Personal Trainer Business not working, Common Causes and Fixes

Troubleshooting what’s not working with your Personal Trainer & Fitness Business

Most Personal Trainers start as an independent business owner in a club and essentially running their own business from day one.

Naturally, this comes with its fair share of growing pains. You’re navigating brand-new systems, unfamiliar processes, and the pressure of your own expectations.

Those first 12 months can feel like a steep learning curve. But what happens when things aren’t unfolding the way you envisioned? When you’re grinding away, feeling like a hamster on a wheel, and wondering why you’re not where you thought you’d be?

In this guide we aim to identify common patterns for those struggling. But just remember, every business is different so what might work for one PT might not work for another.

Part One. Start with Yourself

First place to start is yourself.
Have you got the drive, determination, and attitude to make it work?

If you feel like you should just be popping on your uniform and people should be coming up to you begging to train, that’s the first sign something needs to change.

If you feel like the gym should be giving you all these leads and you’re not getting them, that needs to change. If it’s always someone or something else being the reason, you’ve already found the core of the problem.

You’re in charge of your own business and you need to take ownership over everything and all its outcomes. Once you’ve accepted this, you can take ownership of your results, and with decisive action, improve your outcomes.

Take a moment to reflect:

1. Write down your business goals, both short term and long term
2. Identify the key areas that are letting you down
3. Break these areas down. Create a rough plan of action tasks that can be split into daily, weekly, and monthly steps

Take your time with this and really look at it from multiple angles. This can be the hardest part for some business owners because you need to step back and really reflect on things. Be honest with yourself, and be realistic.

If you do this though, you’ll have a great foundation that will set you on a path to overcome these challenges.

Once you’ve clarified your mindset and motivation, it’s worth reviewing whether your foundation is solid. If you’re still completing your fitness qualifications or considering your next step, How to Become a Personal Trainer (Step-by-Step Guide) outlines the recognised pathway from student to professional coach.

(Related Video: Wheel of Business 22mins)

Part Two. Assess your Systems

This stage involves specific determined action! Once you’ve identified a challenge or a place that needs work, make those changes quickly. Don’t just sit on your hands and think it’ll improve; it won’t change until you do.

Businesses are complicated and there are so many moving pieces. There are many things, especially as an independent business owner where generally it’s just you in the business, that you need to be good at: marketing, sales, customer service, finances, managing software, organisation – the list goes on and on!

Think of a training business like the human body – every part needs to function well for the whole to perform. If clients are inconsistent or income varies, look at which “system” might be weak.

Typical areas include:

• Lead generation: how new clients find you
• Sales and onboarding: how enquiries become bookings
• Service delivery: client experience, programming, and follow-up
• Retention and referral: how satisfied clients stay and recommend you

Once weaknesses are visible, plan one or two actions per week to strengthen them. Incremental improvement across systems leads to consistent progress.

It’s just about understanding the process. You may not have the tools, experience, or expertise on how to fix it. But just knowing the key specific areas that’s letting you down, you can find a coach or mentor to help you build the knowledge and skills to fix it.

You no longer have to feel helpless in trying to work out what’s not working or why it’s not working. Once you understand that process, you’ll be able to go through each part of your business at any time now or in the future as your fitness business grows and develops and know exactly what to work on! 

Part Three. Evaluate your Environment

Sometimes the issue isn’t effort, but placement. The workplace or club you begin in may not align with your goals or preferred clientele.

Consider:

• Does the facility attract the type of clients you want to train?
• Are you receiving constructive guidance or little direction?
• Is there opportunity to build your own client base?

If the environment limits your growth, explore alternatives before giving up on the profession. Many trainers find success by changing clubs, diversifying income streams, or adding part-time online coaching once they have a stable foundation.

When we first gain our fitness qualifications, most of us are filled with excitement. We’re often promised opportunities, or we create huge expectations about how great things are going to be. Many new trainers start with excellent practical skills, but little to no communication or business know-how – both of which are essential when building your own client base.

Who is your mentor and what is their experience?

In most larger health clubs, you’ll find fitness directors or personal training managers who are there to help guide you – to a degree. But it’s important to understand: they’re not there to build your business for you.

And here’s the reality: many of these managers don’t have the critical experiences to help you reflect. They may not have built thriving businesses or implemented systems and processes to sustain one. Some never invested in their own development through courses, mentors, or coaches. They simply happened to be in the right place at the right time when a paid management role opened up. And, now they’re your mentor.

That’s where the challenge lies for aspiring fitness entrepreneurs who are ready to work hard but don’t know what to do next. Unfortunately, genuine mentorship often won’t come from your club manager. This isn’t to say those managers are bad people, many simply aren’t equipped to mentor others.

If you’ve recognised this, it might be time to make a change, either move to a new club or stay put with your existing clients and seek out real mentors and business coaches who can help you grow.

Is your mentor and business coach the right fit?

Another common challenge is compatibility. Sometimes you and your personal training manager just don’t click. Maybe there’s tension, maybe they have favourites, and most of the leads go to them. If that’s the case, two things:

1. Develop strategies to generate your own leads so you’re not dependent on them.
2. Reflect on why the relationship might be strained: because sometimes, trainers are just as responsible for the disconnect as the managers are.

Finally, ask yourself if the club itself suits the clients you want to attract. For example, if you want to focus on rehabilitation but your gym is filled with bodybuilders, or at an extreme example: your ideal client is males but you work at Fernwood; your skillset focus and place of operations is misaligned.

Part Four. Check your Business Model

Sometimes it’s not you, it’s the model you’ve chosen. If your strengths, preferences, or daily habits don’t match how you’re trying to run the business, progress will always feel like pushing uphill.

Start with fit: people, platforms, or both?

• Face-to-face first: If you thrive in conversation, read body language well, and love the gym floor, an in-club model gives you immediate access to members, referrals, and structured lead flow.
• Online first: If you’re a bit of a tech nerd, enjoy systems, and communicate clearly in writing/video, online coaching can suit you; provided you’re ready to build audience and trust over time.
• Hybrid (the smart bridge): For many coaches, the winning move is building an online arm while you grow a base in-club. You learn fast, get real client results (proof), and reduce the pressure of “online sales or bust.”

Ambition vs capability (and that influencer dream)

Ambition is great, keep it. But if you’re struggling to get online traction right now, it doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for it; it often means your model and sequencing are off. Use the club to sharpen your coaching, build case studies and testimonials, and let your online channels compound in the background.

Quick self-check (be honest)

Tick what’s true today:

• I’m energised by talking to people in person.
• I’m comfortable on camera and can explain ideas clearly.
• I can stick to a content schedule (weekly, not “when I feel like it”).
• I enjoy tools like CRM, email automation, spreadsheets, and basic video editing.
• I’m okay selling: face-to-face and/or in DMs and email.

Mostly in-person ticks → lean club-first
Mostly tech/process ticks → lean online/hybrid
Split down the middle → go hybrid, then lean into what gains traction fastest.

Before you go all-in online, have at least:

• Offer & promise: Who you help, with what outcome, over what time frame.
• Simple stack: Website or landing page, payment gateway, basic CRM/email.
• Content plan: 1-2 core topics, weekly posts, one monthly proof piece (case study/mini result).
• Policies & protection: T&Cs, refund policy, insurance, basic data protection.
• Delivery system: How programs are built, delivered, reviewed, and updated.

(Camera-shy, hate IT, struggle to work alone? Don’t force an online-only play. Build in-club, then add online once you’ve got rhythm and assets.)

Explore more on this topic by reading our article on Becoming an Online Personal Trainer.

If it’s not working now, do this next (90-day reset)

1. Pick a model (for now): Club-first or hybrid. Commit for 90 days.
2. One offer, one audience: Tighten the niche; stop changing it every week.
3. Lead plan:
   • Club: floor walks, member kick-starts, partner with sales team, 2 mini events/month.
   • Online: weekly proof post, 3-5 value posts/week, 10 DMs/day to warm leads.
4. Delivery system: Standardise onboarding, first session, check-ins, and retention touchpoints.
5. Review cadence: Every 2 weeks, track leads, consults, closes, retention, referrals. Adjust one lever at a time.

Red flags you’ve picked the wrong model (for now)

• You dread the core activity (filming/content for online, or floor time for in-club).
• Weeks go by with no leads because your channel relies on algorithms you don’t control.
• You’re avoiding sales conversations (any model); fix the skill, don’t flee the model.
• You’re constantly “building systems” but never shipping offers or booking consults.

A Simple Rule to Finish

Choose the model that lets you have the most sales conversations with the least friction.

For many trainers, that’s club-first or hybrid; for a smaller group, it’s online with a tight niche and a consistent content engine. Neither is “right”, only the one that compounds fastest for you.

Key Takeaway

If your career isn’t unfolding as planned, don’t view it as failure: view it as feedback. Identify where systems, skills, or environment need attention, take deliberate action, and keep learning. With reflection and guidance, most trainers find their footing and build the confidence needed for long-term success.

Why Mentorship Changes Everything

If you’ve got a dream of being a successful Personal Trainer or Coach, but don’t know where to start, lack the business skills, direction and knowledge to make it happen – NHFA’s Business Mentorship is a professional development program that might be the right pathway for you.

Our program is designed for personal trainers and coaches to learn:

• How to attract, convert, and retain clients with structured systems.
• The fundamentals of marketing, sales, and finance.
• How to build scalable operations that support long-term growth.
• Practical tools for accountability and strategy implementation.