Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kelan Ern, founder of Elite Life Coaching, located in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA.

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

I help people restore their mobility, flexibility, and balance, so they have the foundation to get into the best shape of their life. I'm a hybrid between a traditional personal trainer and a physical therapist. Each year thousands of people get motivated to lose weight, so they start running or hitting the weights. What happens? Many people end up burning themselves out or hurting themselves. That's because most people have underlying mobility and movement problems but don't realize it - until their knee or back is killing them. I help people restore their movement, and athleticism and get them into the best shape of their life.

Tell us about yourself

I love showing people what's possible and providing them with tools and progressions to take them there. There is an athlete in each and every one of us, and I love showing others how to bring it out. More importantly, I love when they start inspiring others to do the same.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Helping clients in their 60's and 70's surpass the strength and athleticism of people in their 30s and even 20s. The potential for strength and endurance is enormous at all ages, but people either a) don't believe it's possible or b) don't have the proper guidance for how to get there.

One of my biggest accomplishments would also be having the opportunity to do wellness presentations and seminars for corporations - and the opportunity to travel multiple times to Japan to speak and consult. Moral of the story: You never know who will open a door for you. Be ready to seize the opportunity.

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

It's easy to drift towards the activities that come easily to you - but for your business to grow, you have to find the higher-value activities and focus more time and attention on those. Early on, it was very easy to get distracted and pulled into low-value activities.

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

  1. Become obsessed with understanding your clients. Understand their struggles, frustrations, and aspirations. It's easy to brush over this and say, 'Yeah, I've heard this before.' Literally write out the frustrations, concerns, and upsets you hear from them. When you have this information and can articulate it back to them, you build an enormous amount of rapport, and you know how to serve them better. Plus, when you discover this information, it makes your writing, content creation, and product creation 10x easier.
  2. Constantly find better ways to meet their needs. Innovation is great, but only if it's something your clients actually value (that's why the first tip is so important). Look for better and better ways to serve your clients but make sure it's in-line with what they want or will help them get the results they want.
  3. Re-read books/programs. In today's information overload society, there's no limit to what you can learn from books, ebooks, courses, and programs. Not all are created equal. Even free information can be expensive if it leads you down the wrong path. Pick your teachers wisely. Invest in the skills you need. Then re-read them. Keep re-reading them until you gain mastery. Each time you revisit the material will bring something new and compel you actually to implement what you are learning. As a business owner, Good to Great and The E-Myth are essential readings. They are the equivalent to potentially hundreds of business books combined.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Being a business owner is not for the timid; if you decide to join this group of "warriors," I commend you. It's not easy, and not everyone will support you on this journey. Keep learning, keep connecting with like-minded people, and keep finding ways to serve your clients, and you will start to get your footing and make the impact you want.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.elitelifecoaching.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kelanern
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelan-ern-7125183b/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.