Hey everyone. Today I bring to you the next edition of my “Extra Income” series. If you would like to be featured, please send me an e-mail. Other hustles in this series include: I Run a Resume Business and I Help Businesses Create Online Campaigns.
I’m Wendy and I blog over at blushandbarbells.com. My day job is as a lawyer, but for my side hustle I am a Beachbody coach. Maybe you’ve seen the infomercials for the P90X, T25, and Insanity exercise programs. Beachbody is the company that makes those exercise DVDs.
As a Beachbody coach, I tell people about getting fit and losing weight with Beachbody’s best-selling line of products.
How did you get started with your side hustle?
I bought P90X (an at-home fitness program) off the infomercial and it really changed my life. I used to be lethargic, overweight, and unhappy, but I ran a half marathon last month! It’s all thanks to P90X and Insanity.
I wanted to try the nutritional aspect of the fitness program by ordering Shakeology, so I signed up as a coach to get the 25% discount (approximately 75% of Beachbody coaches are enrolled just for the Shakeology discount!).
What got you interested in this job?
I realized I could make money from being a Beachbody coach when people noticed the change in me. A co-worker wanted Shakeology because my nails grew long; a friend signed up as a Beachbody coach so he could get a Shakeology discount for his elderly mother; another friend bought P90X because she remembered how sluggish I used to be.
Tell me more about your services.
I help people choose an exercise program from the many that the company offers based on their goals and current fitness levels. I also run challenge groups on Facebook to keep people excited about their fitness routine, and offer general motivation and support. Getting into shape is hard and it takes time, but people have more success when they’ve got support.
What sets you apart from your competition?
Like most Beachbody coaches, I absolutely love the company and the products they offer. I think I’m different because I blog not only about the Beachbody programs, but also post book reviews, makeup reviews, and general topics. A lot of readers connect with me based on these other shared interests.
What has surprised you most about owning a business?
I’m surprised at how supportive other Beachbody coaches are. We’re all selling the same products so I thought the other coaches would be competitive, but instead they’re nothing but helpful and encouraging.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a small business owner?
I have a pretty short fuse, but trying to build a business requires me to be patient and calm. I’ve learned that I need to stick with it if I want to have success.
What are the start-up costs?
You can sign up to be a Beachbody coach for $40, which includes all the business materials to get started. However, that fee is waived if you buy a Challenge Pack when you enroll as a coach. A Challenge Pack is an exercise program (you choose which) and a month’s supply of Shakeology. It’s a huge discount from buying the products separately. There is also a monthly fee of $16 for the websites where customers can learn about the products.
What’s the most positive thing about your side job?
Seeing how people’s lives change by adding just a little bit of exercise to their day. It happened for me, so I love it when I see it in others. I recently got an email from a customer who thanked me for introducing her to Beachbody products because she felt like a new person. That made me a little weepy because she’d been considering weight-loss surgery.
What are your business goals for the upcoming year?
I would like to add a few more coaches to my team, and I am going to try to start a local fit club.
Tre says
What a great idea! I just started the Insanity workouts and love them.
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
Insanity is amazing. I never would have dreamed of running a half marathon if I hadn’t completed that program. I hope you love it as much I do!
Allison says
Wow, that’s a great idea for side hustle!
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
And it’s pretty easy – all I have to do is tell people about Beachbody, which I was doing before I signed up to be a coach!
Andy Hasdal | Income by Example says
Awesome idea. I’m working on a diet project as I’m very into Crossfit/Paleo when I’m not working. Might as well make one of your passions a side hustle.
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
Good luck with your project! When people notice how fit and healthy you are from your diet project, they will want the same and that will be a great side hustle.
Martin says
That’s pretty cool. I didn’t realize that you could be a coach for them.
How’s the money like?
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
Depends on how much work you put in to it – you get 25% of your sales, or you can use the 25% as a discount (that’s what I do!)
DC @ Young Adult Money says
“I’m surprised at how supportive other Beachbody coaches are. We’re all selling the same products so I thought the other coaches would be competitive, but instead they’re nothing but helpful and encouraging.” Sounds like how it is in the blogosphere!
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
YES. Blogging and being a Beachbody coach has taught me that there is room for every flower to bloom. I’m really hoping to grow my business so I can say goodbye to cutthroat corporate America.
The First Million is the Hardest says
That’s pretty awesome. I did P90x a few years ago and it was amazing. I really need to do it again!
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
P90X3 just came out and it’s a very manageable 30 minutes a day instead of the hour+ of P90X. I did a preview workout of it a few months ago and it’s pretty awesome.
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
Thank you Michelle!
The Phroogal Jason says
I’ve had p90x for years and I still do it. My body is in great shape. I constantly tell people how you don’t need to spend money at the gym. You can get these DVDs and download the app and do the program anywhere.
I have to check out the p90x3 you mentioned in the comment section. 30 minutes might be good to add to the rotation.
Wendy (@BlushandBarbell) says
I waffled between buying P90X3 and T25, but I went with T25 since I just finished another round of P90X3. I’m sure I’ll buy P90X3 soon though – as a coach I get a 25% discount and I sure do use it.
Melissa Blevins says
I’ve actually had the opposite experience with Beachbody. I wrote about it on my blog, but the short version is you’ve gotta absolutely eat, sleep, and breathe Shakeology in order to be a successful Beachbody coach. The workouts are phenomenal, and kudos to the CEO of Beachbody for creating a business model that makes a ton of money. But it just wasn’t for me. The post I wrote about Why I Quit Beachbody Coaching remains in the top 5 on Google search results. It was so popular and had hundreds of comments, so I repurposed several comments from that post to share a new post 17 Beachbody Coaches Share Why They Quit Coaching (or Secretly Want To). So many coaches are quitting for various reasons, and by reading those posts, their feelings are somewhat validated. They’re reassured.
I think people should know that while you can make money doing the multi-level marketing business, imagine what you could do if you used all of that energy to create a side hustle that YOU own and control. Now that’s powerful!
I don’t normally leave my links within comments but want to leave it here just so others considering coaching can really weigh the pros and cons. (Michelle, feel free to delete if this goes against your standards) https://melissablevins.com/17-beachbody-coaches-share-why-they-quit-coaching-or-secretly-want-to