Starting a Fitness Business

Sheldon R.K. Persad, CSCS, CPTN-CPT Susan S. Lee, MPE, CPTN-CPT

Human Kinetics

ISBN-10: 0-7360-4834-0 ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-4834-7 Copyright © 2006 by Human Kinetics, Inc. All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Notice: Permission to reproduce the following material is granted to instructors and agencies who have purchased Starting a Fitness Business: pp. 17, 36, and 71. The reproduction of other parts of this book is expressly forbidden by the above copyright notice. Persons or agencies who have not purchased Starting a Fitness Business may not reproduce any material. The Web addresses cited in this text were current as of November 30, 2005, unless otherwise noted. Acquisitions Editor: Susan Brown Zahn, PhD; Managing Editor: Lee Alexander; Copyeditor: Patrick Connolly; Proofreader: Bethany Bentley; Permission Manager: Dalene Reeder; Graphic Designer: Fred Starbird; Graphic Artist: Denise Lowry; Cover Designer: Keith Blomberg; Art Manager: Kelly Hendren; Illustrator: Keri Evans Human Kinetics Web site: www.HumanKinetics.com United States: Human Kinetics, P.O. Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076 800-747-4457 e-mail: [email protected] Canada: Human Kinetics, 475 Devonshire Road Unit 100, Windsor, ON N8Y 2L5 800-465-7301 (in Canada only) e-mail: [email protected] Europe: Human Kinetics, 107 Bradford Road, Stanningley, Leeds LS28 6AT, United Kingdom +44 (0) 113 255 5665 e-mail: [email protected] Australia: Human Kinetics, 57A Price Avenue, Lower Mitcham, South Australia 5062 08 8277 1555 e-mail: [email protected] New Zealand: Human Kinetics, Division of Sports Distributors NZ Ltd., P.O. Box 300 226 Albany, North Shore City, Auckland 0064 9 448 1207 e-mail: [email protected]

Contents Introduction

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CHAPTER ONE

Fitness Industry Trends and the Entrepreneur

1

CHAPTER TWO

Business Planning

23

CHAPTER THREE

Business Management

45

CHAPTER FOUR

Business Expansion Glossary

69 89

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Introduction Many people dream of owning their own business. If you have been thinking about starting your own fitness business, the right time to do so is now. This student text highlights the current trends in the fitness industry and the roles of the fitness professional in the areas of group fitness, personal training, and club ownership. It will prepare you to think about the different aspects of starting your own fitness business. You will gain insight into the importance of creating a mission statement that will help you develop the vision for your fitness business. You will also learn about the different aspects of preparing to start a business, such as a market analysis, business structures, marketing plans, financial plans, liability management, and facility design. To improve your ability to provide services to your clients and manage your business, you will learn about program planning, hiring and supervising staff, staff management, organizational skills, and commitment. If you are committed to your business and to the fitness industry, you will also want to look ahead and learn about expansion. Business expansion requires time for reflection and planning. A thorough review of your successes, your mission statement, and your goals will help you determine how satisfied you are with your business and how you would like to see it grow. You can expand your business in different ways—you can expand your program offerings, your staffing, your equipment, or your facility. This student text is used in conjunction with the Starting a Fitness Business online course. As you go through each chapter, you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts with virtual fitness professionals from the personal training, group fitness, and club owner or manager categories. To assess your learning along the way, you will also be given multiplechoice questions. The growth of the fitness industry will undoubtedly continue. The fitness industry will provide you with opportunities to discover yourself as a leader and allow you to put your unique mark on the industry. As a fitness business owner, you will have an incredible potential to positively affect the quality of life of all your clients and to contribute to a healthier community.

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