// Keep Your Coaching Business Open While Lockdown Part 2

When I wrote the first installment of this series, I was hoping it’d be a one-parter because every gym would be fully open again. But I was wrong: the COVID-19 pandemic may have peaked in most areas in terms of the number of cases, but the vast majority of gym owners, coaches, and trainers are still facing a myriad of restrictions head on. I’m continuing to learn plenty of lessons about myself and my business during this trying time, and hope that you’ll benefit from the ones I’m about to share.

Hedge your Bets

From a strategy standpoint, our revenue is coming from general population content that we’re putting out daily on Facebook, small group workouts conducted via Zoom, and online offerings delivered via TrainHeroic. Doing it this way diversifies us and, to borrow a financial term, spreads the hedge among three separate income streams. If one dips during any given week, hopefully the other two will carry enough of the burden to keep our company afloat and enable me to pay our staff (and, if I’m really lucky, myself as well).

Alter your Coaching

Even if you’re more of an introvert than an extrovert and value time alone, we’re all social animals at our core. The human organism craves interpersonal contact, connection, and affection. We know that from a developmental standpoint, we need skin to skin contact to grow when we’re kids and to continue thriving as healthy adults, whether that’s a hug from our family members or high fiving a training buddy after a new squat PR. Unfortunately right now, a lot of these person-to-person contacts are being denied us. Online conferences, Skype sessions, and FaceTime calls help, but they’re a poor substitute for actually being in the room with someone.

People buy your Why

That’s why it’s difficult for me to remain calm, composed, and confident all the time, even though I know that people are looking to me to model these leadership traits so they can draw strength from my example. I know deep down that I need to show my coaches the way to preserve our gym as we weather the storm, and that my clients are looking to me to help them not only get bigger, faster, and stronger physically, but also more durable mentally and emotionally. Yet I will admit that there are times that I’ve questioned whether or not I can live up to these expectations. 

It’s in these moments of self-doubt that I’ve revisited what author/speaker Simon Sinek would call my “why.” In other words, my motivation for being a coach. And it comes back to wanting to make a positive difference in people’s lives, to lift up our local area, and to help people realize they’re capable of doing much more than they might think they can. When I consider this higher calling or purpose, it gives me the courage to press on, to keep Kickstart going in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, and to go on serving the people who depend on me. So if you’re facing a crisis point or wavering self-belief, try to find your why and then recommit to it. Your clients, fellow coaches, and family will thank you for it. I believe you have the strength to not only endure, but to learn, grow, and thrive. Go prove me right.