Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Paul Landini, founder of Paul Landini-Personal Strength Training, located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm in the life-changing business. I write about fitness and health for The Globe & Mail. I speak at company events and conferences. Of course, I help people of all ages and abilities take charge of their health by any means necessary. For some, this means one-on-one nutrition coaching. For others, it means a weekly Zoom session to work on exercise techniques.
Tell us about yourself
I was floundering in an office job that I wasn’t very good at for many years. The only thing that kept me sane was fitness. I was deep into martial arts during this period of my life, training daily to the point where the head coach asked me to become a trainer myself. My partner (now my wife) noticed that I was a lot happier after coming home from the gym than I was coming home from the office. She encouraged me to quit my job and become a personal trainer instead. An idea that I thought was crazy but turned out to be the best advice I’d ever received.
It’s been six years now, and I don’t have any regrets. I love my job, love how I get to make an immediate and positive impact on people’s lives. I don’t need any motivation to get out of bed each morning. The rewards of the work are more than enough to light a fire under my butt.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
For the first four years of my training career, I worked for other people. My business was a side-hustle, something I did to bring in extra money. The day I quit my “real job” and made my business my life was a fantastic feeling and a hell of an accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Having to wear all the hats ain’t easy. I’m the IT guy, the marketing guy, the customer service guy…and on top of that, I have to do the actual work of training and writing. But the absolute most challenging part is social media. I’m terrible at self-promotion.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Surround yourself with positive people.
- Narrow your niche as much as possible.
- Say “yes” to as many opportunities as you can manage.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Working for yourself isn’t for everyone. The idea may sound glamorous and definitely has its perks, but it’s also hard and often lonely work. Still, my worst day as an entrepreneur beats the crap out of any day sitting in an office cubicle.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://paullandini.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrpaullandini/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.