Most personal trainers who step away from the gym want the same things: control over their schedule, better pay for the work they put in, and a life that doesn’t feel squeezed between shift changes and floor hours. That’s exactly why I went out on my own nearly nine years ago. I wanted a business that gave me breathing room — not another grind with different branding.
What I didn’t expect was how easy it is to recreate the same stress you were trying to escape. You don’t set out to overwork yourself, under-charge, or stretch your energy thin… but it can happen quietly if you’re not paying attention. I learned that firsthand. Some decisions felt harmless in the moment, but over time they chipped away at my income, time, and excitement for the work.
In this episode of The Solo Trainer Podcast, I’m sharing the five mistakes that created the biggest friction in my business and how I worked my way out of them. This isn’t theory — it’s lived experience from building a business client by client, hour by hour, while figuring out where my boundaries needed to be and what truly moved the needle.
If you’re already training independently, you might recognize a few of these patterns. And if you’re preparing to leave the gym, this episode will save you from learning some lessons the slow way. Either way, the goal is simple: build a business that supports your life instead of swallowing it. There’s no prize for exhaustion here — just the opportunity to create work you can be proud of and a schedule that doesn’t run your life.
Let’s get into it.
You can tune in on your favorite platform:
👉 Listen on Spotify
