Today I'm speaking with Poojan Shah, a personal trainer and founder of Shah Athletics. I've been training with Poojan for the past month and it's been very transformative! We talk about how he started his personal training business, finding a niche, marketing, building trust, getting over limiting identities with fitness, accountability, nutrition, time management, and more. Follow Poojan: https://www.instagram.com/shahathletics/ Shah Athletics: https://shahathletics.com/ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Pain-focused training and philosophy on mistakes 01:17 – Poojan’s origin story: immigration, early lifting, and starting Shah Athletics 04:38 – Finding his niche: from skinny-guy training to pain management and seminars 08:01 – Client acquisition and marketing: Foundry leads, Google reviews, and Instagram struggles 11:42 – Building the consultation: mentorship, assessments, grip strength, and customization 15:38 – Trust and credibility: reviews, rapport, and educating clients during sessions 19:49 – Identity, limiting beliefs, and reframing mistakes as feedback 28:05 – The power of accountability and why even coaches need coaches 34:10 – Online coaching stigma, bad programs, and what makes his training stand out 42:24 – Nutrition, macros, meal prep, and avoiding perfectionism in diet 51:27 – Time management, “eat the frog,” and business as a reflection of personal life 55:10 – Travel, maintaining momentum, home gyms vs. gym environment, and closing remarks
