RV-Based Business: Can I Make It Work? Post #1

Susanne is your driver for this post.

My question: I want to expand my health and wellness coaching business while on the road... Can I make that happen?

BACKGROUND: Last October, while still employed as a college professor, I signed up as a coach with Beachbody, LLC. If you've ever found yourself eating Cheetos and watching infomercials at 2 AM, you probably know that Beachbody is a company that creates and distributes health and wellness systems - comprehensive programs that promote regular exercise, healthy eating, and community support.

I signed on as a coach because I loved the products. A few months prior, I'd purchased the 21 Day Fix program and, with the help of my own coach, completely overhauled my lifestyle habits. I committed to the plan and it worked: over the course of several months, I lost 20 pounds, gained muscle, began replacing processed foods with whole foods, and started to run again. I was sold on the product, and I signed on as a coach in the hopes that perhaps I could help others and make a little profit in the process.

But let's make one thing very, very clear: I am a scientist by training, not a salesperson. My lack of business acumen dates all the way back to grade school when, every year without fail, I was the Girl Scout in my troop who sold the fewest boxes of cookies. It wasn't for lack of trying (I mustered up my courage, went door to door, and tried my best to charm the neighbors), nor was it because I didn't believe in the product (the empty wrappers in the trash can attested to my enthusiasm). I just lacked confidence: who'd want to buy cookies from me? 

Despite my reservations and lack of self confidence, there was something about the Beachbody coaching opportunity that gripped me. I liked the programs, I liked how I felt, I liked the way my own coach presented herself, I liked that the changes I made had stuck, I liked the people I was meeting through the coaching experience, and I liked seeing other people make their health a priority. After thoroughly researching the company's background and reputation, I set aside my hesitations and jumped in.

THE FIRST TEN MONTHS: I had little idea what to do once I signed on as a coach. I knew I needed to keep working out and using the programs, so I did that. In my free time, I participated in some training sessions, co-led some online accountability groups (something I love doing), and made a few bad decisions (see below). I often felt discouraged, but I stuck with it and was excited to learn. Despite my lack of experience and poor marketing judgment, I earned about $800 in the first ten months. Not too shabby, all things considered.

BEACHBODY AS AN RV-BASED BUSINESS: When we decided to become full-time RVers, my plan was to contribute to our family's total income by teaching online college classes. It seemed like the perfect gig for a digital nomad with an academic background. I signed on with a school early this year, submitted all requisite paperwork, and completed their intensive training. To date, however, I have received no course offerings, and prospects seem bleak (that the teaching plan fell through is really no surprise, as adjuncting these days is unpredictable at best, exploitative at worst). 

Although I was disappointed, I discovered that I was kind of excited. I like a challenge, and when the chips are down, I get creative. I realized that I could use the time and energy that I would have spent grading and participating in discussion forums to build my coaching business - something that energizes me every day. I also figured that "nomadic coaching" might offer me a unique opportunity to connect with other folks who live on the road yet are still trying to find ways to eat well, get in some exercise, and connect with others.

MY CURRENT STRATEGY: My two primary goals are 1) to provide individually-tailored support and encouragement to my clients as they work towards their health and wellness goals and 2) to slowly build and develop a team of dedicated, enthusiastic coaches who are committed to their clients and their businesses. My current strategy for meeting those goals includes the following:

• Sharing health and wellness tips, recipes, and photos via a Facebook business page and our Instagram account
• Advertising, participating in, and co-leading online fitness challenge groups for our Beachbody customers
• Walking the walk: exercising, eating well, trying new Beachbody programs as they come out, and being kind to myself
• Checking in with my current clients on a regular basis via email or through our accountability groups
• Obtaining a Certified Health Coach certification through the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute (I'm currently in the second week of a six-week program)

CAN I TAKE THIS BUSINESS FURTHER?: That's what I want to know. I have plenty of entrepreneurial spirit and a wealth of enthusiasm for fitness and coaching, but I also have little experience in the business arena. So every four weeks for the next six months, I'll write a post that provides an update on the coaching business: strategies that worked and didn't work, successes, challenges, profits. And at the end of six months, I'll reassess: Can I make this work? And regardless of the answer - yes or no - what can other digital nomads learn from my experience?

If you have suggestions, experience, and/or advice to share, please do comment and let me know. I am a beginner in this arena, and I'm open to learning. Moreover, if you're a digital nomad who's running your own business, I'd love to hear more about your successes and challenges!