Notes from Chris

Episode 479

After making several mistakes working out in the gym, 23-year-old Oliver Anwar realized that the training plans provided by professional fitness competitors were unsuited for the average person. He would train in the gym with high reps and low weights but found that he wasn’t building enough muscle.

The mediocre results were discouraging, but they forced Oliver to conduct his own research and learn more about the science behind nutrition and training. Oliver saw better results in the next year than he ever did in the past three chasing fads. This led him to realized that even though the fitness and nutrition world was crowded, he had something unique to offer—after all, he had proven that his plans worked.

With the encouragement of some friends, Oliver decided to start an online fitness coaching business and called it Ro Anwar Fitness.

Considering that Oliver’s startup costs were just web hosting and a website theme which set him back by only $100, it’s an understatement to say that Oliver has made his investment back several times over. Today, Oliver makes up to $2,000/month, which is a comfortable amount for a university student. He’s also been featured by his university for his entrepreneurship and has managed to land public speaking gigs. The side hustle has also helped him land a part-time job at a startup.

There’s no doubt that the skills he’s building are valuable, and so are the 17 pounds of muscle and the $2,000 a month.

It paid off almost right away. Within two hours of launching his website using Shopify, Oliver received a Paypal email notifying him that someone had bought one of his coaching packages. He hadn’t done any marketing or promotion at that point in time, but only shared his website on social media, so this was a true shocker. Oliver recalls that he was so overcome with joy that he rushed downstairs immediately to tell his Mom about his first sale. This moment of validation told Oliver that his business could actually work.

Oliver never stopped working on his business after that. Besides offering coaching, he also published a range of meal plans. Due to his bad experience following generic plans previously, Oliver decided that he would offer only personalized plans. This was something that most trainers were unwilling to do since it didn’t necessarily scale well. But to Oliver, this was a chance to stand out in that crowded health and fitness niche.

Today, Oliver makes up to $2,000/month, which is a comfortable amount for a university student. He’s also been featured by his university for his entrepreneurship and has managed to land public speaking gigs. The side hustle has also helped him land a part-time job at a startup.

There’s no doubt that the skills he’s building are valuable, and so are the 17 pounds of muscle and the $2,000 a month.

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Ro Anwar Fitness: If you're interested in learning more about Oliver's success, check out his website
• Sweatcoin: The fitness app that helped to put Oliver on the map
• Shopify: Oliver used Shopify to set up his store for Ro Anwar Fitness, and they're offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!

SEE ALSO:

• Exercise App Encourages Fitness While Helping Sick Kids: A North Carolina man’s software app forces users to make donations when they slack off their fitness routines
• ER Nurse Masters CrossFit and Becomes Nutrition Coach: When her first hustling attempt at a wellness blog fails to generate enough response, this active ER nurse shifts her focus and signs up 19 clients for nutrition coaching
• Dog Sled Trainer Becomes Women’s Fitness Coach: For two decades, she trained sled dogs in the woods of Minnesota—but after a personal transformation, she started a fitness and empowerment program for women ages 45-55

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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