Most of what I’ve learned about finance and business hasn’t come from textbooks or courses, it’s come from my clients, my girlfriend, and my brother, who all work in finance. I’m incredibly grateful for the knowledge they’ve shared because it completely shifted my mindset.

It was this shift that pushed me to leave my comfortable position as a personal trainer at a luxury gym and take the leap to work for myself.

For years, I worked ridiculous hours, barely seeing any real change in my salary. Meanwhile, the company I worked for was expanding, investing, and thriving, but when it came to fair pay for trainers like me, the response was always the same: “If you just do more sessions, you could make more money.” But at what cost? Eventually, there weren’t enough hours in the day to keep up, let alone have a life outside of work.

As I prepared to leave, I started noticing a trend, the company was hiring trainers with very little experience, paying them the bare minimum, and prioritizing profits over quality. That’s when it really clicked:

To grow as a business, you need money, not just to improve your product, but to market it well, build a brand, and cut costs where possible (often at the expense of experienced staff).

I saw some of the most respected trainers and mentors leave, and eventually, I did too.

Now, I fully understand that when a company scales too quickly, quality often drops. Money, fancy layouts, and great marketing help a brand stand out, but they don’t necessarily make it the best at what they do. If you really want to measure success, look at retention.

For me, success is no longer about just clocking in and grinding, it’s about building something sustainable that values both trainers and clients. That’s the journey I’m on now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.