5 Ways in Which Business is Like Getting in Shape

Everything I Know About Business I Learned from Getting Fit

Most entrepreneurs talk about how they’ve always been entrepreneurs even as kids, and I am no exception. But while other young entrepreneurs-in-training had paper routes, touted homemade lemonade on hot summer days, and sold candy door-to-door, I made and marketed Creepy Crawlers to the neighbourhood kids.

Even back then, I had my own style of doing things.

Flash forward to adulthood.

Not much has changed, except I now understand the work it takes to actually make money doing what you love.

In a nutshell: It’s not easy.

My career ran the gamut from the day I left college, after earning a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition.  I spent seven years working as a recipe development and product development specialist for a food consulting firm.

Through various projects there, I discovered a knack for creating desserts and went on to become a pastry chef, and then a bakery owner.

Ironically, I ended up tossing aside the sugar and flour to become a personal trainer (I was always into fitness even while making chocolate mousse cakes). After 15 years of working in fitness I once again grew restless and rediscovered (I’d always enjoyed it) my love for writing.

I worked as a freelance writer for the past decade, won a couple of awards and again felt an itch to do something else.

It sounds a bit manic, but I thrive on challenge, and once I no longer feel challenged, I move on. Plus, I experienced success in each career, at least by my personal standards.

Now, at age 58, I plan to make my current business, AgelessAfter50.com, my final curtain call.

I ventured into my current business after taking marketing guru Marie Forleo’s B-School in 2014. Through this course I narrowed down my niche and knew I wanted to create an online presence and brand.

Through this online course, and the help of several business coaches along the way, I created my customer avatar:
women over 50 interested in losing weight, getting in shape, or both.

And, as a woman over 50 myself, I knew a need existed for women within this age group. I also knew from own experience with my personal training clients that often times women have no trouble losing weight until after 50 – mostly post-menopausal.

In addition to my background in fitness and nutrition, I’d lost nearly 20 pounds after age 50 myself, so I knew I could help others do the same. Not only that, but I’ve discovered a huge opportunity in an area in which no one’s yet emerged as a leader.

My email list started at ground zero before B-School and has grown to approximately 10,000 subscribers. My Facebook business page went from 60 to over 3,000 likes, and my AgelessAfter50 private Facebook group has grown to nearly over 1,600 members.

As a freelance writer for over a decade, the majority of my income has come from writing gigs until this year (2017), but after establishing a solid base of readers and followers, I’m ready for the next step and make Ageless After 50 my main income.

In the process of transitioning into my new venture, I’ve found a lot of similarities between fitness and entrepreneurship. I keep these five tips in mind at all times, especially when the going gets rough. They may also help you…

1. Expect pushback

It’s a funny thing when you start a business or a new workout regimen. The same people you thought would support you often turn out to be your biggest naysayers. “You’ve tried this before and it never worked out,” is one of the most common statements you’ll hear.

Be ready for it. Whether you’re starting a new business or a new healthy lifestyle, you will likely stir up guilty feelings in those around you who wish they were brave or disciplined enough to do the same. You can state your reasoning for why you’re doing what you’re doing, but chances are they won’t hear you.

Find others who are on a similar path. They will help you stay on track. This may require joining a mastermind group, Facebook group, or other supportive group of like-minded people. Keep naysayers at arm’s length.

2. Motivation must come from within

in line with #1, keep in mind that staying on track may initially come from outside input but will eventually need to come from within yourself. At some point the novelty of your new venture wears off and you’ll be on your own. If you need others to constantly tell you you’re doing a great job, you’ll eventually give up when you don’t hear it as often.

3. Give yourself time

Most people give up just as they’re about to see results. If you find yourself struggling, switch gears, change your approach or look back at how much you’ve already accomplished. If you don’t know if this tactic is best for you, seek out advice from others who’ve been through a similar journey.

4. Don’t compare your results to others

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or starting a new business, you’ll inevitably hear stories of other people who became overnight successes (“My first webinar earned me $20,000!”) or lost weight faster than you. Be skeptical. Often you don’t hear the backstory, which is not nearly as sexy or, in the case of weight loss, healthy. In addition, your body and situation is unique, so comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable.

5. Celebrate every bit of progress

Lastly, when you’re a driven entrepreneur it’s easy to feel as if you’re mired in quicksand trying to get ahead some days. We tend to downplay the small successes, but they add up to big things over time. When you feel as if you’re going nowhere, take time to look at where you started and celebrate all the little steps forward.

In the end, whether you’re building biceps or a business, success takes time, patience, and right action.

Author: Linda Melone, CSCS

Linda Melone is founder of AgelessAfter50.com, a website dedicated to helping women over 50 lose weight and get fit. A certified trainer and 58 years old herself, Linda is also an award winning writer whose work can be found on sites such as MSNHealth, AARP, Shape, MensFitness, and many more. She combines in fitness background and writing skills in her work as an online coach.

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