Mastering Your Weekly One-on-One Session Capacity: A Guide for Experienced Personal Trainers

As an experienced personal trainer working for a reputable fitness brand, you've likely encountered the challenges of balancing your one-on-one session schedule with other responsibilities. While your clients value your expertise and personalized attention, maintaining a sustainable practice can be a delicate balancing act.

This blog is the second in a series designed specifically for personal trainers like you. As a therapist I had a lot of the same challenges you did, but I learned some tricks from my millionaire clients that I’m going to share with you.  

Today we'll explore the importance of determining your weekly one-on-one session capacity and in follow-up blogs I’ll get into other revenue streams. By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of how to strike the perfect balance between maximizing your earning potential and avoiding burnout, ensuring that you can continue delivering exceptional service to your clients.

The Personal Trainer's Dilemma

As a personal trainer employed by a reputable fitness brand, you likely face unique challenges. On one hand, you have access to a steady stream of potential clients and the backing of a well-known brand. However, you may also face pressure to take on more clients than you can realistically handle, leading to overcommitment and burnout.

Additionally, while your primary income source may be one-on-one sessions, you're likely aware of the potential for additional revenue streams, such as group classes, online training programs, or even branching out into entrepreneurship. Navigating these opportunities while maintaining your core one-on-one session practice can be a delicate balancing act.

Assessing Your Available Time and Energy

The first step in determining your weekly one-on-one session capacity is to assess your available time and energy. Consider the following factors:

1. Work Hours: How many hours per week are you expected to be on the floor or available for sessions? Factor in any additional responsibilities, such as attending training or staff meetings.
2. Personal Commitments: Account for personal obligations, such as family responsibilities, hobbies, or self-care activities that are essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
3. Energy Levels: Be honest with yourself about your physical and mental energy levels throughout the day and week. Certain times may be more productive for you than others.
4. Session Duration: Consider the average duration of your one-on-one sessions, including time for preparation, follow-up, and any necessary administrative tasks.

By carefully evaluating these factors, you can identify the maximum number of sessions you can realistically handle each week without compromising your well-being or the quality of your services.

Calculating Your Financial Needs

While your employer may provide a base salary or hourly rate, many personal trainers rely on one-on-one session fees and commissions as their only income. To calculate your financial needs, consider the following:

1. Living Expenses: Determine your monthly living expenses, including rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, transportation, and any other recurring costs. If you don’t have a spending plan, this is something we share in our wellness club. I’ll tell you later how you can join.
2. Professional Development: Factor in expenses related to your continuing education, certifications, and professional growth. If you do have to pay any other business expenses, consider them in the calculation.
3. Desired Income: Establish your desired monthly or annual income based on your financial goals and lifestyle aspirations. As a financial therapist, I feel compelled to tell you that it is ok to desire more. However, don’t fake it until you make it. Make it first. Faking it is more expensive than you think.

Once you have a clear understanding of your financial needs, you can determine the number of one-on-one sessions required to meet those needs based on your pricing strategy and commission structure. This is specific to your company, so it’s more than can be provided in this blog, but you are welcome to schedule a private business strategy session.

Finding the Sweet Spot

Striking the right balance between your available time and energy, financial needs, and client demand is the key to a sustainable one-on-one session practice. Here are some tips to help you find that sweet spot:

1. Communicate with Management: Have an open dialogue with your employer about your capacity and boundaries. Reputable fitness brands understand the importance of avoiding burnout and prioritizing client satisfaction. Equinox, Exos, and Lifetime Fitness have started to prioritize well-being for employees.
2. Prioritize Quality over Quantity: Focus on delivering exceptional service to a manageable number of clients rather than spreading yourself too thin.
3. Leverage Technology: Utilize tools and systems provided by your employer to streamline your processes, automate administrative tasks, and optimize your time management. Try your company's tools first, they are likely free or low cost to you as an employee. If they aren’t enough, then try third party services.
4. Explore Additional Revenue Streams: Once you have your flow working for you and your clients. Consider diversifying your income by offering other products and services once you've established a solid client base. This will be addressed in this full blog series so be sure to return for the other topics.

By finding the sweet spot between your available resources and financial needs, you can create a thriving one-on-one session practice that allows you to serve your clients effectively while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. As you create your one-on-one practice, remember to cover your minimum expenses. The other revenue streams we discuss will give you the opportunity to create more wealth and freedom. 

One-on-one work can be stressful and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. Following the ideas in this blog will help you free up your energy and even some time by pricing yourself right. There’s still more to share with you and if you have questions I’d love to hear from you. 

We aren’t done:

Are you ready to take your one-on-one session business to new heights? Subscribe to our blog series and gain access to invaluable insights, strategies, and resources tailored specifically for experienced personal trainers like you.

We also have a community for professional building service-based businesses but want and need more guidance on their quest for success. In the Good Rich People Society, you’ll have a diverse tribe of like-minded personal trainers who are going through the same things you are. Plus, a performance and financial therapist pouring into you with business tips, meditations, and real results driven therapy for maintaining your well-being.

But if you’re not ready to join just yet, start by subscribing to this blog below. In the upcoming blogs, we'll dive deeper into topics such as setting the right pricing for your sessions, exploring additional revenue streams, building a subscription model, maximizing efficiency, and transitioning clients to other offerings.

This is an opportunity to unlock your full financial potential and create a thriving business doing what you love. Share this blog series with your co-workers and fellow personal trainers, and together, you can move towards financial freedom and professional fulfillment.

Remember, determining your weekly one-on-one session capacity is the foundation upon which a successful and sustainable practice is built. By carefully assessing your available time and energy, calculating your financial needs, and finding the sweet spot between these factors, you can create a business that serves both you and your clients effectively. 

Prioritizing your well-being is the absolute best way to deliver exceptional service and should always be at the forefront of your decision-making process. If you don’t know how to do it, keep reading this blog and consider joining our society.