In honor of National Small Business Week, ACE is celebrating our pros that have made the leap to owning their own health and fitness business. To say thank you for the positive impact you’ve had on the health and fitness industry, and the difference you are making in each and every one of your client’s and customer's lives, here is a list of our top career posts. Use these blogs to help grow your business or share them with a friend or colleague who is just getting started.

How to Open Your Own Gym (Part 1)

Fitness is booming and with the ever-increasing number of corporate wellness programs and health insurance incentives, opening a gym appears to be a great opportunity. However, with all of the different options, taking that first step in opening up a gym can be quite daunting. This series sheds some light on where to begin and provide resources for learning more about the gym business.

How to Open Your Own Gym (Part 2)

The prospect of starting your own fitness business can be daunting, to the say the least. In this second installment of a two-part series on how to open your own gym, we delve into the world of finding a property, floor planning and equipment purchasing.

Five Social Media Rules to Help Grow Your Business

Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. So as a fitness professional—a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, manager or owner—it’s time to invest resources in this arena because the results are both local and global. More people in your clubs or programs, as well as more people in general, are leading a fit lifestyle, so social media can be a highly effective way to increase your reach. So what are the most effective ways to use it? Find out!

Why Business Savvy Is an Important Part of a Personal Trainer Profile

Like so many other ACE Certified Personal Trainers, there’s no doubt you chose this career because you have a passion for fitness, want to stay on top of cutting-edge exercise information and—possibly most importantly—desired to positively transform lives. A passion for business and marketing strategies probably wasn't what got you started in the industry. But having business savvy is important and can help fuel your career. Find out why.

Using the Internet to Grow Your Fitness Business

Don’t internalize all the fitness knowledge you have—share it. Connecting with potential clients on social media allows you to get your voice out there, creates business opportunities and increases earning potential. Check out our 10 rules for monetizing your fitness knowledge for insight into how you can grow professionally using the web.

How to Keep Your Clients Coming Back Every Week

It’s one thing to gain new clients—and an entirely different task to hang on to them over the long-term. Client retention is, as many will tell you, more of an art than a science—and some trainers are definitely masters. Here, several top pros share their secrets for ensuring their clients keep coming back, week after week.

3 Ways to Build Client Relationships via Social Media

Social media has completely changed the rules when it comes to reaching new clients and communicating with existing ones. Today, you have the opportunity to reach huge numbers of people—if you do it right. Here are three essential tips for building effective, lasting relationships with your clients through social media.

Rapport: The Secret Ingredient to Career Success

Knowing how to connect with your clients in a way that caters to their personal styles can build the foundation for a healthy, lifelong relationship. ACE Senior Fitness Consultant Dr. Michael Mantell discusses the importance of rapport and the role it plays in career success.

Association of Fitness Studios (AFS): A Resource for Fitness Professionals

Small studio owners, as well as fitness professionals who are thinking about opening their own studios, have a new source of support in the industry—the Association of Fitness Studios (AFS). As Brad Elson, co-founder and CEO, explains in this interview, AFS was created to “help fitness professionals become even greater business owners.” Read on to learn how you can tap the resources of this exciting new organization.

For more business resources, please check out our Fitnovatives blog or Online Business Courses.