I had a chat with one of the Personal Trainers there yesterday about the state of the PT business within the club. It reminded me (if I needed reminding) of why it wasn't for me.
I spent 12 years at various levels of management, the last 7 of which were spent as a logistics manager for 'Lear Corporation'.
I never felt truly at home within the corporate environment. I hated all of the brown-nosing and office politics that went on. I managed to keep most of it at arms length, but it's impossible to not get drawn into the fracas at some point.
When I went into personal training, one of the main attractions for me was the feeling of getting out of the rat race. I'd got no boss to answer to, no conterparts trying to undermine me.....bliss.....
However, once I'd settled in at 'Fitness First', I realised that the rat race was very much alive, only this time it was FAR, far worse that before.
Now there were a dozen other self-employed PT's, all scrambling after the same pool of clients. The fact that we were only allowed to train clients who were club members made it a closed shop as far as potential business went. The scale of the bitching, the gossip and the back-stabbing was truly biblical.
Obviously, now I'm freelance, I still have competition from other PT's in the area, but at least my success or failure depends on me, my own marketing skills and my own ablilty, rather than my enthusiasm in sucking up to the boss and shafting my colleagues.
Rock 'n' Roll.....
Well it ain't noise pollution mate!
TODAY'S MOOD: Liberated.
SOUNDTRACK: AC/DC - 'Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'
FOOTNOTE: Life is good.....well....most of the time....
The Free-Lance Groover
You control your own destiny this way!!!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Bobby
Fijufic:
ReplyDeleteIt certainly gives you more input, if nothing else.
Thank you for reminding me of why I went freelance in the first place. And why I'll never go back to corporate America.
ReplyDeleteMary Kitt-Neel:
ReplyDeleteCorporate Britain is much the same, I'd wager :-/
It's a good feeling, isn't it? :-)
being a good PT gives you a good reputation and business will come via word-of-mouth and recommendations, and that is the best compliment!
ReplyDeleteThe rat race will be there, no matter where you go/what you do. You will have followers, just based on that. People remember good stuff, kinda like what Dorrie said. I'm rambling here, because I'm still 'high' from my meds.(ICK!) Hang in there. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteWe call Fitness First, Finance first here
ReplyDeleteThe best of luck to ya my friend.Nothing like being ones own boss I say Have a great evening
ReplyDeleteDorrie:
ReplyDeleteI'm staring to get a few 'word of mouth' clients coming through now :-)
Xanadu:
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is always there, just to varying degrees.
MickH:
ReplyDeleteYup, here in the UK too.
They are one of the most mercenary companies that I've ever had the misfortune to encounter.
There's actually a Facebook group of Fitness First haters...LOL!
captron52:
ReplyDeleteI certainly has it's advantages.
Unfortunately, my recent illness highlighted one of it's shortfall too; no sick pay!
I've been deep in corporate America for the past 25 years. It has its ups and downs. I've been able to keep the political B.S. away a good 95% of the time and feel thankful for it. Now, at 50, I could care less about the politics and the sucking up and all that. I'm just cruising towards retirement. I let it all roll off my back most all the time.
ReplyDeleteI was in sales, which was an escape from having a boss watching over you constantly. If I did well, no one bothered me. You became as successful as you wanted to be - at least in commission checks. I was in the corporate rat race in NYC and hated it. I felt the stress was killing me. Hope this economy doesn't crush your dreams.
ReplyDeleteThis is one reason I don't do the office thing. Some people criticize me and tell me if I want more money I have to take a job I don't like because that's just "what you do". I'd rather be a little cash poor at first and do what I enjoy - the amount of stress and slothfulness I experienced in an office was TERRIBLE for my psyche and made me feel trapped, tired, and even a bit depressed.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, good for you!