This article is guest written by a friend of ours, Chris Cooper. Chris is the “brains” behind Two-Brain Business, a mentoring group that specializes in the fitness industries. He has written numerous books on the topics of running a successful business. Please read on to understand why mentors are critical for your business to grow and thrive as fast as possible. As a bonus, you really should subscribe to his podcast to keep on top of the ever changing business landscape you are about to get into!
Chris has written a few books on the topic of fitness business management. He knows a thing or two.
$170,000 in staffing mistakes.
$150,000 in lost sales.
$72,000 in a bad lease.
$14,000 in equipment I never used.
$62,500 in partnership fees I didn’t have to pay.
Sleepless nights, marital stress, missed bedtimes with my kids.
That’s what NOT having a mentor cost me.
In 2008, after 3 years in business, I hit bottom. I was working a 15-hour day and losing ground with every paycheck. I was exhausted, arguing with my wife about money, and missing my kids’ bedtimes.
I found a mentor, righted the ship, and started a blog called DontBuyAds.com. That became a book called Two-Brain Business.That was a decade ago. Now I have a worldwide mentoring agency for entrepreneurs who, like me, were passionate about their service but clueless about business. I have a gym that doesn’t require my presence (but I still love to be there.) I have more money than I need, and lots of time to donate to local kids who need coaching.
I still have a mentor.
Even with millions of dollars in revenue, a worldwide team of professional mentors, and a life that looks a lot like “retirement”, I know that mentorship is even more valuable now. Here’s why:
If knowledge was enough, we’d all be successful. We’d all be millionaires with six-packs. But you and I know: almost no one gets great abs without a coach. The guys with the best abs have coaches. The girls who win the CrossFit Games have coaches. Triathletes, bodybuilders and NFL players all have coaches. No one who’s achieved any type of athletic success has done it without a coach.
And every millionaire has a mentor. Having a mentor is the ONE common denominator of success in business.
Guys like Gary Vaynerchuk and Tim Ferriss — they make entrepreneurship COOL. Guess what? They have mentors.
Greg Glassman inspired thousands of us to leave our jobs and pursue the path of fitness. We traded our neckties for t-shirts; our rigs became our desks. We were quick to turn our backs on board meetings and buzzwords and bosses. Freedom! Life without a map! But when you’re drawing your own map, you sink a lot of ships.
Maybe, like me, you can survive a few wrecks. Maybe you’re good at treading water. But you’re always in over your head. And you might not realize it.
What does a mentor do?
They see the overall vision, and hold you to it.
They give you shortcuts to save you time and money.
They keep you on the straight path instead of letting you meander.
They provide a sounding board without emotional ties to your business.
They share experiences instead of opinions.
They care.
They provide guidance that’s perfect for your situation (not the same advice to everyone.)
They guide you through the four phases of entrepreneurship (take the test to determine your phase here.)
TwoBrain is going to serve 1,000,000 entrepreneurs in the next ten years. Making entrepreneurs wealthy will mean sustainable businesses in the new economy; jobs for people outside the industrial sector; and a working global economy with true opportunities for everyone.
Are you ready for the next step?
If you need a gym management system that will work just as hard for you as your mentor will, register your free account here!
PushPress is a gym management software that is here to help you grow your fitness facility. With PushPress, you'll be able to manage classes and privates, take payments, track attendance, manage leads, and maintain member relationships all from the palm of your hand!
