Trainer HQ

You're surrounded by hundreds of gym members, yet you're struggling to build your PT client base. Sound familiar?

The problem might not be the number of opportunities you've got. It might be what you're doing with them.

In this episode, Brad and Jason unpack the biggest mistakes gym-based personal trainers make when starting and growing their businesses inside commercial gyms.

From relying too heavily on gym-generated leads and avoiding the gym floor, to poor follow-up, weak sales skills and not knowing their numbers, they reveal why some trainers struggle while others build thriving businesses in the exact same environment.

They also explore how 30 potential opportunities could result in just 4 new clients, or as many as 18, depending on how effectively you manage and convert them.

If you're a rent-based PT who wants more clients, better conversions and a business that doesn't rely entirely on the gym feeding you leads, this episode is packed with practical takeaways.

Braden and Cassie didn't start Pure Shift PT with a big client base, an established brand or years of online coaching experience.

They started from zero.

After launching in February, the early growth was slow. Around six months in, they had approximately nine clients.

Then things started to click.

By December, roughly 10 months after launching, Pure Shift had grown to 40 clients and $3,080 in weekly revenue.

In this episode, Brad sits down with Braden and Cassie to unpack the real story behind that growth.

They share the early doubts, their initial fear around sales, the challenge of building systems from scratch, learning to work together as husband and wife, raising two young daughters and building a business while Braden continued working 7-on/7-off in the mining industry.

You'll also hear how Trainer HQ helped them establish the foundations, avoid costly mistakes and set goals that initially seemed almost impossible.

Today, Pure Shift is a predominantly online coaching business helping busy mums lose weight, rebuild their confidence and create sustainable change.

And their next goal is even more personal: continue growing the business so Braden can leave the mining industry and be home full-time with his family.

A fantastic conversation about business, family, persistence and what can happen when you trust the process and keep putting in the reps.

Are you running a business, or have you just bought yourself a job?

This is one of the biggest traps Brad & Jason see with gym and PT studio owners.

You start as the coach.

Then you become the salesperson, marketer, receptionist, cleaner, manager and everything else the business needs.

And suddenly, the business can't grow unless you do more.

In this episode, they break down 5 growth ceilings that can stop a gym or studio from moving to the next level:

1. Being the business instead of building one

2. Chasing memberships instead of chasing profit

3. Unpredictable lead generation relying on referrals, walk-ins and hope

4. The wrong team or trying to find another version of yourself

5. Not knowing your numbers and making decisions without the data

They also unpack sales, retention, systems, automation and what it really takes to move from being the person doing everything to becoming the person leading the business.

If you're a gym or studio owner who's working harder but still feels stuck, there's a good chance one of these ceilings is holding you back.

Success leaves clues. The question is, are you paying attention?

Listen in.

Yani is a two time Junior World Champion, Australian powerlifting champion and Australian bench press record holder.

She has also built a hybrid coaching business reaching $19,500 per month, while still prioritising training, family, travel and lifestyle.

Her journey includes being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just 21, going through months of chemotherapy, rebuilding her strength and returning to elite competition.

In this episode, Brad and Yani talk business growth, online coaching, sales, lifestyle design and the impact Trainer HQ has had on her journey.

A great listen for any PT who wants to build a strong business without being consumed by it.

Most fitness business owners we know aren't short on strategy. They've done the courses, hired the coaches, built the plans. And yet the results plateau, the patterns repeat, and the breakthrough keeps feeling just out of reach.

In this episode, Jason and Brad unpack what they've been building and testing through IGNITE Trainer HQ's flagship transformation event and the one shift that changes everything: identity.

Not habits. Not tactics. Not another 90-day plan. Identity.

They break down why behaviour change almost always fails without an identity shift underneath it, what "identity drag" actually looks like in a fitness business owner's day-to-day, and why pressure is the real test of whether anything has actually changed.

They also open up about what they saw in the room at IGNITE Bali; the patterns, the breakthroughs, and what keeps showing up across every room they've ever run.

And yes. they talk about what's coming next. 

IGNITE Queenstown 2028. 

Twenty years of Trainer HQ. And why this one is going to be different.

If you've ever set a goal you didn't hit, or hit a goal and still felt like something was off, this one's for you.

After 16 months leading business growth at Trainer HQ, Peter Lucid has spoken with hundreds of fitness business owners through discovery calls and sales conversations.

In this episode, he shares the biggest lessons he's learned about sales, leadership, human behaviour and what consistently separates high performers from everyone else.

If you want to improve your ability to attract clients, have better conversations and grow your fitness business with confidence, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Philip Di Bella built one of Australia's most recognised coffee brands before achieving a $60 million exit.

In this conversation with Brad and Jason, he shares the lessons learned from decades in business, his philosophy on marketing and brand building, the incredible health transformation that saw him lose over 80kg, and his perspective on where Australia's economy is heading.

If you're looking to grow your business with smarter strategy, not just more hustle then this episode is packed with practical insights every entrepreneur can apply.

Looking for more insights from Philip Di Bella?

Don't miss his previous Trainer HQ Podcast episode, where he shares more of the mindset, strategies, and experiences that have shaped his journey in business and leadership.

🎧 Listen next: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6KQ5xnc2jA272qRrDyZxeQ?si=dHzuwvHfQt2eWxJ_XP6fQA

What does it really take to become elite at sales?

In this episode, Brad Sheppard, Jason Urbanowicz and Brad D unpack the habits, mindset, and lessons that separate top performers from everyone else.

From mastering the fundamentals and embracing relentless practice to handling rejection, pressure, and self-doubt, this conversation explores what it really takes to perform at a high level in sales, business, and life.

Brad D shares his journey from learning the craft of sales to leading teams and coaching hundreds of sales professionals, revealing the biggest mistakes beginners make, the traits of elite performers, and why your results should never define your identity.

In this episode:

• What separates elite salespeople from everyone else• Why practice is the foundation of mastery

• The difference between influence and manipulation

• How to handle rejection without losing confidence

• Why sales exposes your strengths and weaknesses• The dangers of tying self-worth to your results

• Understanding how people make decisions

• The mindset required for long-term success

Whether you're a coach, personal trainer, business owner, or sales professional, this episode is packed with practical insights and powerful mindset shifts that can help you perform at your best.

Most fitness business owners focus on growth, clients, and revenue.

But very few think about their exit strategy.

In this episode of the Trainer HQ Podcast, Brad Sheppard and Jason Urbanowicz sit down with Benny D to discuss the lessons learned from building and selling a fitness business after more than 20 years.

They discuss:

• Why every business owner needs an exit plan

• What makes a business attractive to buyers

• The biggest mistakes owners make when building their business

• How to create a business that doesn't depend on you

• Lessons from more than two decades in the fitness industry

• What Benny learned through the process of selling his business

This episode is designed to help fitness business owners think strategically about long-term success and build a business that creates freedom, flexibility and future opportunities.

Why do some personal trainers succeed while others stay stuck for years, even when they have support?

In this episode of the Trainer HQ Podcast, Brad Sheppard and Jason Urbanowicz unpack one of the most important topics in the fitness industry.

They discuss:

• Why coaching alone doesn’t guarantee success

• The biggest mistakes that keep PTs stuck

• Why implementation matters more than information

• The dangers of distraction and inconsistency

• What actually separates successful PT business owners from everyone else

This episode is designed to give personal trainers a more honest understanding of what it really takes to build a successful fitness business long term.