The Obvious Choice

Jonathan Goodman
The Obvious Choice

Forget becoming an influencer. This podcast is for people searching for a simpler way to make more money, help more people, and have more freedom. No matter who you are and no matter what you sell, your customer is a human. And yet, marketing these days feels so (in)human. Filled with frameworks, entertaining stories, and admittedly bad-Dad jokes, The Obvious Choice is a much-needed recalibration and, at times, a refreshing slap for a business generation that’s lost its way. New episodes ship out Mondays along with short, business hotseats every Wednesday.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    320 I Stop Trading Time For Money and Scale Today I The Obvious Choice Podcast (HOT SEAT)

    Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of The Obvious Choice podcast, where today we're diving into a challenge that hits close to home for many fitness business owners - the struggle to scale beyond trading time for money.  We're sitting down with Katherine, who runs a successful personal training studio outside Ottawa and is wrestling with the classic dilemma of how to grow her business while reducing her crazy 4 AM client schedule and creating more freedom in her life. Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce Not sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapter Who Am I? Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him.  Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribe Get my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerds Join my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreen Follow me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/ Timestamps 0:00 Katherine introduction  1:48 Trying to transition to a semi-private training model. 2:52 Details about her online program offerings including nutrition coaching and habit coaching 4:35 Discussion of current client load 10:28 Advice about hiring for small businesses and identifying key skills 12:17 Exercise to identify what made past trainer "Chris" successful

    15 min
  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    319 I Why Success Left Me Depressed I The Obvious Choice Podcast

    In this episode, I discuss my unexpected bout of depression following the successful launch of my book "The Obvious Choice," revealing how the completion of a major project left me feeling empty despite its commercial success.  Through this experience, I explore the paradox of achievement and purpose, arguing that the real reward lies not in completing projects but in the transformative journey of working on them. Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce Not sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapter Who Am I? Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him.  Follow me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/ My co-hosts: Ren Jones https://www.instagram.com/fitnessjonestraining/ Amber Reynolds https://www.instagram.com/amberreynolds.me/ Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribe Get my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerds Join my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreen Timestamps 0:00 Jonathan Goodman introduction 0:33 Personal Reflection on Post-Book Depression 1:06 The Portuguese Fisherman Parable 5:18 The Paradox of Process vs Outcome 6:20 Reflection on Ghost-Written Books vs Personal Writing 7:52 The Obvious Choice Book Release Experience 9:35 Dealing with Unexpected Depression 11:14 Learning from the Experience & Getting Back to Work 15:53 Story About the Wealthy Oil Businessman 17:35 Retirement & Finding Purpose 19:55 "Boring Not Vacant" Concept 21:18 Critique of Living Without Projects 23:20 Story About Friend's Movie Podcast 24:34 Reflections on High School Friends' Reunion & Closing

    26 min
  3. FEB 12

    318 I The Simple Way To Scale Your Business to 7 Figures I The Obvious Choice Podcast (HOT SEAT)

    In this episode, I talk Julian through his plans of scaling his business. We discuss the fundamental questions to ask yourself, productizing your business, going all in on your business, and more.  Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce Not sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapter Who Am I? Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him.  Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribe Get my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerds Join my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreen Follow me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/ Timestamps 0:00 Julian Introduction 1:38 Where do you feel the biggest pull?  7:15 Why do you want to make 7 figures? 8:14 The fundamental question to ask 12:21 Productitizing your business 18:44 My favorite exercise to do

    20 min
  4. FEB 10

    317 I Building a Real Business vs. Building a Following I The Obvious Choice Podcast

    In this conversation, I reveal the pivotal $10,000 decision that shaped my career path and eye-opening insights from launching my new book "The Obvious Choice."  From social media's false promises to the counter-intuitive truths of building lasting success, this episode challenges conventional wisdom about what it really takes to build a sustainable business in today's digital age. Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce (Not sure if you want to get the book yet, that's okay, you can get a free sample of "The Obvious Choice: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapter) My co-hosts: Ren Jones https://www.instagram.com/fitnessjonestraining/ Amber Reynolds https://www.instagram.com/amberreynolds.me/ Who Am I? Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him.  Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribe Get my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerds Join my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreen Follow me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/ Timestamps 0:00 Episode Introduction 2:47 Jonathan has to pause for his son Jaden bringing lunch 3:30 Story about Ignite the Fire and early publishing decision 14:04 Modern social media marketing 22:25 Gym sales conversion rates discussion 26:23 Social media influencers vs thought leaders discussion 34:00 Balancing short-term vs long-term projects 45:04 Book launch results and reception 51:52 Lessons learned from book launch 59:47 Final thoughts on being self-reliant

    59 min
  5. FEB 5

    316 I Mindfully Recreating Your Marketing I The Obvious Choice Podcast (HOT SEAT)

    This week on the podcast I spoke with Jason about him writing his new book, how to recreate his marketing, and much more. Enjoy! Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce (Not sure if you want to get the book yet, that's okay, you can get a free sample of "The Obvious Choice: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapter) Who Am I? Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him.  Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribe Get my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerds Join my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreen Follow me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/ Timestamps 0:00 Jason Introduction 0:28 Book Publishing Details 1:33 - Audiobook Production Discussion 3:01 - Marketing Strategy Discussion 5:19 - Digital Strategy Development 6:38 - Marketing Implementation Plan 8:18 - Landing Page Strategy 11:04 - Email Marketing Strategy 14:29 - Implementation and Scale 15:37 - Technical Implementation 16:33 - Workflow Integration

    18 min
  6. FEB 3

    315 I The Power of More Good Friends in Your Life I The Obvious Choice Podcast

    Today we're diving into something I've wanted to talk about for a long time: adult friendship. This is probably one of the most important and least understood topics that can massively impact your quality of life. And I've got some pretty strong opinions on it – opinions that might seem a bit counterintuitive at first. Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce HOW - Rate/review this podcast, take a screenshot, and send it to obviouschoicepod@gmail.com Hosts: Jonathan Goodman https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ Ren Jones https://www.instagram.com/fitnessjonestraining/ Amber Reynolds https://www.instagram.com/amberreynolds.me/ Every Friday, over 75,000 jacked nerds (just like you) read 5-Reps Friday, my newsletter with actionable tips on marketing, health, books, and earning more www.5repsfriday.com  The Obvious Choice podcast is presented by QuickCoach - free, professional software for fitness and nutrition coaches that elevates the value of what you do. Join 41,000+ coaches and get your account today at www.quickcoach.fit. Timestamps 0:00 Friendship introduction 1:00 Audiobook narration and author readings 2:31 Adult friendship topic 6:06 Aristotle's three types of friendship 8:46 The importance of true friendship and time management 13:30 "Cameo friends" and guilt in relationships 15:24 Kindergarten friendships lasting through life 20:15 Parasocial relationships 24:43 Converting online friendship to real connection 28:12 Building community in different locations 33:13 The value of acquaintances and casual connections 41:10 Work-life balance and friendship priorities 47:19 Maintaining friendships

    51 min
  7. JAN 29

    314 I Timing Your Coaching Practice's Growth I The Obvious Choice Podcast (HOT SEAT)

    In today's episode, we're diving deep with Kim, a women's empowerment coach who's mastered the art of balancing a high-powered NASA career with a thriving coaching practice. What fascinates me about Kim's business is that it's what I call an 'avocado business' - where timing is everything - and today we're going to unpack exactly what that means and how to market it effectively. Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce HOW - Rate/review this podcast, take a screenshot, and send it to obviouschoicepod@gmail.com Host: Jonathan Goodman https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ Every Friday, over 75,000 jacked nerds (just like you) read 5-Reps Friday, my newsletter with actionable tips on marketing, health, books, and earning more www.5repsfriday.com  The Obvious Choice podcast is presented by QuickCoach - free, professional software for fitness and nutrition coaches that elevates the value of what you do. Join 41,000+ coaches and get your account today at www.quickcoach.fit. Timestamps 0:00 Introductions and background 0:38 Kim's coaching journey and niche evolution 1:17 Target audience and coaching approach 2:30 Building an engaged following over time 3:30 Balancing NASA career with coaching 4:48 Challenges with scaling and time management 5:29 The "Avocado Business" concept 7:24 Speaking to moments vs. ideas 9:12 Discussion of business models and group coaching 11:42 Strategies for group programs 13:42 Creating targeted content and wait lists 16:39 Integrating different program offerings 18:17 Final advice on starting small

    19 min
  8. JAN 27

    313 I Breaking Phone Addiction (That Actually Work) I The Obvious Choice Podcast

    Email isn't really a task - it's where tasks go to accumulate, and your phone isn't really a tool anymore - it's become an appendage that's designed to hack your primal brain. I don't believe discipline alone can work when it comes to controlling these devices, and that's why we need a set of clear rules and structures to keep them from controlling us.  Today on The Obvious Choice podcast, we're diving into some practical rules for taking back control of your phone and email usage, because if you're going to show up somewhere - whether it's for dinner with friends or time with your kids - you better actually be there. Episodes referenced in this episode: Episode 187: "Boosting Productivity with Well-being" featuring Dr. Gloria Mark https://youtu.be/_kHLi2zUSTQ?si=xOuVlQJShZOC6azb Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzce HOW - Rate/review this podcast, take a screenshot, and send it to obviouschoicepod@gmail.com Hosts: Jonathan Goodman https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ Ren Jones https://www.instagram.com/fitnessjonestraining/ Amber Reynolds https://www.instagram.com/amberreynolds.me/ Every Friday, over 75,000 jacked nerds (just like you) read 5-Reps Friday, my newsletter with actionable tips on marketing, health, books, and earning more www.5repsfriday.com  The Obvious Choice podcast is presented by QuickCoach - free, professional software for fitness and nutrition coaches that elevates the value of what you do. Join 41,000+ coaches and get your account today at www.quickcoach.fit Timestamps 0:00 The Obvious Choice Intro 0:45 Discussion about why discipline alone can't work with phones 2:25 The "leave your phone at the door" rule and its importance 3:18 Discussion about puzzles and coloring books as alternatives 4:23 Personal story about art class and coloring with his son 5:15 Conversation about adult vs. children's coloring books 7:24 Discussion about being authentically yourself 8:10 Tangent about food preferences and dining habits 9:45 Humorous discussion about Black Friday posts 10:14 Tangent about "Black Jeep Owners" group 12:25 Return to phone rules: saying "I love you" before checking phone 13:29 Discussion about phones at dinner tables and restaurant solutions 14:36 Tangent about credit card roulette and wealthy people's habits 15:52 Rule about not holding phone during conversations 17:47 Story about acknowledging children immediately when they speak 19:58 Rule about setting phone to black and white 22:33 Alternative solutions for managing social media usage 25:45 Discussion about social media strategy and audience building 26:22 Tips for organizing phone home screen 29:25 Email organization strategies and folder system 31:58 Discussion about email management and inbox organization 34:05 Rule about new subject lines for new email threads 35:39 The "touch it once" rule for email management

    37 min
4.7
out of 5
94 Ratings

About

Forget becoming an influencer. This podcast is for people searching for a simpler way to make more money, help more people, and have more freedom. No matter who you are and no matter what you sell, your customer is a human. And yet, marketing these days feels so (in)human. Filled with frameworks, entertaining stories, and admittedly bad-Dad jokes, The Obvious Choice is a much-needed recalibration and, at times, a refreshing slap for a business generation that’s lost its way. New episodes ship out Mondays along with short, business hotseats every Wednesday.

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