Need some capital for your business?

A couple of months into the Covid lockdown a former client, Diana, contacted me hoping we could begin working together again. She was in a tough place physically, mentally, and emotionally. On top of stress and uncertainty, she hadn’t been taking the best care of herself for a while, and her dog had recently passed away. She wanted very much to inject some positivity into her life and I was committed to doing all I could to help bring that.

Fast forward three years and Diana has been my most consistent client. She’s much stronger, feeling better in her body, and is enjoying an improved relationship with herself. She recently thanked me for my dependability and for helping her get in the best shape she’s been in since her 20s.

Diana’s gratitude was a welcomed reminder that I was fulfilling one of my primary goals for being in business which is to positively impact each and every client and do so consistently. Beyond earning their loyalty, I feel I’m making a difference in people’s lives.

But it wasn’t always like this. When I first started in the fitness industry, my goal was to make money doing something I enjoy and save money for retirement. It was a bonus that I could also work out every day at the gym. But after a couple of decades, it felt like a grind, my heart was feeling empty, and I began to question my life’s purpose—not in a crisis sort of way, but more of an awareness that I needed something more and deserved it.

Unfortunately, the mindset that work was only about making money was still so entrenched that I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. But during the Covid lockdown, I had time to reflect on my purpose, and I actively looked into how much capital I would need to start my own business independent of my workplace. That’s when everything shifted: I realized I loved to help people a lot more than I loved making money.

Helping my clients was rooted in love. Making money was not. Working with clients was fun and rewarding. Trying to make money was not. Then someone told me to look at the "personal capital" I had amassed over the years instead of the capital I had saved in the bank. I was shown that it was my personal capital that had made me a good fitness coach and kept clients loyal, not my life savings. This realization became the foundation for my new business.

Personal capital was a new term for me, but it is powerful. Youtropolis has given me a workable framework for it. I have to use the mover and shaker in me to build business. I like to give away free sessions, too, which makes me a bit of a philanthropist. I do my best to keep myself grounded to be effective, so that means making peace with myself and others. That’s the peacemaker in me. I also like to teach what I know. I guess that makes me somewhat of a powerbroker. I don’t see myself as a genius, but the idea that the best financial capital comes from within is pretty genius, and I’m putting that to work every day and liking the results a lot. Maybe that makes me a trailblazer, too, since a lot of people don't think this way. I guess I could say it’s my new philosophy, so by applying it, one might say I’m a practicing philosopher.

My business has evolved over the last three years and grown. I’m happier because I feel fulfilled without having to change the work I do—just the nature of how I interpret the word “capital” and apply it to my client sessions.

I’ve come to believe the primary reason for launching any business is to improve people’s lives and earn good money as a result. If you start with that premise and invest heavily with personal capital—heart, spirit, mind, and physical energy—your business will thrive, you’ll acquire a happy customer base, and you’ll be the beneficiary of ongoing referrals. If money and lifestyle are the primary motivators for launching a business, its foundation will likely wobble and crack no matter how much financial capital you pour into it.

If you're considering going into business for yourself, try to recall a memorable business interaction that went beyond all expectations. Chances are the person you were dealing with was going the extra mile and investing their personal capital in you. This guides the blueprint for your own future business success. If you’re already in business and want to boost customer satisfaction and profits, invest your personal capital in learning more from your customers about what you’re doing well and what would enhance their experience. Such knowledge will prove invaluable.

My moment of truth about money and personal capital investments was a real game-changer for me. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to know more about my approach to business success.