Continually improving your knowledge is an integral part of running a successful fitness business. And one of the best ways of acquiring and improving your knowledge in fitness entrepreneurship is by reading a book.
But, with thousands of books out there for fitness entrepreneurs, whether it be gym owners or personal trainers, creating a list of the best books on fitness businesses can be an overwhelming affair – especially if you are not an avid reader. Fortunately, you don’t have to scour through hundreds of Google search results, to find the best books for fitness entrepreneurs, as we’ve already done that for you.
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best business books for fitness entrepreneurs, wellness entrepreneurs, gym owners and personal trainers. Whether you have an established fitness business or you are simply starting out, these books will help inspire you and help to take your fitness business to the next level.
1. Best Business Books for Personal Trainers
The most successful personal trainers are avid readers. They understand the importance of continuing education and expanding their knowledge base, in this competitive industry. So, if you are looking to establish a successful personal training business, it’s important to keep educating yourself on various topics in this industry. With that said, here are some of the best business books for personal trainers:
1.1 Ignite the Fire – Jon Goodman
Things can feel a little confusing and daunting when you are launching your personal training business. Besides being new to the industry, you may also be having doubts about whether it’s possible to build a successful personal training business.
The good news is, seasoned personal trainers have also been in your position before. And, some of them have taken the initiative to help those who are starting out, with various informative resources like guides and books. And Ignite the Fire by Jon Goodman is one such resource.
Ignite the Fire by Jon Goodman is specifically designed for personal trainers who are starting out. It comes with almost all the details that you will need, to succeed in this industry. It provides information on how to land the right personal training job, how to build a client base, how to plan your workouts as well as how to deal with difficult personal training clients. It also contains information on how to diversify your income streams.
1.2 Start Your Own Personal Training Business – Ciree Linsenman
Are you are a personal trainer looking to make it on your own? If so, this book by Ciree Linsenman has almost all the information that you need. It’s packed with information that will guide you along the way.
It’s also a great book for established personal trainers, who are looking to diversify their income streams. And it doesn’t end there. This business book for personal trainers also comes with great insights from seasoned personal trainers on how to establish long-lasting client relationships, how to come up with effective sales strategies as well as how to avoid burnouts.
2. Top Books for Fitness Entrepreneurs
Whether you are looking to set up a yoga studio or a general fitness center, there are plenty of books out there, containing helpful information on how to run a fitness center. Whether you are an aspiring fitness entrepreneur or you are already an established one, these two fitness books to read contain handy tips on how to succeed as a fitness entrepreneur.
2.1 The Business of Fitness – Thomas Plummer
The Business of Fitness by Thomas Plummer tends to lean more towards the financial aspects of running a fitness business. For many fitness entrepreneurs, financing and accounting can prove to be a headache. And this is where the Business of Fitness by Thomas Plummer comes in.
Thomas Plummer is a trusted and renowned advisor to fitness entrepreneurs. He features as a presenter in more than 20 fitness workshops every year. Furthermore, he has more than ten published books for fitness professionals, meaning you are getting your information from someone with a deep understanding of the industry.
In this book, the author tackles various fitness business topics like pricing structures, maturity for a fitness business, financial planning, as well as working with accountants, just to name a few. Thomas Plummer is renowned for writing in a straightforward and direct manner. And this is also the case with this book.
2.2 The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga: Amy Ippoliti and Taro Smith
If you are a yoga enthusiast and you are looking to venture full-time into teaching yoga and establishing a career in this industry, then this book is just what you need. In this fitness read, the authors have addressed a wide range of topics, including those that most yoga teacher training programs tend to leave out.
In this indispensable fitness book, you will learn how to create a yoga brand, how to acquire and retain yoga clients, as well as how to market your yoga business effectively. It also provides tips on how to build a sustainable yoga business model.
The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga is ideal for both aspiring yoga entrepreneurs and established ones. It’s full of handy tips that will help you either to set up your own yoga studio or how to successfully run one.
3. Must-Read Business Books for Wellness Entrepreneurs
Whether you have been in the health and wellness business for several years or you are in the early stages of setting up one, you will need a plan and guidance, to launch, market and grow your wellness business.
And there are several ways of doing this. You can talk to mentors, friends, advisors, business coaches or even take up a course. You also have the option of learning more about the industry by yourself. And you can easily do so by reading business books for health and wellness entrepreneurs. Here are two of the best books for health, wellness and fitness entrepreneurs. These books contain guidance, information and tips on how to grow your health and wellness business.
3.1 Change Maker – John Berardi
John Berrardi is one of the most successful people in the health and wellness industry. During his time in the industry, he has advised major corporations like Equinox, Nike, Titleist and Apple. He has also advised the U.S Champion Sloane Stephens as well as the UFC fighter Georges St. Pierre. As you can see, he’s a respected figure in the health and wellness industry.
In this book, John Berardi shares actionable and valuable steps on how to choose your health and wellness business niche, depending on your strengths. He also shares tips on how to land new clients, identify what they want as well as how to build great relationships with your clients. It’s without a doubt one of the best books for health and wellness entrepreneurs.
3.2 Wellpreneur – Amanda Cook
Amanda Cook is a seasoned health coach, who has helped thousands of health coaches, yoga teachers, nutritional therapists and other health and wellness entrepreneurs, to grow their health and wellness business using various online marketing strategies.
In the Wellpreneur, Amanda Cook shares tips on how to identify your health and wellness niche. You will also learn how to find more clients for your health and wellness business online. Simply put, this book is specifically written for health and wellness entrepreneurs, looking to set up a profitable and successful wellness business.
4. Best Books for Gym Owners
Launching a gym and turning it into a profitable business is not as easy as renting a place and filling it with fitness equipment. Besides your expertise in fitness, you will also need some business management skills. And you can easily acquire these skills, by reading books written by those who have already set up a successful gym business. Some of the best gym books for aspiring and established gym owners include:
4.1 Two Brain Business: Grow Your Gym – Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper owns and runs two gyms and a couple of other businesses in Ontario, Canada. Therefore, he already knows what it takes to start and successfully run a gym business.
While CrossFit is his main area of specialization, the lessons he teaches in this book can apply in almost all types of gyms and fitness studios. All the business strategies and tips that Chris talks about in this gym book have been tested and applied in his businesses, making it one of the best fitness books to read. Some of the topics covered in this fitness read include sales and marketing, fitness studio management, as well as hiring, just to name a few.
4.2 Gym Launch – Alex Hormozi
Gym launch is another great book both for aspiring gym owners as well as for those looking to grow their already established gyms. Having struggled when setting up his gym, Alex Hormozi invested his time and resources researching how to successfully operate a gym. He then turned his knowledge and expertise into this great book.
In this Alex Hormozi book, he shares a step-by-step guide on how to start and successfully run a fitness business.
5. Non-Fitness Books for Fitness Entrepreneurs
Running a fitness center is just like any other business. You will need to think and act like a businessperson. Therefore, you need to expand your knowledge and expertise beyond the fitness side of things. In this section, we’ve identified two books outside the fitness industry, which can help you to run a fitness studio successfully.
5.1 Decisive – Chip and Dan Heath
As a fitness business owner, you will be making plenty of decisions every day, both big and small. And while some people are natural at this, others tend to struggle when it comes to decision making. And this is where this book will come in. It features a detailed, four-step process, which will help you to make the best decisions every time.
5.2 The Power of Less – Leo Babauta
When you are running a fitness business, plenty of distractions can pull you away, making it hard to focus on the key things you need to accomplish. In this book, the author gives you tips on how you can deal with these distractions. He gives tips on how you can enhance your focus and achieve your everyday goals. If you are a fitness business owner who is easily distracted, this book will be an ideal read.
6. Wrapping It Up
Knowledge is power. And this also holds true when it comes to starting and running a successful fitness business. Reading will help you to stay ahead of the competition, keep up with the latest trends in the industry and learn actionable techniques and tips on how to run your fitness business successfully. So, make sure you create time out of your busy schedule every week to read at least a book or two from this list.