Why You’re Not a Beachbody Coach (Yet)

Everyday I get questions and comments on this blog asking if I’ve heard about Beachbody’s Coaching program. It usually goes something like this: “Hi, you should check out Beachbody’s coaching program. You can get 25% off all their products and earn money in your spare time. Check out this link to learn more about signing up . . . “

There’s a couple reasons why this bothers me. First of all, um…I’m already a Beachbody Coach.

If these people had taken the time to learn more about me, they would already know this.

Second, it makes other (credible) Beachbody Coaches look bad. Honestly, I was very put off by the whole idea of becoming a Beachbody Coach for this very reason until I started talking to some other coaches and learned that not everyone runs their business this way.

Because it took me a while to wrap my head around the concept of becoming a Beachbody Coach, I thought I would write a post that outlined and refuted some of the excuses I used before finally deciding to sign-up. It’s no surprise that these are also some of the most common excuses I hear from other people too. SO, if you’re currently sitting on the fence, maybe it can help you make a final decision.

OK…so this was the biggest one for me:

1. Beachbody Coaches Who Were Not Trained Properly Have Given You a Negative Impression

When I first started doing P90X I was very put off by Beachbody Coaches more or less spamming my blog with their comments. You’ll probably also see some Beachbody Coaches on Twitter, Facebook, and other discussion forums using these platforms as their personal sounding boards. My guess is, these coaches are not going to be in the business for very long. It’s obvious to me that these coaches are more interested in SELLING rather than SHARING and BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS which is really what the coaching experience is all about. I guess it’s not unlike the world of doctors, lawyers, auto mechanics, etc. There’s always going to be a few bad apples that spoil the bunch.

On the other hand, it’s hard to blame these coaches directly because for whatever reason they weren’t trained properly by their upline. Many people see what these coaches are doing, and it gives them a false impression of what the business opportunity is all about because they assume that’s the only way to be successful. The ironic part is that the majority of coaches who are doing well with this business are working behind the scenes, so they are much less visible. That’s unfortunate, because there is a whole lot of positive stuff going on with this company, but just like the media, people always like to focus on the negative. I’m very grateful that I took my time to do my own research despite the negative feelings I received from those coaches who weren’t trained properly. There are plenty of ways to grow this business and do it in a positive way that doesn’t involve selling your soul to Beachbody.

2. The MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) Concept Makes Me Uncomfortable

In the early 90’s some companies got into trouble and were shut down because what they were doing was illegal. As a result people became more skeptical of any MLM or direct sales company. There’s some negativity surrounding terms like “pyramid scheme”, “network marketing”, “multi-level marketing”, and “direct selling business.”

I think my friend and fellow Beachbody Coach Mandy Horan expains it well. She says, “A lot of people just wanting more time, money, and personal freedom have tried an “opportunity” that promises the world and you just end up getting burned pretty badly and expensively. It makes a skeptic out of you. It’s good to learn and grow more wise from our mistakes but sadly most of us who have been burned in the past become such a skeptic that it causes many of you to really miss out on legitimate opportunities that you see as just another “pyramid scheme.” You can avoid that danger and be more wise simply by learning what a pyramid scheme IS and IS NOT. Don’t let a bad experience in your past rob you of your future. Instead, you should be learning, growing, doing, and repeating instead of QUITTING. Quitting is average.”

This is an important topic, so I decided to divide the information up between a few different posts. I hope you’ll take the time to read through them:

Pyramid Schemes vs. Beachbody Coaching
Is Beachbody Coaching Just Another Scam?
Beachbody Coaching and Multi-Level Marketing

If you look at Beachbody and see a pyramid scheme I would encourage you to also take a hard look at the company where you currently work and see exactly where you fit on the “pyramid.”

3. I Still Haven’t Reached My Fitness Goals

When I first heard about Beachbody Coaching and started looking into it, I got the vague impression that the only qualification needed to become a coach was a credit card number. This made me a little uncomfortable because aren’t coaches supposed to help people get into shape? I found it odd that all these people were telling me to become a coach when I hadn’t even completed the entire P90X program yet. However, I think I’m finally starting to grasp the main concept behind what it really means to be a “coach.” It’s more about inspiring people and getting them MOTIVATED, rather than training them. The reason you don’t need to be a personal trainer or fitness expert is because these certified groups of people are already employed by Beachbody. Your job as a “coach” is to simply direct people to the appropriate Beachbody trainer or program.

Here’s some comments I found over on the P90X Facebook page about this very topic:

The name “coach” is used not the word “trainer”! A coach in this organization is someone who encourages someone to achieve their goals in their fitness and health. It does not take someone with a degree to be inspirational.

A “coach” coaches, encourages, and gives that needed “friendly support” while the “trainer” has the skill set, lifestyle approach, and a wealth of pertinent information to “set the stage” for the work that needs to be done in order for the person working out to achieve their goals. In all honesty, to become a BeachBody “Trainer” one MUST have had to at least graduated from one of the program circuits FIRST, before the “voice” will be considered valuable and worthwhile, IMO. Those folk who put their nose to the grindstone with BeachBody products, give it their 110%, and finally GRADUATE, have a plethora of knowledge behind them – because they are LIVING IT! It is these people that we look up to, because actions speak louder than words, and time has been dedicated to become something better than what they were!

I became a coach because 10 of my friends own P90x and none of them have ever finished it. The products are great, however, people need a little inspiration to finish it. We all can’t have extensive training in working out, however, we can be a friend, mentor, and accountability partner. To many people in our society are struggling and are dying at an alarming rate. I think the “coaching” concept is great, provided people “coach” for the right reasons.

A BB coach is a person just like you who uses the products and encourages, helps people along and generally wants to help get people into shape. You don’t have to have an education to do that. Unfortunately, there are people–not just coaches–who put bad info out there as if it were gospel. Do your own research and don’t let one or two bad “coaches” influence your view of what most of us are trying to do–encourage others to get into the best shape of their lives.

The way I look at it, different people are inspired by different things. Normal, average people can make really good coaches because people can relate to them. Think about it, how many people are inspired and get motivated watching the oodles of P90X transformation videos on YouTube? These people are working out, learning about healthy eating habits, sharing their personal story and many STRUGGLE to lose weight. It may be harder for some people to relate to a coach that is already ripped and can do one handed push-ups.

Beachbody coaches come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and each has his or her own unique background and experience to share with others. So, if one coach doesn’t cut the mustard for you, keep looking! But as long as you continue to work on your goals, that’s the only qualification needed to be a Beachbody coach. One of my favorite things about being a coach is that it’s an incredible ACCOUNTABILITY tool!

If there were actual physical requirements to become a Beachbody coach, how many coaches would there be? This would be like Pampered Chef requiring you to pass a round of Iron Chef if you wanted to sell their products. People with a sincere interest in food and cooking are good matches for Pampered Chef. People with a sincere interest in health and fitness are good matches for Beachbody. I think I’m starting to get it. However, I think if I purchased P90X and the coach I was assigned to had never done the program I’d be pretty bummed. I’d like to have someone helping me that’s been through what I’m about to go through. Luckily though, it’s pretty easy to change coaches if that’s something someone wants to do.

4. I Don’t Have Enough Time

Sure, the responsibility of being a coach takes time but there is NO minimum requirement. There are MANY coaches (Beachbody estimates 85%) that join ONLY to get the 25% discount! These coaches have ZERO customers to take care of and that’s just the way they like it! You don’t need to sell or grow your business unless you want to. You can make it whatever you want it to be.

And seriously, when is anyone ever going to have MORE time? That NEVER happens! Even if you can’t start working on the business aspect RIGHT NOW chances are the coach you signed up under IS working on the business and will continue to add coaches under you. If you wait too long you’re going to be working for them instead of them working for YOU.

5. It Costs Too Much Money

Really? $39.95 minimum start-up costs and $15.95 per month after that? This may sound a little harsh but if that’s too expensive, then you are much better off working for someone else for the rest of your life vs. starting your own business. You get out of this opportunity what you put in. It’s no different than any other business. If you work hard for the next few years you have the potential to earn as much money as a doctor or a lawyer who paid thousands and thousands of dollars to earn their degree. The potential is there. If you don’t believe me check out the 2012 Statement of Coach Earnings.

And have you looked at how much it costs to start your own business franchise these days? Geesh! Beachbody will even refund your start-up fees for the first 30 days if you change your mind. You can read more about the costs of running your Beachbody business here: How Much Money Does It Cost To Be a Beachbody Coach?

So there you have it. A list of all the excuses I came up with for why some people choose not to be Beachbody coaches. Did I forget anything? All I can say is that I used a lot of those same excuses for a long time and I’m sorry I did! Being a Beachbody Coach has more than exceeded my expectations so far.

Maybe you’re interested in becoming a Beachbody Coach and have a few more questions? Please contact me or leave a comment below. Perhaps I can fill in some of the blanks for you. I’d love to have you join my team but I’m very careful about who I share this business with because I only want to work with people I believe are serious about it and have made an informed decision!