Most trainers are stuck training 30+ clients for $5K/month, working 60 hours/week, and burning out. Here's exactly how I built a $15K-20K/month business training just 15-20 premium clients in 35 hours/week. No gym overhead, high margins, sustainable.
The Broke Trainer Model:
30 clients × $60/session × 12 sessions/month = $21,600/month revenue
BUT: 60 hours/week training + 10 hours admin = 70 hours/week total
Burnout in 18 months. Guaranteed.
The Premium Model:
18 clients × $150/session × 12 sessions/month = $32,400/month revenue
Training: 27 hours/week + 8 hours admin = 35 hours/week total
Sustainable for YEARS.
Same clients, more revenue, half the hours. The secret? Premium pricing + selectivity.
If you're charging under $100/session, you're leaving $50K+/year on the table.
The pricing ladder:
"But people in my area can't afford that!"
Bullshit. I'm in Westlake Village charging $200-250/session and my clients gladly pay because I deliver RESULTS.
How to raise rates without losing clients:
Not all clients are worth your time.
Fire clients who:
Why this works: You free up slots for GOOD clients who pay on time, show up, get results, and refer friends.
Once you hit 15 clients, stop taking new clients.
Instead:
What this does: Creates perceived scarcity. People value what's hard to get. Your slots become premium.
Stop wasting 10 hours/week on admin bullshit.
Tools that save time:
Clients book their own sessions. Automated reminders 24 hours before. Reschedule policy enforced automatically.
Time saved: 5 hours/week
Auto-charge clients monthly. Failed payments? Automated email. No more chasing people for money.
Time saved: 3 hours/week
Stop writing custom programs from scratch. Use templates, modify for individual needs.
Time saved: 5 hours/week
Total time saved: 13 hours/week = you can train 2-3 more clients OR have your life back.
What a VA can handle:
Cost: $500/month for 10-15 hours/week
ROI: You get 10 hours back = train 1-2 more clients = $2K-4K/month extra revenue
Most trainers have terrible schedules: 6 AM client, then gap until 11 AM, then another gap, then 6-8 PM. You're at the gym 12 hours but training 4 hours.
Better schedule (my actual schedule):
Monday/Wednesday/Friday:
6:00 AM - 9:30 AM: 6 clients back-to-back (30 min each + 15 min buffer)
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Admin, programming, emails
Done by noon.
Tuesday/Thursday:
4:00 PM - 7:30 PM: 6 clients back-to-back
Done by 7:30 PM.
Total: 18 clients/week, 27 hours training, 35 hours total work.
The key: Block scheduling. No gaps. Clients adapt to YOUR schedule, not the other way around.
40% of my new clients come from referrals. Here's how:
Ask EVERY client for referrals after session #3:
"Hey [Name], I'm trying to grow to 15-20 clients. Who do you know who might benefit from training? If they sign up, you both get a free session."
Expected conversion: 1 in 3 clients refer someone within 90 days.
Math: 18 clients → 6 referrals/quarter → 24 referrals/year.
If 50% convert = 12 new clients/year from referrals alone.
Google Business Profile is a goldmine most trainers ignore.
What to do:
Result: When someone searches "personal trainer [your city]", you show up.
My data: 5-10 inquiries/month from Google with ZERO ad spend.
Revenue:
18 clients × $150/session × 12/month = $32,400/month
Less: Stripe fees (3%) = -$972
Less: Software (Acuity, etc.) = -$100
Less: VA = -$500
Less: Insurance = -$200
Net: $30,628/month = $367K/year
Time commitment:
Training: 27 hours/week
Admin: 6 hours/week (with VA handling rest)
Total: 33 hours/week
Lifestyle:
Work 33 hours/week, make $367K/year, zero employees, zero overhead, location-independent (can train remotely when traveling).
You think more clients = more money. Wrong. 30 clients at $60 = burnout. 18 clients at $150 = sustainable.
You've been charging $80/session for 3 years because you're afraid to lose clients. Raise it. The good ones stay.
You're wasting 15 hours/week on admin that could be automated or delegated. Invest in tools and VAs.
Every client gets a custom program from scratch. Build templates. Use proven systems. Scale your time.
Clients text you at 10 PM asking random questions. Set boundaries. Respond during business hours only.
Month 1-3: Get to 10 clients at $100-120/session
Month 4-6: Raise rates to $125-150, implement automation
Month 7-9: Hit 15 clients, start waitlist, hire VA
Month 10-12: Max out at 18 clients, rates at $150+, making $15K+/month
You don't need 50 clients. You need 15-20 GREAT clients who pay premium rates.
The formula:
Result: $15K-20K/month working 35 hours/week. Sustainable. Profitable. No burnout.
I teach trainers exactly how I built this model. Complete systems, templates, scripts, everything you need.
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