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I'm looking to relocate to another city in about a month or two and begin my Personal Training business from the ground up.
I am nationally certified professional by one of the top accrediting bodies in the country, so I do not lack for credentials, and I've been training folks as an aside for so long, I simply decided to ditch the white-collar and do what I love and have always loved.
And let us say for the purposes of clarity and succinctness, that all other variables regarding COL are equal, and I can go pretty much wherever the gettin's good.
Things I'm looking for(but am open to ALL suggestions):
-A mid-to-big sized city population-wise
-A smaller-sized metro area with not -too- much sprawl(have to consolidate my daily commute to my clients for the long-term.
-Walkable, bikeable, doesn't lack for public transit
-A high number of obese people
-A place where there is enough enough of the fit/vain culture that people in general would feel inclined to care enough about their appearance to truly consider retaining a personal trainer, even if many of them have let themselves go.
-A hidden gem of a burg that has a market not saturated by trainers like myself
I've really looked high and low at many different cities, and I figure that since so many of you -live- in said cities, you can give me the thumbs up -if- your locale could really use a few good personal trainers for any of the above reasons or for reasons of your own deduction.
Come one, come all! Would love to hear the suggestions, and hopefully someone will point me in a solid direction to take my job and thusly, my life.
edit: Merci!
Last edited by the12ronin; 06-20-2013 at 04:59 PM..
Reason: forgot to say thank you!
Just to play devil's advocate ... if you're looking for areas of high obesity rate. For one thing, that's pretty much anywhere. But ... do you think that's your best customer base? I'm not so sure. They're that way for a reason. They may need your services, but they're not going to want them. I'd say a high majority are that way because of poor eating habits, oftentimes linked to lower income. Cheap food isn't healthy food. And hiring a personal trainer isn't cheap.
In otherwords, if I want to open a vegetarian restaurant, do I go looking for the highest numbers of meat-eaters because I think I can convert them?
I don't think so. For your needs, I'd be more inclined to look for an area with an active population, and more disposable income. They're more likely to go for it.
I wouldn't go for the type of city you are looking for, but you may be on to something so I won't try and stop you. New Orleans fits the bid. Very walkable, dense, rather cosmopolitan for a southern city, progressive, and people are open to new ideas. Small businesses are opening up everywhere in the city and it would be a good fit. A good central, streetcar accessible, and walkable neighborhood would be Mid-City. Uptowners will have the disposable income.
I would say Houston but it lacks any real walkable neighborhood that is pedestrian active. There are great areas and the disposable income is MUCH higher across a much broader spectrum than New Orleans but you will be playing 2nd fiddle to personal trainers, even the type that use out of the box tactics.
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