Adria_V
Posted August 7, 2009
think this book covered every single aspect of starting a personal training business. I liked that its started off with what makes a successful personal trainer on an individual basis before jumping into how to start and operate a successful business. It even gave examples of dialogue between trainer and clients. I think anyone who reads this book will pick up a few tips on how to improve themselves as a trainer, making this a good book to read even if you don't end up running your own business.
Another thing that I like about this book is that it's a great resource for institutions where once can gain certification in a variety of fitness areas. I also liked that it gives realistic marketing ideas like creating published advertisements and even blogging.
If you are considering starting a personal training business, this book is a great place to start.
Anonymous
Posted July 24, 2008
Starting a business can be an exercise in paperwork and regulations. When the business revolves around physical training, there are other considerations, such as client health, certification requirements and many more. Making sense of all of these aspects can be maddening, but John Peragine¿s excellent guide to starting a personal training business, How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business, goes a long way toward making the process palatable and simpler to follow. In fact, Peragine¿s book is so detailed and logical, it can be read by aspiring business entrepreneurs in nearly any field. Peragine begins with a basic breakdown of what the personal trainer field requires, in terms of background, personality and knowledge base. He goes on to an exhaustive yet easy-to-follow series of steps for planning out how to go about creating a business plan, followed by detailed examinations of different approaches to incorporation (sole proprietorships, LLCs, etc.), basic business practices, various legal and financial forms and so on. After laying down a solid foundation, he follows up with several case studies of practicing personal trainers, including contact information, who are putting their knowledge to use in the field now. Best of all, this prodigiously informative guide is written in a clear and sensible fashion Peragine¿s writing style is informative but informal, and takes every chance to explain difficult or novel concepts in layman¿s terms. The only caveat that stops this book from achieving a perfect rating is that the manuscript needs another trip to the copy editor¿s desk. There were numerous examples of misspellings (the word ¿particular¿ is a frequent victim here) and grammatical misconstructions that a basic spell checker should have caught, in addition to several spacing errors and a section in one of the appendices where material is duplicated verbatim from a previous page. However, if one can overlook the occasional errors in the copy, Peragine¿s detailed guide to starting a personal trainer business has a wealth of good sense and assistance to offer to any entrepreneur.
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Posted August 1, 2008
For anyone who has ever dreamed of self-employment in the fitness arena, this book is for you. In an easy-to-read format, How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business guides the reader through a process of self reflection to determine if you have what it takes to realize the dream of operating a personal training business. The book not only speaks to what skills are required from a fitness perspective, it also offers a look at the type of business savvy required to drive such a business. In a detailed layout, well-planned chapters educate the reader as to what types of business models can be considered when opening a personal training business. It also offers the reader guidance in developing a strategic business plan and marketing plan - both necessary for any successful business. If I were considering self-employment in the field of fitness, this is certainly one book I would rely on every step of the way, from initial planning and business basics to overcoming hurdles and evaluating success.
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Posted July 17, 2008
Do you know the value of personal fitness? Do you want to help others improve their lives? How would you like to work at a gym, in a club, from your home, or even on a cruise ship for $30 to $100 an hour? How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business is a must-read for those serious about becoming part of one of the fastest growing careers in the health and fitness industry. John Peragine, Jr. collaborated with successful trainers to bring us specific, practical advice not taught in business school. In a down to earth style John covers the pros and cons of owning a business, including possible legal problems. He gives detailed advice on certification, business plans, and marketing. He even tells how to measure success outside of making money. John gives us the four facets of success -- look, knowledge, drive, and business savvy -- and offers self diagnostic tools to identify strengths and improve weaknesses. He addresses common mistakes and offers insider tips that give an edge over the competition. How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business includes case studies, information about taxes and insurance, useful web links, and a CD-ROM containing all of the business forms found in the book.
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Posted July 7, 2008
Though it starts off a bit slow, How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business is informative and demonstrative in explaining how to start a successful business. Peragine does a wonderful job of explaining business specifics in a way that everyone can understand, and he does so without talking down to his readers. The book opens with a lengthy introduction and follows with a self-test as to whether someone is ¿personal training compatible.¿ Its second half is a miniature business course, including strategies such as how to prepare a business plan, how to identify your niche business market and how to name your business. How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business even lists a number of case studies of successful personal training business-operators. Another positive aspect of this manual is the relevance it has with the 21st century. It is full of online resources and Web sites, which are easy and free to access. While reading this, it is easy to tell that this book was written with the modern business in mind. If there is a detractor, it is that the personal training sections of this book seemed a bit amateur. The book did include some good workout tips, of which there could have been more, but the information seemed to come from an amateur rather than from someone who knows a lot about fitness.
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Posted July 2, 2008
This is a great book for anyone interested in being a personal trainer and especially for someone who would like to be in business for themselves as a personal trainer. It¿s well-written, well-organized and thorough. Peragine constantly stresses the positive while at the same time underscoring the absolute need to love being a personal trainer. He¿s goes over all the types of information someone needs to go into business for themselves including coming up with a business plan and marketing strategy that will impress possible investors. I love the checklists that are interspersed throughout the book. He has a checklist for everything from determining if I would be suited to a career as a personal trainer to one for when all the different federal business taxes are due. I just really think anyone considering being a self-employed personal trainer should invest in this book as an invaluable resource.
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Posted July 2, 2008
John Peragine reveals every aspect of the personal training industry in How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business. This book takes on the huge task of being the 'go-to' guide for the workout hobbyist seeking to turn a hobby into a career as well as the personal training professional interested in beginning his or her own physical fitness empire. This text clearly explains every step in the process however, the order in which the reader should complete the steps is not as clear creating some repetition. Topics include business administration, professional certification, business plan development, business taxes and personal training ethics. This book also supplies useful worksheets, case studies, links and tips giving the reader an accurate picture of the requirement for success not only as a business owner but also as a personal trainer throughout the business lifecycle. While the discussion of business plans seemed to come too early in the text, making for a hefty first chapter, Peragine provides a thorough reference manual that carefully details what is necessary to build a successful personal training business.
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Posted July 7, 2008
Turning a favorite hobby or sideline into a fulltime profession is a goal sometimes contemplated but usually left undone, often from a lack of knowledge of how to make the attempt. John Peragine, Jr.¿s book, How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business ¿ With Companion CD-ROM, guides the novice through the steps necessary to turn a keenness for fitness into a profession in the personal training field. The first two chapters provide the information, including a self-assessment and a discussion of the training required for the profession, that will help someone contemplating the investment make sure that they have or are willing to pursue the necessary success skills prior to seriously considering establishing a personal training business. As Peragine writes, ¿Where once, personal trainers only counted push-ups, sit-ups, and other repetitions, they have evolved into highly knowledgeable professionals in the areas of exercise, diet, strength training, and personal fitness. ¿without a solid business sense, you will not survive very long.¿ The balance of the book is devoted to the details of setting up and running the business. Peragine provides detailed advice to introduce the reader to the solid business sense needed by discussing topics that range from how and where to interview a prospective client to an introduction to Social Security and Medicare taxes with Internet links to appropriate the Internal Revenue Service information sites. He guides the reader through creation of a business plan, selection of the right type of business structure, management of employees, and much other paperwork and financial considerations. The book is as much a statement of Peragine¿s philosophy as it is a business primer. Peragine¿s writing is sometimes a little unpolished, but that lends genuineness and there is no problem following his message. This is a man writing about a field he knows with honesty and enthusiasm. Although the book is aimed at people interested in the personal training business, it has tips that might benefit anyone thinking about setting up any sort of personal service type of business.
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Posted July 3, 2008
This book is for anyone who truly enjoys exercise and physical fitness and seriously wondered how to make a profitable career out of it. Written by an expert in the field, Matt Cole is a certified Kinesiologist with a Master¿s degree in Exercise Physiology who has decades of experience as a personal trainer and built his business from the ground up. He provides a step by step guide to becoming a certified personal trainer, starting and maintaining your own business, marketing, and finding your own niche in order to maximize your profit while still doing what you love. What makes this book different than most is the inclusion of financial and legal tips regarding taxes for your new business and how to ensure you are not legally liable should a client hurt him/herself while under your care. These are things a physical trainer usually ends up learning the hard way. Also included is a CD-ROM packed with interactive media that reiterates what the book has to teach for people who retain information better through interaction than just reading, as well as copies of all the forms and paperwork you would need to file that are essential to your small business. How To Open & Operate A Financially Successful Personal Training Business. With a title like that one might think it to be a boring or difficult read, but it actually flows very well and is written clearly and succinctly. The book starts out by explaining how quickly the health industry is growing and how high the demand for skilled physical trainers is. It outlines the necessary traits for a skilled physical trainer, being a self-motivated and energetic individual is obviously a must. Also a skill many people don¿t think of, and one I was interested to learn about, is the ability to read clients and put them at their ease so they are not self-conscience or nervous when working with you. This is to ensure that you have more enthusiastic customers who will avidly provide free word-of-mouth advertisement to their friends and neighbors. Later chapters include detailed information on becoming an accredited personal trainer familiar with a wide array of exercises, getting the funding, organizing your own business, building a list of clientele, learning to cater to your clients¿ needs, doing the paperwork, and developing a cursory medical knowledge to ensure the safety of customers who have special needs. For it¿s 290 pages I breezed through it without realizing the day had passed me by. It¿s a very gripping work and the expertise and experience of the writer is evident. I particularly liked the listing of various contacts that was provided to help get the reader started in a career as a personal trainer. I never realized just how much work went into becoming a physical trainer. They must be knowledgeable about diet and exercise, listen to their clients and provide good and reliable customer service, obviously must be in good physical condition, create a business plan, market themselves and their business, manage a busy schedule, and stay current on all their paperwork and tax information. It really gives me a new perspective on the business and a newfound respect for the people who can manage all that. I give this book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars because of the quality of the writing and the excellent job it does in covering all the individual facets of physical training. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys exercising as well as instructing and motivating others in proper fitness.
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Posted July 8, 2008
With a comprehensive list of resources and suggestions, How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Personal Training Business by John Peragine Jr. is a valuable resource for starting a personal training business, or for making an existing one more profitable. More than motivational business fluff, Peragine leads the reader to internally examine his or her suitability to a career in personal training. He addresses the qualifications for successfully running a business, delineating positives and negatives. He tackles issues such as writing and implementing a business plan with step by step instructions and suggestions, the different licensing avenues available, how to advertise, how to set up a website, and how to talk to clients. For the experienced trainer, Peragine explains how to establish a solid business, and evaluate business performance with questionnaires, forms, and lists that provide continuous support. An excellent resource for any business owner involved in personal services, Peragine¿s guide satisfies an important need regarding business aspects of personal training. If you are considering a career in personal training, are already engaged in personal training, or are considering any personal services business, Peragine¿s guide is invaluable.
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More About This Textbook
Overview
With millions of people eager to lose weight and get in shape, personal training is one of the fastest growing careers in the health and fitness industry today. Fitness workers lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities, including cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and stretching. And they are well paid. They work in commercial and nonprofit health clubs, country clubs, hospitals, universities, yoga and Pilates studios, resorts, and clients homes. Increasingly, fitness workers also go to workplaces, where they organize and direct health and fitness programs for employees of all ages. The business of personal training is growing rapidly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, personal training businesses are expected to be one of the fastest growing business segments in the U.S. economy. There has never been a better time to start your personal trainer business and get ahead of the competition. You can operate your personal training business from home, from a private personal training studio, clients' home gyms or corporate fitness centers. Many personal trainers earn an average of $30 to $100 per hour. This new book will teach you all you need to know about getting started in your own retail business in a minimum amount of time. Here is the manual you need to cash in on this highly profitable segment of the service industry. This new book is a comprehensive and detailed study of the business side of retailing. If you enjoy meeting people, this may be the perfect business for you. Keep in mind it looks easy, but as with any business, looks can be deceiving. To avoid pitfalls, use this complete manual to arm yourself with everything you need including sample business forms, leases, and contracts; worksheets and checklists for planning, starting, and running day-to-day operations; plans and layouts; and dozens of other valuable, timesaving tools of the trade that every entrepreneur should have. While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learning how to draw up a winning business plan ( the Companion CD-ROM has the actual business plan you can use in MS Word TM), employing basic cost control systems, pricing issues, and sample floor plans and diagrams. You will avoid trial by error when setting up equipment layouts, meeting legal and IRS requirements, and tapping into the best sales and marketing techniques and pricing formulas. This book will even help you set up computer systems to save time and money, teach you how to hire and keep a qualified professional staff, do your own sales planning, customer service, track competitors, keep your own books, compile monthly profit and loss statements, prepare taxes. You will become adept at media planning, pricing, copywriting, and public relations. You will be able to hire and fire employees, motivate workers, manage and train employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, and learn low cost internal marketing ideas and low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales. You will learn how to keep bringing customers back the secret of continued success as well as getting thousands of great tips and useful guidelines. The manual delivers literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to operate streamline your business. Learn new ways to make your operation run smoother and increase performance, shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits. In addition, you will appreciate this valuable resource and reference in your daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, Web site resources, and operating and cost cutting ideas that can be easily applied to your operation.
Product Details
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Table of Contents
Dedication 3
Foreword 13
Introduction 19
Are You Personal Training Compatible? 23
Skills and Traits of an Effective Personal Trainer 28
The Personal Trainer's Tasks 34
Knowledge 36
Ten Reasons for Starting a Personal Training Business 47
The Business Plan 53
Business Plan Development 57
The Business Description 78
A Marketing Plan 79
Competition 80
Test Your Idea with a Business Plan 82
Learning the Craft 85
Apprenticeship 87
Online Training Programs 90
College/University Education 94
Other Training/Educational Opportunities 98
Planning Your Approach 101
Types of Business Relationships 101
Benefits as an Employee 102
Partnerships 104
Entry Points 105
Finding a Niche 105
Primary Research 109
Secondary Research 113
Competition 116
Fitness Trends and Technology 117
EntryBarriers 118
Exit Barriers 118
Developing a Marketing Plan 120
Integrating the Business Plan 125
Credentialing 136
Business Basics 101 141
What is in a Name? 141
Sole Proprietor 148
Partnerships 149
Incorporation 153
Basics of Incorporation 156
Business Basics 102 161
Operating Procedures 161
Evaluating Your Success after Six Months 162
How to do a SWOT Analysis 163
Surveys 169
Evaluating Your Success after One Year 172
Personnel 173
Management Summary 181
Personnel Plan 182
Insurance 182
Financial Information 183
End-of-Year Financial Analysis 184
How to Assess Success 188
Advanced Business Practices 191
Mission Statement 191
Pricing Services 193
Advertising Services 197
Location - Location - Location 198
IRS Forms and Issues 199
Business Permits and Licenses 200
What is a Federal ID Number? Do I Need One? 201
Self-Employment Tax 203
Tax Tip 203
Accounting Issues 203
Independent Contractors 206
Confidentiality Issues 209
Desktop Programs that can Help 209
Is your Personal Training a Business or a Hobby? 210
Depreciation 212
Avoiding an Audit 214
When to Hire an Accountant 214
Making Your Business as Solid as Your Body 217
Legal Forms 217
Insurance 219
Maintaining Records 225
Hiring and Firing 231
Payment and Collections 233
Cancellation 236
Working with Clients 239
Medical Review 240
Case Studies 241
What Supplies/Forms do I Need? 267
Bibliography 273
Author Biography 275
Glossary 277
Index 287