The Obvious Choice

Comparing Yourself To Other Online Trainers Is Damaging Your Business (Online Trainer Show #43) Whoever came up with the quote “Comparison is the thief of joy” (not Jonathan Goodman) summarizes it perfectly. When we rely on external validation, we search for it in others, and when someone looks more successful than us, our self-esteem goes out the window. In this story-filled new episode, the gang discusses the myriad of ways people compare themselves to others, how to enjoy the process of mistakes and growth, and steps to focus on no one but yourself. In This Episode: Jonathan breaks down the fundamentals of comparison [20:26] Carolina illustrates how clients can easily fall prey to comparison [24:31] Ren reminds us that each person’s “finish line” is different [28:12] Jonathan shares an insightful story [28:58] Why comparing another person’s business to yours is a trick [38:37] Carolina speaks on how she avoids comparing herself to other women in the industry [41:28] Amber explains how curating her environment sets her up for success [43:15]   "No matter how successful you are by objective standards, there is always going to be other people that you're going to compare yourself to."  - Jonathan Goodman From Business to Biceps Comparison is sneaky with how it can show up anywhere, whether it's 'likes' on an Instagram post or weights on a barbell. We have all done it, so don’t beat yourself up for it! Recognize it, pinpoint the what and why, and remind yourself that the comparison between you and others is like the comparison between apples and oranges.   Every Moment Counts Every journey worth taking has its big wins worth celebrating, but it has even more micro victories and missteps. All are worthy of celebration. Every mistake is an opportunity to grow, and every day you show up is a day you get closer to your goal, no matter how small.   Curate Your Mental Feed Humans naturally gravitate toward negativity, and when you combine that with an influx of information, no wonder so many people feel inadequate. The internet and social media can be wonderful tools, but they also can easily strip someone’s self-confidence. At the end of the day, you control the information you receive, and if you cut out sources of negativity and invite positive ones, you will find your inner self and stop comparison in its tracks. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy    Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

The Procrastination Behaviors That Are Stalling Your Business (Online Trainer Show #42) Jerry believes that spending $10,000 on a landing page and watching three hours of “How to Squat” videos will grow his business. Don’t be Jerry. On this new episode, the team attacks the many forms of procrastination that are keeping your business from growing. They discuss the influence of evolutionary biology in modern society, how to sort through the overwhelming number of “experts”, and why you need to do the unsexy things to see sexy growth in your business. In This Episode: Amber breaks down the most common forms of procrastination for trainers [17:46] Why people on the internet were more trustworthy in the old days [19:54] Why you need to check yourself [22:45] What making progress ACTUALLY looks like [26:40] Fancy shoes and “How to Squat” videos won’t cut it [31:50] Ren’s cruelty teaches us how people procrastinate in ways that FEEL productive [32:18] What’s the secret sauce to being productive? [35:39] Amber breaks down how to effectively tackle your procrastination [39:37] Jonathan illustrates the relationship between delayed and instant gratification [41:24] How biology and modern society influence our behaviors [46:00]   “Anything worth having is going to take you longer and be more difficult to attain than you ever could imagine. That is why it's worth having.”  - Jonathan Goodman Check Yo’self Self-awareness is the key to everything, so before you rap on others about their habits, look at your own. Are you focusing on how good your business looks—making a sexy website, buying fancy workout clothes, etc.? These things have their place, but you do them first because they create instant and visual gratification, not necessarily because they grow your business effectively. They don’t replace the grunt, unsexy work of talking to clients, spreadsheets, and the day in and day out work that doesn’t lead to rewards right away. Do it anyway. You Don’t Want the Fanciest Equipment You know how you want to spend hours trying to choose the right shoe before going for your first run? It may sound productive, but it’s a trick. Your mind is delaying the hard work— running—with something that feels productive but actually isn’t. Don’t beat yourself up for it—it’s a natural behavior in humans. Instead, focus your energy on starting that first run ASAP and don’t look back. There is no perfect run or rep, but the worst is the one you don’t do. The Second Marshmallow The importance of delayed gratification is clear: Those who delay rewards and play the long game are more likely to succeed in life. However, as human beings, we crave small rewards to incentivize us to continue, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Don’t fight it! Instead, explore the many ways you can incorporate tiny but consistent rewards with work. Doing this will allow you to avoid burnout and outwork everyone.       Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy   Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC  

How To Train Online Without In-Person Experience (Online Trainer Show #41) With the power of the internet and influence of COVID, people are asking: “Can you train clients without in-person experience?” You can, and for some people, it works to their benefit! On this new episode of OTS, the gang covers the ins and outs of the fitness industry, how engagement is even more important when only training online, and why honesty is always the best policy. Whether you’re a young whippersnapper or a peppered veteran, showing your true imperfect self is the best way to attract clients for life. In This Episode: How COVID has drastically changed training [13:47] The two kinds of trainers who CAN do it without in-person training [14:54] The million-dollar question [18:40] Jonathan’s wholesome story about gaining confidence in the gym [21:31] The secrets to expanding your clientele [26:33] How to encourage participation and get loyal clients [31:51]   You have to build your fitness AND business skills at the same time [35:25] Ren actually took notes and summarizes it all [42:57]   “Don't pretend that you're not new when you're new. It can actually work to your advantage - everybody wants to be part of a journey. Use your newness as a marketing benefit.” - Jonathan Goodman Be the True You The best policy is always honesty, full stop, period. If you share your inexperience—your authentic self—with prospective clients, they will appreciate the transparency and get to know the real you, creating a relationship where you and your clients share your learning experiences together!   Never Skip Logistics Day, Bro Once COVID hit, many trainers were forced online but didn’t possess the business skills to survive. Just as you dedicate time to work muscle groups, you need to invest time into all aspects of your entrepreneurship. Then, whether gyms ever are a viable option again or not, you will be well equipped to keep your business sailing.   Perfectly Imperfect You’ve probably heard this a trillion times before, but here it is again: You don’t have to be perfect! The fear of failure stops so many dreams in their tracks, but don’t let it! Embrace your true self, take the mistakes as they come, and keep going! You’re better than you think. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy   Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://onlinetrainer.com/ptd    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Preventing and Overcoming Disgruntled Clients (Online Trainer Show #40) Quick question for you: Who thought to eat the first banana or find great artificial vanilla flavoring from a beaver’s behind? Asking for a friend. In addition to these deep philosophical questions, the OTS gang discusses how to address displeased clients. They share past work experiences, emphasize the importance of letting each client speak for themselves, and share the mindset needed to find success in business and life. On second thought, don’t answer that question—no one needs to know that.   In This Episode: How to figure out if someone’s had a bad experience versus poor communication [13:57] Jonathan shares a great example of how two people can have completely different perceptions of the same thing [18:30] Ren outlines how online communication can lose nuance and blur intent that in-person communication doesn’t [21:11] “Default to trust.” [23:01] An example that teaches us to respond with curiosity [26:46] Reasons that a customer would be upset [30:34] Jonathan emphasizes the importance of letting each person define their version of a “win” [35:06] How to avoid mismanaged expectations [37:33] What Carolina did in her previous jobs to turn angry customers into a satisfied ones [38:33] Don’t assume you know what the customer wants—just ask [43:55]   "The best thing to do when you receive a message that you deem as negative - respond with curiosity and default to good faith.” - Jonathan Goodman   He Said “K” Instead of “Okay” Communicating through text may be convenient and quick, but so much context and nuance can be lost and cause miscommunication. With COVID forcing so much training online, some of that is inevitable, so always be sure to ask your clients for clarification. Better safe than sorry.   Default to Trust The media shows us plenty of reasons to be distrustful and cynical of others’ intent, but in reality, most people lead with kindness. If a client sends a message that seems negative, don’t assume it was done with malicious intent. Instead, assume that they’ve had a bad week and are in serious need of kindness, then be that helping hand. Being optimistic is a better way to live.   The Client Defines The Win As a coach, your #1 job is to understand what your client’s unique version of a “win” is. It may be tempting to let your own biases seep into their program, but if you stay humble and ask questions, your client will feel truly heard. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy    Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://onlinetrainer.com/ptd   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

The Difference Between Marketing and Branding - and Which You Should Focus On (Online Trainer Show #39) Marketing versus branding…sounds confusing, right? Never fear! Ren’s laundry list of dating metaphors are here to clear up the confusion. Once the gang was off to the races (and asked Starbucks for a sponsorship), they shared personal successes and failures of marketing, what’s actually necessary to market properly, and the most important principles of a campaign that works. Unfortunately, we don’t think Lady Starbucks will accept that date proposal. In This Episode: Jonathan emphasizes how critical branding is [18:11] What content is REALLY about [20:00] The importance of going all-in on branding, regardless of the belief behind it [20:30] How Carolina embraced her personality as a brand and found success [27:10] What research says is the most fulfilling pursuit and how that influences your branding [33:40] Is high-quality marketing expensive? [39:34] Why you need to be consistent with your message and share your story! [46:00]   “Put the social back into social media - you're not big enough or important enough for just media.” - Ren Jones   Go All In No matter what the belief is, if we see someone going all-in on a position or personality, we are captivated by them. That principle is what separates successful from lackluster results: Choose something with which you resonate and fully commit to it, and people who share that resonance will find you. Target Engaged Once you’ve committed to your branding, show up every day, and make your audience feel connected. Oftentimes, people buy your service, not because of some fancy sales page or commercial—YOU are what convinced them to invest, so you owe it to them to return the favor. You Do You, Boo Can someone be successful through a persona? Absolutely, but can you feasibly do that long term? If not (and most can’t), the best strategy is to be yourself in your branding. Show your audience who you are: Your stories, values, quirks, annoyances, how you think South Carolina is better, everything. Commit to being fully yourself, and you will foster a community of long term fans. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy   Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://onlinetrainer.com/ptd   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Growing Your Business From The Bottom Up (Online Trainer Show #38) Just to let everyone know, the show will now center around Jonathan’s impeccable impressions of drug dealers and Carolina’s neon juice drinks, which is totally breaking ground in the podcast space. This episode also marks the seven year anniversary of Jonathan’s premiere online training program, so he celebrates the occasion by discussing how he built it from the proverbial ground up. The team covers how to avoid comparing yourself to others, what matters more than a big budget, and the stories that remind us to take our time and enjoy our work.   In This Episode: “Everyone’s got a Chapter 1” [22:17] Carolina remembers Jonathan’s first program [28:11] How Jonathan bootstrapped his business [30:01] THIS matters more than production quality [34:20] Don’t hire others to do the work for you [36:44] Why you need to take your time [38:21] Ren connects business and fitness [38:57] Jonathan’s takeaways from building a business from the ground up [42:10] “Give yourself room” [44:07] A great story that teaches us to question everything [45:52]   "It's easy to get stuck in a very reactive state in business. Give yourself room to be able to do this work.”  - Jonathan Goodman   Focus on YOUR Chapter 1 It’s easy to compare your progress to someone else’s, but it’s always a trap. Everyone’s situation is incredibly nuanced and unique to them, so instead, think of it this way: Your book is the ONLY one that exists anywhere, so you might as well focus on YOUR Chapter 1.   It’s About More Than Flashy Powerpoint Transitions Too many people never get started because of a fear that their product doesn’t look “professional” or polished enough. Once you hear how Jonathan started, you’ll realize that a high production value wasn’t the key to success. Instead, he committed all of his energy toward creating a consistently high-quality product, and the production value inevitably came later.   Give Yourself Room to Succeed When you love something, it makes sense to pour every waking second into it, right? Not quite. To find long-lasting success, you have to remind yourself that you have more time and resources to succeed than you think. Breathe. Quality trumps quantity every time. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy    Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://onlinetrainer.com/ptd   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

How To Use Organic Reach In Facebook Groups To Get New Clients (Online Trainer Show #37) Today’s lesson is as follows: Don’t shave or go outside, because then you’ll have more energy to host a podcast! Anyway, the gang responds to a listener’s question by discussing how to acquire new clients via Facebook groups. The advice is as simple as you’d expect: “Friends and Family are valuable” and “Be a human.” Ultimately, focus your energy on quality engagement…unless that engagement is with seagulls, then just stay home. It’s not worth it.   In This Episode: Jonathan’s painfully simple advice [10:27] The importance of friends and family [12:31] Ren’s equally simple yet effective advice about finding people [17:07] Carolina’s thoughts on “follow for a follow” and how to “be a human” [25:23] How to interact with people the WRONG way [27:03] Ren’s strategy on how to navigate groups and engage with others [36:11] Ren’s thoughts on abundance vs. quality [42:38]   “I want qualified, knowledgeable, compassionate people canvasing the internet because we're far too quiet and the tea-tox people are far too loud. I don't care if 1 million coaches start hitting groups, giving great informative answers. I'd like to raise the standard of the industry.” - Ren Jones Be A Human This advice sounds painfully simple, but it really is self-explanatory: To meet new people and get new clients, talk with people online like you would in real life. Be yourself and find mutual interests. Done.   Follow For An Unfollow? Think about how many times someone has tried to do a “follow for a follow” with you, remember how annoying it is, and never ever do that to someone else. Focus on building real relationships that will last for years to come.   There’s A Lot of Competition…but Most of Them Suck People often feel discouraged from pursuing their dreams because of the abundance of competition in their field. While the internet is froth with fitness trainers, most of them frankly don’t know what they’re talking about. If you put out quality content, it will break through the noise and reach an audience. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy    Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://onlinetrainer.com/ptd   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Facebook Group Secrets (Online Trainer Show #36) After the “Ren’s nonsense” segment (it’s literally in the script) gives us some insight into the cruise industry, the crew dove into how to make an engaging and personable Facebook group. They cover the steps for naming your group, how to spread the word and increase your followers, and a great tool to foster engagement. If anything, watch some 1970s T.V. shows and you’ll be able to make a group that Ren will follow within seconds.   In This Episode: How Jonathan approaches groups; Facebook and beyond [21:43] The most important point to remember when naming a group [25:27] Everyone shares the genius behind their group names [27:04] The final piece of naming a group [34:07] Jonathan’s guide for spreading awareness and gaining members [36:33] How Carolina uses Instagram to spread even more awareness [38:45] Ren’s advice on cultivating engagement [39:17] An often overlooked tool that Jonathan recommends [41:00] Ren’s final tips for making your group something special [46:55] How to handle “crickets” in your group [49:18] “What you name your group, and how you position it, should be celebrating the people who are looking to succeed with your premium program. The name should lead into that.” - Jonathan Goodman   Let The Name Do The Talking An easy pitfall that people fall into when naming their group is being too literal or “how-to”—“How to get six-pack abs”, etc. A group name should definitely be direct, but to grab attention, it needs to celebrate what its members are achieving and broadcast an empowering message.   My Group Has Three Members—All My Friends! After your group has a rockstar name, how do you spread awareness and gain a quality following? Tip #1: DO NOT COLD INVITE PEOPLE. Tip #2: See Tip #1. After that, create posts that incite user engagement, such as polls or questionnaires. Ultimately, show your user base that you are genuinely interested in them as people, not just numbers, and your group will become a community.   Deafening Silence Quick! What do I do if I post a questionnaire and hear nothing but crickets? Post something that, at least, gets people reacting, even if it’s not entirely related to your group: A silly picture, a fact about your industry, or anything that will get people talking amongst themselves and, ideally, amongst each other. Be patient and consistent, and your following will grow. Check out these Tricera-taco-tops artwork submissions:   Submission 1 - https://imgur.com/gallery/swTr1MQ Submission 2 - https://imgur.com/MbdwMTB Submission 3 - https://www.reddit.com/r/DrawForMe/comments/iqc122/triceratacotop_ugolden_ember/ Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy    Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots.php?refid=145878 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

How To Handle Sexual Harassment With Online Training Clients (Online Trainer Show #35) Today’s topic is heavy, and the gang got right into it. Carolina and Amber lead the conversation by discussing inappropriate social media posts, how to define your boundaries, how NOT to do progress photos, and how women can protect both their safety and business. In addition, the guys provide some insight from the male perspective, how to approach privacy in professional relationships, and a call to action for all dudes. Fitness is a personal journey, and everyone deserves to grow in a safe, nurturing, and empowering environment. In This Episode: Carolina shares insight on interacting with male clients [21:52] How to keep yourself safe using this simple process [30:45] Amber’s thoughts on context [35:04] Remember: everyone’s tolerance is different [38:47] How customs have changed drastically over the years [39:46] Jonathan’s approach to taking photos with fans [44:15] “If a client crosses a boundary, document it and keep a folder on your computer with everything time-stamped.”  - Jonathan Goodman Your Objectification is Distracting If a client of yours makes a disrespectful comment, be active in your response: Candidly tell them how you felt about it, or no longer work with them. The most important part is that you are establishing those boundaries ASAP, both as a professional and a person.   Feeling Safe Before You Sweat Women feel the threat of being physically overpowered more often than men do, so every woman deserves to assess every relationship to see if she feels secure in that environment. So, if you ever feel unsafe with someone, get out and reassess—your safety is #1, full stop.   Be Better, Men The definition of “acceptable” differs between cultures and time periods, and although some may make mistakes before they adjust, everyone has an active responsibility to keep a relationship respectful and safe. However, men are more often the aggressor in harassment situations, so they have an obligation to consistently elevate the standard. Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy    Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

What to Do When Your Clients Cannot Afford Your Training (Online Trainer Show #34) The guys palled around for a few hours (which is what happens when Carolina is absent), but they eventually tackled today’s tough topic: What if my clients cannot afford my training? Jonathan and Ren share personal stories on the subject, Jonathan reveals a crucial mistake that trainers make when trying to gain clientele, and the couple agrees on what is the best approach for making the biggest impact. The actual two takeaways? Yes to Carolina, no to Reddit. In This Episode: Ren brings up a personal story relevant to today’s topic [9:47] Jonathan mentions how getting comfortable can get you into trouble [16:58] Jonathan discusses where to focus your marketing efforts [23:01] The crucial mistake that so many trainers make [26:23] Jonathan shares two illuminating stories [28:05] THE approach to reaching more clients [33:06] Jonathan’s deep realization about online trainers [38:14] “It’s Day One” [42:01]   “It's important to focus on selling to people who can afford your training and not trying to convince people who can't afford your training to buy your training.” - Jonathan Goodman   Go Where The Money Is Market your services to people who can afford them. That’s it. Trying to convince those who can’t is never worth anyone’s time or money.   Philanthropy Gone Wrong Oftentimes, entrepreneurs will try to disseminate resources (e.g. toothbrushes) by founding a company whose purpose is to do solely that, but this is too limited. Instead, for example, if you want to give toothbrushes to those who can’t afford them, build an unrelated profitable company that will give you the resources to, then, purchase and give away those toothbrushes.   Day One A critical reason Bezos, Musk, and so many other entrepreneurs have reaped success is this: Everyday is Day One, Hour One. If you treat every day as a blank slate, where your biases have evaporated and you are humble and hungry for new information, you will be flexible enough to breathe in any and all opportunities.   Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy   Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://onlinetrainer.com/ptd   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC