Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amy Gumbs, founder of Train With Amy, located in Baltimore, MD, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am an online personal trainer. I work with women who want to learn how to lift weights, build a consistent workout routine, and have fun. A benefit to working online is that I have clients all over the world, from Chicago to New York to London. I have two predominant demographics. Women in their late 20's/early 30's who have never strength trained before and want to learn. Additionally, I train women in an older group in their 50's-60's who want to age well, build strength, and improve balance. I teach my clients to use kettlebells and Animal Flow (a bodyweight style of training). I've influenced 80% of my clients to buy a kettlebell. My goal is to help women build strength and confidence in a way they enjoy.
Tell us about yourself
I studied kinesiology at the University of Maryland. In school, I took a class on personal training and enjoyed writing workouts for my friends. I moved to Chicago in 2016 and decided to try out personal training as a career. Here we are six years later; I love it. For three years, I worked at a luxury fitness studio. There I learned the keys to running a successful business and serving my clients well. In April of 2020, when everyone was in lockdown, I started my online training business, Train with Amy. I knew I could help people continue to move while we were in our homes. I thought it would be temporary. As a surprise to me, I found that my clients were more consistent and comfortable training at home. I have been in business now for two years.
My favorite moment when training is when I show a client a new exercise, and they hesitantly remark, "you really think I can do that?". I enthusiastically reply, "YES" and then they do it, and they're shocked. You are stronger than you think you are; I love helping others realize this truth.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a business owner, I celebrated my two-year anniversary in April 2022. To run a business that has grown month over month is a huge personal accomplishment. My income has doubled each year which is wild. When I launched, as with many businesses, things were rocky, some months busier than others. I have a core group of clients that plan to train with me long-term. This is a testament to the growth and progress they see week in and week out. I am honored that they continue to trust me with their fitness journey.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It can be very lonely. I am an independent business owner, I am the only employee, and I work from home. I know this is a list of luxuries, and I am very humbled to be in this position. This list does bring isolation. I used to train in a large gym setting. I enjoyed my co-workers; with that, I could bounce ideas and work out. Over the next year, I hope to build more community with other entrepreneurs and personal trainers in my area.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- START. Send an email to friends and family to know announcing your launch. You don't need a beautiful website or even a business name that you'll keep long term. If you have the knowledge, skill, and motivation to start, do it. Don't talk yourself out of it.
- RUN - ok, so now that you started, get organized. Figure out your system for onboarding new clients, payments, and client communication. As you develop this system, write everything down in a list. It sounds silly, but it will make your life easier to not have to worry about forgetting a step. My husband (a software developer) and I built an app that automates this for me, Trainer Vision. Figure out what works for you and make it as simple as possible.
- GROW - consistency and patience. It takes time to build momentum. For me, it took about five months until I was consistently hitting my income goals. If you run a service business, clients' schedules, availability, and income will flux. You need to continue to market yourself, so you're not surprised or lacking one month that 2 of your clients are out.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Pick something that lights you up inside. There are many problems to solve, and working on them will be exhausting at times. It won't always be exciting, and it will be easy to quit, especially if it's just you. Pick something that you know, without a doubt, needs to be in the world, and you need to be the one providing it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://amy.trainervision.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gumbs.amy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.gumbs/
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.