Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fitness coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jason Ingham, Business Owner of BID Health and Performance, located in Nepean, Ontario, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

BID Health and Performance is an online fitness coaching company and boutique personal training gym based in the west end of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. BID Helps busy leaders and go-getters build bodies they're proud of while doing what they love. BID stands for "bring it daily", a reminder that our daily actions shape our lives and to give our best effort daily, whatever that may be.

Tell us about yourself

I like to think my job is helping people live life better, on their terms, one day at a time, and having fun doing it. That's what training has done for me for more than two decades.

My fitness journey began like most, with simply wanting to look and feel better in my skin. I fell in love with exploring what my body was capable of, which eventually led me to strength sports. The training helped me build confidence and self-esteem. It also provided a measure of control over my life and circumstances that nothing else could, acting as an anchor to weather difficult times and a vehicle for some lessons like the importance of goals, acceptance, hard work, and persistence.

I've repeatedly seen similar effects in my clients, and that is what keeps me excited and motivated about what I do every day. I came into personal training as a second career starting in a typical large commercial gym setting. Like many, I was a trainer for several years, and I naturally progressed into different management roles.
During that time, I noticed opportunities to better serve and support clients, which most gyms were not keen on or able to adapt on a wide scale. Leveraging emerging software to provide a better, more comprehensive approach to training and focusing on the holistic needs of clients like making lifestyle and habits changes outside of the gym. Most gyms and coaches focus their efforts on the 3 hours per week clients are physically present, but I found the results of those efforts are mostly dictated by the other 165 hours outside of the gym. I wanted to do things differently.

BID was born in 2015 before online coaching was new and cool. It was my solution to providing a better, more accessible coaching experience for those who wanted the guidance, accountability, and support of working with an expert personal trainer without the scheduling, location, or cost limitations of traditional one-on-one training. I still offer one on one personal training at BID Headquarters, but one that focuses on the holistic needs of every client we work with, along with the support of modern software to provide clients the flexibility and knowledge they need for ongoing sustainable success.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The past two years of the pandemic have been immensely challenging in the fitness space, with many businesses being decimated or shuttering during that span. BID not only survived but grew and evolved from a strictly online business into a brick-and-mortar space due in no small part to the support of our amazing client base. Navigating these turbulent times has so far been my most defining moment as a business owner and one I'm extremely proud of.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

How and where to allocate your time and resources for the most impact is the greatest challenge for any business owner. Deciding between working on the business, in the business, pursuing your learning, and juggling your personal well-being.

Fitness plays a critical role in this, as a healthy body allows for clear thinking, better stress tolerance, and endurance when it's needed. You will always be the bottleneck for your business, as your business depends on you. So the better you operate, the better your business will.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Just start - For most, starting doesn't require you to quit your day job if you have one. Starting a business requires nothing more than an idea and a market to test it. Both are freely available in our networks and on the internet. Stop thinking. Find your first client.
  2. Do great work - Nothing substitutes for doing great work. It may not start great, but the pursuit of doing great work will allow your business the capability to be great.
  3. Share your work - Make sure everyone knows you do great work. Talk about your business, what you do, who you help, how you help them, and share the work you've done. The biggest mistake I've made over time in my business is not talking enough about my business to either not be "salesy" or assuming that great work speaks for itself. Do great work and let people know about it.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

When times are tough, remember why you started. Try to enjoy the successes a little before you move on to the next milestone. Have faith in your ability to figure things out, humility to ask for help when you need it, and courage to keep taking action. You got this. Bring it daily.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.bringitdaily.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.ingham84/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bringitdaily/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoningham/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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