Fitness Training -Being a Sole Proprietor

   Anyone contemplating a move into a career as a Fitness Trainer would be prudent to research the business aspect of this field of occupation.
Basically, aspiring Fitness Trainers have two usual choices if they want to be legitimate.

1. Work as an employee for a Fitness Center or a recreation complex.
2. Work on your own with your own clientele or for a Fitness Complex as an independent contractor. 

If you decide on option number 2, then you will have to decide:

1. Should you be a sole proprietor?
2. Should you form a business partnership?
3. Should you incorporate?

 Do your research! I looked through an old college manual about the business of Fitness Training.
There were 2 paragraphs on each of these topics; sole proprietorship, business partnership and incorporation. Obviously you must go beyond the offered fare of the fitness courses to get fundamental knowledge. Business books and the internet should help you educate yourself. If you feel that you need to consult a business expert - do it! It may be well worth any fee.
   Your decision on how to operate may depend upon how far advanced you are in your Fitness Training business. During the early process of building your business, cash flow may be meager. Incorporation fees can be costly. Sole proprietorship may be the initial route to take.
  A proprietor is someone who runs a business that they legally own. A sole proprietorship business is owned and operated by one individual. Anyone that sells a service or product with the hope of some profit is a sole proprietor by default. They need not fill out any official forms to attain this status. They will be expected to pay taxes on the income but they can also claim business expenses against such income. It is a great option for newcomers!
 There are some advantages to sole proprietorship such as:

• Less hassle or cost in starting the business.
• The sole proprietor makes the business decisions.
• The sole proprietor gets the sole profits.
• The sole proprietor only has to answer to his clients - not to a fitness center manager.

Sole proprietorship may have some disadvantages such as:

• The sole proprietor has total responsibility (or blame) for the business.
• Business liability issues. The sole proprietor is personally liable for business debts.
• Legal liability issues. A sole proprietor can be sued for his own personal assets - not just for business assets. 

Those are some significant disadvantages. There is a certain amount of physical risk involved in this occupation. You want to protect yourself to the maximum in case of an injured client.

Look, I get it! Too many expenses in the beginning can handcuff you. If you are Fitness Training as a second job you also want to keep it simple.

If you are just a small dog in the fitness training kennel, you may want to
work as a sole proprietor. If you grow into a big wolf, you may be wise to
consider incorporating your business.

Sole proprietorship provides greater flexibility and easier decision making!

    Once you start to approach a time where you are making a decent living at it it might be the time to consider incorporating. This requires a level of commitment and administrative work beyond sole proprietorship.
 If you work with other Fitness Trainers you might also consider forming a partnership but then you have someone besides your clients to answer to.
   If you don't feel a need for these extra constraints then
staying lean and mean as a sole proprietor may be the right business model for you! 

(Read more on Fitness Training business options in my next two blogs.)
                                                           
Until next time,.......keep fit!  

Little Bobby Strong                          
                                               
                                                              schwabe27.uwmfatloss.hop.clickbank.net

References
1. The Business of Personal Training    Scott O. Roberts
Human Kinetics 1996

2. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting Your Own Business- Third Edition
Edward Paulson  Alpha books - MacMillan USA Inc. 2000
(Publisher's Note: You expected me to read an MBA level book on Economic Capitalism....
Forget That!)