Ever wondered what it’s like to own a gym? Let me tell you, it’s not for the faint of heart, and Anthony Amen, owner of Redefine Fitness, will be the first one to confirm that. He should know, he put in 18-hour days to build Redefine from the ground up. Now he has a team of personal trainers and admin staff and will soon open a new location! Things are rocking-and-rolling now, but it hasn’t always been smooth-sailing.
On this week’s episode of the Million Dollar Body podcast, Anthony and I discuss the dirty secrets behind the fitness industry, what makes a great personal trainer, and what it takes to own and run a successful gym. (Hint: It’s not enough to be passionate about working out.)
Advice For Personal Trainers
Anthony has a lot of experience hiring personal trainers, so what he says goes a long way. One thing that he said shocked me—he told me that a lot of trainers looking for jobs at his gym will nail down an interview and then not show up for it. Then they actually want him to reschedule. WHAT? This is basic, people. If you want a job, show up for the interview, and in fact, get there early. Do you want the job OR NOT?
One of the most important things he looks for in a personal trainer is a solid understanding of physiology and anatomy instead of relying on the latest fitness fads to inform their craft. He encourages his trainers to be “forever learners”—to embrace the truth that you don’t know everything and to be willing to continue to learn everything you can about fitness.
We also talked about:
- Which situation(s) you need to avoid to minimize the risk of liability
- What lights Anthony up as a gym owner and what keeps him going day after day
- The last time he changed his mind about something fitness-related that he really used to dig his heels in about (Hint: Keto. I’m not mad about it though.)
