Here are the Best Ways to Build a Fun, Profitable, and Easy-to-Operate Health and Fitness Business.
Coming up with ideas for your own health, fitness, wellness, personal training, or nutrition business plan can be challenging even though you fundamentally know what you want and how you want to live your life.
Read on and you will discover 27 different ways to make a good living helping others improve their health, wellness, fitness, or sports performance. Remember, there are many instances where you may decide to combine our different ideas in this report. You may like one aspect of a business plan but know that combining it with another niche on the list will work better for you. Great. You have that choice. You are in control.
The following list is in no specific order, and each business model can work in essentially any city, town, or country. Of course, online business plans can be operated from anywhere you live. Explore the linked resources.
Performance Coach for Youth Athletes
Do you have experience or a passion for a particular sport? We have a recent grad of the NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification who also has extensive high school and college baseball experience as an athlete. Within 1 week of earning his certification, he got a job doing baseball-specific conditioning. He is getting paid about 25% more than the local health club in his area of Texas. Of course, you can do this for any sport. You can be a generalist and help all types of youth athletes. The most helpful certifications are the Youth Performance Specialist Certification and the Speed, Agility and Quickness Specialist.
Open a Wellness Center
Although this requires more upfront capital than other business plans, it can be done for far less than you may first think. You can have a wellness center for “everyone” or focus on a specific demographic to serve such as women, men, seniors, executives, athletes, etc. Aside from coaching and counseling, you can offer nutritional supplements, cryotherapy, red light treatments, sauna etc. You can also collaborate with a medical doctor and offer peptides, hormone therapy, and aesthetic services. You have endless options. The most helpful certifications are the Master Health and Wellness Coach Certification, Wellness Coach Certification and Holistic Nutrition Coach Certification.
Online Health Coach for Women Going Through Menopause
It’s a fact of life. Women go through a major biological change in their 40s through 50s. Men go through a change as well, but it’s spoken about much less often. In most cases, due to the topic, and a need to fully understand the process, it’s likely this niche will be more well suited for women. No need for political correctness. Let’s just be honest. As women “go through the change” there are many ways a coach can help them optimize health and happiness. And, in many cases, the coach will work in concert with the client’s doctor as hormones are optimized and medications are considered. The coach needs to factor all this in when implementing a diet or exercise program. The most helpful certifications are the Holistic Life Coach Certification, NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification, Sleep Science Coach Certification, Wellness Coach Certification, and Holistic Nutrition Coach Certification.
In-Home Personal Trainer Business
This is “old school” and a good school. It works. It always has. It always will. Why is this still a great choice? It’s a simple business model. People in your community will always want a qualified trainer to come to their homes to train them. Your client only needs a small space and some simple equipment such as a jump rope, dumbbells, a kettlebell, a bench, bands, a physioball, a medicine ball, and a yoga mat. That takes up very little space. The rest is left up to your knowledge and creativity. You can come up with hundreds of exercises. Maybe more. We recommend charging by month, not per session. You can also consider doing a 3-6 month “transformation” or “makeover” program. Why not “per session”? There is no commitment, and the client is more focused on the money, and not the result. It’s just not optimal. A 6-month commitment will get incredible results. You both can focus on the result. You’ll have a great case study you can document for marketing. The most helpful certifications are the NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification, and Fitness Nutrition Coach Certification.
Holistic Lifestyle Consultant
People get caught up in the maze of things a modern life can include – business, relationships, stress, pollution, politics, and other stressors. They want to reset and re-evaluate their life, lifestyle, health, and habits. You can be the person who makes a positive difference. Holistic means “whole” or “holism”. It’s when everything that can make a difference (or contribution) to someone’s health and well-being is used or considered. You also must consider all the negative things that could cause disease, illness, stress, or disharmony in the person’s life. When you build a consulting/coaching practice in this niche, you are helping people with many different aspects of life, so a wide range of professional skills are needed for optimal results. You need to tie it all together. You need to understand how seemingly unrelated things in the client’s life are connected and highly interactive. The most effective certifications for this niche are the Sleep Science Coach Certification, Brain Fitness Coach Certification, Stress Management Coach Certification, Holistic Life Coach Certification, and the Holistic Nutrition Coach Certification.
Sell Nutritional Supplements
Regardless of which other thing you do for income, offering nutritional and dietary supplements can be a great fit. Your clients use products now. They do. Multi-vitamins, collagen, CBD, and essential oils are all great ways to increase your passive income. Most people in America use many supplements daily. You can be their trusted source. You benefit financially. We have found this system works best to cover all the different ways you can generate money. Helpful certifications to increase your knowledge in this area include the Fitness Nutrition Coach Certification and the Sports Nutrition Specialist Certification.
Healthy Kitchen Cleanout
You may be wondering if someone would pay you to help them clean out their kitchen, fridge, and pantry. The answer is “YES”. You need to market these services creatively and explain that it’s fun, educational and a great step on the path to optimal health and wellness. Because this is such a unique health service, it gets a lot of attention. Clients will talk about it to their family and friends. It also gives you many opportunities for photos and videos for social media promotion. Everyone can relate. The funny (and sometimes gross) things in the back of the freezer make for great stories. This is a great add-on business for people who work as personal trainers, nutrition consultants, weight loss coaches, lifestyle experts, and wellness coaches. A helpful certification is the Spencer Institute Holistic Nutrition Coach Certification.
Fitness, Wellness, and Health Tracking Apps
If you like technology, why not partner with a qualified developer to create an app that supports your clients, and thousands of others around the world? You could create an app for nutrition, fitness, motivation, affirmations, healthy habits, quantified-self, buying guides, corporate wellness, connection (community) with other health-minded people, and more. There are many companies that can help. It’s easier and less expensive than you may think. There are many ways to monetize an app. You can charge for it. There can be in-app purchases. There can be a premium service offer. You can do advertising. You can use it to sell your coaching/training services. Your opportunities are endless.
Employee Wellness Programs
Corporations are now willing to pay experts like you to help their team members lose weight, increase energy, improve focus and concentration, enhance sleep and become stronger. The benefits to the company are endless. Many companies also have an on-site gym. You can teach fitness classes, offer personal training, and “healthy back” programs. You have the option of working as an employee or contractor. In fact, you may develop a system that can be facilitated in many different companies around the country at a distance. There are numerous ways to enjoy a career in corporate health and wellness. Each company has a different budget. Each company will benefit from your work with them. Most often, this type of program is approved and facilitated through the human resources department. You will want to learn more about the Corporate Wellness Coach Certification.
Host a Health and Fitness Podcast
First, it’s important to know that you need to take this seriously and dedicate months to get it going. That’s just a fact. Too many people think they are going to have a top-rated iTunes podcast in a few weeks or months. It requires good equipment (not that expensive). It requires great content, good marketing, the right niche, a fun perspective, sometimes a bit of controversy, and consistency over time. You will need to stick to a schedule and communicate that schedule to your subscribers. Ideally, you will focus on a specific niche such as any of the following: Over 40 Men’s Health, Sports Performance, Anti-Aging, Health and Beauty, Hormones, Supplements, Martial Arts, etc.
Health and Nutrition Blogger
Yes, blogging is still big business when you do it right. Regardless of the popularity of social media, Google search is still the proven way to get qualified traffic to your business. This only occurs when you have good content which is well written and relevant to the person’s search query. So, how do you make money with a blog? You can promote your training, coaching, or consulting services. You can sell nutritional products. You can do affiliate marketing and receive a commission for sales of other companies’ products. You can also make most offer “guest posting”. This is when a person pays you a fee to post their article/story on your blog. In some cases, you can charge an extra fee and write the article for them. People do this to help grow the links and references to their own blogs and services. This is how the Internet works. You can make $20 – $100 per guest post on your blog. Of course, it’s always up to you what stories you want on. Your blog. You can learn more about guest posting on Fiverr.
Open a Boutique Fitness Studio
How is this different than a traditional personal training studio? There are some similarities. “Boutique” is designed for people who want, and are willing to pay for, a private, bespoke, and exclusive fitness training experience. This type of studio will obviously work better in an area that has clientele with more discretionary income and can pay for this type of service. The studio needs to be beautiful, artistic, functional, and have a feel of luxury. Environment and exclusivity are important to this client base. This is not a place for the trainers to wear old tank tops and drop heavy weights while they grunt. It’s just different. You’ll want to consider the NESTA NCCA-accredited Personal Fitness Trainer Certification as a first step.
Sell Fitness Equipment
This could be a stand-alone business which you could do from a retail storefront or more of a wholesale/distributor format in a warehouse. Or, you could sell only online focusing on home fitness, functional training, or weight loss. As mentioned above, you could have a fitness blog that reviews various exercise equipment. You can work with manufacturers or retailers. Work as an affiliate. No inventory. No upfront investments. Just commissions. Of course, you could have a physical retail store and sell online. If you are a personal trainer (as an example), you could also consult people on building their home gym and earn a commission on all the equipment they buy. Do a google search for “fitness equipment affiliate programs”.
Start a Kayak or Stand-up Paddleboard (SUP) rental business
Yes, this is a bit of a departure from a traditional fitness business, but let’s be creative. You can earn the needed certifications, and offer a SUP fitness class, a SUP yoga class, a “Kayak, and Core Class”, etc. It goes on and on. In some cases, this would be a seasonable business. And, of course, you need to be near a body of water. If you offered this service near a resort, people are always looking for an active, fun, and challenging exercise experience when away. You can provide the solution.
Martial Arts Fitness and Conditioning
This obviously requires special training and interest in martial arts. The UFC has shined a light on the incredible fitness and athleticism that exists in high-level combat athletes. Fortunately for you, the MMA Conditioning Association offers you a complete MMA Conditioning Coach Certification and Business System. Martial artists need speed, power, timing, flexibility, strength, focus, concentration, and much more. They are complete athletes. You need special skills. You can work at a gym. You can start a home-based business. You can do online coaching. You can do it all or any combination.
Yoga in the Park or at the Beach
There are many ways you can teach yoga in the park or at the beach. In many cases, no permits, approval, or license is required. In some cases, you need to jump through a few hoops. And, in other cases, you will not be allowed. Sometimes the approval comes from an HOA (homeowner’s association). Sometimes it comes from the city, county, or state. Still, in other situations, it may be granted by an organization such as Parks and Recreation or Harbors and Beaches. You need to do what is right. You don’t want to be fined and have the embarrassment of having the authorities stop you in the middle of a downward-facing dog. You can charge by the class. You can offer a monthly option. And we’ve also seen people do a “workaround” when making money in the park or beach is not allowed by authorities. They do yoga for donations. A portion of the money goes to an animal shelter, cleaning up the beach, or similar. You will want to have the NESTA Sport Yoga Instructor Certification and accompanying business system to ensure your success.
Start a Faith-based Fitness Class or Wellness Program
Obviously, this isn’t for everyone. But, for those who are inclined, this can be a big winner. One of the first challenges with any business is finding people who have similar goals, values, and dreams. To a large extent, this is all accomplished when you are surrounded by people of the same faith or belief system. You can operate any type of business associated with your faith. You may even be able to host events at your religious center and donate a percentage to the organization. By hosting in their facility, you can gain access to a large group of people and have a free location to use. They get a donation from you, and everyone is happy. If you operate online coaching or training business, you can develop a program that can be implemented in many churches or other religious centers around the country which share your faith.
Become a Digital Nomad and Location Independent Coach or Trainer
Are you familiar with the location-free lifestyle? Basically, you can live anywhere while working online as a coach, trainer, or consultant. You make great money earning in U.S. dollars or Euros and live in a place like Thailand, which is 80% less expensive than major U.S. cities. You can hire very qualified help in a country like India for a lower, yet very fair price. We wrote a comprehensive digital nomad guide showing you how to do it all. Click over and grab it.
Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition and Wellness Consultant
Gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries — known collectively as bariatric surgery — involve making changes to your digestive system (such as making the stomach smaller) to help the patient lose weight. Bariatric surgery is done when diet and exercise haven’t worked as expected, or when the individual has serious health problems because of excess weight. Surprisingly, very few of the patients who receive this procedure ever get any coaching, counseling, or training of any kind in terms of behavior change, nutrition, exercise, improving sleep, and similar domains of knowledge. This is a very specific niche and requires special education in nutrition, fitness, positive psychology, and life coaching.
Meditation and Mindfulness Instructor
Meditation has been used for thousands of years, and only recently has science validated its numerous benefits including better healing, improved concentration, enhanced memory, and sports performance mastery. The list goes on. Mindfulness means different things to different people. In short, it’s being aware….. that you are aware. It’s a method and a process of understanding how and why you feel, react, respond, and interact in particular ways and how all of that affects your life, happiness, and well-being. Obviously, it’s easy to see how these two disciplines work together. Traditionally, these practices are taught by martial arts instructors, yoga instructors, psychologists, religious leaders, and even philosophers. Today, health, fitness, and wellness professionals are taking the lead. If this important opportunity is interesting to you, you will want to gain credentials such as the Results Coaching Certification, Brain Fitness Coach Certification, Stress Management Coach Certification, and Sleep Science Coach Certification.
Dance Studio
This could be for kids or adults. Of course, the first step is a love of dance and/or dance experience. If you have the passion but lack the talent of dance, you can always be the owner and hire qualified dancers who don’t have the entrepreneurial spirit or business skills. You can offer a particular type of dance, or different classes and different times on different days for different interests. You can also offer “dance fitness” to earn additional monthly income. You can also rent out the space to other fitness professionals or do a profit share for special health and fitness events. Very helpful certifications include NESTA’s Group Exercise Instructor Certification and Sport Yoga Instructor Certification.
Sports Psychology Coach
It’s often said that the mind is the difference between first and second place. Another saying is that victory is 90% mental. Why? Because after training and competing at elite levels of competition, many athletes are identical in physical ability. However, the power and focus of the mind is what make the difference between gold and silver. You may be wondering about applying sports psychology to fitness enthusiasts and weekend warriors and not just elite athletes. All of these techniques work with the general consumer who wants better fitness performance, mental toughness and even weight loss. You can run this type of coaching practice online, as a freelancer for sports teams, in-person at the client’s home, or at a gym. Here’s your professional training course.
Old-school Warehouse Gym
In this modern age, there are fitness centers that look more like a night club. There are boutique personal training studios that look like a spa. However, some people are not interested in that look and feel. They want to keep it raw, real, and relevant. They want old school. Back in the day, there were many highly profitable gyms that were basically rented industrial space, often referred to as “light industrial concrete tilt-up” in the commercial real estate field. You can rent this space for up to 70% less than retail space. And, with simple social media marketing, you can fill it with members and still be far ahead financially as compared to a small retail space. This type of gym is simple, gritty, and filled with people who want to work hard. Heavyweights. Cages. Barbells. Chalk. It’s all there. You can generate revenue by monthly or annual memberships, personal training, and a pro shop. You can also work with other trainers and coaches who rent space from you to operate their business within your facility. Each person can bring in $500 – $1500/month for rent. You can work out a money split per training session. You have options.
Stress Management Consultant
Life can be challenging. Excessive stress shortens your life, makes you unhappy, and even costs money in terms of increased medical costs and lost work productivity. Some stress can be helpful. Most is not. In general, many people report having too much stress in their lives which also includes negative health consequences. People want and need solutions. You can be that help. You can operate this type of coaching practice online, in-person, for groups such as corporations, families, and even for your religious or spiritual organization. You will want to invest in the Spencer Institute Stress Management Coach Certification.
And finally……
Host a Retreat
This is a fair amount of work to get started, but once you get the system in place, you can repeat the process 2-4x/year and make a great living. This business model has thousands of different format options. So, realize this example is 00.001% of what’s possible. Imagine running a retreat in Costa Rica or another exotic location such as Thailand. You could also go to a beautiful place like Sedona, Arizona. What do you do at a retreat? That’s up to you and what type of retreat you want. It could range from coaching couples on communication to jiu-jitsu and all points in between. Whatever your flavor, a retreat is an immersive experience for the facilitator and the participants. You have the time, opportunity, and community to deep dive into the topics of interest to your group. You create experiences that safely test and challenge the participants to grow and emerge from the retreat a better version of themselves. Helpful certifications are the Spencer Institute Life Strategies Coach Certification and Results Coach Certification.
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