"Treat each client as if they are royalty." Top Tips for Getting Customers from Trainer Jase Elves

Serving in the military might be tough, but nothing can prepare entrepreneurs for the uncertainty of setting up their own business according to personal trainer and supplement supplier Jase Elves.

Wanting to make a difference in people’s lives might be one of the oldest clichés in the small-business book, but Jase really did start out with a desire to bring out the best in people. To do this, he says, entrepreneurs need to aim to be at the top of their game — and that means never settling for second place. Jase certainly doesn't mess around when it comes to his business: he gets results!

We grabbed a few moments with him to find out how military discipline and the pursuit of excellence helped him become a success in the fitness industry. 

Read on for his inspiring story!

Name: Jase Elves

Business: Jase Elves Fitness

Started: 2013

Why did you decide to create your business?

After leaving the military, I wanted to continue my passion for fitness. During my time in service I'd been part of the physical fitness section, as well as a member of the boxing team.

Once I returned home, I felt that this combination of skills, as well as the discipline I'd picked up, was the perfect platform from which to launch a career as a personal trainer.

What did you hope to achieve? Did you have a main goal that guided your decisions early on?

I know it's a cliché, but I really did want to change people's lives. I still do. Health and fitness are extremely important, and being able to share my knowledge with others is something that's really rewarding. 

I also wanted to achieve excellence. I know a lot of personal trainers who simply choose to learn the basics and teach "general" fitness. While I do think there’s some value in this strategy, I wanted more. That's one of the main reasons I'm now working to offer supplements alongside my personal training programs.

I work with a number of semi-professional athletes and each of them has a specific goal, which means they need something more than a simple way to lose weight. My aim has always been to help people reach their peak performance levels. 

At which point did you know your business was going to be successful?

To be honest, it wasn't easy at the start. Like a lot of personal trainers — and probably most small business owners in general — I thought gaining as many certificates as possible would guarantee my success. Unfortunately, just having the qualifications and knowledge doesn't mean customers are going to be beating down the door.

Fortunately, I managed to link up with a local gym and gain a few of my very first clients. Even though I was making 4-hour round trips each day, it paid off as my reputation quickly spread and I soon had a steady stream of business coming my way.

What surprised you the *most* when starting your own business?

Aside from people needing to see tangible results rather than pieces of paper, I think the biggest surprise was the amount of work I've had to do outside of business hours.

Although I've had to streamline the way the company runs in the last 18 months because of my daughter, I still find myself writing programs, updating my website and studying in my spare time.

As a small business owner, I've had to let go of the 9-5 ideal and be prepared to work whenever I have to.

What is your most effective means of getting new customers? 

Social media has helped me a lot in recent years — for example, Instagram and YouTube are great for sharing images and videos. But by far the most effective means of promotion for my business is word of mouth. Personal trainers live and die by their results, so if they want to garner more business, they need to perform.

In the early days I had a few bad reviews, but I managed to work with the customer again and address their concerns. Small business owners can't afford a negative review like a big corporation can, so you have to treat each client as if they are royalty. 

If there was one piece of advice you could offer a fellow entrepreneur like yourself, what would it be?

My best piece of advice would be to always demand more of yourself. Settling for second place is a recipe for disaster in business. Whatever I’m offering, creating or selling, I always give it my best shot and look for a way to go beyond the norm. 

Unless an entrepreneur has invented something completely unique, they’re going to face some stiff competition. The only way to stand out is to strive for excellence. If they do that, they’ll succeed in whatever their doing.

What would you like to learn next from a community of other small business owners and self-employed professionals?

Delegation. Because my business is based on me and my skills, it's hard to employ other people and expand. 

I'm looking to hire people to run classes for me and sell my products, but I'm having trouble finding the right staff and letting go of control. 

I'd like to know how others here in QB Community have managed this! 

Let's help Jase learn more about delegation and hiring in his business!

Did *you* start out as your own brand and do you now employ a small team? How did you make sure you found rockstar people that were ready to help you grow your business and take it to the next level?

Share your own story with us below — and hopefully we can together help Jase with his question along the way! :-)