This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
» Your Business


Should You Hire a Business Consultant?


Expert input can be an efficient and effective way to discover your club’s full potential.


BY BARB GORMLEY W


ith a reputation as a first-class course conductor, textbook writer and club owner, Mike Bates has made a stellar name for himself in the fitness industry.


But despite his breadth of experience, one of his first steps to opening his personal training club, Refine Fitness in Windsor, Ont., was to call in a fitness club management consultant. And today, despite three years as a GoodLife man-


ager and almost five years of club ownership, he still looks to experts for help. “I work with a fitness business consultant to ensure


I’m always staying on top of the most current trends,” says Bates. “I spend a lot of money on this, but the re- sults have proven that it’s a good investment.” Don’t be shy about seeking advice, says Calgary’s


Tyler Chisholm. “It’s interesting that people in the per- sonal training business are sometimes reluctant to get coaching themselves,” says Chisholm, a former club consultant who now works as a marketing executive. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness or failure,


say the experts. On the contrary – using the services of a consultant is usually seen as a sign of intelligence and a shortcut to success that can let you bypass much of the struggle. How could a consultant help your club? Here are


three ways.


objectively. “It’s hard for most business owners to make decisions based on fact,” says club consultant and former club owner Jeremy Klugerman. “A lot of times I find that owners base their decisions on ego and emotion instead.” A consultant has the advantage of not knowing


1


your club’s history, and has no financial or emotional ties to it – so he or she can offer an objective point of view.


» 20 Fitness Business Canada March/April 2013


Be a fresh pair of eyes Most club owners are too close to their clubs and aren’t able to step back and look at them


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48