Going From Part-Time To Full-Time Trainer – Deb Poulton

Kyle Wood: This week, my guest is based in Sydney, New South Wales. And I met Deb about a year ago now when she joined a program, I ran for BootCraft called the Fellowship, which was a sort of intensive six month, program where you teamed up with mastermind groups. Was that a pretty big time in Deb’s life because she had recently become a single mum and this business that she’d previously run as, you know, like a side income extra income for the household.

She now is at this point where she was having to make a decision. Do I, do I shut down the business? And. Go back to corporate world and get a job or do I make a real go of this and turn this business into a full-time income. And I happy to report. She did the latter and yeah, that’s one of the things we talk about today.

We also talk about outdoor training, why we like outdoor training, some of the benefits. And we also talk about challenges. One of the ways Deb has grown her businesses through six week challenges, and recently she’s branched into running these for corporations as well. So lots to talk about, I can’t believe we get through so much in such a short period of time.

I think you guys will really enjoy this one. And I think we also might need to have Deb back again, to go into some of the stuff a bit deeper. That’s all for me. Let’s dive into the show.

Kyle Wood: Today’s guest is Deb Poulton who runs the outdoor group fitness business Point You Fit in Sydney, New South Wales. She’s also a mum of two and a lifelong lover of sports, having played rugby hockey and soccer. Deb is passionate about finding ways to share her enthusiasm for fitness with their clients. And she’s a bit of an experiment as well with her business, which we’ll talk about today. Welcome Deb.

Deb Poulton: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Kyle Wood: Yes. I’m excited to have you. This is so good to reconnect.

Cause it’s been, you know, earlier in the year we were catching up for regular calls, and then through the grapevine of Theresa was telling me about what you’ve been up to. And so, I’m really happy to have you on the show so you can share some of that with other trainers.

Deb Poulton: Yeah. I’m excited to share.

Kyle Wood: All right. So the first question I’ve been asking people when they come on the show, because we’re all group fitness trainers, we will spend a lot of time in the industry. The first question is, do you remember the first group fitness class you attended as a participant?

Deb Poulton: Oh, yes, I do. Actually. Yes, it was, um, it was an outdoor class and I remember it being very painful and I’m not being able to sit on the toilet for a couple of days afterwards.

Um, but yeah, it was on the beach at Balmoral in Sydney and, um, it was quite a large group and we did lots of things like sprinting through the sand and getting really dirty which I absolutely hated actually. So ever since then, I’ve always been, not, will not do a boot camp on the beach in sand just gets everywhere.

Um, but yeah, no, it was great. I liked being outdoors, exercising in a group. Um, so yeah, that was fun. But I do remember I was only going once a week and the sore muscles after it were quite horrible. Cause that was pretty much all I was. Um, so that was a good learn to speak to clients about in relation to when they come in on and know that they’re getting sore, um, from visiting once a week, they’ve got to do more

Kyle Wood: actually.

Yeah, they actually needed to come well frequently, which is a bit counterintuitive. I used to do the same way. I didn’t let people train once a week. I knew. Yeah, they were playing sport or something like that. And they were doing, you know, the bootcamp because yeah, I was like, you would just be sore every week.

And like, they w you won’t be having good experiencing because of. It is like one hour suck in your week. Yeah.

Deb Poulton: Yeah. And then two days of, you know, popping the Neurophin afterwards, which is agony side. Um, yeah, you’ve got to have a decent, if you’re just going to come once a week, you’ve got to have a really good baseline fitness, um, and really, you know, accumulate your fitness.

That’s really important. Yeah. But yeah. I liked being outdoors.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. Yeah. Sounds like it was a kind of traditional bootcamp experience, what people think of maybe when they think of bootcamp.

Deb Poulton: Yeah, it wasn’t actually, they’ve got the person that ran it, um, was a bit salesy and it’s kind of stuck with me because he, cause I was doing just once a week.

He did used to call me up quite often and pretty much try and Badger me into going more than once a week. And at the time I just simply didn’t have the money. I’m a bit of thinking I’ve just come over from the UK and I’m thinking, this is really expensive. I was paying like five pounds for an outdoor session, you know, that’s what like 10 Australian dollars.

And this was like 40 bucks. I was like, I can’t be, you know, spending more than that to train. I’m not working at the moment. I’ve got young kids, um, so mean. Yeah. And that’s sort of put me off. And in the end, I just stopped because he was badgering me all the time to come more and I was getting sore and.

It just wasn’t happening. So that’s why I ended up studying, but it has stuck with me about how I interact with my clients. Um, especially the ones that you are trying to maybe persuade to come more often or persuade them to come back. If they’ve dropped off, just how you approach them. I think my style is probably a bit softer.

Um, then I just think it’s so important to not come across a sales. And that you’re just wanting them to return because you want the money. It’s actually, you want them to return because you love seeing them. You want to get results for them. You love them engaging in your class. You miss them. Um, rather than, you know what, I just miss that, you know, $20 that you’ve given me every week.

Um, so yeah, that, that was, uh, that sort of stuck with me. It was quite a good little lesson. That one for me.

Kyle Wood: Yeah, that makes me very happy to hear another trainer say that. Talk about that as being what they look for in their, in their clients. It’s like as a person, not yet. I mean, they are a income source as well, but yet, and I mean, well, that’s working for you, right?

Like, Hey, how are your classes going?

Deb Poulton: Yeah, they’re going really well. And I think when I very first became a trainer, I had a personal trainer myself and he said to me, just wait, you will attract your people. And that it’s so true. You just do. And the clients that come along, um, who are, maybe you just felt like I didn’t connect with them or I didn’t click, or I just wasn’t getting the right energy for them.

They’re the ones who, who don’t stick around. Um, and the way I see it, you know, don’t take it personally, just, um, they’re not your people. Um, so, um, but yeah, business is going really well. Um, lockdown was actually amazing for me as a business. Um, I’ve probably doubled my income over lockdown, um, which was really, really good.

Um, one of the only reasons people allowed out was to exercise. Okay. So what I did was I basically said to all my clients, I’m going to be at the park. On these times, do you want to come then and do a PT? Um, I reduce my rate ever so slightly, um, and did a special offer if they did two sessions, um, you know, it was a different price and lots of people took me up on it.

Some not straight away, but some just, they came through as the weeks went on. So, um, I was pretty much working flat out. Morning, daytime evenings. Yeah. And it was, it was awesome. It was really good, but tiring.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. I think I remember that when we, when we first met, which was about a year ago, you were, you would, I think, you know, Sydney had just gone through a lockdown as well.

And so you were doing sort of these hybrid Zoom classes and some face-to-face stuff. But that was a bit of a tough time for you and that, and a bit of a crucible moment for the business, because you had just become a single mum, right? Yeah.

Deb Poulton: That’s right. So it was make or break time for me and my business, um, to turn it from, um, a hobby business, something that I was completely passionate about, but for me, it didn’t have to be our main source of income as a family.

It was extra money. Um, two suddenly becoming, okay, how am I going to support my children as a single parent, running a personal training business? Um, I really need to turn things around and quickly. So, um, yeah, I had to rethink everything, turn everything on my head, um, and really go at it. Um, and it’s been, yeah, it’s hard work.

It’s very much a full time. And more job. Um, but it’s worth it. And it’s something I love. And, um, if anything, I’m glad it happened because it definitely gave me that fire. Um, and when I’m working with people now as well, I see people, businesses that I’m now collaborating with. I look for that fire within other people.

It doesn’t have to come from something like a single mom that I look now to collaborate with people who are equally as focused and, um, career hungry as me. Cause I have collaborated with people in the past that maybe were in my position of being it’s quite a relaxed, um, this you know, take it or leave it and they don’t have the drive that I have is, so I’m quick to pick up on that down and see, you will be good to work with as well.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. Cool. So when you needed to ramp things up from which I think a lot of us can identify with with like having a group fitness business is awesome as a side business, because you can work around hours and as a parent as well around kids’ schedules. Yeah. So like, was there anything you tried initially with trying to grow the business?

Because I think lots of trainers would like to grow the business that didn’t work. Was there any like paths you went down that were like, oh, that’s a bad idea?

Deb Poulton: Yeah.

Um, not so much. Um, no, actually I kind of everything I did, I kind of had to pinch myself that it went so well. Um, there was nothing, the only thing I probably. Would change was I was doing a lot of running around, um, and I would probably streamline things. So I was running from location to location.

Um, and then I just started to work a bit smarter, pick a better location. As the you know, my selling point is I’m a mobile PT, I’ll come to you or I’ll come to the house or I’ll come to the park near you. But unfortunately that doesn’t always work when you get really busy. Um, and I, you know, I’m not going to travel for 20 minutes for half an hour PT there and back.

So, um, Learning to say no to somethings that weren’t going to suit me and making sure that they, they fit into my diary and that I can actually service them properly and give it my hundred percent. So, um, I guess, yeah, some things didn’t work in the sense of okay. Trying to take on some clients. I think when I was doing the fellowship, I think you even said to me, you know, you’ve got to be a bit smarter with your time.

Um, because I was just saying yes to everything and just running around. Um, so yeah, maybe that’s, that’s some things just, um, working smarter.

Kyle Wood: So did you end up then I guess, cause you still want it to be mobile. Would you more be like, I, on this day, I’m going to be at this park for the clients who are near there, or what did you end up doing?

Deb Poulton: Um, I’ve ended up. Yeah, I’ve ended up trying, just persuading people to come to me basically. Um, for some, it was like, look, I can’t do this session anymore. Unfortunately, unless you can come to this park for our session, they’re like, oh actually, yeah, go ahead. It’s totally fine. And I’m actually the park I picked is, um, pretty local to me.

And especially during lockdown, it became, it was like a massive outdoor gym because every other trainer was there and it had such a good energy cause everyone was there to train. No one felt self-conscious where everyone was throwing weights around and exercising and it was like a big fitness playground.

And everyone was really friendly to each other and we’re over vibing and having a laugh. So they, some, for some clients, I used to go to their house. They started coming to the park and they’re like, actually, the park is great. I can do like a bit of a run or, um, we can use those stairs and do some stair runs and we can mix it up a bit more being, and people don’t realize the benefits of being outside as well.

Um, so I had one client that I was training within their house. And they just felt so much better having trained outdoors. So that, just that connection with nature, I think is really important. Um, People don’t realize how good that is, because especially if you’re sat in doors all the time, either in an office or at home, and then you go indoors to a gym you’re really missing out on that connection with the sky, with trees the grass.

Sounds so wishy-washy. But, um, I believe you, can you draw a lot of energy, um, from nature. So, yeah. Yeah. They just found that connection, which was lovely.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. I remember that with my bootcamps. It’s like, yeah, let’s run this all year round and also run with anytime fitness opened up nearby, you know, they always put the treadmills and stuff in like the front window and like driving past and just seeing like people running on the treadmill, looking at the road and it’s like, you could be like, if you ran five minutes from there, there’s like a massive you know, wildlife park reserve that he can do, like doing laps around, you know, on a beautiful sunny day. Yeah.

Deb Poulton: It’s definitely worth promoting that as a trainer. Um, if you’re outdoors, um, is how it makes you feel to be, to be outside. Look, when it’s pouring with rain, it’s cold. It’s not, it’s not sweet then.

Um, but in general it’s really uplifting and, and people will always walk out of it feeling better.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. And even getting out in the rain. I think you’ve got this on your website, actually, which I love, which is like, you’ll never regret a workout. You know, after, after the workout you, you won’t be like, oh, I wish I hadn’t done that.

And I think same with a workout in the rain after you’ve done it, you’re like, feel pretty bad ass. You have to, you know, you just, you feel invigorated because of the wind and everything.

Deb Poulton: Yeah. Although I have to say, I often cancel if it’s really pouring down, because I don’t like standing in the rain.

Kyle Wood: That’s the thing, that’s the trainer, you don’t feel it’d be great or you just feel wet and miserable, but the clients had a good time.

Deb Poulton: I just, yeah, for me, I feel like I’m not going to be able to deliver my normal standard session if I’m stood there getting drenched. Cause I will be hating it. Um, so I, I, there is some cover that I try and use, but if it’s really coming in sideways, yeah, then I pull the pin and cancel and, but that doesn’t happen very often. Thankfully.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. That’s good. Yeah. I guess up in Sydney as well, decent climate. So. Yeah. Yeah. The weather is definitely a tricky one and it looks, we didn’t get snow here in Australia.

Deb Poulton: I know. That’s so lucky.

I don’t know how I’d cope as an outdoor trainer it in the UK to be quite honest because, um, yeah, some days when it is cold and windy, And you’re out there for a long time. And I do think of my counterparts in the UK and wonder how they, how they put up with it or whatever. I’ve just become really soft now that I’ve lived in Australia for so long, probably that, yeah.

Yeah. It’s great. It’s great. Being outdoors. And people have asked me if I want in the future would look to get a studio. Um, and I think in theory, I love the idea of a studio. Um, I would want, in my ideal scenario, there’ll be an indoor and an outdoor to always have that outdoor option.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. Yeah. I always thought that’d be really cool as well, to be able to kind of open up one side or something and then still have outdoor and you could have some, like semi-permanent sort of stuff set up outside as well to have a bit more variety.

That would be very cool.

Deb Poulton: Yeah, it would, it would, that space is a premium around here, so yeah. Yeah,

Kyle Wood: yeah. Okay. Now talk to me about challenges because that’s something you’ve been running for a long time. You often team up with other someone else as well, correct?

Deb Poulton: Yes, I do. So I first started, I did my first challenge a couple of years ago and I did it completely free of charge.

And, and it was just, I always felt bad charging for it, but then afterwards I realized how much work it was. I was like, could pay you have to charge money for that, because that was a ton of work. Um, so I started off just doing them by myself. I would challenge clients. Um, they would do six weeks and it was, um, you know, to eat healthy within I’d give them advice on healthy eating within the guidelines.

I’m not trained in nutrition. So I would just give them guidelines on how to eat healthy. Okay. Make sure they’re drinking enough water, challenge them to sleep well and get a set number of steps. And then each week we’d do a fitness challenge. So it could be right. You’ve got to go for and run up and down a steep hill for 20 minutes or run a set of stairs.

Um, and then it kind of grew from there. So it was really basic at first. And then I’ve done team challenges where I’ve teamed people up in random duos I’ve made them do sessions where they’ve gotta be in fancy dress and they’ve got to produce a video about why they love fitness and I’m giving them points.

And there’s a leader board and they get points every step they do. Um, so that was loads of fun. We had a sports day as well as part of that. And we all got together and played sports as a team. Um, so yeah, it was lots, lots of fun. I I’ve tried lots of things. I feel like I’ve, um, streamlined it now. I’ve done enough of them.

And I collaborate now with the dietician. So now my challenge is I’m a lot more focused on food, as well as the exercise. I found someone to collaborate with who, um, who thinks the same way as I do around food. So it’s not about measuring out all your foods. That’s about hand fulls and eating from all the major food groups, not cutting carbs, anything crazy.

It’s just sensible eating and an encouragement on sensible eating and portion size and getting enough protein and. Um, doing that. So yeah, I team up with a dietician and again, tried different things. One-on-ones offering PTs as part of the challenge, um, offering group sessions. Um, yeah, so done, done everything and, um, yeah, it’s actually been really, really good for my business.

I’m now at a point where I can’t offer PTs as part of the challenge, because I’m so booked up. I can’t physically do them. So I’ve had to move my challenge online. So it’s a virtual challenge. Um, but for me offering PTs as part of the six week challenge worked really well because some clients have never done a PT with me before and they actually just picked one up and then just kept it going beyond the challenge.

Um, so I do think for new trainers, starting out challenges are awesome way to engage with your clients. You can make it fun it can really make it fun. We had photo competitions, um, planking, random places, and, um, you just be really creative with it to engage with your clients. And as. The money that they paid for the challenge I gave them, I think I gave three PTs at first to three half an hour PT sessions over the course of the six weeks.

And I picked up a lot of clients that way. Um, so that was really good. Um, and now it’s just, um, monitoring. When I find a challenge, it’s monitoring their steps. Um, I do a zoom once a week with the. With the dietician as well. And we talked through how the fitness is going and the food, um, just it’s that level of accountability that clients just love.

And it’s that the connection with you. That’s important too. It’s not like they’re signing up for a celebrities challenge who they never gonna speak to. You will never know their name. Um, they actually get access to me 24 7. If they’ve got a question. I’ve got one client whose fitness goal is to be able to do that challenge where you climb under the table, you go over the table and you climb under the table,

It must be a TikTok thing. I’m sure that she’s determined to do. So I’ve been giving her tips, sending it to hang from a chin up bar and work on her grip strength and giving her some upper back exercises. Um, so I can actually really work with people on, on what their goal is, um, and help them out with that. If that’s something that they’re looking to do. Um, so yeah, challenges have been, uh, been a lot of fun. We’ve been very successful at been really great in growing my business.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, cause I was gonna, cause I remember with the PTs, when that was kind of hitting your limit, you were like, ah, I don’t know if I can keep doing this and it’s funny.

Like I would be like then maybe go to another trainer and say, oh no, don’t do the PTs because you’ll end up too busy. But it’s so great to hear you say that, like, it really does depend where your business’s at. That’s what it sounds like. Like in those early days, actually a great way to get new PT clients because.

They’re experiencing that personal, um, attention and also love. Hey yeah. You mentioned that like better to do your challenge than, um, like yeah some Instagram persons yeah. Challenge where, yeah, there is thousands of people.

 So how many people do you take in the challenge? Do you have a cap?

Deb Poulton: Um, probably no more than 20, um, because any more than that is really hard to, to service. So I do make it a bit exclusive as well, but you can make it as exclusive as you want. So if you are first starting out, you can. So not sure if you make it too big, that you’re going to be able to do a good enough job, so you can limit it to five people or six people.

And there’s that, um, that thing of, oh, I want to get one of these limited spaces. Yeah. I must sign up for that. Um, so I think the, yeah, the biggest I did was around 20 and I was doing PTs on those and it was hard ground going through those and the challenge I’m running at the moment. I think we’ve only got about 12 people in it and that’s, that’s a really good number to make sure that you’re really able to interact with everyone, um, on the challenge.

So it doesn’t have to be hundreds of people to, to be successful. Um, I’ve also branched out into corporate challenges.

Kyle Wood: Yes. Tell me about that.

Deb Poulton: Yeah. So my experience with my clients has been so vital, um, and really important because I’ve learnt so much from that, that I’m now able to transfer that into the corporate environment.

And I’ve, I’ve teamed up with not a dietician because my thoughts were on working on that kind of scale drilling into too many people’s food. I just didn’t feel that I could do it would be. Um, I’d have able to do a good job. So I teamed up with a health coach and what she is really good at is, um, looking at the holistic health.

So your, you know, mental fitness, um, she will look at mindset mindfulness. Getting people, um, to go through what she calls the core four. So she talks about people’s physical health, their relationships, their financial health. Um, so she’d go through all of that with people. And then I’m there.

Yeah. Talk about living healthier and doing fitness as well. So, uh, we recently did a challenge. We had 51 people, so that’s, that was my biggest challenge of, I’ve ever done. Um, and yeah, that was really awesome. And I did with that, I did live workouts with, with the company. So that was by zoom. Yeah. Um, so did a lunchtime workout and did an evening workout.

Um, and that’s recorded and then they can access it whenever they like. Um, and then she was doing a meditation session and, um, yoga and relaxation, as well as one-on-ones with them talking through where they’re at with their career and, um, you know, that work-life balance and all that. So, yeah, that was so much fun.

And definitely where I see my business heading, going forward.

Kyle Wood: So that’s something that the business paid for then, for its employees. Is that how that works or?

Deb Poulton: Yeah, they did. They paid for it for everyone, but it could, it could be done where, um, maybe the business pays some and then they ask their employees to pay towards it.

Um, I think that’s the good thing about being a small business is that you can just roll with whatever the company wants to do, um, we can be really nimble. So, um, we’ll just take what we can get and run with it.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. And I think the lockdowns, you know, it was happening all around the world. Companies are realizing how important the mental health of their employees.

Yeah. So it’s a great time for trainers to get involved. Like companies are putting aside these budgets for they’re looking for things to spend money on like this category. So, yeah,

Deb Poulton: and I think the great thing about it as well is that currently managers are having to really work so hard for their employees to come up with ways to.

To, to help their employees, mental health. So they haven’t come up with creative challenges, mindful challenges, and that just takes the pressure off them for six weeks. They hand that pressure to me. Right? You look after the wellbeing of my staff for six weeks, please give me a break, it shows their employees that, that they’re actually cared for that they’re allowed to have a work-life balance. Um, and I know that the company that we worked with their employees were so grateful that that business had put this on for them. Um, and that engagement and connection within their business. Um, cause we ran surveys, et cetera was, was really high.

And from everything I’ve been reading about, they’re talking about 2022 being the great resignation. That people are going to come out of lockdown, head back to the office, and they’re going to reevaluate where they’re at with their work and their work-life balance. And, um, yeah, they’re expecting a lot of resignations next year.

So now’s the perfect time as an employer to really look after the wellbeing of your staff and show them that you’re their wellbeing is being considered.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. I mean, one of the Wiggles has done it, so don’t get caught up on that.

Um, yeah, that’s awesome. I love that you, that you’re experimenting and that it’s worked for you. And, I think if people are, just cause we’re running out of time, people are interested, trainers listening to this are interested in more, maybe we could have you back to talk more about challenges and break down how you do it.

Deb Poulton:

I can talk about that till the cows come home.

Kyle Wood: All right. Are you ready for rapid fire question? Cool. So, uh, first up in a nutshell, what are the top three things you do each week in your business that you found helps your business?

Deb Poulton: Um, I think, um, I think when I answered this to you, I didn’t put it in the right order.

Um, so I think the number one thing is important to do is to is planning. Um, I think careful planning of your sessions is vital. I do obviously observe a lot of other trainers out there and how they’re running their groups. And you can tell the ones who have just turned up, set up some equipment out and they’re just thinking on their feet and look that may work well for them, but that does not work well for me.

I like to plan my session out to every last minute. Um, and I will consider exactly who’s booked in for that class. Right? Okay. That’s no one likes running in this class, so I’m not going to make them do it at all. I’ve actually, there’s loads of runners in that class, they’d love a couple of laps of the oval, um, you’ve got to consider everything.

You’ve got to consider the weather. You’ve got to consider the fitness levels, um, and really plan the session down to the last detail. So I think that’s really important to do. Um, also obviously posting on social media. Um, it can feel like a total burden as a trainer. I know it definitely has done for me.

And I think what has allowed me to have more success, I have not got loads of followers or anything like that, but people have said to me that they did join me because of what I had posted on my Instagram. And it’s because. It just seems like me. It’s like, it’s authentic to me. Um, I kind of try to let my personality come out.

My values, um, who I am share bits of information about me, share some tips on exercise, give some hints of what it’s like to come to bootcamp with me or to train with me. Um, and someone said that recently I joined because I thought you seemed like you were nice on Instagram, so that’s great. Like I’m glad that came accross.

Um, so really letting you just don’t overthink it. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Um, just get something out there that is reflective of you and your values. Um, and I guess the third thing would be to listen to my clients, um, really be very open to feedback, keep asking for feedback, be it good or bad. And you’ve got to be able to take the bad on the chin and do real inner reflection.

Is that actually valid? Is that true yet? Do you know what? I probably could have done better that day or maybe that program wasn’t the best. And now that client, you know, maybe hurt their back but, you know yeah. You’ve got to be really, um, you gotta be able to take it on the chin. Um, and you’ve got to make sure that your clients feel that they can be honest with you and give you honest feedback because otherwise they’ll just leave if they can, actually, if I can, they feel they can give me that feedback.

I respond well to it. They’ll stay with it. Um, so that’s been, been really important. Um, and when I say listened to them, I mean, really get to know your client, get to understand why they come in to boot camp what’s going on in their life. Um, If at the start of the session you ask, are they okay? It’s not just, Hey, how are you?

It’s like, how, how, how really are you, um, how are you feeling today? Have you slept? Okay. Um, and then it will come out, actually, you know, do you know what I’m really tired? I just haven’t slept. Right. Okay. We’re not doing burpees today. So adapt the session accordingly. I have turned up to PTs myself and gone, you know, I’ve had a really bad sleep or actually got a really bad headache.

And I could tell the trainer didn’t listen. It was straight into right 20 box jumps. And I was jumping around in my head was pounding. And I’m thinking you actually don’t care. Don’t care that I’m really feeling well and still turned up for this session because I still want to work out, but it’s got to be within the parameters of how I’m feeling.

So, yeah, just, just listening to clients.

Kyle Wood: Yep. Thanks Deb. Favorite song or band to work out to?

Deb Poulton: You know what? I chop and change my music so much. I just go to any playlist but P!nk is definitely my favorite. When that comes on, we all get, um, pumped up. I do a lot of throwback workouts on, less on too. Um, yeah, it’d be quite like those.

Kyle Wood: Okay. And the last question is where would you like to head next with your business?

Deb Poulton: Yeah, I would just, just keep growing, um, two things really. I want to keep moving, uh, on with is the corporates because, um, that’s been really rewarding and is good value. Um, not just as good monetary value as well as, um, It’s very fulfilling.

Um, and the second thing I got as a bit of a goal for me is I want to get Pialates qualified. Um, so it’s just finding the time to do the training. I have made the step I have signed up to the course. Um, so I’m going to start doing that and putting some classes on as well. So just keep growing, keep changing, keep educating myself.

Um, I’ve thought about taking on staff. At this point I really feel like I can’t be bothered. I just don’t want to have to deal with someone else in my life, their drama, because I know what I’m like. I’ll be really like wanting to make sure they’re okay. And, and I just don’t want to take anyone else on at the moment.

Um, so I just pretty much going to streamline it and just collaborate with people rather than actually be the boss.

Kyle Wood: Yeah. And I’ve heard that from lots of people who’ve built businesses. And then when they sort of built the next one, they kept their staff to a minimum because they’re like, they did the running the staff thing and it wasn’t for them.

They wanted a job where they’re still. So yeah, if he can find a way to balance it, where you still growing for the sake of growing, isn’t always the best strategy.

Deb Poulton: No, it’s, it’s really hard because my business is obviously my whole world. And, um, it means a lot to me. I’m not very trusting with who I give that to at this point.

Kyle Wood: You’ll find the right person.

Deb Poulton: That’s right. I’ll wait for the universe to tell me it’s time and the universe will deliver me someone amazing to join me. Until then. I’ll just keep going

Kyle Wood: Well on that note, thank you Deb so much for coming on and sharing your wisdom and everything you’ve learned over, especially the last couple of years with us. Yeah. I really appreciate it. And I’m sure those listening do too.

Deb Poulton: Thanks for having me.

Kyle Wood: You’re welcome. All right, until next time.