Have you ever felt that you didn't deserve your success? That any moment someone will find out that you are not as smart, successful, competent as they think you are? If so, you are not alone! As a matter of fact, it a natural part of growth and entrepreneurship. Listen in as we discuss our professional journeys and how you can use imposter syndrome as fuel for success.As a business person or a leader trying to level up, it is inevitable that you will occasionally suffer from imposter syndrome. Even though you'll feel like a phony when it hits you, it is a good thing because it means you are putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, which leads to your growth.Rick takes us through his personal training career and how the imposter syndrome has manifested at different times. He advises that if you are always trying to grow in your business or career, the imposter syndrome never goes away. You will always be trying new things, and you will suck in the beginning. However, this means you are stretching your abilities, and you are getting better.In the process of overcoming the feeling of being an imposter, you push yourself to be better and learn more, which ultimately leads to your growth. If you don't work to push through the imposter syndrome, you will never accomplish anything significant because you will always be paralyzed by fear.Want to know how to push through the imposter syndrome? Click play on this episode and hear how Rick combats these feelings every time they come up.Key TakeawaysWhat is the imposter syndrome (03:44)How the imposter syndrome manifested through Rick's career (04:57)How the imposter syndrome leads to your growth (12:42)Imposter syndrome never goes away at any stage of your life (12:53)How to push through the imposter syndrome (16:38)Combating the fear of being exposed by working harder (19:53)Using the imposter syndrome as fuel to get better (24:10)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

This week Rick sits down with Alloy's own coach Natalie to discuss the myths around women and heavy lifting.Should women lift heavy in the gym? This is a question that has been around for a long time with different answers, depending on who you ask. From the onset, we say that women should always lift heavy.The reason most women don't like lifting heavy is the fear that they will get too big. Natalie and Rick demystify this myth and advise women that it is very hard to get big unless you take supplements. On the contrary, you will actually look leaner, the scale may show you have added some weight, but you are packing on muscles, which is a good thing.Consistently lifting heavy weights will make you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. The confidence you build from being physically strong and powerful manifests in other areas of life as well. Natalie and Rick advise women to lift heavy, keep the volume low, keep the reps low, and see what happens to your body and your confidence.Listen in to this episode to learn more about the benefits of lifting heavy for women and why you should be doing it.Key TakeawaysHow your body changes when you lift more and run less (01:33)Will women get big if they lift heavy? (02:54)Why consistently lifting heavy will make you feel better physically, mentally and emotionally (05:03)Going lightweight and high volume builds muscles while lifting heavy gets you lean and strong (07:00)Less is more when it comes to lifting volume (08:54)Tracking your progression in the gym (16:50)Why most fit people in the gym are in the weight training floor (17:27)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

We've all been told by consultants and leadership gurus to "think outside of the box". We couldn't disagree more! In this episode, we discuss why focusing on your core business and focusing on the things inside of that box are the real keys to success.It doesn't really matter anything else you do, if you are not nailing the basics in your business, you will struggle to attract and retain customers. You need to look inside the box, which is your business's main function to your customers, and deliver a consistent customer experience.Very successful businesses have a relentless pursuit of the basics. They don't just think outside the box and do something amazing or creative every now and then, they consistently work on the basics every day. Doing the small things right every time is what will move the needle in your business.Remember, the only thing that matters in your business is the lens of the customer. Are they getting the same customer experience every time they walk into your premises? This is what is inside your box that you need to be committed to. Any innovation or creative new ideas should always improve what's inside the box, not to distract from it.To create a consistent customer experience and build a better business, Rick and Matt recommend a systematic approach. Decide what's important to your customers, build systems around it and then just go after it day after day. This is what will set you apart from other businesses.Click play on this episode to learn more about how to consistently nail the basics to move the needle in your businessKey TakeawaysWhat is the main function of your business to your customer (05:54)Your core service to your customer should be consistently good (08:03)It doesn't matter if you do something amazing every now and then. You have to be consistent (08:53)Your customers expect a consistent experience from your business (12:12)How to remain convicted to what's inside your box (15:56)How a systematic approach can help provide a consistent customer experience (19:23)Your commitment to doing the basics well is what will set you apart (21:37)Any innovation or new ideas should not be a distraction to your core business (24:34)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The biggest misconception that people have regarding back pain is that it is caused by The biggest misconception that people have regarding back pain is that it’s caused by lifting and workouts. That's why many people stop lifting when they experience back pain. However, as Dr. Eaby explains, the long term solution to lower back pain is strength training, which leads to a stronger back.MRIs and X-rays are not always needed to diagnose lower back pain unless there has been a traumatic incident or some serious red flags. Dr. Eaby advises that imaging is not required in most of the cases since there is a real risk of misdiagnosing the cause of the lower back pain as all MRIs will return some sort of findings even when down on someone who isn’t feeling any pain.When it comes to treatment and management of back pain, conservative treatment should always be the first option. It is not advisable to jump into injections and painkillers as these have been known to cause addiction and even lead to surgery later.Key Takeaways80-85% of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives (05:09)The biggest misconception on the cause of lower back pain (06:25)Back pain is caused by many factors, including posture, sleep, nutrition (10:22)Why strength training is the long term cure for lower back pain especially as you age (19:52)When you might need to do an X-ray or an MRI (22:06)Red flags that suggest a person has back problems that trainers should look out for (27:13)Conservative treatment and corrective exercises for lower back pain (28:52)Additional Resources:Website: www.missionmovept.comInstagram: @missionmoveptYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCasZZ--mBZQssQmJ4uGQhOA/E-mail: frontdesk@missionmovept.com----www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts! 

‘Do Your Job’ is a simple yet powerful statement that can help a business or a team achieve all their goals if every team member were to do their job with conviction. It is almost like a substitute for our core value number 1 here at Alloy, which states ‘Own it.’These statements mean that you have to own your role and perform it diligently. In small businesses, you may need support from others, and part of owning your job is working with the rest of the team and understanding what they are doing.As a leader in your business, you have to make your team own their roles and do their job. First thing you need to do is to set up clear expectations for their roles. Some of the expectations can be numbers-driven or KPIs. With this in place, they will know what is expected of them when you tell them to do their job. The second thing is to create a culture in the gym where everybody owns their role.  Tune in to this episode to learn of the different roles in a small group personal training and how ‘do your job’ applies to each as well as how to foster and enshrine this culture in your business.Key TakeawaysDoing your job with conviction (05:23)What gets measured gets managed (07:47)Why you need to set clear expectations for your team so that they can then do their job (08:11)The roles and expectations of the Director of Training and they can own this position (09:12)The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing (12:15)How to ensure the trainers and coaches are doing their job (13:00)How often to meet with the coaches and the team (17:42)What is ‘do your job’ for the front desk and customer service team (19:41)How to create a culture in the gym where everybody owns their role and does their job (23:39)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Flexibility is the type and range of motion you can achieve passively. Passively means that you are not under load, and you are not controlling it. For instance, if you lie on your back and someone pushes your leg up to the farthest it can go.Mobility is how much range of motion that you have actively, meaning you can use it. Flexibility and stability make mobility. You have to control the flexibility so that you can use it. So the big difference here is that flexibility is passive while mobility is active.We use the Functional Movement Screen to measure mobility. For the general population, a good dynamic warm-up and good exercise are sufficient to improve their mobility. Along with these, you have to manage their lifestyle to keep them safe and strong enough.In real life and when programming for the general population, mobility is more valuable than flexibility. You can use it in your normal day to day activities and thus improves the quality of life.Key TakeawaysCOVID gym update (01:42)What is the difference between flexibility and mobility ((08:05)Why mobility is more valuable than flexibility in real life (12:02)How we use the Functional Movement Screen to measure mobility (12:54)Taking a holistic approach towards achieving mobility (18:42)How managing lifestyle may be better for mobility than any other correctives (23:44)How to we work on mobility for our clients through in the gym (26:27)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Before getting into the fitness business, you need to decide which type of owner you want to be. Either the owner-operator or an investor, also known as an absentee owner. Neither of these two ownership structures is wrong or right. We talk about the pros and cons of each and also the type of person who fits into each of them.An owner-operator is somebody who is deep in the operations of the business. They work in the business. An owner-operator can have higher profit margins because they can tightly control the operations besides occupying the Director of Training position. They are usually a technician who decides to own a business. The cons of an owner-operator are that they are getting into a job. They might find trouble getting out of this job.An investor is normally someone who has a higher business acumen who wants to scale up to multiple locations by executing the systems of the franchise they have partnered with. They initially invest more capital because they need more people but their return on investment is much higher in the long run. This type of owner will need entrepreneurial and leadership skills to build a team to manage the business. Key TakeawaysDeciding the type of fitness business owner, you want to be (02:20)Who is an owner-operator and what do they do (04:13)An owner-operator can make more profits by tightly controlling the operations (06:14)Why it makes sense for owner-operators to work with a franchise (08:49) The cons of an owner-operator fitness business model (11:51)Why an investor has a higher return on investment in the long run (17:49)The cons of an absentee owner fitness business model (22:49)Why the Alloy Franchise appeals to both type of owners (27:46)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

With the COVID environment, many gym and clients are now understanding why large group training is not the ideal model. If you are looking to transition to small group personal training or are looking to get into the fitness business, listen to this episode to understand how the staffing structure in a small group personal training model looks like from the lens of the Alloy Franchise. The Director of Training is the most impactful position in this model. The responsibilities for this position include driving revenue, closing sales, asking for referrals, driving retention, running accountability sessions, and managing the team. They understand all the metrics of the business in addition to laying out the roadmap for clients from where they are and where they are going. The front desk position, which we call the Director of Customer Experience is another very important position in this model. This is the face of the gym. It is the first person clients interact with when they walk in. They are responsible for taking calls from leads. This person must be energetic, upbeat, wear a smile all day, and be customer-centric in all that they do. Coaches are the other position in this model. With about 300 clients, you need three full-time coaches and one part-time coach. They will comfortably cover all the shifts and service all the clients. Tune in to this episode to learn all about the staffing structure in the small group personal training model.Key TakeawaysWhy small group personal training model is the way to go for the fitness business (01:59)The role and responsibilities of Director of Training in small group personal training model (03:37)Why the Director of Training is more than sales (07:42)?The roles of the Director of Customer Experience (15:09)How many coaches do you need for a small group personal training model (21:03)A coach needs to be good with people then they can learn technique and programming (24:50)Communication between the Director of Training, Coaches and the Director of Customer Experience (27:07)The relentless pursuit of doing the small things well over time makes this model work (32:06)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

The word classes in the fitness industry carry a certain awareness and expectation as far as price is concerned. It also carries a certain expectation as to what will happen. Think of it like music and busting a move like in a Zumba class. This is very different from what personal training is and that why we avoid using the word classes to refer to what we do.The concept of small group personal training is not yet well understood. That’s why the temptation to refer to it as a class is high. Small group personal training is very detailed and a lot of small things need to happen to make it really personal training and not a small class. It is more or less like one on one personal training but done in a small group to make it more affordable.Small group personal training gives the benefit of personalized attention and personalized programming that takes care of a client’s fitness goals, fitness levels, injuries, etc. You then add the sense of community and training with your peers that lack in one on one setting. This comes with group accountability. All these benefits make this model a very good one that is different from one on one personal training and definitely different from classes.Listen in to learn more about all the nuances of small group personal training and how the Alloy Franchise helps you run this model to serve the target market that wants personalized attention Key TakeawaysThe difference between classes and small group personal training (02:34)How to do warm-ups for different service layers in the gym (07:40)Having a clean clear customer journey in the gym 10:12)Should you be on the clock for small group personal training (11:55)Why you should not sell time but program and results in personal training (15:00)How to do demonstrations for exercises in small group personal training (20:15)Why 6 is the right size for us to run small group personal training (25:57)Doing a proper small group personal training warm-up (27:30)How a coach manages six clients during the workouts at the same time (29:34)Using the term sessions rather than classes and making it nuanced in small group personal training (35:34)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Ascension business model basically means the journey you take your customer though in your business. It can be based on revenues, or it could be in the programming. It is what you offer the customer so that they can be involved in the brand for a long time. The more the customer feels connected to the brand the more they will spend.You are only going to lose a customer if you run of things to sell them. If you think about that, then you understand the ascension model. You also understand why by not taking your customer on the ascension process, you are actually doing them a disservice. Customers want to reach their goals while you want more revenue. This is a win-win for both of you.However, all the ascending services must be related to the client’s goals. You cannot just sell anything that is outside of their goals. If you're not ascending people over time, you are going to lose them since they want to reach their goals.Listen in to understand the ascension business model and learn some examples of ascending services you can offer in a gym. Key TakeawaysWhat is the concept of ascension in a fitness business (04:14)You are doing your customers a disservice by not selling them other services that may help them reach their goals (06:26)You're only going to lose a customer when you run out of things to sell them (08:11)How the ascension model works on the revenue side of the business (10:51)Some examples of items you can sell to your members in addition to gym subscription (15:16)How the ascension model improves your customer retention rates (19:15)Why your ascending services must be related to the client’s goals (22:43)Ascending model in relation to gym programming (23:51)Finding revenue opportunities by offering solutions to client’s problems (28:59)If you're not ascending people over time, you are going to lose them (30:58)Additional Resources:www.AlloyPersonalTraining.comLearn About The Alloy Franchise Opportunity---------You can find the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.If you haven’t already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!