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[00:18] Unprofessionalism in the fitness industry

[01:05] Defining professionalism

[02:42] Baseline vs. above and beyond

[04:41] Trust and professionalism

[08:03] Top 5 unprofessional habits in gyms

[08:13] Sweaty shirts and sales consults

[09:19] The petrified cat shit story

[11:57] Email etiquette and professionalism

[13:54] The dangers of drinking with clients

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Dan Uyemura: [00:00:00] And as I look around, I'm like, nothing, dude. What, what? He's like, there's a fucking pile of cat shit that has been on this corner of the front door for like 10 years. What? And everyone has just walked by it for 10 years. 10 years. 10 years. I'm like, whoa, okay. So how the hell did we get there, Nick? Like, let's back up a little bit and try and figure this out here.

Dan Uyemura: Deal. Topic today is why the unprofessionalism that I see in this industry is killing the gems. 

Nick Reyes: I mean, you see it everywhere, and I think part of it comes from these gems largely starting small, out of a garage, or what have you, they're not the big franchises that come in with all these hard fashioned rules.

Nick Reyes: Do you have some fun examples? You want to go, you want to kick it off with examples? 

Dan Uyemura: We'll get into the examples in a minute, but yeah, I mean, the idea here basically is, Um, you know, we've all opened our gyms because we loved fitness and there was no, there was no rules to opening a business, especially in this, in this boutique fitness space, you get a lease, someone believes in you enough to, you know, sign you up to a lease and you're off and running and opening a business, but nobody's actually trained you how to run a business.

Dan Uyemura: And I think a lot of these, the concepts of [00:01:00] professional professionalism has, has escaped a lot of us. 

Nick Reyes: Yeah. Yeah. Sure. Let's define it 

Dan Uyemura: because I 

Nick Reyes: think professionalism probably means something different to anyone who hears the word. Uh, In the Marine Corps, a big part of what we would say, it's like, it's responsibility, it's integrity.

Nick Reyes: Uh, they, they tried to say, you know, the majority of it was your core values and living through them is an example of, you know, professionalism, right? So, uh, accountability, uh, excellence. So they would really hone in on the little things in the way that you acted. Did you open the door for people? It was always, what's the saying?

Nick Reyes: Uh, Uh, a gentleman should never, or a man should never be rude, uh, on accident. 

Dan Uyemura: Oh, wow. Only by, only by design. 

Nick Reyes: Only by design. Interesting. Yeah. 

Dan Uyemura: Is that a military thing? 

Nick Reyes: Uh, I don't think I heard that in the military. Maybe, I maybe heard it in the military, but I don't think it came from the military. Never heard of that.

Dan Uyemura: Okay. [00:02:00] And so, so why do you think it's important for, 

Nick Reyes: for us to be professional? Oh my gosh, I mean, there's so many things that when you see it, it's like, once you see it, you can't unsee it. And I feel like the minute you go into a business or anywhere else, and it's like, oh. They got their crap together.

Nick Reyes: Like you, you, you're seeing everything looks good, but then the minute you, you see something off, right? You hear a coach drop an F bomb to another member or to another coach or something. It's like you're scarred for forever. If, 

Dan Uyemura: if, if that's not what you expect in some gyms, that's totally acceptable.

Dan Uyemura: Right. And that, that could be their version of professional. Um, and I guess there's, here's one way to look at it that, that I just, I just can't had the epiphany of as you were speaking is. There's, um, professional, that is a baseline expectation, and then there's professionalism that's above and beyond.

Dan Uyemura: And I think that's something too, we're talking about, right? Like the, the basic expectation is, um, your gym's clean, right? Yup. Baseline. Like, like you don't walk in and you're not berated by somebody, or it doesn't seem like there's the [00:03:00] mental health issues happening inside the gym, you know, just basic professionalisms.

Dan Uyemura: And then there's stuff where somebody wouldn't expect it, where it's, you know, maybe someone comes out and holds the door open for them when they walk in, right? Something that is like above and beyond. 

Nick Reyes: Some of the stuff that's baseline calling members by name great to see you this morning Dan 

Dan Uyemura: Oh, you know what?

Dan Uyemura: I think in many industries that is actually above and beyond Do you like when I go to my coffee shop and they say good morning Dan to me? I'm like, oh shit. 

Nick Reyes: They caught you off guard. Yeah. 

Dan Uyemura: Yeah. Yeah Yeah, but I think 

Nick Reyes: in the gyms that we all run that is based on community based fitness versus transactional coffee shop, maybe correct Yeah, maybe that's what it what it ties to right?

Nick Reyes: Like if it feels transactional, it's not expected. Mm hmm. So What are some other good baseline ones? I think the gym being clean should be. Unfortunately, I don't think it always is, but in my opinion, it should be. I agree. Right? It's a place of health. It's a place of wellness. People's faces are by the ground.

Nick Reyes: Yeah, you're doing freaking burpees and then you get up and everything, you know, your hands are black and everything else from getting on the stall mats. [00:04:00] So, those should be some of the baseline ones. What are some of the What'd you call them? The unexpected, the unexpected, 

Dan Uyemura: the unexpected ones include things like holding the door open for people, reaching out to them on their birthdays.

Dan Uyemura: When, you know, it's like, it's the things that people do not expect the business to do, and I think one way to frame this is, um, you can think of it this way, it's like the things that are expected of you are what you only can lose if you don't do them, right? You cannot win. And what you lose is trust and the things that are not expected of you.

Dan Uyemura: are things that you can only win by doing them, but you don't lose if you don't do them. So they actually gain you goodwill. So you can think of it in trust, trust loss, goodwill gain. 

Nick Reyes: Yep. Yep. So ultimately, if you remember from we, you know, we did the, the trust building is, is a matter of making consistent, frequent, repeatable deposits, right?

Nick Reyes: Yes. And the, how you lose trust is by not doing the things that are expected frequently as well. Right? So I show up late. [00:05:00] I was expected to be here on time. You lose trust. Well, showing up late to coach a class, letting a class run long, that's supposed to end on the hour. Correct. All of those are little chipping away at that trust, and they also show a lack of professionalism.

Nick Reyes: And you can't run an on time class. 

Dan Uyemura: And then again, this is cool, because I'm actually kind of learning something here doing this, is on the flip side of that, you do not get credits. 

Nick Reyes: No, 

Dan Uyemura: you don't get credit for showing up early with anybody. You know what I mean? 

Nick Reyes: Like it's just your job. Do it. Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

Nick Reyes: And you, you, you lose credit. It no matter how big it is or how sorry, no matter how small it is. You may think I was only one minute late. You may as well have been 10 minutes late because someone is looking at their watch going like, come on. Yeah, we're supposed to be starting now and it's giving them anxiety.

Nick Reyes: Exactly. Right. Yes. Yes, 

Dan Uyemura: exactly. Um, and another way to look at, uh, trust in, or professionalism in general is, and, and why are we all in business? We're here to serve our clients and hopefully earn revenue [00:06:00] enough to make a living from, um, being unprofessional just creates unnecessary friction in business.

Dan Uyemura: And like your job as a business owner should be remove friction at every point that you can. 

Nick Reyes: Yeah. I, I don't know a single time that I've ever wanted to go and pay someone money. And I've felt as if like, man, This person is a complete ass and I don't like the way that they treat others They don't live with integrity.

Nick Reyes: Let me just give them my money I didn't like never once it's actually only ever been the inverse where it's been like, oh that They might have a decent service I I won't pay them if you are not a profession provide 

Dan Uyemura: like a trust. Yeah, they're not The flip side of that someone could have a mediocre service at best But be very professional be very respectful be very courteous You Right?

Dan Uyemura: And what are you going to end up doing? You're not even going to pay them. You're going to, you might be telling your friends to go pay them. Right? The referability is on the flip side of that, right? 

Nick Reyes: Yep. So, there's, there's also [00:07:00] something interesting with like being able to just have a conversation with someone.

Nick Reyes: If you know that they will treat you respectfully, which I think is part of professionalism. And going up and saying like, you know, Hey Dan, I want to talk to you. I would love for you to help me out with my nutrition. It's a little bit of a ballsy conversation, right? You got to kind of build up to you're going to ask someone for help or a lot of vulnerability there.

Nick Reyes: A lot of vulnerability there. Why in the world would I go and ask someone about that if I don't trust them, believe in them, think that they're a professional and they can deliver the service, right? So I just don't see how people can actually do any type of growth in their business unless they. Uh, what is it?

Nick Reyes: Uh, being the consummate professional. Like, all around, all the time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it needs to, uh, come out of every pore of your body, right? 

Dan Uyemura: So let's actually dig into this, because I guarantee you, every single person listening right now, and that means you, is watching this and going like, yeah, all the other gym owners are so unprofessional.

Dan Uyemura: F that. It's not [00:08:00] me. Right. But let's dig into this. Let's get, let's get some examples. And this is, let's go through our, uh, we came up with a top five list of the unprofessional things that we see in gyms. And, um, I'll let you go with the first one. Cause I want to do the second one. 

Nick Reyes: Okay. Uh, my first one is sweaty, stinky shirts.

Nick Reyes: And, uh, the first gym, uh, the gym that I owned and the gym where I got my, my start at CrossFit. Uh, we had a habit in the early days, bad habit. So I'm going to lump myself into this category too, here of doing a workout right before class started, just trying to hurry up and get it done. And then not changing the shirt.

Nick Reyes: Worse yet. What about right before a sales consult? Have you ever done that? Yep. Uh, I did not do that, but I've seen it and it's, it's awful. Yeah, it is absolutely awful. And it's like the pit stains, you know, you're still drenched and you just like, Pull your shirt up, you know, belly all hanging out to wipe your face.

Nick Reyes: You know, what I think is actually worse is when you've let it dry and you've got the little like salt, the salt rings, the salt rings [00:09:00] are so bad. Uh, bring a change of shirt. Yeah. Bring, please bring a change of shirt and some deodorant, especially if you're doing a sales consult. 

Dan Uyemura: For, for, um, symbols of unprofessionalism.

Dan Uyemura: Number two, this is actually another, this is a professional reference or personal reference as well. This is, this was my gem. Um, and. I will actually give myself some leeway in saying the fact that when you go to a place every single day, you get comfortable with it. Like, you get comfortable with a pile of stuff in the corner that you just start looking past it, right?

Nick Reyes: It's like your nose, like, what is it, nose blind? And you just don't, you don't smell the smell anymore, right? Exactly, yeah, you've been around it too 

Dan Uyemura: much, you don't see it, you don't smell it, whatever. So, um, Chris McConaughey, actually, he made me go through this process of like, let's, let's leave the gym.

Dan Uyemura: Let's get in the car and let's drive up and let's just pretend we have never been here before. Okay. And so I'm like, cool, let's do it. And then so we drive in and it's like, we drive up and there's like, You know, [00:10:00] hazard cones kind of tipped over in the parking lot. There's like a whole bunch of like leaves that were kind of like cluttered up everywhere.

Dan Uyemura: And it's like, this is all stuff I've driven by every day, right? We park, we walk in and it's like the, the, the signage we had in the front corner was like peeling off. So you can kind of see inside the thing, but it was like, you know, like it was like sun weathered and peeling off. We walk around the corner to the front door and he's like, stop.

Dan Uyemura: And I'm like, well, what? Okay. He's like, what do you see? And I'm like, front door. He's like, no, look around and what do you see? Okay. And as I look around, I'm like, nothing, dude. What, what? He's like, there's a fucking pile of cat shit that has been on this corner of the front door for like 10 years. What? And everyone has just walked by it for 10 years.

Dan Uyemura: 10 years. 10 years. Well, it's probably realistically like seven or eight. Yeah, yeah. It was, the point is like, Oh my God. It had been multiple years. It was just sitting in the corner, like, you know, the corner of a, of the, uh, gardening thing and he was sitting there for 10 years and he's like, this is the first thing everyone sees when they open the doors.

Dan Uyemura: There's a fucking pile of petrified cat shit. And nobody ever, no one's ever picked it up. No one's ever said anything. Everyone's just walked by it. But he's like, every single new person that comes in his door sees that. [00:11:00] Yes. Pile of cat shit. Oh, my God. So, so my, so to me now, that's the reference of like, what is the thing you're walking past every day that is just the steaming lump of petrified cat shit?

Nick Reyes: Petrified cat shit. Yes. Oh, my God. I don't know that we can top that one. With any of the rest of these, that is incredible. Uh, busted Ikea cabinets. 

Dan Uyemura: Oh yeah. 

Nick Reyes: I think I've seen those everywhere. Every gym has like the, we're going to, we're going to get the Ikea cabinets. You know, what are they? Those four by four, uh, ours were red.

Nick Reyes: Cause it matched the colors at the time. They were not Billy's, but yes, that Ikea, the 

Dan Uyemura: grid 

Nick Reyes: cabinet, everyone's going to put their shoes in. It's going to look great. It never looks great. It always falls apart. The wood is porous and terrible. It's that veneer that cracks. And then what 

Dan Uyemura: happens is like, uh, Sally from eight years ago has left her stinky running shoes in there that no one wants to touch, but they've been there for eight years.

Dan Uyemura: Yeah. That's a tough one. That's a tough one. Um, let's go to number four. Which is one that I've picked on a hundred times over all the years. A really big pet peeve of mine, which is your stupid [00:12:00] gmail account, right? And, and I still see it to this day. Like I've been harping on this for a decade, literally a decade.

Nick Reyes: I saw a restaurant the other day with it. And I'm thinking, are we really not past this yet? Like we are still at, you know, restaurant name at gmail. com. Sal's Italian at gmail. com 

Dan Uyemura: like nothing reeks more than someone who barely should not be in business than Sal's 

Nick Reyes: Italian subs at gmail. com. It may as well say, I don't want to invest in my business at gmail.

Nick Reyes: com. 7 is too much a month at gmail. com. 

Dan Uyemura: So, Hey, look, if you have a gmail. com, I'm, I am picking on you, but it's easy to clean up. And I just think it's just like the 10 petrified cat shit. Like you don't think about it because it's not in front of you every day. Someone sees that email address and they're like, I don't know if I should go with this company because when I email my fitness pro 2004 at aol.

Dan Uyemura: com, it just doesn't feel as professional as when I'm, you know, emailing dan at gym name. [00:13:00] com 

Nick Reyes: there there's, there's a trust factor that has to go into any buying decisions. This is where that professionalism and trust intertwine again, where it's like, am I doing business with a pro or an amateur? Oh, they can't even get a real email.

Nick Reyes: It feels very amateur. I don't think they can deliver the service. I'm out. It 

Dan Uyemura: feels very fly by night. Very much like, 

Nick Reyes: are they 

Dan Uyemura: shutting down 

Nick Reyes: tomorrow? Uh, If anyone has a reason why you can't pay the 80, 84, 7 times 12, 70, 84, yeah, 84, math in public, the 84 for Gmail account, email me, nick at pushpress. com. I want to freaking hear it because it would be good to know.

Nick Reyes: It would be great to know. Maybe I'll pay for one. I don't know. 

Dan Uyemura: Here's the thing. Everyone is cash strapped and they feel like they've got to save money, but saving money on the things that actually drive business to your toes. Drive business is not a not the place to save it 

Nick Reyes: hundred percent hundred percent.

Dan Uyemura: I got one more 

Nick Reyes: Showing up drunk. 

Dan Uyemura: Ah 

Nick Reyes: Have 

Dan Uyemura: you seen this has this happened anywhere that you've seen [00:14:00] I've seen Every Saturday like there's some coach somewhere who shows up a little bit drink a little bit more than they should bloodshot 

Nick Reyes: eyes Walking in to coach that Saturday class I'll throw a curveball to you.

Nick Reyes: What about getting hammered with members? Oh, that's a good 

Dan Uyemura: one. So I guess it depends on the context. And I, and you know what, actually, I take that back. If we're talking about pure professionalism, there is no context where it's okay. I'll take that stance. Yeah. Even at a holiday party, because nothing good comes of you when you have had a few too many right amongst your members.

Dan Uyemura: Let them have fun. 

Nick Reyes: Let them have fun and mingle, be a part of the community. You have always got to keep, uh, a tight rein on things and not let yourself get pulled too far into the party, too far into the wrong direction. 

Dan Uyemura: Yeah, I mean, you know, in a bad case, in the worst case bad case Something goes down and you're not able to handle it because you don't have your wits about you in the worst case worst case You're a part 

Nick Reyes: of the stuff that goes down [00:15:00] exactly and if you think what's the best that can come of it What's the worst that can come of it?

Nick Reyes: Yeah, there's not a lot of best that comes from getting hammered with your clients There's I mean what maybe you're you're a part of having the fun, but you don't have to drink in order to do that Right, so I would almost just make a rule and say like I can have two beers with any group. That's it Other than that, I'm the captain of the ship.

Nick Reyes: Exactly. Captain's gotta stay, keep his head about him. 100%. 

Dan Uyemura: Yup. 

Nick Reyes: And so to recap, I think there's a few easy ways that every one of us can level up our professionalism so to say, right? And uh, to me one of the big ones is always speak to people with intent. You know, greet them by name, look them in the eye, shake their hand.

Nick Reyes: Not the, uh, the aloof, like, Hey, see you later, man. Have a good day. You know, and I'm, and I'm looking away from you as you walk out of the gym, which I think we'd take for granted to some degree, right? Exactly. 

Dan Uyemura: Yeah. Be prepared, you know, make sure you're showing gratitude 

Nick Reyes: to your customers. Be prepared. It's such a big one too.

Nick Reyes: Right. Just, [00:16:00] uh, did you put the thought into the class? That's how it, that's how it shows up. So like prepare for your class, prepare to, how are you going to close the class? 

Dan Uyemura: I mean, I'll admit in the early days of me owning a gym, I would, once I got good enough at coaching, I would just show up. And just coach.

Nick Reyes: And just coach. 

Dan Uyemura: Unprepared. 

Nick Reyes: Yep. Yep. You know, I don't know, I don't know if the people knew, but. But you get the, it's like false confidence of, I can wing it. 

Dan Uyemura: Yeah. 

Nick Reyes: You know, but if you just put in the extra step, like, hey, what's my timeline look like? Even the smallest amount of preparation will really come across.

Nick Reyes: Goes a long ways. Uh, and then button up your appearance. Button up your appearance, which to me is such a big one. It's almost like, go out and go look in the fricking mirror before you go in the class and go like, is my hair a damn mess? You know, like tie my shoes, don't wear freaking slippers, you know, like, but just have some sense of pride in how you're presenting yourself in your, in your business.

Dan Uyemura: Yeah. And I think the general catch all, which again, it goes back to what Chris did with me is just put yourself in the experience of your customers and like really try to think about this from a first principle stance. [00:17:00] Like if I experienced this as a person who doesn't know anything about the culture, this gym of the owners, the workouts, anything, how does this feel?

Dan Uyemura: Yup. And I think just putting yourself in that perspective is just the, uh, the way you can containerize this entire episode into like one thing. I got nothing to add to it. There it is. All right. Good job. Episode done. Later guys.