Why I decided to sell the gym?
I recently wrote about an important life-changing moment in my life - becoming a gym owner. Being a gym owner was one of the best experiences of my fitness career, and I would do it all again, but in 2018 I decided to sell the gym and move back to Australia.
It's never an easy decision to give up something you've worked so hard to achieve, something that you're very proud of. They say the first 2-3 years of business is the hardest part, and yet, after 4.5 years, I was ready to walk away from a hugely successful gym business.
Why did I sell the gym?
Five main reasons lead me to sell the gym and move back to Australia.
1. My health became a high priority (Value: Freedom) - As passionate fitness professionals, we want a life of meaning, adventure, and financial stability. Unfortunately, it is far too easy to fall into the trap of burning the candle at both ends, feeling tired, stressed and overwhelmed by our never-ending to-do lists.
I wish this weren't true, but... I'm a pro when it comes to burnout!
Not to mention workaholicism, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and procrastination.
For many years working in the health and fitness industry as a personal trainer, coach, and gym owner, I struggled to balance my high achieving tendencies and true personal fulfilment. It's hard to fathom as I was checking off a lot of boxes:
I'd built my own successful personal training brand.
I'd collected countless certifications and qualifications.
I'd owned a profitable gym business and employed staff.
I'd established a London wide fitness competition.
I was sharing my knowledge, skills and passion with aspiring fitness professionals
I published weekly health and wellness blogs.
I trained high-level professional athletes (British 100m & 200m Sprinters).
I had built a network of health professionals for referrals.
I'd established an online training company
I'd trained recreational athletes all over the globe
I got caught up in chasing credentials, checking boxes and measured success based on how busy I was. It took me a long time to recognise that my choices were the cause of my overwhelm, my exhaustion, my lack of true fulfilment, and my burnout. The worst part, it didn't need to be like this.
Being a high-achiever in a "helping others live a better life" industry can feel validating, productive and fulfilling. However, it's also filled with perfectionism, people-pleasing, "should"-ing, and burnout. And, trust me, I understand:
Success + Achievement = Busy
Limited Self-Care + Negative Talk = Low Confidence
Check Boxes + Chasing Credentials = Inconsistency
Overwhelm + Lack of Prioritisation = Burnout
I've learnt that achieving success, without burning out, in a "helping others live a better life" industry requires the unthinkable... Putting yourself first.
After 10 years of showing up face-to-face as a personal trainer, coach, and gym manager, I was ready to take back my health and create more freedom.
2. My health became a high priority part 2 (Value: Healthy Living) - taking back my freedom was only the first step in reclaiming my health. I'd been living in London for 10years and Melbourne for nearly 5 years before that. The big city life was no longer for me.
Maybe I'm just getting old, but my health is at the top of my values these days and living in a big city doesn't align with this value.
I loved my time in London. If I hadn't moved to London in 2008, I wouldn't have switched careers to become a personal trainer. I’m not sure if I would’ve owned a gym or competed in multiple marathons and triathlons. My time in London allowed me to travel, make new friends, and learn so much. I will never regret it, and I'd do it all again.
However, the big city life is no longer for me. It was time for a sea change.
3. My training values shifted (Value: Do what I love) - growing up, I played team sports such as tennis, cricket, Aussie Rules Football, and soccer. When I moved to London, I ran and started doing marathons and then competing in Triathlons.
In 2010 I switched my training style after being introduced to CrossFit. I was training for the sport of triathlon, and after attending a CrossFit Endurance (CFE) seminar, I hired Brian Mackenzie as my coach. I loved the mix of training style's and CFE made sense, the combination of strength training, running, cycling and swimming worked well for me.
In 2011, after attending the Poliquin PICP level 2, I hired Derek Woodske as my strength and conditioning coach and stopped competing in endurance sports. My new goals were to build muscle, get strong and be better at CrossFit.
In 2013 I opened Momentum Training/ CrossFit Hackney, and I took on the head coach role and the program design.
As an A-type personality, I invested a lot of time, energy and money into further education (OPEX, Gymnastics Bodies, Joel Jamieson (energy system training), FRC, Poliquin, and more...). I need to know the "WHY" behind every detail of training and "HOW" I could write the best gym program for all levels of training experience.
I was hooked on CrossFit, and I enjoyed the challenge as both an athlete and a coach.
After a couple of CrossFit years, I realised that the training intensity and volume, combined with running a business, was not working for me. My body was not thriving on this training method.
In 2015 my training values shifted to callisthenics, gymnastics and movement. After attending Ido Portal’s Movement Camp, I hired Ido as my coach. For the next year, I focused on gymnastics, mobility, and movement.
Since then, I've continued to learn more about bodyweight training, handstands, mobility, breathwork, and more.
What does this have to do with selling the gym?
As my own training journey evolved, so did my client niche. I went from training endurance athletes and weight loss clients to CrossFitters and professional athletes to callisthenics and handstand clients. Most personal trainers make the mistake of trying to train everybody, which sets them up for failure. I've learnt that being a generalist is not the most effective what to run a business and be productive. Being a specialist is essential to living a life with meaning, being successful, and creating time for your freedoms.
If you're going to be a specialist, it needs to align with your values and story.
Who are you as a coach?
Who are you as a person?
Right now, I love everything about callisthenics and gymnastics training, and I'm hungry to learn more, grow and share the experience (check out the TSTM YouTube Channel). This enthusiasm gives me a purpose and energy that help me get out of bed each day and do what I love.
4. My values didn't align with my business partners (Value: Honesty) - I was 1/3 owner of Momentum Training / CrossFit Hackney. This was the first time that I'd worked in a business partnership, and possibly the last.
In the beginning, we were all excited to be opening the gym, and we didn't really think about the importance of the partnership. It turned out that our work ethics and values were not aligned. My values didn’t align with one of the other business partners. While two of us did most of the work, the other business partner made excuses and constantly complained about his "need to get paid".
The biggest disappointment came at the end of the first year of business when we discovered the lazier business partners had stolen money from the business. My trust was broken, and it was impossible to recover. I felt trapped. However, the future and success of the business required us to keep going. I took on more responsibility and continued to work on the business for another 3.5yrs before I could comfortably leave the partnership.
I value trust and honesty, and I struggle to work with those who do not have these values.
5. I was ready for a change (Value: Authenticity) - 10 years in London, and 4.5 yrs as a gym owner, I was ready for a change.
I never wanted to stay in London. The plan was always to move back home to Australia. After selling the gym, I was free for the first time in 10years. I didn't have any clients or businesses to manage. I was free.
I decided to take some time off and plan my trip back to Australia. I spent another couple of months in London sorting out loose ends while planning a solo trip through Asia.
Well, that was the plan.
Two weeks after finishing at the gym, many members had reached out to ask if I could continue to train them. Over the years, they had grown to enjoy my programming style, and they wanted to continue.
Some wanted personal programs, and others wanted to follow a group program.
This was the beginning of my online business, The Sustainable Training Method. I had a small group of competent members who followed a group program, and I had 20 online personal training clients. This was more than enough to keep me busy while I was travelling.
I believe the online business materialised due to my authenticity as a coach. My programming style was unique, and the members appreciated the sustainable training method that I was preaching. Investing in personal development and grasping the knowledge needed to write meaningful and result-focused training was valued by the members. They could clearly see the difference between my approach and the general fitness programs.
I'm now my own boss. I choose when I work. I have the ability to be anywhere in the world, and I have the freedom that I was looking for.
My own training, my career, and my health are all very closely connected. When my training and career are in check, my health seems to be in check. If I become overwhelmed with work or with training, I know my health begins to suffer.
To be successful in the fitness industry, we need to show up for our clients/members/staff and be the best version of ourselves.
This is only possible if we practice what we preach.
This is only possible if we can define what success looks like to us and our true values.
This is only possible if you Protect our number one Asset.
