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Amanda:

All right. Hi everyone. So surprise. I’m jumping in here today and I’m coming in live, and I have a very special guest joining me. I have Justyna. Hi Justyna.

Justyna:

Hey.

Amanda:

How’s it going?

Justyna:

Good. How are you?

Amanda:

I’m great. So guys, I have Justyna joining me because we want to chat all about what it is that she is doing after graduating from our fitness and nutrition expert certification program. I know that you’re doing incredible things in your community, you’re doing incredible things in your business, and you’re also now starting to pivot and shift. So we’re going to get into all that stuff in a minute. But I just, first of all, I want to say thank you so much for joining us today. And just opening up and being this like open book to be able to share this information because I think that there’s so many people that are interested in getting certified as fitness and nutrition experts, or getting into this industry, but they’re just nervous. They’re nervous that they won’t be able to make it, that they don’t know what to do, that they are not sure if it’s the right path for them. And so I’m just really hoping that this will help inspire some people.

Justyna:

I hope so too. Absolutely. So thank you for having me. Thank you for inviting me. So let’s do this. For sure.

Amanda:

Of course. Yeah. So why don’t you start off, why don’t you tell us a little bit more about your business and what you’ve created since graduating as a fitness and nutrition expert.

 Justyna:

Okay. So my business, what I’ve done is basically I train women. Women are my jam. I connect with them on a deeper level because of like, for myself, and I’m sure many of you maybe had a transformation of your own. I had my own and then from that I wanted to help others. So I’ve created the business. When I graduated it was like I want to do one-on-one training, that’s how I started. But then I wanted to expand into bringing small group of women because I think community is huge and people, women especially, resonate together and they kind of build friendships that way and they can see they’re not alone in this, that they have the same struggles that the daily life routine, the kids and all that.

 Justyna:

So basically that’s where it is. It’s small business, small group training. And I do boot camps like outdoor stuff too because they love it too. So through the summertime we’re outside, in the gym. It’s like a variety of different services that I offer them for who needs what, depending on whether they want to do one-on-one, or if they want to be part of something greater like a group.

Amanda:

I love that you offer both though, because this is something I talk about a lot and I just talked about in my master class I taught yesterday. Was the idea that if you’re only offering one, so say if you’re only offering personal training, you’re really limiting yourself because there’s some people that want the community, or that financially can’t afford it, or that would want to get involved with something more longterm. But when it comes to personal training, oftentimes people can’t necessarily commit to personal training for longterm because from a budget perspective. Do you find that’s true?

 Justyna:

Yes, and that was one of the things that I found. And a lot of them came to me and said, “Thank you,” because they can’t financially, or they do both. So I have programs where they can do one-on-one, and do group classes as well, which again, change the financial status of how much they have to pay, right? Because let’s face it, personal training, not everybody can afford it. I totally get that. It’s a totally different kind of service compared to going into a group class, and meeting with me for three times a week, for an hour or so each time, right? So that was an eye opener for me and it works great. Because from that, I actually found too, I ended up getting personal clients as well, which is kind of hilarious. Because then the word spreads, and then they talk about it.

 Justyna:

I had actually a couple of husbands, which is kind of crazy. I’d never thought I’d be training men, but… They want… but they want to have one-on-one. So I’m like, okay. So it actually works together really well because you are so much more out there in the community and the more people talk about you, the better, I think.

Amanda:

Definitely. And now, how has this sort of new world order, for lack of a better way of explaining it, and we were talking about it before we got online, we were talking a lot about this. But how has that sort of affected your business now? Because I think this is a really important thing to talk about because it’s on everyone’s mind, right? It’s like, well if I get into this industry and I want to run boot camps, or I want to run personal training sessions, you can’t do that now. So obviously the answer is to go online. But how has that been for you in terms of adjusting or wanting to create that?

 Justyna:

Okay, so it has been really interesting because I’ve never been online before. It was an idea. It’s a thought. I know I have to get there, but because my business is doing so great, I’m like, “Oh, it’s a down the road kind of thing,” right? But I found, yes, over the last couple of weeks, yeah, it’s definitely been an adjustment and learning to be in the online space. So basically I offered online classes. So whether online training, or online small group training through Zoom, or even Instagram Live, or Facebook Live. Because we have a Facebook group, private Facebook group for the members. So that’s what I did. And they’re in there. So the interesting thing was being too… Well, not seeing them, except me talking to myself, other than seeing through the comments, right?

 Justyna:

So it’s a little different energy, a little bit of a different vibe because all of a sudden now you’re working out just as much as they are because you kind of can’t just walk around the room or …..

Amanda:

Just pace the room.

 Justyna:

Oh my God. You know, you put the program together and you’re thinking, “Damn, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.” Because now you are just as much sweating and working. But at the same time, I think it connects you even more with the client because they can see it too. You work just as hard, you struggle just the same. We’re not any different. I think a lot of times, they look at us like we’re so superhuman that we don’t struggle. I’m like, “I can struggle with a push up just the same as you, or the squats, or the jumps.” And just for them to see that, it just changed everything now. Even so more in a good way. Even though I still have to learn the online space, like huge because it’s not something I’m comfortable with. But the transition, I just took it online. I didn’t wait because I’m like, “It’s happening right now. The gym is not going to be open anytime soon.”

 Justyna:

And it’s been an interesting transition, but I think a good one. It connected me even more with the people because they don’t ever see me work out that way. So now they see that I sweat as well and curse sometimes.

Amanda:

It’s so funny though because so many times I remember people just seem to think that it’s like, “Oh, you could do this. You’ve got this, no problem.” I’m like, “Yeah because I’m demoing only four of the pushups.” When I have to do a minute of them, it’s just as hard. If anything, I actually find it… And it’s funny, in yoga, I remember learning this from my teacher. That in yoga they say like, “It just gets harder as you get stronger, as you get more skilled because you start pushing yourself further and deeper, faster.” And so if anyone believes that it’s easy, it’s really not. I’m doing a program right now that is kicking my butt every single day. I’m sweating, and 30 minutes in I want to die.

 Justyna:

Yeah, we sweat too.

Amanda:

Totally. Now, for you though, is this your full-time?

 Justyna:

Yes.

Amanda:

Is this what you do full-time? Yeah? And did you do that right away as soon as you finished? As soon as you graduated from the fitness and nutrition program?

 Justyna:

Yeah, so I basically, because I knew I couldn’t take this full-time or work in any capacity because I’m a single mom. I have two kids. And that’s when they were little, so they were like four and six. So I was gone all day working from 8:00 to 5:00. So for me to actually even train the morning and after was not a possibility because I was already gone from home and I haven’t seen them all day. So to extend that even more was not an option. So it was like, I’m going to bite the bullet, I’m going to resign from my job and go full-time into this. And I knew I had to just hustle right off the bat because the mortgage needs to get paid, and the kids have to get fed. And all that stuff that’s going in my head. But as scary as it was, I felt such a relief when I did because I knew this is what I wanted.

 Justyna:

So when I gave that letter to my boss, it felt scary but so exciting at the same time. It was such a relief. I’m like, “Okay, here we go.” ….

Amanda:

I have goosebumps right now, as you were saying this. Because I’m like, “Gah,” the energy that you must’ve felt doing that, because it’s like, oh my gosh.

 Justyna:

Oh, it was amazing. It’s happening, and and I’m like-

Amanda:

I’m all in.

 Justyna:

… “Okay, it’s up to me.” And there was no plan B. I never believed in a plan B because plan B, you’re already setting yourself for a failure because you’re like-

Amanda:

Oh my God. I talk about that all the time. Yes.

 Justyna:

Because the moment you have that, you’re already resigned to the fact it’s going to happen. I’m like, “There’s no plan B. I’m not going back and I’m not turning around. I’m not looking back. I’m just going to go forward.” I knew not every month is going to be perfect. I knew there was going to be struggles. Like everything, it’s new, it’s challenging. I didn’t have an expectation of like, ooh, I’m just going to make $10,000 starting tomorrow.  You know what? It was literally old school stuff, people are so wanting to advertise on Instagram, and Facebook, and all that stuff is great, but just literally getting out to your community. I literally went door to door with flyers. I went to all the businesses within three kilometers of where I live and introduced myself, and I talked to them. Everybody knows who I am now because I’m there all the time.

Amanda:

I love that though.

 Justyna:

But that’s the only way. That’s the only way. Was that a struggle? Absolutely. I found that I had to get out of my comfort zone, right? That’s where it’s at. Get out of your head. The biggest struggle, we all are in our head. It’s like, I can’t do it, I can’t do it. And yes, you can. Get out of your hear.

Amanda:

Yeah, that was actually the question I was going to ask you. Did you have a specific mindset thing, a block or any kind of struggle that you had in your mind that you had to kind of overcome to be able to be that successful entrepreneur that you are today?

 Justyna:

Oh, 100%. My thing was like, well, everybody’s doing it. Who am I to show up in this space? I didn’t think I looked the right way.

Amanda:

Oh my goodness.

 Justyna:

I’m going to say I’m 43. I’m like, okay, I’m 43 like I was 41-42 starting out. And I’m just starting out. Like you see Instagram. It gets in your head. You see all these cutesy models that are in their 20s. And like in their booty shorts and all that stuff. And who am I to show up in this space and claim myself, and be that I could do this, and show up and actually serve other women? At the end of the day, I had to work through that myself. You know what? There’s somebody for everybody, and I’m here to serve. And the moment you just kind of let yourself be for who you are, people are attracted to you and will resonate with you. I always believe there’s enough for everybody regardless of how many gyms are around you. And that was never my thought.

 Justyna:

Because there’s one for everybody. If people resonate for you, for your energy, or what you provide, or what you give them.

Amanda:

Oh my gosh, amen to that. It’s so true because you have to… As soon as you start showing up as yourself. It’s like, when Laura and I first started teaching fitness classes, I remember we taught them together, okay? This is so embarrassing. I’m going to show this story really fast. But this is super nerdy and embarrassing. So when we first started Fit Chicks back in 2008, we taught in these classes, but we taught them together, like tandem, like tag team style. She’d teach a things ….. Amanda’s up. And then we did this and it was so awkward and weird, but we were just like trying to figure out what we wanted to do.

Amanda:

But we also were like trying to divide the work so evenly because we were partners and we wanted to… And it was really weird. But what I noticed when I was teaching was I was always trying to emulate how she was teaching, instead of just being my self. And then she was trying to emulate Jillian Michaels. So it was super weird because it was like she was trying to be like Jillian Michaels and I was trying to be like her version of Jillian Michaels. It was really weird. I don’t even know why anybody came back. . Yeah, I know. And then all of a sudden when we divided and we kind of went on our own ways, in terms of like our own classes, not our own ways, but our own classes. I really found my own voice and I started showing up the way I show up, right?

Amanda:

I like really intense classes, no breaks, super hard. And I like being really sarcastic when I’m teaching. And that’s just who I am, right? And whereas Laura teaches more like cheerleader vibe and stuff, and that was not my vibe. But when you show up that way, we both had sold out camps, but it was different people showing up because they show up because they resonate with you. And I totally agree with you 100%. It’s like you find your Sasha Fierce, your persona.

 Justyna:

Yeah, yeah, that’s right. You’re alter ego.

Amanda:

Exactly.

 Justyna:

You find your alter ego and you go with it.

Amanda:

Exactly. Exactly. Now, what would you say, in terms of your revenue to date, do you mind sharing with us in terms of overall how from a gross perspective, how you’ve been doing? Or in terms of a month, what was one of your biggest months that you’ve experienced to date?

 Justyna:

To date, my biggest month was $8,000. So that was my biggest month.

Amanda:

That’s amazing.

 Justyna:

So I basically go between five and six, and up to eight. So before this craziness started, I was really going higher and higher. That basically now was into the sevens and eights. And again, that’s a combination of both of the personal training and group classes, right? And I found too, summertime I found is the hottest time. I know a lot of people say that it’s not, or because a lot of people are away and doing other things, but I find sometimes are really hot. Because a lot of people are still home, and boot camps are amazing. And people want to be outside and doing their thing. And you know advertisement too. I just did through mommy groups on Facebook, there’s so many of them, throw it in there. And it just exploded. I didn’t have to advertise or pay for any of it. It’s free advertising, right?

Amanda:

Love it. And now, do you remember how long it took you to pay back your tuition for the fitness and nutrition expert program, based on your sales from your business?

 Justyna:

Oh, not long. I think it was maybe a couple months. It wasn’t long at all. But at the same time, I knew if I didn’t go out there and work for it, I have to… You have to work and you have to hustle for it. It’s not going to come to you. That’s one thing I had to learn too, it’s just not going to happen. A lot of times I’ve learned from other friends that I’ve spoken that are in the fitness industry, that maybe are struggling. It’s just like, well, if you don’t go out there and show up, people are not going to come to you.

Amanda:

Totally. I totally agree with that 100%. Would you say though that in terms of the investment, because I know it only took you a couple months, but would you say in terms of the transformation that it’s provided you for your own life, now that you can spend all the time you want with your kids and you can do the things that you love, was the investment worth it to you?

 Justyna:

Oh 100%. 100%. The moment I started doing it I knew that’s what I needed because it gave me everything from personal training to group classes, and the nutrition aspect, and the mindset aspect. it’s business. Everything was all encompassing. So I left like, okay, I have all of that, now I just have to go out there and do it. So it was good. And it was good the way it worked out. I would 100% recommend it to anybody if they’re interested in doing this because you know what? The investment is a small amount of what you get out of it.

Amanda:

Oh, thank you.

 Justyna:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda:

And what would you say in terms of, I know that you were saying you like to hustle, and that’s sort of like the big difference between you and your friends. Do you see anything else that has helped you be successful in this space while a lot of others do struggle? I know for me, whenever I think of other people and the struggles that they’re having, oftentimes it’s because they’re not niche enough. They’re just like, “I train everybody.” Whereas you’re like, “I train women. That’s my jam.” You’re very specific about it. Do you think that there’s something really specific though about what it is that you do? Whether it be your mindset, your attitude, your work ethic, or anything that has made you be as successful as you are?

 Justyna:

I think, yeah. I think for me it was having a positive attitude, believing the fact that there’s enough for everyone, that there’s no scarcity. Just because somebody else has a gym down the street doesn’t mean I’m not going to have clients [crosstalk 00:15:33]. And the money mindset was a big one too, right? That struggle. Like, oh my God, am I going to make money? And being so focused on making money, I think that’s one of the biggest mistakes a lot of people or trainers in general make. You have to be willing to serve and do it for the love of it. I know that sounds kind of cliche, do it for the love, but it really is because the money will come. It always does. And I think when you kind of just go and do the thing that you love doing for the fact that you do really love it, then the money’s going to come. I think that’s it for me really.

 Justyna:

And just working for it and just believing that you can, and not thinking that you’re just not good enough. Because the moment I overcame that, the business really kind of took off and exploded.

Amanda:

Yeah. I love that. It’s funny, I remember speaking to someone, and it was Russell Brunson actually that was talking about this. He was saying that, “When you focus on serving, the money will always come.” He was like, “Think about it.” He’s like, “If you say I want to help a million people eat better.” He’s like, “And I’m going to charge them $1.” He’s like, “You’ve made $1 million, but you’ve also impacted a million lives.” So he’s like, “So when you think about it from that perspective, so many people get so caught up in the money aspect. But when you think about the impact aspect it allows for you to just put it out into the world and then you also don’t feel like that sleazy car salesman either because you’re just like, ‘no, I’m really trying to help you.'”

Amanda:

And I think that one of the things even with our fitness and nutrition program, that you were saying like [inaudible 00:16:59] is different was that we had all those parts to it. Like the fitness, the nutrition, the group fitness, the personal training. And I think for us it was like I want you to be able to go out there and serve in all areas. I want you to be able to serve in all capacities with your clients. Do you find that really helped you with your clients? To be able to give them tips on meals, and recipes, and that kind of stuff?

 Justyna:

Oh, absolutely because you’re not just one ticket, right? You’re not just a personal trainer. When you train and when you get into this business you kind of become a therapist in a way because people come to with you with all sorts of issues, and they’re there to talk to you and it’s their hour for whatever reason, right? But yeah, being able to give them tips on mindset, nutrition tips. Yes, we’re not dieticians, we’re not nutritionist per se, but we still have that knowledge that we can give them. Give them sample meal plans, or simple way of eating to improve their everyday life.

 Justyna:

And it’s not complicated. We know it. They a lot of times know it too, maybe you just need to word it differently. But yeah, having all that totally changes how the client sees you because they see you as an expert, and that you can help them in just more one way than just how to do a squat. Because you know what? They can learn how to do a squat through YouTube too. At the end of the day, it’s really not about the training. One thing I realized of all the clients that I have, whether personal or group classes, it’s they come to you for you. You know what I mean? Yes, we offer great service, but I mean at the same time it’s out there, everybody has it and it’s free too. But they come because they love you and what you provide and give them as a person, they come for the experience.

 Justyna:

So when you create an experience for them, they’re going to love you and they’re going to keep on coming back because they want that. Because the way you make them feel and how… And obviously the transformation’s part of it and whatever their goals are, but also it’s you that they’re coming to because of what you provide for them.

Amanda:

Yeah. That’s amazing. I couldn’t have said that better myself because it’s absolutely true. It’s like they want that connection to you. They want to feel like you are the main reason why they come back.

 Justyna:

Yes.

Amanda:

Now, what would you say to any women that are watching right now, that are thinking about joining our fitness and nutrition expert program? They’re thinking about getting certified, getting into this industry, but they’re kind of on the fence. They’re were like, “Hmm, I don’t know. I’m nervous. I don’t know if this is right for me.” What would you say to them right now to just help them sort of like, it’s almost like ease their mind knowing that this is a great sort of industry opportunity that presents itself for them?

 Justyna:

Absolutely. Okay, so the nerves, I’m going to say, they will be there no matter what. Oh,  be nervous, it’s okay. Be nervous. Nervous energy is a good energy. And also if this is where you are, and you’re on the fence, and you’re thinking of joining and you want to be, and if this is something that you truly feel deeply in your heart and you desire, because maybe what you went through yourself and now you just want to share with the world, but you just don’t know how. This is where you need to be. And literally just do it. Like the Nike says, “Just do it.” Because you have to get into it. You have to dive into it. Don’t look back. The money is there. People think that the fitness industry is so oversaturated. Yes, there’s a lot of it out there, but it’s not. The money’s there to be made. If you want to make money, you’re going to make money.

 Justyna:

You just have to do the work, put yourself into it and go for it. And challenges will be there. But you know what? As you scale, as you grow, you’re just going to get better at it and better at it. It’s not impossible. I know. I’m in my 40s and I’m making this money. And I quit my job. I’m starting over from scratch. And you know what? If you want it, you’re going to do it and you’re going to do great. You just have to believe in yourself. Again, it’s a cliche, but you have to believe in yourself and believe in the fact that you can do it and just go. Just one track mind. Go.

Amanda:

Love it.

 Justyna:

Excuse me.

Amanda:

That’s amazing. Well, Justnya, thank you so much for spending this time with me today, just chatting, sharing all of your insight, your knowledge about your experience over the past few years of running your own business.

 Justyna:

And I hope it helps. I hope it helps you people out there. Ladies, if you’re thinking about it, honestly, go for it. If this is what’s in your heart, go for it. Yeah.

Amanda:

Love it. Well, thank you so much. And everyone, thank you so much for watching. Justnya, I will talk with you soon.

 Justyna:

Thank you.

Amanda:

Thank you everyone.

 Justyna:

Thank you. Thank you. Bye-bye.

Amanda:

Bye.

Laura & Amanda

Founders of FIT CHICKS Academy

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*For informational purposes only. Please consult a physician before starting an exercise program