Build and Scale Your Online Fitness Business

Online Trainer Mentorship
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Build & Scale is the go-to podcast for personal trainers and fitness coaches ready to grow profitable online businesses. Hosted by Jon Vlahogiannakos of the Online Trainer Mentorship, this show delivers real-world client case studies, step-by-step business strategies, content tips, and scalable systems that help you attract clients, increase revenue, and ditch burnout. If you want freedom and income through online coaching, this podcast is for you.

  1. May 27

    5 Reasons Trainers Haven't Gone Online Yet (And What's Really Going On)

    You've been telling yourself you don't have time, you're not ready, or you don't want to be salesy. This episode breaks down the five real reasons in-person trainers haven't gone online yet, why those reasons almost never match what's actually going on, and what it actually takes to get moving. Jon pulls no punches, draws direct parallels between the excuses coaches make and the ones their own clients use, and gives a clear picture of what the path forward actually looks like. Takeaways "I don't have time" is almost always a priority problem, not a time problemReadiness is a feeling, not a status, and it comes after you start, not beforeConfusion and overwhelm are not the same thing, and the answer to overwhelm is never inactionFailed attempts usually trace back to a vague offer and skipped follow-up, not the trainer's abilitySelling is not manipulation, it is offering to solve a problem for someone who already has itTimestamps 00:01 -- Welcome and episode framing00:45 -- The "I don't have time" objection and why it's a priority problem02:23 -- What it actually means when coaches say they don't have time02:58 -- The "I'm not ready" belief and why it's the most expensive one in the industry04:00 -- Jon's own story: first three clients, no website, March 202005:00 -- The mirror moment: you tell your clients the same thing06:07 -- "I don't know where to start" and why there's too much information, not too little08:00 -- The content mistake: training clips vs. solving the right problems09:16 -- "I tried and it didn't work" and what actually went wrong11:24 -- Why posting and waiting doesn't sign clients11:59 -- The DM follow-up and the green light system13:33 -- Parallels between building online coaching and coaching fitness clients14:02 -- "I don't want to be salesy" and where that fear actually comes from16:03 -- What the conversation actually looks like when it's done right18:18 -- Gym floor conversations vs. DM conversations: same thing CTA Ready to stop sitting on it? Register for the free live workshop, How to Sign Your First 3 to 5 Online Clients in 7 Days, on June 2nd. Spots are limited and registration closes May 31st. Book a strategy call with our teamFollow us on Instagram: @onlinetrainermentorship ----- online fitness coaching, in-person trainer going online, how to get online coaching clients, fitness coach excuses, online trainer mindset, fitness business growth, online coaching offer, DM strategy for coaches, fitness coach sales, how to start online coaching

    18 min

  2. May 20

    How Trainers Can Sign Their First Online Clients

    Most trainers who try to go online are not missing skills, certifications, or experience. They're missing a specific offer someone can actually say yes to. In this episode, Jon shares the exact seven-day challenge he ran in March 2020 that signed his first three online clients, kickstarted his mentorship, and took his business from $60K in-person to $60K, $104K, and $120K online in back-to-back years. Takeaways -- Building a website, growing a following, and redesigning your brand are not the path to your first online client. A specific offer is. -- Waiting until you feel ready is what keeps most trainers stuck. Readiness comes after the action, not before it. -- The post opens the door. 90% of enrollments happen in the follow-up, not from people DMing you first. -- The founding client model is not about discounting your value. It is about buying data and momentum with a low barrier offer. -- One client is still with Jon six years later. It started with a $197, 60-day offer. Timestamps -- 00:02 -- Why trainers who go online struggle to sign their first client-- 01:29 -- The real problem: a missing offer, not missing skills-- 02:48 -- Jon's story: in-person comfort, pandemic shutdown, and no choice-- 05:09 -- From $60K in-person to $60K, $104K, and $120K all online-- 06:18 -- What trainers do instead of fixing their offer-- 08:02 -- What the actual business looked like in March 2020-- 15:13 -- What happened day by day in the seven-day challenge-- 17:12 -- Why $197 was the right price and what it led to-- 19:36 -- The gap: specificity of offer and willingness to follow up-- 20:31 -- The pressure that forced the action-- 21:23 -- The free workshop on June 2nd and what you will walk away with We are running a free live workshop on June 2nd at 1pm EST -- How to Sign 3-5 Online Fitness Coaching Clients in the Next 7 Days. One hour on Zoom. You will leave with a specific offer drafted, a DM closing framework, and a 7-day action plan. Registration link below. [WORKSHOP REGISTRATION LINK] Follow us on Instagram: @onlinetrainermentorship ----- online fitness coaching, online personal trainer, how to get online coaching clients, personal trainer business, fitness business growth, online trainer, fitness coach, founding client model, how to go online as a trainer, personal training business

    21 min

  3. May 13

    Why Experienced Trainers Stay Stuck (And What It's Costing Them)

    The most experienced coaches in the fitness industry are often earning the least online. Not because they lack skill or knowledge -- because they've been avoiding three specific decisions that are quietly costing them tens of thousands of dollars a year. This episode breaks down exactly what those decisions are, what it costs to keep avoiding them, and three questions designed to force the conversation you've been postponing. Timestamps -- 00:08 The uncomfortable truth about experienced coaches who are stuck  -- 01:48 The pattern: 10 to 15 years in, a few clients, $150 to $250 a month, content that isn't working  -- 02:40 Why buying a new program feels like action but isn't  -- 03:30 What coaches who are actually scaling do differently  -- 04:12 How experience works against you: the mental filing cabinet  -- 05:12 What separates you from coaches earning more isn't knowledge  -- 05:33 Decision one: who are you for (the niche conversation you're tired of having)  -- 07:16 Why "motivated people who want to get fit" is not a niche  -- 08:11 The one honest question that gives you your starting point  -- 09:04 Decision two: what you charge, and the real reason the number hasn't changed  -- 09:51 The rejection math: what a price objection is actually telling you  -- 11:00 The $12,000 a year gap hiding in one number  -- 12:08 The line that tells you whether the decision has actually been made  -- 12:36 Decision three: whether to ask for help  -- 13:41 Why experienced coaches keep getting burned and what to do about it  -- 14:38 How to tell whether you have a knowledge gap or an execution gap  -- 15:14 Three questions designed to surface the decision you've been avoiding  -- 17:36 What it means if the answer to the accountability question is "a lot would change"  -- 18:08 The pattern this episode is about, and what it costs to repeat it  -- 19:27 Sustainable growth doesn't come from finding better information Ready to stop preparing and start building? Book a free strategy call Follow OTM on Instagram: @onlinetrainermentorship ---- experienced fitness coaches stuck online, online trainer business growth, niche selection fitness coach, pricing online coaching, fitness coach decision making, accountability in coaching business, online trainer mentorship, build and scale online fitness business

    17 min

  4. May 6

    The Real Reason Your Coaching Business Isn't Growing

    Most fitness coaches and trainers are stuck because they're not acting on what they already know. In this episode, Jon Vlahogiannakos breaks down the implementation gap -- the widening distance between knowing what to do and actually doing it -- and why experienced coaches and trainers are the ones most likely to fall into this trap. He walks through the three specific forms of execution resistance that keep coaches from moving forward, and gives you three questions you can answer right now to identify exactly what's in your way. Timestamps 00:00 -- Introduction: the implementation gap nobody is talking about01:20 -- Why the fitness industry keeps building frameworks for coaches who were never stuck on the framework02:00 -- The three forms execution resistance actually takes in real life03:10 -- Execution resistance 1: premature perfection and why your offer doesn't need to be finished to be sold05:10 -- Execution resistance 2: borrowed urgency and waiting for the right moment that never comes07:00 -- The disconnect between what you tell your clients and what you're doing in your own business07:55 -- Execution resistance 3: solo execution and why accountability is the gap most coaches won't admit to09:45 -- Three questions to answer right now that can change the trajectory of your business12:55 -- The real differentiator in the coaching space right now14:00 -- The one action most coaches listening can take today Ready to build the business behind your coaching? ⁠Book a free assessment call ⁠ Follow OTM on Instagram: ⁠@onlinetrainermentorship --- online fitness coaching, fitness business growth, implementation gap, execution resistance, fitness coach accountability, online trainer business, fitness coach stuck, how to get online coaching clients, fitness coaching business tips, build and scale online fitness business

    13 min

  5. Apr 29

    Why Your Clients Don't Renew (The One Thing You're Missing)

    In this episode, Jon Vlahogiannakos breaks down the most predictable revenue leak in an online coaching business: clients who finish a 12-week program and walk away. Most coaches treat client delivery as fulfillment and the renewal as a week-12 sales pitch. Both are the wrong frame. Renewal is decided somewhere between week six and week ten, and by the time the program is ending, the client has already made up their mind. This episode walks through the math behind client churn, why the checkpoint call is the structural fix that changes a coaching business, how to run the conversation when a client is winning, what to do when a client is struggling, and why a 50% renewal rate changes the entire shape of the business. Timestamps -- 00:00 Why we're talking about renewals this week-- 00:45 The math: 10 clients at $2,000, how many actually re-sign-- 01:30 Why online coaching feels like a treadmill, not a business-- 02:05 What most coaches do around week 10 or 11, and why it doesn't work-- 02:40 The real cost of no renewal system: 0%, 25%, and 50% renewal rate math-- 03:30 Why coaches treat delivery as fulfillment instead of a revenue channel-- 03:50 When clients actually decide whether to renew-- 04:40 Why the week 12 pitch feels desperate, because it is-- 05:14 The checkpoint call: the single most important structural fix-- 05:30 Where the checkpoint call lives in the client journey-- 06:00 What the checkpoint call actually is, and what it isn't-- 06:30 The best time to have the conversation: when they're winning-- 06:50 The kid asking a parent analogy-- 07:30 The structure of the checkpoint call: what to ask and what to listen for-- 08:17 Listening for what they still want but haven't achieved yet-- 09:00 Reassessing the plan on a 1 to 10 scale-- 09:30 Pricing the renewal: 2 to 3x the signature program for 12 months-- 10:20 Drop the price, mute the mic, let them answer-- 10:55 What to do when a client isn't winning-- 11:30 The one-time, case-dependent exception (don't use it as a crutch)-- 12:30 Homework step one: audit every current client-- 13:30 What to do if you run a month-to-month model-- 14:00 Homework step two: schedule checkpoint calls for every current client-- 14:46 Homework step three: build it into the kickoff call from now on-- 15:41 Why a 50% renewal rate changes the entire business-- 16:33 The blunt question: what's actually holding you back-- 17:20 Will Marshall's 25-30 client roster doing six figures because of renewals Ready to build the business behind your coaching? Book a free assessment call Follow OTM on Instagram: @onlinetrainermentorship --- Client renewals, the checkpoint call, signature program to legacy program transitions, client retention strategies, coaching business math, renewal scripts, online fitness coaching business growth, pricing a legacy program.

    17 min

  6. Apr 22

    The 3 Standards Every Trainer's Signature Program Needs

    In this episode, Jon Vlahogiannakos breaks down why most online coaching offers don't sell, and what it actually takes to turn a generic program into a premium signature offer. The problem almost never starts on the enrollment call. It starts with the offer itself. When what you're selling is a description instead of a promise, you end up competing on price with every other coach in the space. This episode walks through the three standards every signature program has to meet, the difference between a hard promise and a soft promise, the naming choices that make an offer speak directly to an avatar, and how to pitch it on an enrollment call so the client sees themselves in what you're selling. Timestamps -- 00:00 The enrollment call where you feel the prospect slip away-- 02:45 Why coaches blame the call, the price, or themselves, but never the offer-- 05:06 Descriptions vs offers, and why "I help people get in shape" doesn't belong in your bio-- 06:00 Why a bad offer makes content, DMs, calls, and renewals harder-- 06:45 Standard 1: It solves a big problem-- 07:25 The gut check: would they pay double if you genuinely solved it-- 07:50 Standard 2: it's unique to you-- 08:45 Standard 3: sells what they want, delivers what they need-- 09:18 Why this isn't manipulation, and the dentist analogy-- 09:50 Hard promises vs soft promises-- 10:48 The measurement test and getting specific-- 11:45 Naming the program: put the avatar in the name, add the promise-- 13:06 Why the Strong John Shred had to become the Fit Parent Blueprint-- 14:20 Homework step one: write your promise in one sentence-- 14:55 Homework step two: rename the program in the client's language-- 16:30 Homework step three: say it out loud until it stops feeling uncomfortable-- 17:14 Pitching it on the call: stop reading the menu-- 18:19 Active listening and connecting the program to what they actually said-- 20:00 Why AI can build workouts, and what makes your offer different-- 20:46 Why every problem in a coaching business traces back to the offer-- 21:59 What's next: keeping clients past 12 weeks Ready to build the business behind your coaching? Book a free assessment call Follow OTM on Instagram: @onlinetrainermentorship --- Online coaching business growth, signature program design, premium pricing, offer clarity, hard promise vs soft promise, how to name a fitness program, enrollment call pitch, fitness coaching business strategy.

    19 min

  7. Apr 15

    How to Scale an Online Fitness Coaching Business: Will's Six-Figure Story

    Will went from $1,500 a month and no systems to a multiple six-figure business with a growing team, a paid-off car, a house, and nearly zero student loan debt. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how that happened, what almost derailed it, and what coaches who are already making money still get wrong about building a sustainable online business. Timestamps -00:00 Who is Will Marshall-01:40 How the online coaching business started: a podcast, a one-way ticket, and an Excel sheet-04:35 The Portugal chapter and why it forced the business question-07:55 Already making $10K months but still missing the foundation-10:07 Three record months in a row after joining OTM-11:17 The renewal problem: why a 25 percent renewal rate was not a client problem-13:20 Switching to a 24-week program and what it did for retention-15:29 Growing revenue without growing the roster-16:24 Presenting paid-in-full pricing and how it changed the year-19:20 Legacy program evolution and why PIFs in the $5K range became possible-20:49 Running six figures without 60-hour weeks-22:12 Work boundaries and the paradox of discipline creating more freedom-27:19 Why Will resisted building a team for so long-29:58 Hiring a setter and what changed in the DMs-31:07 Zooming out: paid off $40K in student loans, bought a house, investments in a good spot-34:37 What coaches who are stalled actually need to hear-35:36 Start with the 4Cs: tracking is the foundation, not a nice-to-have-37:44 How to handle the slow months without spiraling-39:17 What took longest to get right: the client experience-41:19 One thing he would do differently from day one: DM earlier, DM consistently-42:46 Best piece of advice from inside OTM,-45:01 What success looks like in five years, not the revenue number Ready to build the business behind your coaching? Book a free assessment call with OTM here Online coaching business growth strategies for fitness coaches who want clients, systems, and a business built to last.

    46 min

  8. Apr 8

    The Real Reason Your DM Conversations Are Going Nowhere w/Jeff Dalzell

    Jeff Dalzell is OTM's conversations coach, and he has one message for coaches who are avoiding their DMs or watching them go nowhere: the problem is not your offer, it is not your price, and it is not the script. It is that you are showing up as a salesperson instead of a person. In this episode, Jeff breaks down the most common DM mistakes he sees coaches make, why answering questions in the DMs is actually a disservice to your prospect, how the green, yellow, and red light system works in practice, and what it actually takes to move someone from a cold follow to a paying client over time. Timestamps:-- 00:00 Meet Jeff Dalzell, OTM's conversations coach-- 02:10 The most common DM mistake coaches make when they first join OTM-- 06:15 Why coaches avoid DMs entirely and how to start without feeling like an MLM rep-- 09:39 The image consulting story: what happens when you never talk to your audience-- 15:28 Be a person, not a script: the grocery store analogy-- 21:44 Why coaching in the DMs is actually bad for the prospect-- 24:28 Give away the what. Coaching is the how.-- 26:42 The triage framework: DMs are emergency room, calls are the surgical consult-- 30:17 The green, yellow, and red light system explained-- 36:50 How to move people from red to yellow to green over time-- 37:57 The client Jeff followed for three years before she signed-- 47:32 The tough question: what coaches do not want to hear about their DMs-- 49:32 Rapid fire: "I don't want to be salesy," worst DMs, and the content vs. conversations experiment-- 51:37 What happens when you stop posting for a month and just do DMs-- 53:00 The student making 15K with 1,300 followers and six posts Ready to find out what is actually holding your coaching business back? Book a free business assessment call with the OTM team here ---- DM strategy for fitness coaches, online fitness business, how to get coaching clients, fitness coach conversations, OTM podcast, lead generation for coaches, sales calls fitness business

    53 min
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About

Build & Scale is the go-to podcast for personal trainers and fitness coaches ready to grow profitable online businesses. Hosted by Jon Vlahogiannakos of the Online Trainer Mentorship, this show delivers real-world client case studies, step-by-step business strategies, content tips, and scalable systems that help you attract clients, increase revenue, and ditch burnout. If you want freedom and income through online coaching, this podcast is for you.

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