Our first guest for this season is none other than David Welch.
David Welch has over 11 years of experience as a personal trainer, he is the Fitness First National PT of the Year and is an educator at Level Up Continuing Education.
In this episode, Richard and David talk about the different skills a PT should have to last long in the fitness industry. They also touched on a few marketing tips so you can show up as your best self as a personal trainer and get the right clients. Take a listen!
If you like this episode be sure to subscribe to the Marketing Muscle Up Podcast by clicking here.
Transcription:
Welcome back to the marketing muscle up podcast show. This is the show we hope you grow your fitness and wellness studio, fitness and wellness, personal training business, or gym. And in today’s episode, it is all about education. That’s what I’m talking about today. Um, over the period of probably two years, there’s a lot of things that have changed in the education space.
And I want to kind of. Bring that to your attention, a little bit of how your producing and how you’re growing as a fitness pro. And there’s a amazing new platform, uh, just about to come into the marketplace. And, um, this platform is pretty unique because it’s bringing pretty much the best to the table in a, in a brand new, different way.
And I’ve got the, one of the co-founders this brand David Welsh, joining me. Welcome to the. Yo, yo yo, thanks for having me. Yeah. Good to have you. Now you understand the game of PT because this is where you came from. Dave wasn’t at Euro. You’ve been a PT started in fitness first 10 years. You’re doing the 60 sessions a week.
Um, you know, understand the game, national PT, uh, national PT of the year, uh, in Sydney bay. Um, and you’ve been, you know, doing the grind, doing the work, but you’ve also built up a network of, of experts that, um, that you, that you call on to get your information over the years too. And now you bring in a more together.
Um, tell me, tell me your background a little bit. Um, you know, why you got in the industry for, and what’s going on. I think that Batman is pretty simple. I’m a people person. I like to be around people. I’m not one of those people that can be, you know, stuck behind a desk all day. I’d go insane. Um, you know, finished school.
And first thing I think that I thought that, you know, how can I hang around a lot of people and try and be cool. I’ve spent, you know, uh, almost 11, 12 years as a bouncer in Sydney’s Kings cross and Oxford street. And, um, I’ve seen it all in front of me and I’ve witnessed a lot of things. The thing that I loved about being a gentleman though, is just, you know, the opportunity to engage with a lot of people make a lot of new friends.
Um, you know, there is a dark side to being a dormant as well. And that’s, that’s, uh, that will generally test you out, uh, whether you are you’re up for that type of stuff. Um, but the skill of a really good domain is they’re great communicates. If you’re a really, really good dormant, you’ll be able to diffuse the situation.
Really really quickly. Cause if not, you’re gonna spend the whole night fighting people. And, uh, we’re talking about, we’re talking about that. The mentors, Kings cross doormen, being able to diffuse situations and you know, what you’re suffering and, um, and if we have some time, I’d like, I’d love to go into the backstories and some stories around that, but maybe that’s for another podcast, but, uh, but, but you, you know, the, the question and we’re talking about.
You know, you being in this industry and you’re loving people when it’s interesting how you say this industry is all about people. A lot of people get that wrong. Um, because we were talking, I mean, we are gonna talk about education, but a lot of people get the fundamental thing wrong, which is, um, communication a hundred percent.
And, um, your F. Now being in this industry for a good part of 10 years, and you’ve seen something that you want to improve on. Let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about this new brand new platform you have coming up. It’s called the Fitwell education lab. And, um, and, uh, talk about that because that’s, you know, you, don’t just, you haven’t, you’ve got the best of the best on these plans.
And, um, you know, essentially it was hard to get, you know, you had to travel and go to an event and so forth, but you’ve put a board more than once and you’ve been able to communicate and get everybody on that same place what’s going on. Yeah, listen, um, you know, having been obviously a personal trainer for, you know, since 2007, uh, one of the most upsetting, it was upsetting things I used to always say was year in, year out, just how Savage and severe the dropout rate was for personal trainers, you know, within the first year.
Um, and you know, all of these young, you know, um, male and female China’s getting into and just. Full of hope full of expectations, and then just not realizing that okay. That it takes more than your biceps and your legs to, uh, to run, to run really an efficient business. And, um, you know, I thought, you know, I was lucky enough in 2010, uh, two international PE teacher of the year award with fitness first and, um, was given an opportunity then to, uh, speak at, at the, the rebranding of fitness first.
Uh, it seemed to be well-received and I kind of realized I could probably have a bigger impact. I know I love the impact that I had on my clients’ lives. Um, I love the impact that you know, that I could have on their kids. Cause they’re, I started training quarters for you, with their kids and just seeing the positive differences, you know, that physical activity in any type of manner can help.
Um, I enjoyed helping young trainers as well. Uh, so I thought let’s, let’s give it a go and let’s see what we can do in terms of education and myself and my business partner in our first venture, which was level up continuing education. We did that, but it didn’t do that. Well, COVID kicked in and we went right.
You know, We’ve already got a great network of, you know, of, of presenters on this platform. Um, and reaching out to those presenters again. Um, I guess when our charge to speak to them, the picture that was always going to be painted to them as I wanted out. To be respected a lot more. I wanted our personal trainers to be, you know, to have a job that other allied health professionals can respect.
And as long as we obviously stay within our lane. And, um, when I pitched that to many of the presenters, you know, and I guess I probably heard my passion and my sincerity for just having, um, uh, you know, the ability to try and improve. Everything that personal trainers do. Um, so yeah, the idea of net of Fitwell came about, uh Fitwell you know, we, it was an idea that popped into my head after having my first meeting with Terex.
Um, and you know, we, we knew that we wanted to do collaborate. We didn’t know what it looked like, and I’m a huge fan of collaboration. Uh I’m also, even when I was a personal trainer, I know what I know, but I know what I don’t know. And if I don’t know that I’m going to find people that do know it and they can, I’m going to learn from those people as well.
And that was kind of what led to fit. Well, I was watching something on Netflix and then I looked at Netflix and went, hang on a sec. That’s my. And I did a bit of research and just realized that in the U S and in the UK and throughout Asia, there wasn’t a subscription based model built like Netflix.
Anyway, went back to Tarik and said, I’ve got an idea. And, um, it’s literally just grown and evolved from there. And, uh, we were fortunate as is, uh, we, we literally only launched seven days ago. The idea of this platform is well, it’s affordable. You know, it’s less some $10 a week to give you unlimited access to our three major strings, which is a business and leadership, wellness, and mental health and, um, and movement.
And under that, you know, we want to, our job is to create a platform that any exercise professional can go to, uh, and just enjoy the entire library and the growing laundry, because we dropped content every week and you knew presenters every.
The failure, people would just love what you do. And so that’s what we were trying to do is okay. The starting price point is 39 95 a month. You know, and that comes with the bet, you know, starting off at about 14 presenters and it’ll still be the same price point. And by the end of the year, we’ll have close to 80 presenters on the platform.
And again, an option for personal trainers, even to explore areas that they maybe didn’t even consider learning about. Um, and then, then obviously maybe with you rich coming up there soon, you know, which is going to be on the business stream. Uh, again, it’s just an opportunity to collaborate and for people to hear what you have to teach on the platform and go.
I want to learn more about what rich does at Tom marketing. Let’s get over to Ray and network with him as well, so that, you know, everybody, everybody benefits from this. So, you know, where is the business benefit? The subscribers, most importantly benefit from it. Uh, and our affiliates also benefited from it as well.
Uh, so that’s how it will was created. And it was actually created because of our first business that didn’t do that well, but. If I don’t do that, well, I just talked to look at things and thinking, okay, what can I do better for the next one? And if it will has definitely proven to be a, um, a worthy project that no, we’re super proud to, you know, to put out into the marketplace and have people enjoy it.
Yeah. Awesome. And, um, yeah, that’s right. Uh, I am on the platform. And, um, what else is impressed about is that. What, you know, there’s a lot of, you know, with everything flat in the world, everybody can pull up a camera and shoot a video in this. There’s more content than you can keep up with the same age as we know.
Um, yet w what, what fit well is what I’m seeing here is that your, um, ensuring that the content is a one. To helpful three filmed and execute in a professional way. And it’s not just the whole mumbo jumbo put together. So people can really just go through and be clear if you know which strain they want to be in.
And most importantly, making sure that there is quality. Um, you know, quality experts there. So they’re not, you know, they know that, okay, they’re in a safe space to learn and also space safe to figure out yet if that’s something that they do want to move on to or not, which is really good. Yeah. Listen, and you’re right there.
We were really, really big to make sure that as you said, we wanted to people just to literally open up the, you know, jump, join the website. Yeah. Well, we all obviously base it on a very, very similar type of model. Um, like a lot of the other subscription based models so that they will, you know, our subscribers would be aware of this layer, oh, this looks like, you know, Disney plus and Netflix and all these other ones.
And I know how that function and how that works. And we’d so we wanted to kind of align ourselves with that. We also wanted to make the content. And engaging. Uh, so you know, most of our episodes tip between a minimum 12 minutes, maximum 20 minutes, 22 minutes. Um, so it gives, you know, and our subscribers and our students and opportunity, you know, how to watch an episode on the bus.
Um, we’re really fortunate where we’ve got, uh, feedback on board already, uh, or is active about to go with this as well, which means, uh, for the trainers as well that they don’t have to watch. Long mundane three hour video, that’s being shot on an iPhone four and it’s got, um, uh, poorly, poorly put together.
We want people to get, well, we can say the quality in this and most important is well with each of the episodes. We made it very clear to all of our presenters. There has to be tight comb points so people can automatically think that’s what I’m doing wrong. I can apply that to my business immediately.
And it’s going to have a positive impact, uh, on the business. Long-term yeah, I love it now, David, um, and well done on this platform. I just, I just love the. You know the opportunities now, like you, you see something that’s starting like your brand to it’s a new brain at the marketplace. But, um, when I, when I say, you know, great experts on it, professionally filmed, it’s, it’s that leader like yourself and Tarek and other David and you’re, you’re, you’re believing in that vision, you know, um, a bit of a curve ball question, you know, w what, what is your thoughts on.
On vision and, you know, trainers come in the industry and they say, I want to achieve X and Y and Z. And you know, you’re on this, uh, new new program, but there’s so much growth in, you know, I think I love it. There’s just so much growth in this. Um, you know, what are your thoughts on vision when, when people are starting up a new business or new venture or.
But when it comes to vision, uh, from my perspective is, you know, I guess with vision has to become. Uh, and a belief that, okay, you know what, whatever my vision is, I believe that it’s going to work. And, um, so I’m a big fan of, you know, uh, you know, a simple little bit of a belief in you implement track and adjust.
Uh, so if I have an idea, I want to implement it. If identity, if I don’t track it, I don’t know what I’m meant to be adjusting. So, you know, the vision of what we have the vision. Uh, might slightly vary or change, but the core values and the essence and, you know, and the, and the, and the makeup or the ingredients to it, it, to me, it doesn’t change.
Um, so I I’ve, I’m a big believer, you know, even when I started off as, as a personal trainer and I was, you know, as I said, I was lucky to win that award. And 2010, I remember being asked a question probably about a month before, after I’d been nominated as a, as a regional winner. And one of the China’s sooner or later, Yep.
Dave, what’s your goal is to be the best trainer in Australia. And my answer was, I just want to be the best China for my clients. And, you know, so for me that, you know, and it’s the same thing again here, um, with vision, you know, please leave the ego at the door as well. Uh, and I think big. Um, you know, I don’t take myself very seriously.
I turn up to most of my filming shoots with star wars, socks on and, and slides, and I could look like a bomb. Um, but I think what helps me to create that vision is keeping that humidity as well. Um, and I think there’s a lot of people within it with, within not only just our industry, but a lot of industries that, you know, could do with a little bit more humility.
So vision for me is something that, yeah, of course, you know, Um, I have it enough. I have a vision. I will write it down. I’ll put it on a whiteboard and it’ll start writing down things of what it needs to look like. Who do, okay. Who, who do I need to work with to do that? And then, then I’m going to hustle and I’m going to hustle real hot and I’m going to work real hard and.
I don’t generally take no for an answer because I would get no that I haven’t created enough value to do that. And I’ll find another way to get it done and people are going to go, oh, I dive this half of the shot. And then when we showed them our vision of what it is, we’re very fortunate, you know, that people believe in it.
And because we’ve been able to create something very, very new, um, it makes it exciting because people want to jump on it. I love that haven’t showed them enough. For them to say yes, that’s a really good. All right. So in your experience, right, what’s what, what do you think overall, personal trainers, you know, where did they wear?
What do they need upskill themselves on? Where do you see the major downfalls are in the industry at the moment? Yeah, I think number one is patients, you know, you’ve got to be patient, you’re not going to be an overnight success. That’s just the reality. What I would highly encourage any personal trainer to do is first and foremost, you know, it’s not about what you’re posting.
It’s not about your bench, press your deadlifts, your squat, or whatever it is, or could not care for any of that. All of this stuff, because it’s just a personal trainers are aware. People have been squatting, dead, lifting and benching for a couple of hundred years now. So it’s nothing new. What I think people should instead focus on is really that.
And take that first and foremost as the most serious thing that you know, to look at their business and go and spend time with and all look at some of the other personal trainers that they might be working alongside that have been there 5, 10, 15 years and say, okay, can I spend some time with you? Um, outsourcer help invest in your education, where you get.
Um, surround yourselves or yourself with like-minded people, uh, you know, uh, avoid the negative people in your gym and there’s going to be a lot of them. You’ll hear them turn around and say, oh, you know, there’s no leads on the floor. There’s only bad people. If you want to hang around those people, you’re just going to be like them.
Um, put yourself in a position where you can surround yourself with a lot of growth. Uh, personal trainers, uh, invest in, even, even if you don’t, you can’t afford to get to an education course. There’s audio books, there’s books. There’s plenty of things that you can be doing. But first and foremost, focus on the business, focused on the numbers, um, as well.
And then. Don’t be just hot. And when you get your first knock back and your second knock back, pick yourself up, go again, pick yourself up and go again. They paid for an empty bank account. That’s going to happen. They prepared for, you know, automatic debits to, to bounce, uh, you know, show a bit of resilience, show a bit of grit, uh, and understand and say, okay, great.
What do I need to make sure that that doesn’t happen again? And then set a plan, you know, implement it, track it and adjust it with. Yeah, I love how you say, uh, automatic debits bounce. It’s interesting. Cause a lot of people don’t talk about that, right? Yeah. And that is going to happen. Your payments four pounds.
Um, really good. And, okay, so let’s talk about marketing for a second, David. Um, this is a marketing show. I think you’ve dropped a few marketing bombs already if you asked me, but what is your number one marketing tactic that’s working really well in, in, in your business or businesses that you want. Yeah.
So in our business at the moment with Fitwell is okay. Um, again, I know what I know, but I know what I don’t know. So in this case here, we were very fortunate, you know, to outsource, to, to a professional that knew exactly will present it to us. A package that we were really, really happy to look at. Uh, we had an opportunity to have a look at other areas of the business or other businesses.
He’d had a, um, a very good impact on. And I just liked to his approach. I think whatever your marketing is going to be, it has to be authentic to you. Stop worrying about what other people are doing. Um, focus on what could potentially make you unique in a very, very crowded space. Uh, and you know, I’m also a big believer as well that you know, is you’re wanting these days, you know, to get people, to join your community of whatever it is, get your community to talk about.
So, you know, it should be more of a, you know, as I said, I don’t care what you squat bench. I want to hear the success stories of your, of your clients, of your members. All those things are far more interesting to me. And I honestly feel a far more relatable, uh, to, you know, to your, your next, your next client.
Um, I always have a saying to trainers when I’m out there, you know, just be careful, your next corner is already watching it. They’re watching. I like that. There’s a bit of star wars coming in there. David, I think, you know, we’re watching Richard, um, very smart and, um, yeah, that’s exactly, you know, exactly what it’s, it is all about your clients.
And I think you’re spot on in the moment with the communication, um, when you communicate well, the right client pops in straightaway. It’s, it’s fascinating. David, when I speak to. Trainers and with, you know, sometimes it’s, it’s the basics that we just need to know. It’s just the basics to know, Hey, you gotta talk to somebody, right?
You gotta talk. Yeah. Yeah. You have to it’s. It is the basics. It’s like anything you must master the basics before. It was like I was saying, I don’t build a house and start with my air conditioning unit.
And all that type of stuff comes late. If I, if, you know, if I want to try in a particular person to be incredibly strong, I don’t start with. I start with just plenty of volume. I need that person to be as masculine as possible. I coach rugby, you know, whatever it is, let’s master the basics first and become really, really, really fucking good at them.
And once you become really, really good at them, then you can worry about what is the next evolution of your, of your business. But too often we can, you know, young trainers get caught up in. Yeah. How many likes, how many comments, you know, I’m going to attempt to do a sponsored ad and I don’t know what I’m doing yet.
You know, when someone once said to me, Hey, you know, uh, I often enjoy hearing some young China’s alternatives. I want to have an impact on the world. My comment to them is stop while having an impact on your team. So good. I love those. I love it. You see a lot of that people, you know, Huge huge, huge goals, which are great.
You know, there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s quite the, you know, that’s that vision, but start, start with the basics, you know, be that person that’s in the gym that, Hey, every time I walk past that trainer, they’re always smiling. They say, They genuinely want to help people in the gym. Um, and you know that we all know that old saying nobody would let most people won’t remember what you did for them, but they’ll remember how you made them feel.
Yeah, love it. Very, very good. Now I’m David I D ideal, forget this in your bio. And I forgot the most important thing is that it says that you’re a star wars, fanatic and love donuts. You have a quick question. Favorite star wars, episode, and favorite. A five star wars episode would be empire strikes back.
Um, I loved it because, you know, It wasn’t the cliche, the good guys, the bad guy, the bad guy one. Um, and you know, it made it, it made me hate Darth Vader even more. Um, and then what I did, and I still think he’s the greatest, bad guy that was ever invented. So I love star wars. I’m very fortunate that, you know, I share that passion with my son and my daughter.
Um, so if anything, new star wars on Disney comes out, whether the first to be watching it, uh, my business partner. Uh, David Driskell, you know, we, um, we go to all the midnight sessions for any star wars movie that is, that is coming up. Um, and then to add to it, if I was to go to a star wars movie and I was to take my favorite donut, right.
I’m just taking a simple, um, 12 pack of glaze. Add-on um, Krispy Kreme donuts. That’s what I’m doing. Does it give it, does it get any better? The RJ is in the originals. I don’t need all the fancy stuff on top, like, is that. Extra calories that I don’t need on top of autumn already consuming. Fantastic. Well, this has been great.
Um, Uh, a bit of a plug for fit well, where, where where’s the best place to start to. And if anyone wants to join fit well, we’ve got a foundation membership running at 39 95 at the moment. Now you can head over to fit well education.com, um, and enjoy our seven day free trial. When you jump on there as well.
You’ll be able to see, you know, at the moment nine Booz ends up there with 18 episodes across the three streams. Uh, but know that over the next three months, there is going to be a time, including the great man who is on the other end of this podcast, which Jr who’s coming on there. Um, and get on there and enjoy, invest into your education, uh, and take advantage of the foundation membership.
And remember also if it was a text. So because we’re an education platform, so that works out well. And you can get all of this, you know, you say, he says your feedback points, whatever it is on the platform as well. So we’d love to see, you know, people enjoy this brand new platform as much as what we have enjoyed building it.
So good. Thanks for the chat, David. Uh, look forward to a. Seeing this up platform grow and grow and get more education.com. Um, and if you’ve enjoyed this episode, all you have to do is reach out, say, yeah, cool episode sheriffs of scribe, jump on a fit world, check it out and I’ll let David go. And, uh, it’s it’s rugby training, Tom.
David, is it? Absolutely awesome. Thanks guys. I’ll see you next time in the marketing muscle up podcast show bye for now. Thanks again.
