by Matt Weik
I see so many intelligent people out there complaining that they are bored with their job, they want to do more, they want to have freedom and start their own fitness business yet when I speak with them, they say they are too old. Listen, you’re never too old to start a business. In fact, there are many fitness business owners and celebrities who didn’t start their business or personal brand until later in life and that’s where they made all of their money. So, stop coming up with excuses why you can’t and figure out what’s stopping you from moving forward with your dream.
There’s No Better Time Than Now
There is never a good time to take that leap of faith and start a business or personal brand. Just because you want to move forward with your dream doesn’t mean you need to quit your day job and put yourself at risk of losing everything. For the time being, start a side hustle until your fitness business starts making enough money where it allows you to leave your current job. Heck, some people never leave their job and use their money from a side hustle as “play money” to do whatever they want with. To each his or her own.
But saying you’re too old to start a business should never come out of your mouth. Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, for years, told people he made the best chicken using a pressure fryer. It wasn’t until he was in his mid-60’s that he started up KFC and built it into the booming business it is today where his image is still the face of the company.
And I’m sure you have heard of funny man, Steve Harvey. The guy is just about everywhere these days and he didn’t make his way into the biz until he was 38. To be 100% factual, he was actually homeless for some time and slept out of his car for three years. He was able to buy his first car (in his name, not his dad’s) with his first paycheck from being on television. Now, look at him!
These were just two examples and there are thousands more just like it. If you have a dream and passion, you should never let go of it. Grind, hustle, and find a way to make it work and stop making excuses why you “can’t start a fitness business.” If you want it bad enough, you will find a way.
You could even look at my situation and how I started my business (Weik Fitness). I worked in the fitness and supplement industry for over 15 years before starting my own business (at the age of 34). There is no way I could have started my business and had the growth I did out of the gate if it weren’t for the connections I made in the industry, the name I built for myself, my reputation, and my overall knowledge of the industry. If I were to have started a business without those things there is not a snowball’s chance in hell that I could have made ends meet trying to do this back when I was in my late teens.
Why Starting a Fitness Business Later in Life Could Be Beneficial
When you are young, you haven’t had enough time under your belt to understand many industries unless you have spent a great amount of time in them or studying them. But there are many reasons why you may want to wait until later in life to start a business and here are some of those reasons.
1. You have more connections
When you first start off in your career, you know no one and no one knows you. Getting some time under your belt and networking while working for an employer can give you a Rolodex of names that you can use and call on when you decide to move forward with starting your own fitness business. Having people who know you rather than cold calling on people may know but who don’t know you can be a difficult sell. People like to buy from people they know. Having a close network to work off of where people are familiar with you can make the transition easier and help you grow your business quickly.
2. You have more experience
You’re green when you first get into an industry. Many don’t know up from down until they spend some time understanding the market, the demographics, the products/services, etc. The longer you have time absorbing as much information as possible the more prepared you will be when you take the plunge.
3. You have money to work with
As a young pup first starting a career, you more than likely do not have a lot of money in the bank. If you started a business in your late teens or even 20’s, you may need to look for an investor to get the capital needed to even start your fitness business. This could cause you to be paying off hefty loans with high-interest rates or could even cause you to lose equity in your own business. When you start a business “later in life” it allows you the opportunity to be more financially secure before starting your endeavor. Having your own money to use to start a fitness business is a much better option than trying to secure investors and have that hanging over your head.
Have you been wanting to start your own business? What’s holding you back from building your dream? How can I help you? Let me know in the comments or reach out to me directly on social media.
