by Matt Weik
Have you been wanting to get into the fitness industry but have no clue where to even begin? Or maybe supplements are your thing, and you love that industry? Regardless, using the excuse you don’t know where to start will only have you sitting there a year from now thinking the same thoughts and making the same excuses without any action. If you want to get in the game, start a side hustle TODAY!
I can already hear some of you complaining about the thought of putting in more work than you already do through your 9-5 job. It’s cool, if that’s you, this article is definitely not for you. Order a pizza and have a nice night catching up on Netflix shows. This article is for the people who REALLY want to get into the industry and are willing to put in the work. And yes, sacrifices must be made.
Why Do You Need a Side Hustle to Get into the Fitness Industry?
To be honest, you don’t need a side hustle, but I like to minimize my risk and, therefore, I wouldn’t tell you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. So, what am I getting at? You probably have a current job that pays you a salary, right? If not, then, by all means, try to jump into the industry with both feet and start getting after it hard and heavy. But for those with a current job, the last thing you want to do is quit that job and need to figure out where your income is going to come from while starting a side hustle (that quite possibly could pay you nothing for quite some time).
A side hustle will essentially be your second job. After your 9-5, you can work at night to build a nice side hustle. You can even get up early if you’re a morning person and put in some time before you head off to work. The thing you need to understand is that a side hustle isn’t going to necessarily come easy if you’re used to watching Netflix every second of your free time. You need to have the drive and willingness to give up your free time to help build your side hustle and work towards getting into the fitness industry in some manner.
Your side hustle will be your way to chip away at growing your personal brand. Once you get more and more exposure and in front of the right eyeballs, opportunities and doors may open for you. But they will never open if you aren’t willing to put in the time and work. The good news is that since you have a passion for the fitness industry, your side hustle shouldn’t feel like work. Rather, your side hustle should be something fun and that you look forward to working on every day.
I’m a Perfect Example of the Side Hustle Theory
For those of you who don’t know my backstory, I started writing health and fitness content nearly two decades ago while I was a personal trainer. It was my side hustle passion that ultimately got me to where I am today and the exciting journey I went on during the process. Writing was always a passion of mine, and the idea of sharing my knowledge with others through writing seemed like a great way to help people.
Fast-forward slightly to when I was in college, I was asked by the (then) owner of Bodybuilding.com, Ryan DeLuca, if I was interested in writing some articles for the website. That side hustle writing for Bodybuilding.com grew into writing for many fitness and bodybuilding magazines (both domestic and international), which led to my work being published on over 5,000 websites and then running a division of MET-Rx, to now owning several businesses.
If it weren’t for my unique side hustle, I’d probably still be living all day in a gym training clients starting at 5am and then not getting home until after 11pm. While some people may love that life, it wasn’t for me – especially from a time versus financial standpoint. I couldn’t live in a gym day in and day out just to make a living (even though I love training clients and working out).
Start Something TODAY
My example of starting a side hustle through writing doesn’t need to be your journey, it’s simply my path and passion.
Maybe personal training is your thing? Consider starting a website where you can create workout videos and content that can be shared with the public. Or, during your nights, bring on some online clients and work with them over Skype or email to help them get in shape. Even a handful of clients can bring in some great money, and you get to do it from the privacy of your own home.
Do you specialize in something like nutrition, diabetes, weight loss, etc.? If so, and you love speaking, work with your local gyms and book some speaking engagements as a side hustle. Not only would the gyms be able to see what you’re all about, but the public will too. This can open up many doors and allow you to network with people who can potentially be someone to provide you with more opportunities.
Don’t feel like going anywhere after working long hours each day? Start a podcast. Talk shop online and provide value to listeners and subscribers. You can even record the visual of yourself recording the podcast to upload to YouTube to expand your reach rather than putting out an audio-only version on various podcast platforms.
The bottom line here is that you need to think long and hard about what you LOVE. If you hate something, you’ll hate it as a side hustle too, and you’ll be less likely to continue pursuing the side hustle and will give up. You also want to make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons. If you’re starting a side hustle because you’re chasing money, you’ll spend the rest of your life running. Focus on adding value through your side hustle and watch the fitness industry open up to you. But most importantly, start working on your side hustle TODAY. No more excuses or delays!
