With the holiday season and 2013 in the books, New Year's resolutions move to the top of many people's mind. Whether it be stopping a bad habit or starting a good one, many people have something they are looking to change along with the calendar.
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With the holiday season and 2013 in the books, New Year's resolutions move to the top of many people's mind. Whether it be stopping a bad habit or starting a good one, many people have something they are looking to change along with the calendar.
As an industry, we know the value of these resolutions. Independent health club owners count on the annual flood of “resolutioners” to pack their clubs for a month or two as they look to "lose 10 pounds," "be ready for the beach," or even, "do a Tough Mudder."
This is also a great time of year to make professional resolutions. Make 2014 the year you streamline business operations, set goals and create a plan to actually reach those goals (Which is the most important part). It seems like common sense and your club will be propelled by your new resolve.
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Interestingly, my calls, emails and LinkedIn postings asking health club owners and other fitness professionals what their resolutions were resulted in very few set plans. The most common answers to my inquiries were "nothing" and, "I hadn't thought of it, but it's a good idea." Not exactly the resolve I was looking for. In total, there were countless answers (or non-answers) that will lead to missed opportunities for long-term success.
Here are a few of the resolutions I did get (Anonymity was protected for those who asked):
"My goal is to finally figure out how to keep my members engaged with the club to make it harder to leave."
- Owner, Midwest independent health club.
"I want to work on really developing my employees, not only so they are successful, but so are we."
- Owner, two-club operation in Southeast.
"To ask myself the important questions everyday: 'Have I really done all that I can? 'Have I made new contacts today?' 'What lessons can I take to give me a tighter vision for tomorrow and my quarterly goals or yearly goals?'"
- Ken Fernandez, Director of Operations, Chi Bang Bodies
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The success of any resolution comes down to its importance to the person making it, so that they will see it through. But by knowing what needs to change in your business and focusing your attention on making those changes, you can bring your club to the next level. Remember Chris McGoff’s advice from the iClubs Conference? What am I trying to do with my business right now, and what is making that difficult? The sooner you know the answer to those questions, the sooner you’ll be on the path to success.
So, what's your business resolution for your independent health club? Post it in the comments and let's see if you can stick to it.
John Agoglia has spent nearly two decades either working in health clubs or writing about them. He currently writes for several digital and print publications in and out of the fitness industry.
