, as businesses are always in motion and one of the biggest strengths you can have as a business owner is the ability to adapt and grow with these changes. Doing this show, in the format you have come to know, has been a great experiment that has taught us so much, and as we have said before, actually doing this is often the best teacher. As we streamline the podcast, with shorter episodes, less fluff, and a bit more of a direct approach, we hope you will join us for the next leg of this journey, and continue to learn and evolve too!   In This Episode  A big announcement about the podcast going forward [0:02:03] What to expect on future episodes [0:05:23] The two fundamental lessons we teach in the academy [0:07:41] Embracing evolution and change [0:11:06] How the podcast has served the business in general [0:15:54] Learning through doing; lessons from the last year [0:18:00] Putting oneself out there and overcoming personal hurdles [0:22:40]   “Our mantra moving forward is 'Do less, better''.” — Jonathan Goodman   Formatting Changes for the Podcast The next time you tune into the Online Trainer Show, you can expect to only hear from Jonathan and Amber, and while this may seem a bit different, we think you should be excited about this change. There will still be two episodes a week, however, they will be shorter and more to the point than they have been in the past. We intend to keep some of the lighthearted energy but want to really focus on getting into the most valuable parts as quickly as possible for all our listeners. We had to decide which way we wanted to lean with the podcast, and the decision has been made to double down on the educational aspects of what we do.   How Would This Look If It Were Easy? A mantra we will be repeating going forward is to do less, better. We have always believed in making strong leadership decisions and this is one of those. A simple format, with less, more direct information is the route we are pursuing. A lesson here that can be applied to any training business is the attitude to embrace changes and evolution, stripping away unnecessary complexity can be a huge step forward. Just because certain things are a certain way does not mean they have to stay that way!   The Original Idea for the Podcast One of the main tenets of this show was as a way to promote the academy, and in truth, the show was not doing this as well as it could. We have had so much fun doing this podcast in its current format, with so many jokes, laughter, and learning, and now we want to drill down on growing the OTA and making money for the business in order to keep delivering great value to our clients. We have been so happy to experiment and lean into the human side of what we do, all these lessons will be of great help moving forward. Stay tuned!   Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?   Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2   SPONSORS  Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota   Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today the panel discusses clients who have become distant, what could cause this problem, and the best ways of dealing with it.   The Episode: My Client Isn’t Checking In, Can I Still Charge?   The nature of an online training program is that opportunities for connecting in-person with clients are scarce. This can lead to situations where clients do not show up for predefined online check-in sessions. There are a few problems associated with this type of situation, the first being that as coaches we can start to feel like we are failing and that our clients have disengaged because our services are not up to scratch. Another big issue here is that we have possibly not set up a program for checking in that suits the client. Today on the show we dive into these and other issues and share our thoughts on the best way of managing them.   In This Episode Feeling guilty for billing clients who are not present [0:12:18] The main problems at play in situations where clients are not engaging [0:14:15] Negative stories we tell ourselves and how to overcome them [0:15:11] Being compassionate to the personal reasons for why clients might not show up [0:17:57] Setting up systems for keeping in touch with clients [0:20:41] Designing your course to allow for life at its most complex [0:23:28] Whether an absent client means client who is not engaging in your course [0:26:33] Asking clients about their preferred schedule [0:30:37]   “There’s a thousand reasons for why people ghost their coaches. Some are related to the coach. A lot of the time it has nothing to do with anything the coach did in particular, so stop making assumptions.” — Carolina Belmares   Avoiding Slipping into Negative Thought Patterns If a client becomes distant, it is easy to blame ourselves. Taking things personally in this way can lead to a lot of issues, and we can even start to feel guilty about billing clients because from the outside it feels like they are not getting any value from the program. The first thing to remember here is that just because communication between a coach and client has broken down, this does not mean the client has stopped engaging in the program itself. The second point is that there could be a thousand reasons why a client is not engaging in a program. People’s lives are complicated. As coaches it is our job to be compassionate and set up our programs to accommodate for life’s unexpected crises. If you are in the loop with what is going on in your client’s life, then you are better equipped to decide to charge or not for a particular month.   Setting Up Systems for Keeping In Touch The second major problem that could be responsible for a gap in communication between coaches and clients has to do with systems. You could have a fantastic course that the client is getting a lot of benefit from, but your systems for communication could be poor, and this could be the reason you have not heard from them. It is useful to keep in mind that the types of people who engage the services of online trainers often have personality types that struggle with regular communication. One way of handling the different personality types of your clients is to have a candid conversation about how they like to communicate from the outset and design your systems around this. As you progress with your client you should measure how your systems are working, and tweak them as you go, because there is often a gap between what clients say they want and what they actually need.   Keeping Focused On Your Main Responsibilities At the end of the day, the job of the online trainer is to offer clients their skills and knowledge in a digestible program, not to be their best friend who they chat to all the time. Ultimately, the responsibility of putting in the work and keeping up with the program is the job of the client and not the coach. Keeping this in mind can help you rest easy if you have not heard from a client in a while. Provided that the program you offer is of a high quality, the client has the choice to either engage with it or not, and the choice they make should not be used as a measuring stick of the quality of your services.   Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?   Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2   SPONSORS  Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota   Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

The topic for today's episode is how to create achievable and inspiring workout programs for your clients.    The Episode: How We Program For Clients   Creating the right program for your clients is one of the determining factors of the success and results they will experience. If you can set out a plan that keeps them engaged, is easy enough to follow, and helps them stay on track, they are that much more likely to achieve their fitness goals. In this episode, you will hear about the importance of simplicity, templates, variety, and some of the common hurdles to overcome.   In This Episode Deciding on where to start with clients and their programs [0:16:28] Examples of programming and the templates that can be utilized [0:21:20] Common challenges that clients start out with [0:24:32] Considering the utility of variety and simplicity [0:26:50] Working with what clients already have access to [0:36:01]   “It has to be simple, when it comes to training. Because otherwise it can feel overwhelming.” — Carolina Belmares   The Foundations of an Achievable Program Your clients may have a variety of aims or all very similar ones, this depends on the market you serve. Generally speaking though, most people who employ a trainer want to get into better physical shape, whether they express this as fitting into clothes, looking better naked, or feeling stronger. You want to help your people to access this sense of achievement, and this can be aided by using a similar template with small specifications for individuals according to their needs and abilities. You also need to think about a set of minimum commitments in terms of days and sessions, that you can hold them to.   The Mindset Component Oftentimes, successful programming is about instilling discipline. Most people go to a fitness coach to help them stick to their plans and get it together in a way that is more difficult independently. So as a coach, one of your most important roles is to help organize time and mindset in relation to workouts. There are connected issues such as diet and lifestyle choices, and only when these things are in place can a workout schedule and program really be effective.   Balancing Simplicity and Variety You want to use enough variety to keep them engaged and alert, but do not want to overcomplicate things. They actual workouts you use can border on being boring! Think about what your client really needs to help them stay on track, remain committed, and show up as planned. It is much more about this component than creating exquisite workouts for every person you work with. Prioritize their results, and use your listening skills as a building block to approach what they need and can benefit from.   Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?   Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2   SPONSORS Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota   Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Our diverse panel of experts discusses the important and pressing issue of transformation and inclusivity in the world of health and training.   The Episode: Inclusivity In The Fitness Industry   The issue of diversity and inclusion stretches far beyond the reaches of the fitness industry but is very prominently present in our field too. In this episode, we get into the pervasive nature of othering, the historical standards that have informed the inequality we still see today, and the micro-aggressions and that many people of color have to endure on a constant basis. Transformation is a necessary challenge for professionals to confront in this space, so join us to hear some thoughts on a way forward.   In This Episode How the fitness industry reflects society at large [0:09:37] The importance of diversity in industries such as health and wellness [0:12:17] Appropriate and authentic responses to inequality [0:17:42] The pressing issue of representation in the training industry [0:20:11] How client-centered work can help steer the ship [0:24:19] Examples of the othering of indigeneity [0:28:02]   “You have to be really, really careful in how you assess somebody for a position because oftentimes the conventional way to assess somebody for a position is completely irrelevant to the job.” — Jonathan Goodman   The Monolithic Nature of the Fitness Industry The fitness industry has historically been centered around white males, and even today, there seems to be more exclusion than inclusion in the space. The issue is also reflected in qualifications and representation, with diversity and equality being more of an anomaly than anything else. Real meaningful change will take time and considered effort from the people that make up the industry at large, and there is still a long way to go to reach a better status quo.   More Inclusive Hiring Practices There are many assumptions that underlie interview processes, and many of these are not even related to the job. Part of what needs to happen is these assumptions need to be checked and care needs to be taken in challenging the way these processes have been practiced. It can be quite difficult to put together diverse teams and panels, as the lack of opportunities afforded to minorities has lead to unequal skills and a lack of practice.   Taking Action for Representation and Opportunity Real change needs to be more than a public relations stunt, it needs to be authentic. We cannot continue to have panels and events that have the same people represented over and again when there are others that need to be given a chance. This starts with reassessing commonly held assumptions, and as trainers, another great guiding force can be to remain focussed on each client. A client-centric approach can help direct your efforts in a more inclusive direction.   Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?   Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2   SPONSORS Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota   Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC