Bonus Episode: #5 The Art of Coaching: From Niches to Mindsets

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Three veteran strength coaches—Nathan Bañuelos, Nikki Georgeson, and Tony Pascolla.—pull back the curtain on the realities of the personal training industry, bringing decades of combined experience to a candid discussion about coaching practices, business development, and the future of the profession. We explore how the pandemic reshaped client expectations, debating whether virtual training is here to stay or if in-person coaching is making a comeback. 

For aspiring trainers, their advice is brutally honest: expect little return in the first few years, as the path to success demands long hours, financial uncertainty, and a steep learning curve. 

We also stress the importance of mentorship and maintaining an abundance mindset in an industry where many guard their client lists. Rather than competition, they advocate for collaboration, believing that referring clients to the right coach ultimately strengthens one’s reputation and network. Whether you're a fitness professional looking for guidance or someone curious about what goes on behind the scenes in personal training, this episode offers raw and insightful perspectives on the dedication, challenges, and human connections that define great coaching. 

Subscribe for more conversations that go beyond sets and reps to explore the deeper side of strength.

Nikki Georgeson:

@ngeorgeson

linktr.ee/nikkiageorgeson

Nathan Bañuelos:

@nathanbanuelos_

linktr.ee/nathanbanuelos

Tony Pascolla: 

@tony_primalfoundations

www.primalfoundations.com

Let's Talk Strength Youtube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkStrength

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to the let's Talk
Strength podcast where wediscuss programming, share
coaching insights and dive deepinto all things strength
training.
It's pretty fun saying thatHappy spring.
Spring has sprung here inChicago.
We got Tony Pescola and NikkiGeorgiansen on the podcast with

(00:22):
us, as always for let's Talk,and myself, nathan Benuelos.
I'm just going to hand it overto Tony, have him talk about
what he's been up to and kind ofsome updates, not too many big
updates for me.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Just still some workshops that are happening and
actually Nate's coming to akettlebell workshop today after
we get off this podcast, oh, I'mso jealous.
Yeah, and I got to go to Nate'slast week too, at Chicago
Strength and Logan, but the newthing that's been going on is
just really trying to structurethe strength and conditioning

(00:59):
program at the school.
Right now, I'm investing a lotof time into going to other
workshops and rubbing elbowswith strength coaches and then
also getting my own literatureand purchasing different online
courses that has to do withstrength and conditioning in the

(01:19):
youth setting.
So it's something that I'mtrying to really, really dive in
deep this upcoming summer andnext year for all my kiddos at
the school.
So that's been pretty much thefocus right now.
That's cool.

Speaker 3 (01:34):
It's awesome.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeah, what about you?

Speaker 3 (01:35):
Nikki Just living it up in Lisbon.
Guys, here we are just finallyfeeling super grounded and
excited to be here.
I think I had just I think Iwas here for two days the last
time we did this podcast, so itwas very new and fresh to me.
But in terms of strength andbusiness, it's been really fun.

(01:56):
I've been diving into actuallymore programming and just really
having having some fun with itand, you know, putting more
programs out there, just reallyagain to have fun with it, to
experiment, and I've been doinga lot on the back end and really
diving into social mediamarketing and all that entails.

(02:17):
On running an online business.
So it's been really interestingbecause coaching has been, you
know, been my life for the last10 years, but running an online
business is something completelydifferent and I've been trying
to learn as much as I can,eventually getting a business
coach here in the next couple ofmonths, so really just in a
completely different space.

(02:38):
To be honest, coaching andrunning a business are just very
, very two different things.
It's been a big learning lesson.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
That's a perfect segue for what we're going to
talk about today.
Yeah, thanks for lobbing me uphere.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
Sure guys.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
But I'll talk about that in a second, but I'm just
going to give some updates.
So in the last month I startedcoaching at uh, the garage in um
in West town Shout out to Gina,um, tony and I went over there
and and checked out the spot.
Um, they're opening.
They opened a new space calledthe apartment and it's just a

(03:17):
super dope, like I don't know.
It's like a yoga studio butit's like a like a apartment
building.
So you walk in and you're likewhere am I?
Where am I?
And then you, you open the doorand it's literally a yoga
studio.
It's really really really cool,uh, so just started training
out of there.
And then I'm actually rampingup my in-person business at uh
at Bucktown, in Bucktown, um, atAcademy of Strength.

(03:39):
So so shout out to Leo, uh andthe crew over there and there
and just kind of building mybusiness.
I got some small group traininggoing there as well, so it's
been fun.
What we're going to talk abouttoday is really the state of
personal training.
It's a big topic, I think, inthe community right now.
Nikki kind of started it offlike talking about even just

(04:01):
like she's in a whole differentpart of her career, right.
So you know that's that's wholedifferent part of her career,
right?
So you know that's that's.
I hope we get a little bit ofinsight on that towards the end,
like online digital marketing.
But I wanted to start off thepodcast just kind of talking
about where we're at withpersonal training and just like
you know where we see it going,like how it's evolved in the

(04:23):
last few years, like because ofCOVID, you know, going from like
in person and making thingslike hybrid.
Or you know you're working withpeople virtually Tony, like
where do you see things rightnow with personal training and
where do you think we're going?

Speaker 2 (04:39):
Well, I think this could be the hot take of the day
.
I think it's actually going toeventually go away from hybrid a
little bit.
I think right now, because ofjust how things are set up with
people's jobs.
People are going to be at home,people are going to get a

(05:01):
program and I think programs aregreat.
Get a program and I thinkprograms are great.
But I think the touch of apersonal trainer or that coach
and the coach's eye is youcannot put a price on that.
I see a lot of people get theseprograms like eight day shred or
you know, eight week whatever,and they'll they'll go on to it

(05:23):
and there is some accountabilitybecause you have to check in
right, like.
You have to like show that youdid the sets and reps and
whatever.
But really, if it's a biggerprogram, if you're just buying
off like a train heroic marketand there's no follow up with
the coach and nobody's checkingup on you, you buy a program.
It's just like any gymmembership, right, you go.
If nobody's touching base withyou at all, it just kind of

(05:44):
fizzle out and then you get it'stoo much of a program to
program.
Like here's a nine week thing,I did it for four.
You know, ooh, this is a flashything, I saw this, I'm going to
get that.
I think people are starting torealize and again, it's all
about the person Some peoplethat have a good base and have

(06:05):
some coaching before COVIDhappened or whatever, and
they're going getting theseprograms because they have a
home gym or the gym is close,they have technique, they have
the quote unquote discipline togo three or four days a week.
But I think eventually peopleare going to really really turn

(06:26):
back into going to the gym,setting one for accountability,
two for community, but three butthe legit just coaching, like
getting there and gettingcoached up and getting
proficient at the movements andgetting better at it.
So I think it's a we're in aweird phase right now where
everybody's trying to go onlineand I know, nikki, like you're
out here online, everybody is.
But I think we're in a weirdphase right now where
everybody's trying to go onlineand I know, Nikki, you're online

(06:47):
, everybody is.
But I think eventually peoplewill start to kind of shift back
into being with that coach orat least meeting with somebody
virtually one-on-one, likethat's another piece too is like
if you can't get into the gymmeeting with somebody,
one-on-one via your coach.
Again, bells are the easiestbecause you need a four-by-four

(07:12):
space.
Having a barbell in your housewe've talked about that is kind
of difficult.
Or if you have it in yourgarage, great.
But I think eventually peopleare going to want that
one-on-one connection and theone-on-one coaching.
So programs are great, but Ithink eventually that's where
it's going to want thatone-on-one connection and the
one-on-one coaching.

Speaker 1 (07:30):
So programs are great , but I think eventually it's
where it's going to go.
Nicky what about you?
What do you?
Where do you think we are rightnow with personal training?
I?

Speaker 3 (07:35):
know that's a big question.
What a question.
Yeah, where are we are rightnow with personal training?
I don't know if we know wherewe are.
I think I don't know.
I honestly don't know if weknow where we are.
I think, like I don't know, Ihonestly don't know if I have
like a definitive answer.
It's like you know, to Tony'spoint, I think it's becoming
more and more common to dothings online, but I don't know

(07:59):
if the audience that at least Iwork with is prepared for that.
So I think mentally it's weird.
I think people who try and takeadvantage of online things
actually need a more personal,one-on-one coach.
I think people who are moreadvanced are the ones that are
more prepped and equipped to beonline and to purchase something

(08:23):
like a 12-week program, becausethey typically know the form,
they typically know how theprogramming is set up, they
understand that it's just 12weeks.
They're going to experimentwith it, they're going to have
fun with it, they're going totry and, you know, learn
something, get something out ofit, but then they know they're
going to have to reevaluateafter those 12 weeks.
So I don't know.

(08:43):
I find I have an audience thatworks with me online and they
love it and they do great and wedo check-ins.
I'm actually more hands-off butthat's because my audience for
the most part, who works with meonline, are pretty advanced at
this point.
And what I mean by advanced isthat they've been training for
years and years and years andyears and have trained with me

(09:04):
in person beforehand.
So we've built that trust,we've built that relationship.
But I've had other clients thatare like no, I need the
accountability, I need someonein person.
I would love for you to set meup with someone when you leave.
I totally understand that 100%Online is not for them, so I

(09:26):
don't know where we're at.
I think people are justconstantly trying to figure out
what's going to work best forthem long term.
As a coach, I would answer thatdifferently.
Online is really hard.
I can't physically touchanybody.
That's a really new experienceto me, especially being a very
tactical coach, I like toactually put my hands on people,

(09:48):
so that has also been a very,very different experience for me
.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
Yeah.
So like I think what you bothare kind of saying is like it
really depends on the individual, right?
I think that's sort of likepart of the answer and what they
need and I've and I can, uh,complete.
I actually agree with Tonybecause I, when I I've been
working with folks online forthe last, like you know, five

(10:12):
years and then I have sort oflike the reverse issue that a
lot of coaches have, where theyhave too much in-person and then
not enough online.
But I have too much online andI need more in-person, and then
have, like, having all thisonline experience experience,
and then you go to in person asa coach, you're like man, I have
so many tools that I canutilize in real life.

(10:33):
There's just the tactilefeedback that you get and I feel
like and I know this at somepoint in your career as a coach
you're going to realize there'sa lot more.
There's a lot of value inmeeting with the person once,
like at least once a week, youknow, regardless virtual or in
person, but especially in person, there's just so much value

(10:57):
working with that individual.
I mean it's just, it's just sohuman and I think it's such a
awesome part of the, the careerand the job, to kind of like
move on from this part.
Um, what are what are yourguys's thoughts on, like coaches
nowadays kind of growing into,like niches, like I I've seen it
like we see all these certscoming up, they're popping up

(11:17):
here and there, like you see, umyou know we have, we have sfg,
obviously, you have rkc, um, butyou're so you see, you see kbcu
, I I'm seeing like maceprograms popping up.
I'm seeing like club, like clubslash, kettlebell programs
picking up, like people andbarbell programs.
Like I see people and coachesniching like what do you guys

(11:38):
think about that?
Um, in terms of training andcoaching?
Uh, why do you think that's it?
People are doing that.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
I mean, I think coaches are always told to niche
down.
That's been my experience thatif you have a niche, you're
better off.
I think it can definitely workin your favor, but I don't think
you have to have a niche inorder to service others.
I don't think that that'snecessarily true, I don't think
it's a downfall, but, again, Ithink it can work in your favor.

(12:08):
I particularly, I think theniche that I think is really
beneficial is pre and postnatal.
I know a lot of female onlinecoaches that are just absolutely
phenomenal when it comes to preand postnatal and I think that,
being their niche, I think theyhave a very specific,
particular audience before,during and after pregnancy and

(12:33):
they just do a great job.
And you know, for example, I ampre and postnatal certified,
but since it's not really myniche, it's not something that I
want to dive into.
I haven't had that experiencepersonally.
So I would send them, you know,to these women who are really
really more equipped, moreknowledgeable working with this

(12:55):
audience.
So I do think it can work inyour favor and also work in the
favor of a client as well.
Like, could I take them?
Yeah, sure, and I can do anokay job, but you know what?
I'd rather give them to thisperson who would service them
way better in this position thanthan I would.

Speaker 2 (13:10):
Uh, this is, this is a phone one a great question.
And I think I and I heard thisum saying the other day I was
just like going through somelike YouTube, I'm just like
looking at some like coachingvideos and one of the things
they're talking about, likeathletes, is that they're over
specialized and undergeneralized and I was like, yeah

(13:33):
, and then I was thinking aboutthat.
Yeah, when I was thinking aboutthis, I was like you do have
trainers like.
You can be an absolute masterat the landmine, landmine
university, all that.
I'm not saying that's bad stuff, but you can be an absolute
master at the landmine, landmineuniversity, all that.
I'm not saying that's bad stuff, but you can be an absolute
master at the landmine.
But if that's your only tool, Ithink you're pigeonholing
yourself.
Um, as a trainer, you knowpeople will come to you for that

(13:56):
specific training.
But when I'm thinking aboutpeople and clients, and unless
you have like this, like laserpointer of your clientele, I
think you're missing the mark asa coach.
Because how many, how manybasic movements do we do as
coaches and program for ourclients?
We do a lot of basic stuff andI think, in the terms of general

(14:20):
population, people, the amountof people that come to the gym
that need support.
It's basic stuff.
It's basic.
It's really about your coachingstyle.
It's really about getting themto move better, get them
stronger, get them coming backinto the door day after day.

(14:42):
And I think there's so manyflashy things out there and I
like the flash too, Don't get mewrong.
This stuff looks so cool.
But will I use that for 90% ofthe people I work with?
Probably not.
Maybe myself, maybe an advancedindividual for sure.
But I think really, if you'retargeting one of your, if you're

(15:06):
targeting a specific market,you lose out on your coaching
experience.
Because I've coached, like biggroup classes with you know,
people that were in their late30s to 50s or 60s.
Right, I learned a lot aboutmyself and like my coaching and
I got better at coaching becauseI got that group of population.

(15:27):
I would not say none of them.
Everybody's an athlete in theirown right, but none of them are
NFL combine ready.
And then I coached fifthgraders all the way to 12th
graders.
I have this differentpopulation and different cues
and I wouldn't learn anything.
Have like this differentpopulation in different cues and

(15:47):
I wouldn't learn anything.
Like the other day, too, a kidput a landmine attachment on a
sled.
I have these uh rogue sleds andyou know how the posts go in.
Yeah, it's a push.
And he couldn't find out.
There was no room and hecouldn't put the attachment.
And then the bumper plates werebig and he put one in the sled
right and he had.
There was weight on the sledand he was doing it off the sled
.
I'm like dude, that thing fitsin there.

(16:08):
He's like, yeah, I couldn'tfind anywhere else.
I'm like dude, we could getfour landmines going off the
sled at one time.
I was like I did.
I like this is great, like I'velearned so much playing legos
with a damn sled yeah, basicallyI was like dude, I could put
two sleds out there with weightsand then I could have four
landmines going on each.
I could have eight landmineshappening with half the space.

(16:30):
I was like this is great, butjust learning different things
and getting really good atbasics Be brilliant at the
basics is my new thing.
I've been saying to the kidsthey want the flash.
I'm like, be brilliant at thebasics.
But I think, yeah, niching isfor marketing purposes, to sell
some.
I hate saying that to sellsomething.
But you, if you want to sellsomething, you have to niche

(16:52):
down.
You have to.
That's why I have kettlebellprograms.
I don't have general programs,I have kettlebell programs and
that's the way you get your,your message out.
Just, you know, throw that outthere.
People know you as that likelandmine, kettlebell, even
barbell, powerlifting, strongman.
Like if you niche down and theyGoogle you, they're going to

(17:12):
find you easier.
But if you're just like I'm areally good at the basics coach
which everybody needs, nobody'sgoing to find you on the
internet.
You're going to just kind oflike be at the 50th page on
Google maybe.
But that's my two cents into it.

Speaker 1 (17:26):
Yeah, like to piggyback off both your points
and I'm going to talk from thecoach's perspective, right, like
, why would you want to nichedown?
I think I think niching, in myopinion, in the beginning is
even more important because ifyou at least like go a mile deep
in something you're going tolearn so much through that mile
deep process, and then I feellike, once you're a mile deep in

(17:49):
some sort of you know, whatevertool you're learning, you can
be learning a kettlebell, abarbell, a landmine, a body
weight calisthenics.
Like you're a mile deep, it'seasier to bridge concepts to
other tools.
That's just in my experience.
Like you know, we've picked up.
I went to a couple of club Maceclub classes from one of my

(18:09):
buddies, danny Cola, in the city, and you know picking up the
club in the Mace is no differentthan picking up the kettlebell.
And you know I wouldn't haveknown that and that concept
wouldn't have came to me had Inot niched in the kettlebell for
a while.
Right, so I think, for forcoaches in the beginning of
their career, it is good forthem to niche, like get a mile

(18:32):
deep, like get your knowledgebase, be able to transfer a
skill tree over to a new studentor a new client and I think
then you can do it again.
You repeat that process and nowyou have a lot more tools in
your shed.
That's something that I thinkabout a lot.
Now we're trying to go I'mdoing barbell.

(18:54):
I've never gotten barbellinstruction.
I've done a ton of kettlebellinstruction, I've used a barbell
for 15 years but I never gotbarbell instruction for like 15
years but I never got barbellinstruction.
So, adding that to my tool shed, now it's like, okay, I'm a
barbell coach, I can coach, Ifeel comfortable coaching this.
I know the cues to set somebodyup the right way without
hurting themselves.
And, uh, you know, I've been.

(19:14):
It's it's good to do that.
I think it's really good forcoaches to to kind of do that.
But, um, you know, like all theway, one thing your whole life,
when you are also going to getreally educated, students and
clients that are going to belike, well, I want to learn
something new, you're stuck inthis wheelhouse and you want to

(19:34):
expand, but you can't becauseyou don't, you don't feel
comfortable to transfer theother knowledge over.
So don't hyper niche, try totry to learn a bit of everything
you know right.
So no, I'm gonna.
I'm gonna take this.
Nikki, did you have somethingyou want to say?
I felt like you wanted to saysomething there.

Speaker 3 (19:52):
No, it's actually based off of what I feel like
you always say is that in orderto get really, really good and
really proficient at something,you have to do it over and over
again, and that's essentiallywhat we do initially as coaches.
So it's really interesting thatyou said you know, for a while
I think you should niche down,because that is your dedication
and development into somethingreally specific, and that's what

(20:14):
happened with me, withKettlebells, and you know I'm
sure you guys had thatexperiences when you, like,
first started coaching, andthat's what makes you proficient
at something Right and that'swhat we tell other people to do.
Is you have a phrase, nathan?

Speaker 2 (20:33):
you feel like you use it all the time Like just get,
I know you, let me check mynotes.

Speaker 3 (20:35):
Let me check my notes of quotes here what I got is
just getting like disgustinglygood at one thing, yeah, and
you're right, and looking backon it, it's just like we really
did fall in love and we getreally good at that one thing.
And that's when beyond, that iswhen I think I don't know about
you guys, but Sammy Gonzalezwas really good at coaching

(20:56):
concepts.
You're a good coach.
You're going to coach concepts,right, not just things, not
just exercises, because thenpeople can only go so far with
that, and I think for all of us,our goal as coaches is to coach
concepts so that they can applyto other things obviously.
So it's just interesting,because that's true, like we did

(21:17):
start off with a niche and Ithink that's why we got really
good with kettlebell work, or atleast that was for me.

Speaker 1 (21:23):
And this is perfect.
This again a great segue intoour next topic here.
Just tips for new coaches.
Right, Like you know, you're,you're, we're seeing that I'm
seeing a ton of them sprout out.
I'm actually getting a lot ofmessages from people who are
actually trying to transitioninto becoming a coach, Like
they're in a career, acompletely different career.
They're like, hey, like I sawyou do this, Like how did you

(21:46):
navigate these steps?
I'm going to ask the questionlike this so, Tony, I know I
keep going to Tony, I'm going togo to Nikki next.
Nikki, if you were to go andtell yourself, you know, 10
years ago, you can give yourselflike a cheat code on how to get

(22:07):
to be where you're at right nowas fast as possible.
What would be the first thingyou would tell yourself?

Speaker 3 (22:15):
Man.
Wow, nathan, really coming inhot with the questions today.
Be a sponge, just be a sponge.
Like, really take it all infrom as many sources or sources

(22:35):
that you trust as much aspossible.
Like, find someone that youhave trust in and try and
develop a relationship If thatperson is able and willing to
kind of take you under theirwings.
Like I would not.
I will say it over and over andover again I wouldn't be who I
am or where I'm at without SamGonzalez or Jose Rodriguez, like

(22:59):
it.
Just it wouldn't happen if theyweren't there.
I don't know what would havehappened because I would kind of
be like a chicken with my headcut off, which I think is where
all coaches start, cause it's sooverwhelming.
You know between theprogramming and getting clients
and making a decent income.
You know between theprogramming and getting clients
and making a decent income.
You know starting this wholeprocess without any previous

(23:22):
knowledge.
I think I was wonderfully naiveat the time.
I think that also helped.
I was so naive.
I was also 22 when I started myprocess.

Speaker 1 (23:32):
How do you mean by like?
What do you mean by that Like?
Oh, I had, I had no idea.
Like, what do you?

Speaker 3 (23:35):
mean by that Like, oh , I had.
I had no idea the the sacrificeit was going to take for the
first two to four years.
Expect nothing for the firsttwo to three years, and I hate
to say that to new coaches, butit's like any sales job, right
it's?
You know you've got to.
But that was also the mostwonderful time in my coaching

(23:57):
career because I was with acommunity of people.
We were all very young.
I didn't know how hard it wasgoing to be.
I truly like slept in mycoaching clothes.
I got home at 9 pm eating cerealfor dinner, woke up at 5 am,
did it all over again, but Ialso had my peers doing that
with me and we had so much fun.
I had no money, I had nothing.

(24:18):
And I'm like, if I'm reallygonna make this work, then I
have to do it 100%.
Can't be one foot in and onefoot out, Like you have to dive
and you have to commit or elseit won't work.
I thought like, oh, I can dothis, you know I got nothing to
lose.
Like, let's do it.
You know I got nothing to lose,Like, let's do it.

(24:38):
Whereas when you're older youmight have kids, you might have
had a stable, secure job for along period of time.
Obviously, your decision to dothat is much harder.
It's much scarier.
I feel like I was a young, dumbkid when I decided to do this,
so I think my experience was alittle different.
But just be a sponge Like again.
I wouldn't be here if it wasn'tfor those two guys really just

(25:01):
teaching me everything that theyknow and just being kind and
just you know, really helping mestay grounded and really enjoy
the process, even though I hadabsolutely nothing.
So just learn as much aspossible.
Just learn, take it all in.

Speaker 1 (25:19):
Yeah, like one thing I want to say to that is it
sounds like you know, like Idon't think a lot of coaches
realize that there's like anapprenticeship, like piece to
this right, like there's like aone to three year like it, and
that varies.
I think a lot of it varies likewho you, who, the type of
person you are, how much youlove it.

(25:41):
Like this is a trade, likeyou're learning a trade, you're
learning a skill, right.
So you need to understand thatfor those first, like one to
three years, you are reallyneeding to sponge so you can see
, like how the people that aredoing well in the field are
doing it.
And I think what you're liketrying to say as well, nikki, is

(26:03):
like find those mentors right.
Like that's that's going to bepart of my answer is like see,
nobody can do this by themselves.

Speaker 3 (26:11):
Like you just got, like guys, guys, don't, don't do
it.
Like nothing great can be doneby yourself.
And I think I mean I definitelyhad times where I thought I
could do everything on my ownand I continue, 10 years later,
to remind myself like no, youcan't, you can't play this game.
Don't play this game Like reachout for help.

(26:33):
So, especially at the beginning, when it's overwhelming, like
find, find your people, findyour peers, find your mentors,
because in order to do this,like if you know you're, you're
going to need some help totallyagree.

Speaker 1 (26:48):
Well, I love that answer.
Great answer, nikki thank youtony, let's, let's see what the
family.

Speaker 2 (26:53):
He's like, he's, he's like silent.

Speaker 1 (26:56):
He's like I'm listening, I'm enjoying young
bucks Finish up and let me getto my young bucks.

Speaker 2 (27:02):
Get out of here, nathan, jesus, damn.
Okay, I guess I'm the old guyon the show.

Speaker 1 (27:10):
Wait, are you really that much?

Speaker 2 (27:12):
We love you Tony's 32 .
He's two years old, no.

Speaker 3 (27:21):
Tony's 32.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
He's two years old.
No, I'm 36 years young.
I'm 36?
Oh, I'm like, wait, I'm olderthan you.
Yeah, good job, nate, good job,put him on blast.
Let's go, tony, let's go.
Uh, no, I agree with everythingyou guys are saying.
I would say if I had to giveadvice to myself as I got into
this.
I went a different round.
I went into, like physicaleducation and being an athlete
like you know, going to gettingmy PE degree, like going to be a

(27:45):
physical educator, uh, I, Icame in thinking like I know
more than I did and I didn't, Ididn't know enough.
Like I had a degree, I had.
This is what I, my profession,my profession was.
But you know, the more you Imean you guys can contest this
the more we know about this gamestrength training and
conditioning and performance theactually, the less we actually

(28:09):
know.
Like we think we know more.
When we're coming out, we'relike we got that certificate, we
got this, uh, accreditation,whatever.
And then you just realize likeman, I really don't know a lot
about this anymore.
And walking into things,thinking you know as when you're
young, obviously you're young,you want to be confident, but
it's also like you need to takea step back.

(28:29):
Like Nikki was saying, be asponge and you just need to
learn and know you're not goingto know everything and you're
going to mess up and that you'regoing to program something it's
not going to work out.
I think one of the discussionswe had before is like what are
the things like?
You messed up when you'rebeginning?
It's like programming too manymovements, like for a group

(28:50):
class.
You're running around trying tolike coach everybody or
overcoaching, and you're likeexhausted, that's class one now.
It's like the less is more getyou know, we're gonna do four or
five movements today, um, andyou're not gonna over coach them
, you're not gonna be on top ofpeople, and I think that's like
a big piece too is like you know, take a step back and you're

(29:12):
gonna make mistakes.
But I think also and and this isjust a advice, I always did
this, but this is advice to like, because to your point, nikki,
of talking about like being atthe gym at 6 am till 9 pm and
all these things like forcoaches, like be on time.
That means early clean up afteryourself, like it's still into

(29:35):
the also the clients to clean up.
I don't think people realizehow big of a deal.
That is of cleaning up, makingsure you set up for the next
person, making sure the spacelooks good.
And even if you get there andthere's things out I didn't take
those out, I'm not puttingthose away it's like no, get the
place set up Like it sucks thatyou had to do that, but knowing

(29:57):
you're going to do grunt work,you might have to do laundry,
you might have to do whatever.
You might get the crappy shiftyou don't want.
But again, if you're startingout in this game, those are
things you're going to have todo.
So be very open-minded.
You don't know everything.
Just sit back and listen andlearn and learn from your

(30:17):
mistakes and just be aprofessional.
And the last thing I'll say isit's really about connection,
like it's the hands down.
It's about connection with thepeople.
You can be not even the bestcoach in the world.
Some of the I know sometrainers right, they got a full
book.
And then some they're not thebest coach in the world but
they're a great person, like Imean that will get you a lot of

(30:40):
business in this, in thisindustry.
If you're a great person, youconnect with them, you care
Right and you can make themstrong Like you're going to be
fine, you're going to be great,but all of those things I would
say are are super, superimportant.

Speaker 1 (30:54):
Yeah, um, and like, I think the one my point would be
is I see I see coaches todayand like I just have the
conversations at the gym, likewhat are you up to?
Like what's been new?
You know, like at my, at mypersonal gym, and it's it just
reminds me so much of where Iwas at Cause I was in those
shoes.
I used to work like corporatewellness, corporate fitness.

(31:16):
I was a, you know, I ran afacility back at like that was
my first career, right and um,you know I was running into the
same not to sound like her Moseyhere but I was running into the
same boss battle when I wasthat version of myself because I
wasn't taking those necessarysteps to find my Sam Gonzalez,

(31:39):
to find my Tony P.
You know what I mean.
I wasn't able to find thesementors that I needed and it
took somebody that we actuallyhired and brought in, shout out
to Terry, and Terry was likeNate, you really should invest
in learning how to like,basically build out a skill tree

(32:01):
so you can transfer that overto a student or to a client,
Because you have the personaltraits like you can, you can
like, and I think a lot ofcoaches have this.
They have like the ability tobe really personal with somebody
and they think they know that.
They have, you know, programslike if you have somebody coming
in they're training week overweek.
They're getting good resultsGreat, it's awesome.

(32:23):
You know, like you're takingsomething off the internet,
you're slapping it in a copy andpaste and you're running it.
They're doing it week over week.
That's awesome.
Like kudos to you, that'samazing.
But if you want to take it tothe next level and really like
make this and make more, makemore value out of your sessions,
be able to sell higher and beable to sell more per session,

(32:48):
you're going to have toreevaluate that at some point
and realize that you need tolearn that skill tree.
Like you need to learnsomething to transfer over to a
student and it needs to comepartially from you and like how
you do and how you do things.
So I wish I wish I would havetold myself if I can go back
like 10 years and say, hey, nate, like this is what you should

(33:08):
do.
Like seek out those mentors.
Like seek them out.
You know you, you're going tohave to.
You're sometimes you're goingto have to pay to learn these
things.
You're going to have to put payto get into these rooms to
learn, but you know what thoseinvestments are going to pay.
They're going to pay insanedividends once you understand
the processes that these peopleare utilizing at the highest

(33:30):
level, and that's why they cancharge and that's why they can
do what they can do.
I'm going to pull.
I'm going to bring up Hunterreal quick, because the first
day of KBCU, when I invested inhim, he just threw like a dollar
signs on the screen and he'slike hey guys, before we start,
this is how much money I'veinvested in my career to get to
where I'm at.

(33:50):
So I just want you guys tounderstand like that's, that's
kind of how it kind of workslike that, like you have to
continue to invest in youreducation and you have to be
curious about that next step andgetting more value out of that
next step.
So that's what I would tellmyself is like, hey, seek out

(34:11):
those mentors, seek out thosepeople, take those courses.
Yeah, you might be on yourbottom dollar, but this is gonna
take you and raise your dollar.
It will.
You got to trust that.
You got to trust that.
So, yeah, that would be myadvice.
And this is also like, just likeanother perfect segue, you know
, into our next thing is havingan abundance mindset as a coach,

(34:36):
and I think you know again wetalk about boss battles, like
going on within ourself.
I think a lot of coaches, andit's sort of like the name of
the game is not to.
We do have an abundance mindsetwith students, but we need to
start having it with ourbusiness, and I think that's

(34:56):
something that I want all of usto just kind of talk about.
Like Tony, I'm going to lob itover to you.
Like what do you think it meansto have an abundant mindset as
a coach, as a leader in a gym?

Speaker 2 (35:11):
You know, we all want to protect ours, we want to
protect our ego, you know thingslike that.
And we want the most clients,we want the biggest book, we
want our classes to be packed,you know, and I think that's an
okay thing, but at the same time, I think coaches need to
realize that it really there'senough business for everyone.

(35:35):
There's enough business foreveryone.
And the moment you stop caringabout like I mean, money isn't
everything, but it's up therewith oxygen, right, it's
important.
But at the same time, you openup this huge window to more
relationships, more reciprocityrelationships, more reciprocity,

(36:00):
more people coming in and outof your life.
When you have this abundancemindset of what can I do to help
others?
If there's somebody that wantsto do a nutrition route, that's
not the same to me Like, I'llsend them to Nikki.
I've named, dropped Nikki abunch of times.
Oh, this is her Instagramchecker out, follower, all that
stuff.
Like anything for you, nate.
It's like, yeah, like we weretrying to work out that
apartment thing.
I'm like I don't, it's notreally going to fit for me right

(36:22):
now.
Like, nate, you take the reins,you do that.
Like you run with thatworkshops like going to.
Like we do this all the time.
We go to people's workshops, welearn, we, we, we get our
friends to go to, uh, we bringpeople in.
And I think that once you dothat, I think you have such a
big gateway into other people'slives, versus like you're so

(36:46):
closed and it's all about me,like, once you start looking at
this whole thing as a community,a vocation, right.
A community, a vocation, right.
And how can I?
I look at it as like wrestling,like wrestling for me was like
my favorite sport, and my coachtold me this one quote I've
always, I still remember to thisday.

(37:07):
He goes you can never give thesport of wrestling what it's
given you.
You can never give enough towhat it's given you.
And I think that same thingabout strength training and
coaching or any vocation thatyou choose, like you can never
give enough to what it's givenyou.
And I think that's the samething about strength training
and coaching or any vocationthat you choose, like you can
never give enough to thesomething that you love, that
it's given to you personally.
So always be giving andcontributing and helping others.

(37:28):
I think if you just stand bythat one, you're going to be
happier and you're going to havebetter relationships and you
are going to just thrive in thebusiness.
So that's what I would sayabout abundance.

Speaker 3 (37:40):
Damn.
I don't know if anything elseneeds to be said.

Speaker 1 (37:46):
Well said, Nikki.
You got anything to add to it.

Speaker 3 (37:51):
Yeah, I'm actually gonna.
I'm gonna take a little turn onthis one.
First, I think it's good toremember, kind of going off of
Tony is that what's the oppositeof abundance mindset is
scarcity mindset.
When you have a scarcitymindset, nobody wins.
You don't win, nobody wins,right?
That makes people feel likethey're always lacking something
or that success is a zero-sumgame, right?

(38:14):
So if you don't have abundance,you're going to be in that
scarcity mindset and that's nota place that anybody wants to be
.
And what's really interestingthat is kind of ticking me here
for with this question is thatwhen my European boyfriend came
to the States for the very firsttime, he felt a very big

(38:36):
difference in culture, mainly ofwhich and this is a pro and a
con Americans have a verycompetitive culture.
Again, there's pros and cons tothat.
But the difference of beinghere and I can feel it almost
instantly when I got here wasthat this feels like more of an

(38:58):
abundance mindset kind ofenvironment where people are
supporting others and, again, ifI win, everybody wins, or if
everybody wins, I also win.
It's just such a differentapproach.
My boyfriend always tells methere's room for everybody.
There's always room foreverybody, and especially when

(39:19):
we talk about social media,right, because that also gets
very overwhelming in terms oflike.
What am I going to post thatnobody else hasn't, especially
in terms of fitness?
You know what's the point of medoing this?
Because everybody else is doingit.
You know what makes medifferent in that way?
And he always reminds me there'sroom for everybody.
Truth is that there's nobodylike you, and you always have

(39:41):
something to offer.
You always have something tobring.
You're always going to hit anaudience differently than
another person, right, and so healways kind of what I don't
even think he intends to, butthere's just this abundance
mindset of like there's spacefor everybody and you always
have something to offer becauseyou are not like anybody else.
So I just think it's reallythat's been a really interesting

(40:04):
kind of experience that I'vehad, especially coming from the
States and into Lisbon, causethat that's one that feels very,
very different here, and I feelit in myself being here,
compared to what I felt like wasin my nature when I was in the
States, which was feeling like Ihave to be very competitive
with others, even if I didn'twant to be really interesting

(40:26):
and I mean it's true.

Speaker 1 (40:27):
I mean it's true, like you can't go like
everything in America is likesalesmanship right.
It's literally just who canlike sell the best really Like
it's that.
That's, that is the mindsethere.
I mean there's, there's again,like we said, said, there's pros

(40:49):
and cons to it.
If you're here, like I'm gonnajust say, is just you need to
have and build the mindset that,like you may not, is delay
gratification right.
Like you need to like realizethat if you are in the process
of building or you are in theprocess of growing and you're
not seeing it right away, itdoesn't mean that you're doing
something wrong.
It just means that, like you'rebuilding for the bigger you

(41:12):
know the bigger success and yougot to understand that with
coaching and with training,there's a huge building process
to what you can give as value toa student as well.
You're not just going to knowright away what is going to be
the most valuable, because a lotof it ties into your

(41:32):
personality.
As a coach, I think too.
All of us have a differentpersonality.
All of us have kettlebellbellfoundational background, but we
all utilize it in a differentway because that's our
personality kicking in and Ithink that's the one thing that
a lot of coaches need tounderstand as well, and, like
tony you talked about, it wasjust saying how the scarcity

(41:55):
mindset kicks in when people areafraid to.
You know, oh, you might getthat person, or I might get that
person, or it's like a battlefor people.
We're all here trying to likegive, just make people healthy,
and if you're not, then there'ssomething.
Then there's something you'realready kind of screwing up in
in the business, right Like youare here to help first, and then

(42:17):
you're gonna, you know, figureout everything after, right.
So the what I'm trying to say,though, is your people are also
out there, like the people thatyou're supposed to be supporting
are out there, and you justneed to do your best to find
them, and they need to do theirbest to find you, and you need
to make that the easiestpossible, and it's not going to

(42:39):
happen if you're not getting outinto the community, if you're
not going to handshake, ifyou're not going to support
other coaches, if you're notlearning.
It's just not going to happen.
You're not opening those doorsfor yourself.
So you have to get out and be apart of your local community,
or whatever that looks like.
Community looked completelydifferent than my Chicago

(43:01):
community but I still went andhandshook all those people.
Like I used to be neighborswith the crazy trainer Jared and
I would go to his gym all thetime and I would go handshake
and meet a ton of people.
That's how I met Danny Colahere in Chicago.
So it's like people wouldn'tknow those things.
But again, like you have to beinvolved in your local community

(43:21):
and I think that will kind ofhelp that abundance mindset as
well.
As like you think you're alone,you're on this like solo Island
.
You're not.
You're just not likecommunicating with the right
group of people in your area.
So I hope that helps that thatpoint.
You guys got anything else tosay for that part, or are we
ready to move on to kind of thefinal piece here?

Speaker 2 (43:45):
I would just say one thing like referring people,
like clients, to other trainers,like that's super important too
, because one like you might notbe the fit and you refer.
And people are afraid to referbecause they feel like they're
going to lose business.
They want them but it's goingto trickle back where, hey, this

(44:05):
one guy refer me to this otherperson.
He might be a great, like, hewas super nice, he might be a,
or she might be a good fit foryou.
So never be afraid to like sendbusiness where it really needs
to go, because it will come backto you.
So that was, that'd be my lastpoint.

Speaker 1 (44:20):
Absolutely.
I'm going to talk about thatreally quick because I had that
experience.
Yesterday.
I got on a call because youknow, as a friend of a friend,
but basically we were.
I said, hey, let's just hop ona call.
If I'm not a good fit for you,I'll find you somebody who's a
good fit for you.
Like that's again taking thehigh road.
But guess what the person waslike yeah, let's hop on a call,

(44:42):
that sounds great.
So now, like coaches out there,if you're looking to like get
more calls which is alwaysimportant you're trying to get
like leads.
That's a great way to do it.
It's like you, now you have anetwork that you can leverage
and give people to, and they'llalways remember that.
To Tony's point, they'll alwaysremember.
Oh man, you know what?
The reason why I had thisconnection was because of X.

(45:04):
You know what I mean, and thatis super valuable.
And you're creating again likethat intertwined network in your
community, right, it's youcreating that and I think people
miss that a lot, right?
Just because you're not gettingit doesn't mean you're not
going to get something laterfrom that connection that you've
spurred.
We're going to head into thelast topic here, and it's just,

(45:27):
you know, being a student tothis trade and to this practice
and I just, you know this isgoing to be a kind of a loaded
question too, but what do youguys think that means, like,
what do you guys think thatmeans for coaches, for personal
trainers, for PE teachers?
Like, what does that mean to bea student of physical education

(45:50):
, strength and that?
What do you think, nikki?

Speaker 3 (45:55):
I think, especially for us in this industry,
personal growth is professionalgrowth.
It's really hard not to havethat transfer over in some
capacity.
So if I'm consistentlydedicating myself to improving
myself and proving my being whenit comes to my health, when it

(46:16):
comes to my lifestyle, when itcomes to what I put in my mouth,
when it comes to just aboutanything, it's obviously
something I feel verypassionately about and I always
want to continue to get better,always, always, always, because
that's never a stagnant thing,no matter how advanced we get,
no matter how old we get, likethere's no circumstance in which

(46:38):
I am not trying to become abetter person and trying to be
the healthiest version of myself, and there's no way that's not
going to transfer to my work.
So I always try and think aboutkind of linking to what we just
said of like I'm not gettingcontinuing ed for my clients,
I'm getting it for myself first,so that I can improve, and in

(47:02):
which case puts me in a betterposition to coach my clients, if
that makes sense.
I'm not out looking forcertifications like, oh, what
would my clients want to learn,or what would be most benefit,
or what would my clients youknow, or what would potential
clients want to buy?
Right, that's not my line ofthinking.
It's like what do I want toinvest myself in?
Because sometimes, honestly, Iforget.

(47:25):
I, you know, go through monthsand months of being so head into
my business or programming.
It's like, wait a second, wehave not taken a step in a while
for ourselves to do somecontinuing education, to learn
something new.
To do some continuing educationto learn something new.
So sometimes I get like blindedbecause I just I feel so

(47:45):
invested in whatever I'm doing.
But then I also start to feelstagnant, right, and if I feel
stagnant, my clients might feelthat way as well.
So I really feel like it's itkind of starts with me, since it
is my business, and it willseep into my clients.
So for me, I feel like thelearning portion is always kind

(48:05):
of, you know, starting withmyself and then, kind of as a
default, my clients willhopefully also learn what I have
learned in whatever experienceI've chosen.
And what's funny is that youkind of touched on it before is,
you know, when it comes toinvesting in yourself or
investing continuing ed, likewhat I remember about strong

(48:27):
first is not necessarily whatmovement I learned that day or a
certain cue.
I remember the experience withthe coaches there and actually a
vivid memory of getting sometough love one day, and it's
just made me a better person andsometimes I approach my clients

(48:50):
that way too and what I'mreally teaching them, because it
taught me what resiliencereally means and what it means
to challenge myself.
I'm like, am I going to standthere and whine about it or am I
going to do it?
And someone really gut-changingtoday and I can laugh about it
now.
But I wasn't ready for theresponse and what it was is that
I was bleeding right Third daygetting ready for the snatch

(49:12):
test and I'm already just likecoming apart and I'm stressing
out that I'm not going to pass.
How am I possibly going to passif I can hardly hold to the
bell, as I'm just like bleedingand just a hot mess?
And the coach looks at me.
He's like I mean, are you notgoing to do it?
I'm like no.
He's like I don't know how youwant me to help you and that's

(49:33):
like a nicer way that I just putit.
And so I'm like oh shit, likehe's right, like what am I
expecting this person to doabout it?
He's like do you want to hug,like I don't know what you like,
like I'm really not going tobaby you through this, because
are you going to walk out ofhere and not do it?
He's like you're going to do itand guess what?
I did it and I was fine, liketotally fine, and so it's just

(49:55):
one of those things Likeremember about my experience.
So I also think continuing edand learning is not just about
the thing itself.

Speaker 1 (50:05):
It's the experience that you have.
Amazing answer.

Speaker 2 (50:06):
I love it.
We need to also.
We'll.
We'll just briefly mention howNikki uh finished up her SFG one
and then went into the U-Hauland cried Uh, cause she was
moving that weekend.

Speaker 1 (50:19):
I remember that story .

Speaker 2 (50:21):
You're just like you told me, I was like Jesus, like
that is insane.

Speaker 3 (50:25):
And then I moved into my apartment that night Well,
that's the other thing.
Like, was I not going to do thecertification?
No, no, I worked for this, Ipaid for it.
I guess we're moving in and outof apartments and doing my SFG
the same weekend, like it's justyou that whole experience you
had your hot hands moving rightrough it was rough.

(50:48):
I had a bottle of champagne andlike three bagels after that.
After that, my mom had like abottle waiting for me at home.
I was like crying and then Istopped to get bagels because I
was hungry.
So it it was.
It was a day, guys, it was awhole day, but it was a good day
and that's what I remember.
That's just what I rememberabout it.

(51:09):
So it was a very humblingexperience.
But because I had that, I justapproach things differently now
moving forward.
Right, I just I approach thingsdifferently, so I hope I can
teach that to my clients as well.
I hope I can teach my clientsto approach things differently.
So I hope I can teach that tomy clients as well.
I hope I can teach my clientsto approach things differently.

Speaker 1 (51:25):
Yeah, tony.
What about you?
Well, what is what is being astudent of strength and growth
as a coach, trainer, physicaleducation teacher?
What does that mean to you?

Speaker 2 (51:35):
Yeah, I mentioned it earlier.
Just, you don't know everything.
You're not going to knoweverything.
You do the best that you can,one to you know, propel yourself
in this game of life.
I would say it could be readingdifferent books on mindset,
different books on coaching,doing the certifications I'm

(51:58):
actually I actually just pulledit up when that question came up
I've been looking at Joe Ken.
He does the tier system.
It's something I'm thinkingabout bringing into my school
and the first thing of the goalthat says the goal of this
program is to absorb, modify andapply, and I think that's for

(52:19):
everything.
You know you're going to findwhat works Like.
You can't.
If you try to recreate or dowhat other people do at their
gyms or their spaces, it mightnot work for you Like.
You have to absorb, like andthen apply it in a different way
that works for you.
So nothing is cookie cutter.
Your clients are different,your space is different, your

(52:40):
equipment might be different.
So but taking things andrunning with them and trying
things, uh is important and it.
Some things work fantastic,some are.
You're like, I'm never doingthat again, but I think just
personal growth, uh, makingconnections, like Nikki said,
going to these workshops.
I I just went to the uh highschool strength coach uh

(53:04):
workshop at evanston and I wassitting down, didn't even know
I'm gonna shout him out uh,kevin, uh, vanderbush.
Uh, he was sitting down at mytable next to me like the like
the beginning, like you know,nobody really introduced
themselves.
Really I was like, oh hey, I'mtony pasola.
He's like oh, I'm KevinVanderbush, started talking to
this guy, whatever, didn't know.

(53:25):
He was a keynote speaker, noidea, and that he's 40 years at
Ben Davis High School, has like10 championship state titles,
right, multiple national titles,like multiple, like crazy win
record.
And you know he's one of thetop leading strength coaches,

(53:46):
high school strength coaches inthe country.
Like people go to his.
I'm sitting there just choppingup with him having a good time.
And then he's like oh yeah,presenting.
I was like, oh snap, really.
He presented, didn't talk aboutone rep scheme, didn't talk
about a fricking any programming, programming, nothing weights
to use percentages.
He just talked about connection.
Literally his whole thing wasabout connection and what he

(54:09):
does in his uh.
And I'm going through somethingright now where I'm trying to
build I was mentioned earlierlike I'm trying to build a
better strength uh culture at myschool, like, make it a
priority.
And I reached out to him that,uh, yesterday I saw it met him
on Friday.
I'd reach out on Saturday andsay, hey, I got your email.
Uh, it was great talking to you.
Um, you know, I'm I'm trying tobuild this programming up any

(54:34):
tips or resources you can sharewith me about, like, really like
going to my athletic director,going to, uh, the head of school
and things like that, and heshared a google drive with me
with all this information.
I mean, he didn't have to dothat.
That's awesome like literally,like just like all of his
presentations, resources, uh,articles he's written and he's
like, oh, start with this one,this is gonna be good.

(54:55):
I'm like dude, thank you somuch.
Like that just helped that.
Like that one connection justhelped me move forward like a
year of like me trying to siftthrough things and putting
things together.
He's like, oh, I got this, hereyou go.
I was like dude, that is thankyou so much, I appreciate it.
I can't wait to get back to himand like tell him how amazing
we're gonna make this program.
But uh, that was the one thing.
I was just like dude, thatthat's why you go to these

(55:17):
things, that's why you growprofessionally and make the
connections and learn.
And yeah, that's a long-windedanswer, but yeah, uh, keep keep
investing in yourself and thebetter you are and the more you
like you have to give to othersyeah, no, and I'm gonna
piggyback off both, both yourguys's answers.

Speaker 1 (55:36):
Um, I'm gonna take this from like my, my, my
students perspective and likeI'm in this at this point and
I'll tell you guys where I'm at,is like I have students that
are at different levels, right,so I'm looking at being a
student of strength.
Well, my students are kind ofteaching me as well, right, like

(55:57):
they're always teaching you,and I think looking at what your
students need will kind ofguide you in what you will need
next in your career, right?
So I'm looking.
I have a couple of students whoare just kick ass, anything I
just I throw at them.
They're just, it's nothing.

(56:19):
I'm like what is going likewhat, what am I doing wrong here
?
It's it's not that, it's just Ineed nothing.
I'm like what is going likewhat, what am I doing wrong here
?
It's it's not that, it's just Ineed to.
I'm trying to now expand like alittle bit more, like now I need
to be like, okay, like whatelse can I throw at these, at
these folks that that'llchallenge them and make them,
you know, stronger, you knowmake, make them challenged in a
different way.
So I think the point I'm tryingto say is just look at what you

(56:43):
are working with, like, lookwho you're working with, look at
what they need and keep growingoff of that.
Again, keep growing off of that.
Yeah, you can add a little bitof stuff, kind of have some more
general knowledge books going,general knowledge, education,
education going, but really tryto focus on, like what you

(57:04):
already have and try to keepmaking that better, because
that's it's a great guide in adirection of like where to go
next, and I think that'ssomething that I'm utilizing
right now and it's reallyhelping.
Um, we got some certs coming tochicago pretty soon that I
think I want to take just tokind of expand my wheelhouse a
bit more, like just trying tothink a little bit more outside
the box.
I know it's not always.

(57:25):
I want to challenge my way ofthinking.
Essentially right, like I thinkthat's something we we, us
three we have like a goodfoundation.
We have a really good we havewe have this guard of like tools
that we use.
I want to keep challengingthose things and I want to keep
challenging those to make mycommunity as strong as possible.

(57:47):
Really right, like that's myanswer.
So, yeah, no, this is guys.
This is a great, great chat.
I think I hope the coach, thepersonal trainer, physical
education, you know DPT,whoever's listening to this.
I hope you're getting a lot outof this session.
I know it means a lot to kindof go into your career and like

(58:08):
talk about it and be vulnerableabout like certain parts.
So I really appreciate Tony andNikki for chopping us up here
and giving them, giving us someof their their life here.
So I really appreciate you guys.
I'm going to just kind of segueinto what we got going on.
Uh, in the next month or so, um, like, what's what's on the

(58:28):
horizon for each of us until, uh, our next, let's talk Nikki,
what, what, what do we got goingon?

Speaker 3 (58:35):
A lot of social media stuff.
I uh, like I said, it's uh,it's, it's weird to be a coach
but take on this new role andcompletely different meaning of
business owner.
So I'm learning a lot andgetting into the world of social
media is interesting and, toyour point, like I feel very

(58:55):
much a student right now and attimes it can be overwhelming,
but there's I've taken awaythings actually which I hope you
guys enjoy just as much as Idid.
One is just about storytelling.
It's just about sharing yourstory and in which case you know
, therein lies connection.
So don't overthink social media.

(59:15):
It's just about sharing.
Just share your story, whichkind of leads into.
Mac actually shared this onewith me.
From Ethos he goes people comefor relatability, they stay for
the fitness, which I also findvery interesting.
You know, I think social mediaagain can be controversial, can
be overwhelming, but people arethere for community and

(59:37):
connection and don't forget it.
So, again, I'm really learninga lot about the whole process
and that's kind of where myfocus is and just get more
comfortable about sharing mystory and what it means in the
health and training sector.
So it's just, it's a very coolcreative process.

Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
Tony, what about you?
What do we got going on comingin April?

Speaker 2 (01:00:06):
You know we got I got in the West Loop at All in
Motion.
We're doing once a monthgetting into some workshops,
some kettlebell stuff, hopefullyadding an additional.
We've been going back and forthon this.
I've done a barbell workshopthere and we actually like over
packed it.

(01:00:26):
So trying to figure out a wayto like get, cause there's only
you have so many bars and somany people right and so many
racks and um, but trying to getthat out as a as an additional
option for people that reallywant to learn.
So, uh, diving back into somebarbell work at all in motion.
Chicago strength workshops oncea month.
We moved one.
We're going to try it out thisSaturday coming up.

(01:00:48):
I know this episode is probablynot going to be out by then, but
switching from a Sunday to aSaturday morning 8am versus like
a 10 on Sunday, I think justmore people have asked for, hey,
if you did this on a Saturdaymorning morning, like I would
totally make it.
Like I can't really makesundays.
I'm like, okay, we're gonna trythat out, but just reading a
lot this summer I'm looking likefor just like reading a lot and

(01:01:10):
really like putting in sometime to uh just find some
different uh knowledge bucketsthat I want to like dip into,
whether it be programming,coaching, philosophy, things
like that.
So that's pretty much it.
And then you know, and then Iget to see uh Nate at, uh uh,
the KBCU.
You're going to be out thereinstructing, so I'll be there.

Speaker 1 (01:01:31):
Oh yeah, I'm excited, I'm excited.

Speaker 3 (01:01:34):
Awesome guys.

Speaker 1 (01:01:35):
Yeah.
So, um, off off Tony's point um, coming in may I'm going to be
in.
I got invited to be aninstructor at a KBCU, chicago
foundations.
Um, that's going to be a sickclass.
We already got some reallyawesome people coming out.
I feel like the group ofindividuals that comes out to
that class is going to beamazing to just network with, be

(01:01:57):
with um, just have a weekend oflearning and fun.
Uh, those are just so fun.
Like you're going to get.
You're going to get such a coolum wheelhouse of skills in
addition to like the kettlebellfoundational exercises.
But like just learning how toadd plyos to your workouts, um,
you know, like using body weight, jumping um, but also just like

(01:02:18):
hunters, really good at mindset, like that's I can't stress
that enough Like if you'rereally kind of as a coach, if
you're struggling as like acoach, figuring out your mindset
and like how to apply andbridge concepts of business and
work and fitness together.
He is just it's just incredibleworking with him and always

(01:02:40):
have been.
It's always been a pleasure towork with him on that, so I'm
really looking forward to that.
Dom's gonna be with me as wellon that instructing, so it'll be
a ton of fun.
Um, april, our april third coastclass guys is gonna be like
sold out really quick, like it'salready almost sold out.
I have people reaching outsaying the last class was just a

(01:03:01):
was bananas.
It was so much fun.
So, um, I'm really lookingforward to teaching that class
again, um, at uh, chicagostrength.
So it's, that's been so muchfun.
Uh, and then, uh, yeah, justrecently, this last week was my
first week uh, coaching out ofum the garage.
Uh, it's an awesome communityin West town, uh, westtown.

(01:03:23):
So shout out, gina and the crewthere just kind of growing and
that class I had I had 12 on myfirst class, so that that's a
packed room already like out thegate.
Awesome, I'm super stoked tohave that.
It's so fun because I'm kind oflike bridging yoga with like
kettlebells, in a heatedenvironment but with light load.

(01:03:45):
I think it's a yeah, it's sounique and it worked so well.
The first class, like I was soshocked on how well it worked,
uh, so yeah, if Tony, you got tocome out, dude, it's, it's
actually really fun.
It's a fun, it's a fun class wedid.
We just did get ups, we didlike some basic complexes and
then we did windmills.
It was just it felt like yoga,like I was instructing a yoga

(01:04:07):
class.
The one coach came out aftershe's like, are you a yoga
instructor?
I'm like, no, no, I'm not ayoga instructor, but it was cool
Like the vibe gave yoga.
So definitely, definitely funand unique.
And then, yeah, and then I thinkjust the last thing is just I'm
working on getting in person.

(01:04:28):
I want to be in person workingwith folks.
So if you are interested,you're in the Chicagoland area
and you have, like you know youwant to do one-on-ones or you're
looking for a small group, youknow, just reach out to me
one-on-ones, or you're lookingfor um small group, you know,
just reach out to me, I will,we'll find a time and we can

(01:04:49):
chat, talk about, like how wecan take your life to the next
level.
Honestly, I'm always looking tomake stronger individuals and
trying to help people get strongin any way I can.
So, um, that's awesome Workingabout working on right now.
But, uh, yeah, everybody, um,thank you so so much for
listening today.
Uh, we really appreciate all um, all of our listeners and uh,
thanks for um tuning in.
Um, we're really, reallylooking forward to our next uh,

(01:05:11):
let's talk strength podcast.
I think this next one's goingto be a banger, so I'm really
looking forward to it.
So I'll talk.
I'll talk to y'all later.
Take care, bye, guys.