Whether that means running your own wellness studio or center, teaching around town as an independent yoga teacher, or managing an online business for your fitness, pilates, meditation, or other types of classes, you need to start thinking of yourself as an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs by definition are creative, passionate, and committed to transforming their passion into a sustainable livelihood. If you have decided that you are ready to dive in and make your passion for wellness or fitness your full-time source of income, then chances are you are pretty excited about it. So, say these words to yourself. “I am an entrepreneur!”
Did you feel a little weird saying that? Good! When we allow ourselves to be a little uncomfortable and even open to making some mistakes along the way, then that’s where we tend to find the most potential and growth!
Here are a few ways you can begin thinking like an entrepreneur:
Create a journey for your clients or students
The people who are coming to you for wellness or fitness classes, whether online or in-person, are your customers. Your job is to provide a meaningful service or classes but also figure out how to foster their journey with you. Think about the life-cycle of your students. To get them started with whatever you are offering, you might build some type of membership or package to make it easy for them to keep coming back.
As you continue to deepen your relationship with who you’re serving, you can begin to layer in extra deals or services. For example, a fitness or yoga teacher might develop a workshop for long-time students. Or, if you offer bodywork like massage, you could develop a loyalty program for your long-term clients. In short, think of who you are serving and ways to keep them invested in your offerings.
Value your time and expertise
When you’re just starting out, offering classes or services for free or by donation are valuable marketing tactics for finding new clients. However, there comes a time when you need to decide when it’s appropriate to give something away versus asking for compensation. If you continue to give away your content or classes, you risk setting that as an expectation. Instead, consider offering free or deep discounts as a way to surprise and delight your students, or as an incentive or thank you for their business.
Showcase your authenticity
When we think of an entrepreneur, we might also think of innovation. This can be tough for some of us who get stuck with the belief that we don’t have anything unique to contribute to our field – in this case, the health, wellness, and fitness sectors. There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that someone probably has tried your idea. But the good news is that YOU haven’t done it yet. Be true and authentic by committing yourself to your passion, values, and unique voice. It’s amazing how far true authenticity can go!
Find an accountability partner, mentor, or coach
Building a thriving, sustainable business is hard work! But, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to friends who have succeeded in starting their own business for advice – whether they have started a business in your field or not. Join an online community of like-minded professionals for support. If you feel like you fall short in some aspects of your business like accounting and finances, don’t be afraid to tap into your network and ask for help.
Build a strong online presence
We can help with this! Check out our software for wellness and fitness professionals and easily get online in no time with our simple website builder, memberships features, registration, payment processing and marketing tools. Come learn more at an upcoming live demo and see how it works.
