Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Gustin.
Hi Lisa, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been in love with weight training since 1987 when I joined a small gym with a friend. It was just a bunch of muscle heads, and I loved the atmosphere and the knowledge that I gained there. I really did it more for a social aspect, but when I noticed the changes in my body, I was hooked.
Fast forward many years later, when I was a stay-at-home mom. My kids were in middle school when I decided to become a trainer for supplemental income. That was in 2009, and I’ve been at it ever since. I started in a big box gym, then moved to personal training studio, and eventually, I became an independent trainer with my own private studio.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. Working for other people in this industry is hard. The more money they see you making the more they want. Unfortunately, this has happened to me almost every place I’ve trained, which is why I made a plan to be my own boss.
Another struggle has always been having “enough” clients. It’s a constant hustle to maintain a certain level of income. You can never become complacent or comfortable. I’ve learned over the years that if you take care of your clients, they will take care of you. So, great customer service is something I always strive for, which is why I have great client retention. However, although I have many long-term clients, life happens – clients get sick, people move, financial status changes, etc. So, income fluctuates, which is why I never stop trying to increase my client load.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a personal trainer specializing in resistance training (or weight training). My focus is mainly teaching women to build lean muscle and that working out with weights will not make them “look like a man.” I show them how to properly lift for optimal results. I also offer nutritional guidance and meal plans because often people think they eat well but can make changes that offer better results.
I’m most proud of the clients I have that tell me I have changed their lives by either weight loss, increased mobility, or strength. I have a client who has a lung progressive lung disease, but after training her for several years, her doctors have told her it’s progressing much slower. I love knowing that I’ve made a difference in their lives.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I constantly educate myself with current trends and don’t train my clients all the same way – no cookie-cutter workouts… I learn each of their weaknesses, strengths, injuries, or illnesses and work with or around those. I stay engaged with their lives and encourage and support them all, not only in the gym but in their outside lives as well.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Find someone who you trust and is knowledgeable, and ask questions. Before I became a trainer, I had a trainer. I learned a lot from him and would ask him questions or his advice after I became a trainer. His knowledge was very useful to me.
Networking is sometimes difficult for me. I’m an “extroverted introvert,” so joining a group where I don’t know anyone to network is uncomfortable to me. My main ways of networking are through word of mouth. Throughout my years of training, I’ve met and worked with many trainers. We will refer leads to each other if a client doesn’t fit in our schedule or if we think they’d be a better fit elsewhere. I’ve recently updated my website and Google page, which has offered some leads, but networking is a work in progress for me.
I’ve made the mistake of paying a ton of money to marketing companies that generated nothing for me, so I’m very leery of anyone wanting money to get clients for me.
Pricing:
- $40-$48/session semi-private training
- $70-$78/private session training
- $45/session online/virtual training
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rockstarfitness.life
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lisajenningsrockstarfitness
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisajenningsrockstarfitness
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-gustin-87491337
Image Credits
Eric Younkin
