Hiring the Right People (and What Happens When You Don’t)

What fitness business owners need to know about building the right team

One of the most common questions I get asked is:Who should I hire? When? And how do I know they’re the right fit?

This post won’t give you a magic shortcut. But it will help you avoid the biggest mistakes, especially if you’re feeling the staffing crunch like most of us are right now.

Why Hiring Feels So Hard (and What “Good to Great” Taught Me)

After reading Good to Great by Jim Collins, one message stuck with me:

The success of your business is not about motivating people — it’s about finding the right people, and getting them into the right seats.

Imagine your business is a bus. Each seat represents a role.

• If you’ve got great people in the wrong roles? You’ll feel friction.

• If you’ve got the wrong people on the bus at all? You’ll waste energy putting out fires.

In the book, a hiring team once asked:

“At what point do we compromise, just so we can fill a role?”The CEO answered:“We don’t compromise. We wait for the right person.”

Otherwise, you’re building a mediocre business from the inside out.

The Real Cost of Hiring the Wrong Person

Let’s be honest: most of us keep someone too long not because we’re kind — but because we’re avoiding the stress of replacing them.

You tell yourself:

• “It’s hard to find good people right now.”

• “They’re not great, but they show up.”

• “It’s better than doing it all myself.”

But here’s the truth:Keeping someone in the wrong role is stealing more than money — it’s stealing time.Theirs, yours, and the business’s.

If they’re not the right fit, you’re preventing them from finding their actual purpose.And you’re robbing your team of momentum and trust.

What to Look For Instead

Sometimes, the right person won’t have all the qualifications yet — but they’ll have:

• work ethic

• coachability

• alignment with your studio culture

• and a genuine love for the community

If that’s the case? Support their development.Promote from within. Train slowly. Build loyalty.

One of the Smartest Moves I’ve Made: Recruiting from My Own Community

Here’s a simple strategy that works:

• Host technique or programming workshops for your members

• Invite your experienced, curious lifters

• Teach skills like loading progression, warm-up sequencing, or prehab routines

You’ll quickly see who:

• shows up with energy

• asks great questions

• loves learning

That’s your potential pipeline.

They may not be ready now — but they could be your next amazing hire. And they already know your vibe, your clients, and your values.

Don’t Be Fooled: You’re Not “Being Nice” by Avoiding Hard Conversations

If you’re keeping someone around because you feel bad letting them go, ask yourself:

Is it kindness — or avoidance?

Holding someone in the wrong role isn’t just bad for business. It’s unethical.Time is more valuable than money. And you’re delaying their growth by keeping them stuck.

It’s your job to build a culture where the right people thrive — and where the wrong people are gently released to go find what’s right for them.

The Top Companies in the World? They Promote From Within.

According to Collins’ research, 90% of the top companies that achieved greatness in the last 100 years promoted from within.

Why?

• Internal hires understand the culture

• They’ve absorbed your systems by observation

• They care about the outcomes

• And they don’t require as much onboarding pressure

If you're always trying to slot in senior outsiders, it can create friction. They might know strategy — but they don’t know your people.

Need Help Creating a Long-Term Hiring Strategy?

We’ve trained and mentored hundreds of fitness professionals and allied health teams. If you want:

• Better staff

• Better systems

• A culture that scales sustainably

…then reach out. We’ve got programs, resources, and real talk.

Because helping you help more people?That’s a good day in my books.