How We Built Our Fitness Business From 7 Women to 7 Figures From Our Living Room with Amanda Quinn & Laura Jackson: An EOFire Classic from 2021

0:02Who's ready to rock today, Fire Nation. JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs on Fire. brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals with great shows like Billion Dollar Moves. Today, we're pulling a classic episode from the archives and we'll be breaking down how to build a fitness business from seven women to seven figures from a living room. To drop these value bombs, I brought Amanda Quinn and Laura Jackson into EO Fire Studios. Amanda and Laura are the co-founders of Fit Chicks Academy, a company dedicated to certifying women in fitness, nutrition, and wellness and showing them step-by-step how to create their dream life and business.

0:39In today's foundation, we'll talk about how to be yourself. Who you are as a person right now can also inspire other people. Your business will only grow as much as you do, Fire Nation. Know that you will fail along the way, but take it as part of the journey to success. Do not give up, never quit, and so much more. And a big thank you for sponsoring today's episode goes to Amanda, Laura, and our sponsors. Hustle and Flowchart, hosted by Joe Feer, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Join Joe as he discusses systems, mindset tweaks, reframes, and strategies to help you build a business that gives you freedom and fuel for your life.

1:12A recent episode on using AI for effortless content creation is a must listen. Listen to Hustle and Flowchart wherever you get your podcasts. Amanda, say what's up to Fire Nation and share something that you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with. Hello, hello, Fire Nation. Thank you so much for having us. I love that question so much. So thank you for asking it. I think one of the biggest things that comes to mind when I think about what people believe that I don't believe you need to have to be successful is the idea that you need to hold the gold. And what I mean by holding the gold is this idea that you have to keep your best secrets for only people in your program or your courses, the people that are signing up and paying.

1:56But the truth is, I believe you need to be sharing that publicly ahead of time. Because if not, if you're just offering generic information, that's where you are going to get stuck. And people, your people are not going to actually see the true value that you have to offer. Fire Nation, I cannot agree more. Do not hold the gold, the silver, or the bronze. Give it all away because you want people to know, like, and trust you and to be like, wow, if I'm getting this much value literally for free, imagine that next level. And you two have an amazing story. I told just a little bit about it in the introduction, but I really want you, Laura, to do a deep dive for us, Fire Nation, right now.

2:36I mean, how the heck did you go from seven women to seven figures? What does that even mean? Yeah. So it's kind of a crazy story. So Amanda and I have actually, we've been best friends since we've been 14 years old. And we actually, you know, went through high school together, all of the teenage years together of being pretty unhealthy and getting into a lot of unhealthy habits. And then we moved into, you know, college and kind of ended up on that path that many of us and probably a lot of your listeners too have thought you have to go on. So, you know, get the corporate job, you know, work your way up the ladder, buy the house, do all the things.

3:15And we really hit a wall in our mid-20s, really around, you know, our health. So we were overworked, we were overweight, we were struggling with that anxiety and the stress of really trying to, you know, build up your career at that age. And we kind of had that moment where I think, I think a lot of people have this where you just start to question, like, is this, is this it? Like, is this really going to be the path for me? And also that moment where you're kind of like, I can't imagine doing this for the rest of my life, like something I have zero passion for. So we were both in, you know, sales and marketing.

3:54And we just decided that we're going to start focusing on our health more. So we started working out, we started seeing a lot of changes in our own lives. And there were at that time, too, you have to remember, this was back in 2006. There was not a lot of female workouts that were either, you know, that were not just like fluffy aerobics kind of style or, you know, doing like really light weights. And then the other spectrum, there was that really intense, like CrossFit was just kind of really coming out at that point. So we actually kind of created this hybrid of a workout that we started doing together and we would teach each other.

4:31And then we started teaching our friends and they really loved it. And then we decided we were going to get certified as fitness professionals just for fun. And then one night we decided that, you know what, we were at, we were actually at another fitness class together and it was pretty lame. And we were thinking, we're like, our workouts are so much better than this. Like, what if we could actually teach other people and get paid for it? Like, what if we could actually start our own business? And from there, that discussion just kind of sparked and we're like, you know what, let's just, let's just do it and see what happens.

5:01So in 2008, we launched a program called FitChicks boot camp. And it was a four week boot camp style fitness program just for women. And it wasn't just fitness classes. So we kind of developed it right from the get go as a program that included, you know, nutrition, fitness classes, wellness support, really around body positivity, inclusivity, we taught all different levels. And we started to really create a community. So we had seven women who actually showed up to our very first class that we taught in the park because we had no money to start our business. So we wanted to keep our overhead really low.

5:37So we always rented out parks or public spaces so we didn't have to rent a studio. And seven women showed up to that first class. And it was literally like the universe had kind of everything came together. And it just started growing like wildfire from there. We ended up selling out our classes. And then we started to hire other instructors to then teach our classes in their neighborhoods and still following that low overhead kind of model of not actually, you know, renting studios or franchising. We were just essentially, you know, teaching in parks and renting out public spaces like community centers, schools and things like that.

6:13So we actually ended up growing really quickly across the country. We live in Canada and grew to over 20 locations, then started expanding out to things like challenges and retreats and we had a television show and we started training women online and in person and it was just really really amazing and from there we had already hit seven figures and that was so awesome but we started having a lot of our clients actually because our programs were getting such amazing results and they loved them they're like I want to teach these type of programs but we had nowhere to send them to so in terms of certifications they would have to essentially take like four different certifications to end up being able to run a program like we have.

6:56So it would have to be in fitness, it would have to be in nutrition, it would have to be in wellness. And then on top of that, they'd have to understand the business aspect. So we really knew there was nowhere to send them without them going to like multiple different certifications. So we really started talking internally, like how can we create something? And, you know, how do we actually, who do we need to talk to? What do we need in place to create a certification that we could have as like a one-stop shop where they would learn all the things that they would need to teach group fitness, personal training, nutrition, and wellness coaching, as well as get the business support.

7:27So that was actually how our first online certification was created, called the Fitness and Nutrition Expert Program. And that's one that we still run today, where we really just show women how to, well, they get certified as a triple threat fitness coach, as well as then we show them how to basically do what we did and really build a profitable business from day one, whether it be in the online space or in person. Fire Nation, have you ever had that, is this it moment that Laura was just chatting about? I mean, I think every listener right now has actually had this moment. This is why you're consuming entrepreneurs on fire and you're hearing this inspiring content from so many inspiring entrepreneurs.

8:06But when you had that, is this it moment, you don't just sit on your hands and just keep wondering, you actually take action. And that's why I love what Laura and Amanda did. And they said, you know what, like what's missing in our lives? Well, besides like not loving what we do, um, we don't love being out of shape. We don't love being overweight. We don't love what comes with that with the lack of energy and the lack of confidence and all that jazz. Why don't we kill two birds with one stone and stop doing something we don't love, which was the corporate ladder and start doing something we actually enjoy.

8:35That's actually going to get us healthier. It's going to get us fit. It's going to get us in shape. And let's be honest though, Amanda, so many people are like, you know what? It's like, I took a yoga class on, on YouTube. Like now I can become a yoga instructor. And they started an Instagram and a YouTube channel. And they try to kind of just like, you know, essentially what I like to say, become a pale, weak imitation of so many other people online. And then they just fail. So why is that the case? Why do so many fitness and health professionals struggle making it in this industry? I have a few reasons why I believe that there's a bit more of a struggle.

9:11I think the first one, of course, Laura touched on it a bit in her response earlier was that they're only offering one side of the coin. So a lot of times fitness professionals, coaches are just limited to what they can give to their clients. So they're only giving them just the fitness side or just the nutrition side. And they're really limiting the results their clients can get because they don't have the skill set behind them to give them the full package, the holistic approach. And by doing so, all you're doing is really causing client frustration and overwhelm. And in reality, no results equals no returning clients, right?

9:43So if your clients are not getting the results, they're not going to come back. And so that causes a lot of, you know, churning your business. You have to keep looking for new clients over and over again versus just having a program that gives them the full spectrum of support to get them the results they desire, which will then, you'll then have long-term clients. The other thing I think really causes people to struggle is the limiting self-belief. The limiting self-belief around this idea that I have to go work in a big box gym, that's the only option if I want to work in the fitness industry, or, you know, maybe I'm not the right fit to be a coach and that's why I'm struggling.

10:19And there's this belief that you have to look a certain way or act a certain way or be a certain way in order to be a successful coach. when really, you know, who inspires me is going to be different than who inspires you. And who inspires Laura is different than who inspires me. And so we need to understand that who you are as a person right now is amazing. And we need more ages, races, sizes, abilities in the industry to create connection and to create opportunity for inspiration for clients. So getting rid of that limiting self-belief is a really big tool. The next thing too, I would say is the business side.

10:55I think there is so much passion-driven businesses, but there's not the knowledge behind how to actually run a business. And when you don't have the business side to back it, like that's one of the things even in our certifications, we include the business modules in our programs because we know that that's like a missing link for so many coaches. They have all of this knowledge and all of these certifications, but they have no idea how to apply that or how to actually grow a business. Fire Nation, who you are as a person is amazing. Be you, be genuine, be authentic. I like to say, hey, listen, you're a snowflake.

11:32Don't try to be that pale, weak imitation of somebody else that I mentioned earlier. Be the best, amazing version of you. And there are countless stories of people just trying to copy others over and over again and just failing time and time again. And then sometimes even by accident, they do something online and they're just like, oh, whatever, I'll just keep it in because nothing else is working. And it's just them being themselves, honest and transparent. And then boom, it absolutely blows up. And that is what they end up building their business on. Now, we're going to be talking about pivots.

12:08We're going to be talking about something that can help you build a successful foundation and so much more Fire Nation when we get back from thanking our sponsors. Every entrepreneur knows that growing a business is hard. Trying to figure out which software to use, when, and for what purpose can be frustrating. You've got your email marketing system, your payment software, your CRM, your content tools, your email tools, your tools to retool your tools. It's chaos. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a single platform to handle all the tough work of growing a business? Great news, Fire Nation. there is HubSpot is the customer platform for marketing, sales, service, and most importantly, growth.

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13:14That's the power of HubSpot. Visit HubSpot.com to learn more. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Can you believe we're already halfway through 2024? I mean, time flies, especially when you're head down trying to grow your business. But one thing I've done consistently for the past 12 years is check in on where I'm at with my goals. Now is a perfect time to do that. And therapy can be a huge help when it comes to taking stock of progress and making adjustments for the remainder of the year. That's right. Therapy isn't just for those who have experienced trauma. It can be incredibly helpful when it comes to learning how to set boundaries, leveraging your time most effectively, and getting back on track with your goals.

13:54Not sure where to start? Give BetterHelp a try. It's not only super convenient and flexible, it's also easy to dive right in. Just fill out a brief questionnaire online and get matched with a licensed therapist, take a moment, visit betterhelp.com slash fire today to get 10 % off your first month. That's betterhelp.com slash fire. So Laura, you underwent quite a pivot from that in-person fitness programming to an online nationally recognized certification company. Now, Fire Nation loves hearing about the transitions, the transformations. And obviously, in your case, it was kind of a forced transformation, but you did it successfully.

14:41So talk to us about that pivot, about that transformation. Originally, our business was completely in person. So we were teaching in-person classes, we were doing retreats, we were running challenges, we were doing all these things in person, which was amazing. And it's so great for that personal connection. But we realized very quickly that, well, there was a few things that we realized that in order for us to really be able to make the impact that we wanted, to be able to create the lifestyle that we wanted, and to reach the revenue goals that we wanted, we could not continue on doing what we were doing in that way.

15:19So we started, once we launched our certifications and we really saw the ability that we had with them to be able to make such an impact on a bigger level by helping women become coaches. Because the thing is, we love training women and we love helping them get to their goals. But the thing is, is that that impact is only helping that one person. And when you give a woman the skills to coach, not only does she then help herself, but she also helps her family, she helps her community, and it becomes that ripple effect, right? We're in the middle of an obesity epidemic, a health crisis around the world.

15:51And, you know, for us, it was our way of doing our part of making this world a healthier place. So when we saw that, that was number one. And then number two, like I was saying, we really wanted to scale. So with our in-person programs, we were so limited and we were really capping ourselves to how much we could grow. And whereas now with our, with our students online, we can coach as many women as we want all around the world versus only in the areas where we actually had our programs. And then the other thing which I think is really important for entrepreneurs to really think about too, and for us that was always really important, was that we both knew what we wanted our business to look like.

16:30And we didn't want to have 100 employees. And we didn't want to have a huge corporate CEO team and all of these things. We really wanted to keep our business lean. And we wanted to have something that we could grow into for not only our families, but have that flexibility and do it with the least amount of manpower. So we had so many logistical challenges that we were starting to run into as we were scaling and as we were getting bigger when we were in person. So for us to do that transition and pivot into the online space, it was kind of a no-brainer for us because as we started to see how we could manage that as we started running our certifications, we knew that was the direction we really wanted to go in that would hit all those marks, that would make the impact, that would help us scale, and that would be a business that was in line with our lives.

17:20So now basically what our business looks like is we ended up closing our in-person in 2018, which is a hard transition to shut those doors. And I know a lot of people who are looking to pivot. Saying goodbye to something that's successful is really challenging because you don't know what's going to happen on the other side of it. But you have to really ask yourself, you know, what you're passionate about and what's in line with your lifestyle too. So now our business is 100 % online. We have two certification programs that are our core programs. We also offer done for you programs and challenges for fitness and health coaches.

17:52And then we also run business coaching and a mastermind as well that we'll be launching shortly. So it's there's still no end to how much we can grow in that space. But that pivot is definitely something that was really, really a challenge for us. But it's worked out really great and is, you know, we're moving forward in a way that feels amazing, both professionally and personally for us. Fire Nation, build your business block by block. I mean, allow these opportunities to evolve naturally. And as both Laura and Amanda had, have a clear vision. Know what you want to build. Trust your instincts and follow your gut as you're going forward.

18:29Otherwise, you might wake up one day and be like, what is this business that we built? I don't even recognize it anymore. That's happened to so many people, which is why that vision has to be clear. Especially when you're building it with somebody, you have to make sure you are aligned on the same page because you can't necessarily pivot super quickly when one person wants one thing, another person wants the other, and you're already down that road. Now, Amanda, I know there's a ton of takeaways from our chat today for Fire Nation, but what's one specific thing that you want to make sure that up and coming fitness and health coaches and, you know, just entrepreneurs in general to know that's going to help them build a successful foundation for their business and life?

19:09That is a really hard thing to narrow down. I have so many things I want to share, but I would definitely say probably the biggest thing would be just to remember to listen to yourself. You are your guiding light. You know your vision. You know what it is that you want to create. It is your vision. so even though you may have outside influences happening where you know you're doing the comparison game or perhaps you know you have maybe someone in your life that is maybe not encouraging you to go down that path I always say like put your blinders on and just stay in your lane and just go after the thing that you want follow your vision follow your gut like pay attention to what it's telling you and you will get to the end of the road but you have to like you were talking about earlier you have to have a clear idea of what that road is going to look like, but definitely try to always just stay in your lane and avoid listening to outside influences unless it is, of course, a coach or a mentor that you're hiring specifically to help you down that path.

20:04Other than that, I say just really shut out that noise. Laura, now it's your turn. Give us the top takeaway that you really want to make sure Fire Nation gets from everything that both you and Amanda talked about here today. And then, of course, I know you have a very special offer for Fire Nation? I'm a very huge believer in that your business will only grow as much as you do. So it's really about being okay with knowing that, you know, you're going to fail along the way. And like we did, we tried so many different things, you know, as I was saying, from our in-person to our online and, and it wasn't an overnight, you know, we didn't have clarity overnight.

20:43You've got to try the things you've got to be okay with failing. And it's all part of the journey. As long as you don't give up, as long as you never quit, you will get to where you want to go. So if you're struggling right now or you're feeling like maybe it's not working for you, I promise you it is working. It's all working as you go. So just don't stop. So and then lastly, I would love to invite Fire Nation, if anyone's interested in getting certified, we have an amazing offer to save$100 off our fitness and nutrition expert certification. so they just have to go to fitgexacademy.com forward slash fire and then they can get that get that offer fire nation you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with you've been hanging out with aq lj and jld today so let's keep up that heat and if you head over to eofire.com and just type amanda or laura in the search bar the show notes page will pop up with everything that we've talked about here today.

21:40Best show notes in the biz. And of course, fitchicksacademy.com slash fire is the place to go to learn more about the certification, get the$100 off and all the awesomeness. So Amanda, Laura, thank you for sharing your truth, your knowledge, your value with Fire Nation today. For that, we salute you and we'll catch you both on the flip side. Hey, Fire Nation, Today's value bomb content was brought to you by Amanda and Laura and fire nation. Are you ready to rock your very own podcast? Check out our free podcasting course where I teach you how to create and launch your podcast for you. Guessed it for re visit free podcast course.com.

22:24I will catch you there or I will catch you on the flippity flip side. Hustle and flow charts hosted by Joe fear is brought to you by the HubSpot podcast network, the audio destination for business professionals. Join Joe as he discusses systems, mindset tweaks, reframes, and strategies to help you build a business that gives you freedom and fuel for your life. A recent episode on using AI for effortless content creation is a must listen. Listen to Hustle and Flowchart wherever you get your podcasts.