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BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint Workshop – 2019 Locations & DatesSydney, Australia: July 13-14th at Clean Shred. Melbourne, Australia: July 19-21st and Melbourne Strength & Conditioning. (<— Includes bonus “Psych Skills for Fitness Pros” pre-workshop with Dr. Lisa Lewis). This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint. With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:
Find out more details HERE. 2. Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop – Chicago, IL (w/ Dr. Lisa Lewis)This will be the only time Dr. Lisa Lewis and I will be presenting this workshop together in 2019. In previous years we’ve presented it in Boston, London, Toronto, Bonn (Germany), and Austin, TX. This 1-day workshop is targeted towards fitness professionals and digs a little deeper into what really “bogs” them down and stresses them out…. …their clients! Click THIS link for more details on topics covered as well as date/cost/location. 3. Talkin Entrepreneurial Shenanigans w/ Adam ReesAdam Rees of GRIT Gym invited me onto his new “chat” and we covered things like my new gym venture, the industry in general, and, I don’t know, the fact I wasn’t wearing pants during this interview? Kidding. I totally was. SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS
STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK11 Top Trainers Talk About Their First Personal Training Client – The PTDCEveryone remembers their first….;o) 42 Split Squat Variations for Big Legs, a Strong Trunk & Healthy Back – Scott HansenStaggered stance, B-stance, leaning this way, leaning that way, elevated. upside down, invisible… …Scott thought of just about every single split squat variation for your viewing (and coaching) pleasure. ALSO: I don’t know if he did this on purpose, but bonus points for the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” 42 reference. Nerds for life! Killing Keto – Eric BachKeto zealots loved this article about as much as vampires like garlic. I thought this was a well written, well thought out piece. Kudos to Eric for writing it. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/06/stuff-to-read-while-youre-pretending-to-work-6-21-19/
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As any independent contractor knows, proper budgeting can make the difference between running a successful business or having to close down shop. Often, insurance is one of the most tempting line items to slash when trying to make ends meet. After all, dropping that dental insurance may leave you putting up with — rather than treating — that toothache, but it won’t really impact your overall operation…right? Well, it turns out that thinking may be backward. In fact, a strong, healthy smile communicates a lot about you as a business owner. Don’t believe us? Check out these eight ways your smile can affect your career!
Now we know what a strong smile can deliver, let’s explore what less-than-optimal smiles do to our careers….
The numbers don’t lie. Investing in a healthy smile can leave you confident, connected, and ready to lead a strong, thriving business. Weak or unhealthy smiles can cause you and others to lose confidence in your abilities. Thankfully, investing in your smile doesn’t have to be a major expense. At the Freelancers Union, we have affordable monthly plans that will save you an average of 35% off your annual dental expenses. Start shopping plans here, or reach out with any questions to [email protected] via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/06/20/career-boosting-reasons-to-invest-in-your-smile/
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*This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here.* Digital meetings have become the norm, especially for entrepreneurs and freelancers who connect with clients virtually on a regular basis — but aren’t flying around the world or the country do so. In fact, a recent PayPal freelancer report found that 58 percent of U.S. freelancers have an international client. Making the most of this meeting time is critical for freelancers who are, on average, juggling 17 clients and 18 projects at a time, according to the same PayPal report. If you get off topic and forget to ask the right question, or end the meeting before running through important data, you’ve wasted time that could have been otherwise spent on other important work. Use these tips to make the most of every meeting, and be respectful of everyone’s time — yours included. 1. Create an agenda If you called the meeting, it’s your job to have a plan for what needs to be covered. Creating a meeting agenda is the first step to successfully preparing for and making the most of the time you have together. Not only do agendas ensure that all participants are aware of what’s being discussed, but they also set the tone and allow you to keep control. Remember to share the agenda with your client in advance if they’re expected to come with questions or resources. If this is your first meeting, you can also use an agenda or welcome packet as a way to make a great impression: “Both you and the client then leave with documentation of your first meeting, exactly what was covered, and — in the case of a welcome packet — documentation of all the finer points of your business,” says Randle Browning, SkillCrush contributor. 2. Use the right tools Not all digital meeting tools are created equal but the right tools will set you up for success. When deciding which ones you need, consider the following details:
Ultimately, the tools needed to run a successful digital meeting will be different for every business, so check out this list of remote meeting tools from the communication experts at Hubgets. With time zone apps and chat software, this list is a great place to start. 3. Do a practice run You wouldn’t “wing it” with big in-person client meetings, so don’t make this mistake with digital meetings either. Do a practice run before your meeting to ensure appropriate timing and flow. After hearing your presentation out loud, you may discover that it doesn’t move well from one point to the next or that you’re missing important information. Give your presentation to someone out loud, so they can also help spot gaps or transitions that are confusing. Don’t forget to test any new tools you’re using. Even better if you can test with a friend or colleague to make sure everyone is able to access the meeting easily and without any problems. 4. Set a meeting goal Each meeting should have a purpose or a goal. Decide what you want to accomplish and remember that your goal doesn’t have to be elaborate. For example, your goal might be to get client feedback on a new strategy. The value in setting the goal ahead of time is that you can get specific. If you want client feedback, write yourself a list of questions that allow you to address the exact areas that require client insight. You can even prepare a questionnaire ahead of time and go over their responses in the meeting. 5. Invite the right people — and follow up To have a productive meeting, you need to have the right people in the virtual room. Start by inviting the right people, but not over-crowding the meeting, suggests Mentimeter: “If there are too many people in a meeting, that are not essential to the objective, meeting effectiveness can be decreased. In order to ensure that you invite only those you need, refer to your meeting objective and reflect on who you need to help you achieve your meeting goal.” Don’t forget to check who has accepted the meeting invite a few days before. If a key decision-maker has yet to accept, send a follow up email reminding him or her that you are going to address something specific that needs his or her approval. Plan ahead for better client meetings Don’t waste time on another client call. Instead, use these tips to plan ahead and ensure that you get everything taken care of while making a great impression. With the right tools, a little prep, and some necessary follow-up, you’ll leave the meeting with everything you need, including a happy client. Jessica Thiefels is founder and CEO of Jessica Thiefels Consulting, an organic content marketing agency. She’s been writing for more than 10 years and has been featured in top publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur and Fast Company. She also regularly contributes to Virgin, Business Insider, Glassdoor, Score.org and more. Follow her on Twitter @JThiefels and connect on LinkedIn. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/06/19/plan-ahead-tips-to-make-digital-client-meetings-more-effective/
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Wow – do I have a treat for everyone today. Best selling author and Exercise.com founder & CEO, Joel Ohman, is in the house today with a stellar guest post on “radical candidness,” and how it can make you a better, more successful personal trainer and human. Enjoy! How Being Radically Candid Can Transform Your Fitness Business & Client RelationshipsAt Exercise.com, we work with fitness business owners of every type, niche, and specialty. From sports performance gym owners and celebrity fitness trainers to incredibly witty and intelligent cat lovers who can deadlift a Buick one-handed while wielding a lightsaber with the other hand. Did I say that right, Tony? Oh, wait, the image you made—um, right: Anyway, all that is to say we work with all different types of fitness professionals, and it gives us a unique insight into the psyche of personal trainers and, specifically, how they communicate with us, their co-workers, and their clients. Different trainers have different communication styles. Like all business owners, and people in general, there are certain communication traps we can all fall into that can sabotage our client relationships and undermine the success we are all working so hard for in our fitness businesses. Radical Candor is a book by former Google and Apple executive Kim Scott that outlines a framework to be a better boss, colleague, and human being. The book outlines a quadrant representing four different very common styles of communication. On the Y-axis is your level of demonstrated personal care for the person you are communicating with. On the X-axis is your level of willingness to challenge directly in your communication with others. The ideal stated goal in communication with clients, colleagues, and partners is to land in that top right square titled “Radical Candor,” where you are simultaneously demonstrating that you personally care about the person you are talking to while also not being afraid to challenge them directly and give them the hard truths that they may need to hear. Radical candor is what happens when you both Care Personally and you Challenge Directly at the same time. [embedded content] What Radical Candor is NotBut first, it’s important to outline what Radical Candor is NOT.
It’s also helpful to look at each of the four different possible communication approaches/attitudes in the grid and see if you can recognize some common trainer/coach personality types, and then, of course, do the introspective work of seeing which one you tend to land in. It won’t be hard, you should recognize which one fits you right away (or, just ask one of your clients, your colleagues/partners, or even better: your spouse). Radical CandorRadical Candor happens at the intersection of Care Personally and Challenge Directly. Care Personally means that you care about the other person, not about whether you are winning a popularity contest. Challenge Directly means that you share your perspective and invite the other person to do the same. This is the gold standard of where we all want to be. This is the personal trainer who obviously cares about their clients and wants them to succeed, but is also willing to say the hard truth when it comes to encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, following medical advice when it comes to weight management, and other sensitive topics. Obnoxious AggressionObnoxious Aggression is mean but may be helpful. Obnoxious Aggression is also called “brutal honesty” or “front stabbing.” This is the classic Marine boot camp instructor or the raging high school football coach that breaks his clipboard This is the personal trainer who screams at clients but is more invested in checking out their own biceps in the gym mirror than they are in seeing their clients succeed. We recently created a comprehensive guide on how to become a successful online trainer packed with case studies, and surprise, surprise, yelling and screaming at clients, whether in-person or via video, was not a recipe for success. In a weird way, we have experienced coaches, trainers, or bosses like this and they have actually made us better people though. This is why this is the second best square in the quadrant. Even though that screaming football coach might make you want to hang your head and quietly cry in the shower after a game, can you rely on that coach to ALWAYS tell you exactly where you stand with him? Can you count on him to communicate directly with you, tell it to you like it is, and give you immediate and specific feedback on what you need to do to improve? “Cut right, I said CUT RIGHT! Why did you cut left? What part of CUT RIGHT don’t you understand! Get this in your thick head: CUT RIGHT!” Umm, yes. At least the communication is clear, direct, and immediate. But, as we probably all know, any success is usually short-term as athletes tend to underperform for coaches who motivate solely with fear. Ruinous EmpathyRuinous Empathy is “nice” but ultimately unhelpful or even damaging. It’s seeing somebody with their fly down, but, not wanting to embarrass them, saying nothing, with the result that 15 more people see them with their fly down—more embarrassing for them. It’s a personal trainer not wanting to tell their client the hard truth, that yes, their doctor is right, they do need to lose those 60 pounds. It’s a fitness business owner not wanting to confront their head personal trainer when they are not meeting expectations. Manipulative InsincerityManipulative Insincerity is a stab in the back. This is active sabotage, and the worst of what we all think of when we think of interpersonal relationships and communication, whether that’s office politics or gym politics. What About You?In our weekly team meetings we like to start off with a 10-15 minute segment we call “Weekly Wisdom” that has one member of the team sharing something they recently learned, whether business, personal, a book they read, etc. and then we discuss as a team. We recently discussed, you guessed it, Radical Candor, and here are some of the questions we discussed:
So, what about you? How might becoming Radically Candid transform your fitness business, your client relationships, and maybe even your personal life? About the AuthorJoel Ohman is a serial entrepreneur, author, and angel investor. He is the founder and CEO of Exercise.com and a number of tech startups. He lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Angela and their three kids. His writing companion is Caesar, a slightly overweight Bull Mastiff who loves to eat the tops off of strawberries. He lifts weights six days a week and does Krav Maga twice a week to try to ignore the fact he’s still just a washed up ex-college basketball player. You can connect with Joel and send your own Radically Candid personal communication to him at JoelOhman.com. SPECIAL DISCOUNT: If you want custom-branded iOS and Android apps for your fitness business, then check out Exercise.com’s fitness business management software to scale your business in-person and online using assessments, clients/class scheduling, gym check-ins, billing, workout software, and more then mention this article to get an extra month free. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/06/how-being-radically-candid-can-transform-your-fitness-business-and-client-relationships/
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If you are a freelancer who sells taxable goods online, you are likely aware of the challenges of collecting and remitting sales tax in multiple jurisdictions. A case in point that you should pay attention to if your business includes sales in New York State (NYS): the state recently enacted legislation to force marketplace providers to collect sales tax on behalf of their sellers. This requirement went into effect on June 1, 2019. The following is what you need to know: The definition of a marketplace provider In the new NYS regulation, a marketplace provider is someone who has an agreement to facilitate the sales of tangible personal property for a marketplace seller. To facilitate a sale of tangible personal property the following must hold true:
The definition of a marketplace seller In the new NYS regulation, a marketplace seller is defined as any person who has an agreement with a marketplace provider to facilitate sales of tangible personal property on their behalf. A marketplace provider cannot refuse to collect tax on a marketplace seller’s sales, even if the seller is registered for sales tax purposes. Responsibilities of a marketplace provider As part of the new NYS requirements, a marketplace provider must:
Specific sales tax obligations for marketplace providers Just like any other vendor, a marketplace provider has the following sales tax obligations and rights:
In addition, marketplace providers must keep records and cooperate with the Department of Taxation and Finance to ensure the proper collection and remittance of tax imposed, collected, or required to be collected. Liability relief for marketplace providers and marketplace sellers Even the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance understands that occasionally errors happen. As such, a marketplace provider is not held responsible for failure to collect the right amount of sales tax if they can prove that they had incorrect or not enough information from the marketplace seller. Any marketplace seller registered to collect sales tax does will receive sales tax liability relief on a sale of tangible personal property if:
There is no liability relief in either case if there is an affiliation between the marketplace seller and marketplace provider. As you can see, if you sell goods on behalf of a marketplace provider into NYS, you need to ensure that you are meeting these new requirements. Likewise, if you are depending on a marketplace provider to sell goods for you in the state, now is the time to make sure they are aware of — and following — these new rules. Failure to do so could mean facing substantial fines and penalties. Jonathan Medows is a New York City based CPA who specializes in taxes and business issues for freelancers and self-employed individuals across the country. He offers a free consultation to members of Freelancer’s Union* and a monthly email newsletter covering tax, accounting and business issues to freelancers on his website, http://www.cpaforfreelancers.com — which also features a new blog, how-to articles, and a comprehensive freelance tax guide. *Jonathan is happy to provide an initial consultation to freelancers. To qualify for a free consultation you must be a member of the Freelancers Union and mention this article upon contacting him. Please note that this offer is not available March 1 through April 18 and covers a general conversation about tax responsibilities of a freelancer and potential deductions. These meetings do not include review of self-prepared documents, review of self-prepared tax returns, or the review of the work of other preparers. The free meeting does not include the preparation or review of quantitative calculations of any sort. He is happy to provide such services but would need to charge an hourly rate for his time. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/06/18/freelancers-selling-in-new-york-state-have-new-sales-tax-collection-requirements/
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I am not at all abashed in saying this: THE best resource I’ve come across in the past five years that has made me a better coach is Dr. Sarah Duvall’s Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (self study) Course. Anyone who works with women – which is pretty much everyone – should consider investing in this resource. I can only speak for myself but it’s done wonders in helping me narrow any knowledge gaps I’ve had in the past working with this (specific) population and it’s given me much more confidence as a coach. I have some insights to share below that I feel you should check out, but for those who prefer to skip the amuse bouche TODAY (6/17) is the last day you can save $150 off the regular price. Go HERE, and at checkout enter the code PARTY150 to claim your discount. I’ve also added a little sumthin, sumthin as incentive, but you have to scroll down to the bottom of this blog post to reveal it. HINT: Does NOT include a 5×7 shirtless pic of me. 4 Things to Consider When Working With Postpartum Women1. Once a Woman is Postpartum, She’s ALWAYS PostpartumThis is a powerful quote and something Sarah stresses over and over again in her course. Whether you’re working with a woman who is very recently postpartum or she gave birth three years ago, you still need to do your due diligence as a coach. Just because some time has passed doesn’t mean she’s out of the weeds yet. Some women exhibit significant Diastasis Recti years after giving birth and shrug it off as “meh, that’s just the way things are.” Likewise, some women view incidents such as incontinence (urine leaks) as equally “normal” and shrug worthy years after the fact. NEWSFLASH: they’re not. In light of that it’s important to ask questions and to peel back the onion on a woman’s (reproductive) health history to glean as much information as possible. Now, I get it: I’m a dude. There’s a high degree of professionalism at play here. “So, where you from?” “Born and raised in Boston.” “Awesome, do you have any major injuries I need to be aware of?” “Nope, none I can think of.” “How many kids do you have? Did you have a natural birth or c-section? Oh, and do you pee when you squat?” To help stave off any awkwardness, I’ll send all prospective clients a questionnaire to fill out a head of time with pertinent questions related to this part of their health history. If they’ve never given birth then they can skip and move on to the “Favorite Movie of All-Time” section (which is TOTALLY a thing by the way. I find it’s a great conversation stimulator and helps break the ice). And if they do have kids I ask them to fill out that section which has a handful of follow-up questions. They can then go into as much detail as they feel comfortable with with 1019% less awkwardness. 2. Breathing –> Core –> Posture –> Everything Else –> More Kitty CuddlesThat’s the order of things you’ll almost always want to prioritize when working with postpartum women. I’ve had a crush on the importance of positional breathing drills ever since my days at Cressey Sports Performance. We found there was a lot of efficacy towards their use with getting athletes into a better position prior to training; specifically nudging toward a canister position (Zone of Apposition, I.e., the act of bringing things together or in proximity) as opposed to a scissor position. Canister Position = diaphragm and pelvic floor stacked on top of each other. Scissor Position = the opposite of that. The latter tends to be a much more UN-stable position and can (not always) result in a fusillade of things we’d rather not see happen:
Honing in on breath can help “glue” or connect things more efficiently. Making sure someone is getting 3D expansion of their rib cage (and not just breathing UP into their chest) can be a game changer and helps to set the stage for everything else that follows. If you don’t own breath, you’re not going to own “position” during exercise. Something as simple as the Deadbug exercise – done correctly, with emphasis on the breath – is a great example. [embedded content] It’s important to note that everyone is different and every birth is different. I can’t stress enough the importance of encouraging a woman to wait until she’s ready before implementing any mode of exercise. However, it’s important to note that it only takes 14 days of bedrest to notice atrophy of the Multifidi and surrounding spine musculature. Encouraging small walks in conjunction with very basic breathing drills can help offset this. [embedded content] Reiterate – from the rooftops – that a woman’s core is GOING TO BE WEAK FOR A LONG-TIME and that it is okay, normal, and 100% human for this to happen. It still behooves them to set in motion – when they’re ready – these mini interventions that will pay HUGE dividends down the road. 3. It Takes TimeWomen who train during their pregnancy are often the most vulnerable. They want to revert back to their “normal” training schedule often times before they’re close to being ready. The pelvic floor (and other places of trauma) need time to catch up. A good rule to keep handy:
This is not to imply that a woman can’t start lifting weights or exercising more vigorously prior to nine months, however it’s just to toss in a bit of expectation management. The kipping pull-ups and heavy squats can wait. FIRST FOUR MONTHS = rebuilding solid base (get the pelvic floor and core working with a ton of breathing drills). But even this approach can be tempered to that of the client and her capabilities. As an example I have a current client who gave birth less than a month ago who has just started to come back to the gym to train. She had been working with me for two years prior and knows her way around the weight room. Here’s an example of her first week of training back:A1. Deadbug 3×5/side B1. Standing Band Row: 3×10 C1. Pallof Press: 2×10/side D1. Box Jumps – AMAP x 2x30seconds Again, everyone is different. The umbrella theme to remember, though, is to TAKE THINGS SLOW! 4. What To Avoid in the Early StagesOn that front, here are some thing you’ll likely want to skip altogether in the early stages of working with postpartum women: Plyos – burpees, jumping jacks, stairs, stop it. Running – just an accentuated plyometric. Front Abdominal Exercises – planks, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts (or anything that makes the abs bulge in front or uses the core to support a lot of the body weight). Ninja Fights – Probably best to avoid ninjas at all costs, actually. And That’s ThatThere’s obviously a lot more to consider, that’s a pretty good start. For much, much, MUCH more on this topic check out the Certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist course HERE. Use the code PARTY150 at checkout to receive $150 off your order. Also, if you send me your receipt via email I’ll send you a copt of my “30 Days of Deadlifts” PDF as a thank you. It’s about deadlifts…;o) Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/06/4-things-to-consider-when-working-with-postpartum-women/
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June is national Adopt A Shelter Cat month, so there’s no better time to help an animal in need — and get yourself a mostly nonjudgmental new coworker. If you’re considering bringing a kitty companion into your home, check out this guide to domestic feline bliss. Do the mathWhile many adoption facilities provide spaying and neutering, vaccines, and microchips to get you started, taking care of a cat requires some short- and long-term budgeting. Before you fall in love with that cute little face, you’re going to need a bed (or they will take yours), litter box, cat litter, food and water bowls, scratching posts, toys, plus grooming supplies. Whatever your adoptee's age, choose a vet and insurance coverage ahead of time. Routine visits and prevention meds add up, and that's before you factor in any unexpected illnesses, disappeared balls of strings, or high-wire acts gone wrong. Freelancers Union members get 10% off ASPCA Pet Health Insurance where available. Get a quote for coverage that's (almost) as flexible as your cat here. Take time to settle them inYour cat is going to act as if they own the place. You may as well accept that they do, but it’s also important to set good habits from day one. That means cat-proofing electrical cords and sharp objects, and committing to putting food away so that they are slightly less tempted to jump on counters. When it comes to socialization, remember that cats can take several weeks to get used to their new surroundings. Take things slow, and make sure that they have a quiet place to retreat to with their bed, food, water, and toys. If 15 of your closest friends are dying to know what your new kitten looks like, let them visit in shifts — or settle for Instagram. Review your plant collectionYour domestic cat is no king of the jungle. In fact, a surprising number of common plants can cause irritation and even systematic damage. Check out this list of common toxic plants, and if in doubt, throw it out. Keep it downCats are easily startled, so for the first few weeks at least, be mindful of any loud noises, obnoxious ringtones, or computer alerts that could frighten them. If you can, choose quiet calls over video chats with clients — not least because your new roomie will probably want to make an appearance. Because... Remember, cats need lots of attention tooWhile cats aren't often accused of dog-like levels of people-pleasing, don’t expect your cat to let you work all day. A play schedule is a must, unless you’re cool with endless interruptions. Remember that moody coworker? Yeah they didn’t have claws and probably didn’t knock things off your desk. If your cat wants to play? YOU PLAY. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/06/12/how-to-happily-work-from-home-with-a-new-cat/
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BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint Workshop – 2019 Locations & DatesSydney, Australia: July 13-14th at Clean Shred. Melbourne, Australia: July 19-21st and Melbourne Strength & Conditioning. (<— Includes bonus “Psych Skills for Fitness Pros” pre-workshop with Dr. Lisa Lewis). This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint. With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:
Find out more details HERE. 2. Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop – Chicago, ILThis will be the only time Dr. Lisa Lewis and I will be presenting this workshop together in 2019. In previous years we’ve presented it in Boston, London, Toronto, Bonn (Germany), and Austin, TX. This 1-day workshop is targeted towards fitness professionals and digs a little deeper into what really “bogs” them down and stresses them out…. …their clients! Click THIS link for more details on topics covered as well as date/cost/location. SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS
STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORKPostpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (Self Study) – Dr. Sarah DuvallThis is one of the best courses I have ever taken and has provided me an abyss of information (and confidence) when it comes to working with women. It’s made me a better coach. If you’re a fitness professional I can almost guarantee you you’ll agree with my sentiment. Sarah has placed the course on SALE this weekend (Friday, 6-14 – Monday 6/17) at $150 OFF the regular price. 1. Go HERE. 2. At checkout use the code PARTY150 to claim your discount. 3. No diggidy, no doubt. 4 Lat Building Exercises You’ve Never Tried – Sivan FaganTrust me, I doubt you’ve tried any of these before. Sorta Deep Thoughts on Training, Diet and Character – Bryan KrahnAre you like me and don’t have enough eye rolls to give whenever someone waxes poetic on something like the Paleo diet and how the reason why they do it is because cavemen were ripped? Really? Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/06/stuff-to-read-while-youre-pretending-to-work-6-14-19/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here . For authors and bloggers, the journey from "I’ve got a great idea for a book!" to "Have you read my latest book?" is long. But the internet has made it easier than ever to avoid the trials and tribulations of corporate publishing, and put the control back in the hands of the creators. To make your journey easier, I've collected the very best resources and tools that will help you get this done. From sites that inspire your writing, to creating your final eBook design — even how to publish an eBook, it's all the information you'll need to get started. Step 1: Creating an eBook requires ideas I won't lie to you, ideation can be a doozy. How do you figure out what you’ll write? If you don't know him yet, I recommend that you check out the work of James Altucher — author of Choose Yourself, and also an entrepreneur, podcast host, and investor. Modern Age wisdom at its finest. Altucher recommends the "Daily Practice." It comprises a few to-dos, but the one I’ve found most helpful is writing down 10 ideas a day. It doesn't matter what they are, just make sure that you write 10 a day. It's meant to exercise your brain and get your thoughts flowing — and it works. Give yourself two or so weeks to get into the habit of writing out 10 ideas a day, mash a few of those ideas together until you find something interesting, and you've got the big idea for your book. It’s that simple. Step 2: Want to be an eBook creator? Then write! If you're creating an eBook, there's just no getting around this part: you have to write it. Do not fall for the myth of the easygoing writer that tells you this part is easy, or "everything just flows." This is largely untrue and damaging to people who may otherwise be inclined to write, only the words just aren't flowing. Just. Keep. Writing. On the positive, writing tools and plugins can help keep you on track. 750words.com: This site stems from 'morning pages' from Julia Cameron, in her classic book, The Artist's Way. The basic idea is to set aside 15-20 minutes each morning to write your thoughts, to get out the chatter that's in your mind, so you can approach the day with a clear mind and fresh batch of creativity. 750words.com encourages you to write every day. Have a seat, type, and the site lets you know when you've hit 750 words. (They'll even give you badges for hitting goals!) If you're interested in writing a book, you can use this time to flesh out ideas or themes. Sure, some of it may not be useful to your topic, but just the daily discipline of writing is a great habit to practice. And if you have 200 words every day are relevant to your book, that adds up. NaNoWriMo: But maybe you need the push of a serious deadline. Some people work better under pressure. If this is you, check out NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. Every November, NaNoWriMo encourages authors to write 1,000 words a day; adding up to 30,000 words over the course of the whole month roughly translates to an entire novel. You enjoy the support of the greater NaNoWriMo community, and you're only committing to this "novel writing life" for a month. Plus, at the end, you have a manuscript of 30K words. Step 3: Organize it This tip is simple. Use the Evernote plugin to manage of your eBook info in one place. Create a Notebook for your eBook, create a separate note for each chapter (keep older versions of the chapter at the bottom of the notes if you'd like to have a record). Evernote supports multiple file types, so you can add the cover art, and any photos, graphs, or illustrations you'd like to include. You can even snap photos of handwritten notes for those moments when you're hit by inspiration mid-happy hour. Too, because Evernote is cloud-based, you'll be able to access these files on any device, so you can't use the "I didn't have my laptop" excuse. Evernote is so helpful for organizing a lot of info, that no list of software for creating eBooks would be complete without it. Step 4: Clean it up There's just no stepping around this — grammar matters. As do correct punctuation and spelling. You've just committed untold hours getting your words on paper, and they deserve to be polished. Think of Cinderella at the ball. Would she have been as lovely if she'd just been wearing peasant frock and flats? Probably, but the billowing ball gown and sparkling glass slippers sure helped her catch the prince's eye. Proper grammar is that dress, and fortunately, you don't need a fairy godmother, you just need a couple extra tools. If you use Microsoft Word or Google Drive, you've got access to a quality spell check tool — just look for any word underlined in red and right-click on the phrase to pull up the dictionary. Another great free writing tool is Grammarly, which you can add to your browser, or download to your desktop. It works hard to catch those tricky grammatical errors that Word or Drive may have missed. Step 5: Make it fancy: eBook template designs Whoever said not to judge a book by its cover certainly wasn't trying to self-publish an eBook in today's crowded marketplace. While it's much more important what's inside the book, the outside matters too — and you want a cover image that will catch someone's eye and attract their attention. It doesn't need to be fine art, but it does need to be appealing. Canva offers a huge catalog of free fonts, icons, and stock photos to create the perfect front and back covers for your book. It's a design software with a friendly interface and a drag-and-drop feature so you can customize your design with ease. For an even larger collection of royalty-free images, you can browse the offerings at Unsplash.com. Step 5: Convert it Now that you've got the elements created, it's time to pull them all together into a final version for publication. By now, you've got several text documents, image files, and your cover art that need to be combined into one file. Use PDF Pro's free Word to PDF converter and PNG to PDF tool to change the format of your text documents and image files. Once your eBook files are converted to PDF, use the Merge PDF tool to create one complete PDF document. And then congratulate yourself - because you're one step away from becoming a published author. Step 6: How to self-publish an eBook Holding a physical book in your hands — one you wrote — is rewarding, but if you need to keep initial costs low, self-publishing your eBook is a great way to go. Plus, eBooks are more eco-friendly, so it's a win-win. With the PDF version of your eBook, you can sell directly from your own WordPress website by adding a PayPal button, and then use your Facebook page, or other social profiles to market your eBook to friends, family and relevant groups. If you plan on offering your book for sale through a larger marketplace like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you'll need to convert your document into a KDP-friendly format such as Mobi or Word. (You can convert PDF to Word using PDF Pro's free online tool, while still keeping your original formatting intact.) You can list your book for sale on established e-publishing sites like Lulu.com or Smashwords.com — both of which offer global distribution for small, independent presses, plus tools for authors that help with marketing and sales. Now that you know how many free resources are available to help you in creating an eBook, it's your turn. So, grab a hot java, find a creative space and get to writing. Sophie Knowles is the founder of PDF Pro, a SaaS platform for editing PDF files in the cloud. A software engineer by trade, Sophie is dedicated to helping others be more productive. In her spare time, Sophie enjoys playing with her cat and discovering cake shops. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/06/13/how-to-write-and-publish-an-ebook/
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Some of you may recall an article I wrote years ago, not long after I left Cressey Sports Performance, where I demonstrably stated I would never want to open a gym on my own. For those who need their memory jogged – or for those who missed it altogether – you can check it out HERE. I just re-read it. LOL – I was cute. Tony Gentilcore, Gym Owner, Um, NopeI joke, but there was a time where you would have been more likely to see the words “the next Bachelor” or “Kumite champion” or “vegan” next to my name before you ever saw the words “gym owner.” To quote the article above:
There’s still much I agree with in that article: I still feel, strongly, that gym ownership can often be a facade. We’re programmed to believe that just because someone owns a gym that they’ve somehow reached the pinnacle in this industry, that they’ve “made it,” and that they read scripture to orphaned kittens and shit rainbows and stuff. That they can do no wrong and they’re inherently better than us. Pfffft, whatever. I still feel, strongly, that many fitness professionals enter gym ownership for the wrong reasons. I still feel, strongly, that as much as hard work, consistency, resiliency, and perseverance play a role in everyone’s success, that luck, too, is an often under-appreciated and under-reported factor. And finally, I still feel, strongly, my pecs can cut diamonds. Alas, time has a funny way of making us eat our words. I left Cressey Sports Performance in the Fall of 2015 to begin training people out of a small studio in Brookline, MA where I’d was sub-lease underneath another gym owner. In the summer of 2016 I took over the lease and as a result… …CORE was established. It not so many words: I became a bonafide “gym owner.” Now, I put “gym owner” in quotations marks because, while my name is on the lease, and while I am responsible for making sure the rent is paid every month, liability insurance is covered, and that the utilities are taken care of, I still don’t consider CORE a gym gym. It sounds silly, but because it’s so tiny – 450 sq. feet – I consider it more of a “place where I happen to train people” more so than it being regaled as a gym. Studio? Training Space? Deadlifting Dojo? I don’t know. Gym just seemed/seems like a bit of a stretch. Moreover, there’s still a degree of imposture syndrome that plagues and festers inside me. I’ve never considered myself a savvy business person. I mean, I still have to Google things like “the difference between net and gross income” or “in the black vs. in the red” or “will I be sued if I don’t wear pants to work?” on a regular basis. There’s a reason I barely passed (business) economics class in college. Suffice to say, despite my best efforts to besmirch and (de)aggrandize my success over the course of the past three years of gym ownership – it’s a personality trait I work hard to battle – things have gone quite splendidly. So splendidly, in fact, that I am on the cusp of moving CORE to a larger location. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Excuse Me, That’s My Sphincter Clenching It’s SphincterIf there was ever a more opportune time for Dramatic Chipmunk to make an appearance it’s now… [embedded content] It’s still in the early stages and nothing is cemented yet, but an LOI (Letter of Intent) has been agreed upon and it’s looking as if I’ll be moving my 450 sq. foot “something-er-other” into a 3,500 sq. foot TECHNO & DEADLIFTING PALACE OF FISTPUMPS.™ (Excuse me while I go destroy the back of my pants). A lot has gone into this decision, it’s been brewing for a while, but I felt it prudent (and a bit cathartic) to hash out and explain a few details that helped inspire this bold move: 1. My (New) VisionAs it stands now, I coach my own clients 20 hours per week out of CORE. I also have six other coaches running their own businesses out of the same space. One coach, one space. There can be only one. Some, like me, follow a semi-private model (coaching anywhere from 2-4 clients at a time), while others use it solely to train their clients one-on-one. Either way, each coach pays an hourly rate to use the space. They’re all coaches I know and trust, and who are very competent. And what’s more to the point, the system has worked very well to help offset my overhead. My model has proven to work on a small scale. However, can I make it work on a grander scale? As in, instead of one coach using the space at a time, maybe two, three, or four coaches could utilize the space simultaneously? I love the idea of providing a space for other fitness professionals to grow their businesses & brands; a consortium of like-minded fitness professionals supporting and helping one another to create an environment that’s welcoming and inspiring to all. One of the things I miss most about being at CSP is the camaraderie amongst the coaches; sharing and bouncing ideas off one another. I also love the idea of actually having showers, changing rooms, a lounge area, and more than one squat rack (something CORE doesn’t have access to at the moment). Goals. 2) My Jerry Maguire MomentThis idea would only work if 1) I was 100% sure I had reached a tipping point in my own ability to accommodate clients and more importantly 2) the coaches who were sub-leasing under me currently would also be willing to take a risk and follow me to the new space. So I sent an email a few weeks ago and it said…
I explained my umbrella theme for the new space, how things would benefit everyone – for myself AND them – in addition to outlining some baseline expectations. They all said yes. NOTE TO SAID COACHES: You can’t back out now. We pinky swore. WE PINKY SWORE. 3) Onward!I’m scared to fail. I’m scared to take a risk. I’m scared to step outside my comfort zone just like everyone else. But then I remembered 13 words my friend, Todd Bumgardner, uttered to me years ago when I was going back and forth on whether or not to leave Cressey Sports Performance. They punched me in the face and nothing has resonated with me so much:
I have the support of my wife. I have the support of my clients and colleagues. And, seemingly, I have the support of my bank account. The numbers seem to add up. The move seems to make sense. The timing seems to be right. Tony Gentilcore, (real) gym owner. Well, well, well. Who woulda thought? Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/06/remember-that-time-i-said-i-never-wanted-to-open-a-gym/ |
AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
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