💥 How to Recession-Proof Your Fitness Career (and Be the Lipstick, Not the Luxury)
- drsuzbaxter
- Mar 10, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 7

Let’s be honest:
The economy’s weird.
Clients are hesitant.
And a lot of personal trainers are wondering if they’ll make it through the next 6 months—let alone scale.
But here’s what most of them are missing:
The answer isn’t discounting. It’s depth.
If you want to stay in demand during a downturn, your skillset has to be sharp enough that people see you not as a splurge—but as strategic.
🔥 Want to know who survives recessions?
People who can solve higher-level problems
People who create sticky, retention-driven client experiences
People who know what to say and build when marketing gets hard
People who aren’t generic, templated, or 2 years behind in education
That’s why investing in your education isn’t a luxury—it’s a survival multiplier.
It’s also why some coaches actually grow during a recession while others quietly disappear.

EDUCATION ≠ THEORY
Let’s be precise.
Education isn’t about collecting badges.
It’s about becoming someone who can:
Explain why your clients aren’t getting stronger (and fix it)
Adapt a model mid-launch without falling apart
Command trust, because you actually understand biomechanics, behavior, and buying psychology—not just burpees
This isn’t “read more blogs.”
This is upgrade-your-brain-so-you-stop-sounding-like-everyone-else.
🎯 Real Talk: It’s Not About Trends. It’s About Transferability.
Yes, trends matter. But only if you can translate them into something sticky:
Can you build a small-group format that feels like magic?
Can you apply metabolic health principles to someone post-COVID, peri-menopausal, and stressed out of their mind?
Can you package your expertise in a way that makes people want to spend money with you—even when they’re budgeting elsewhere?
That’s what education unlocks.
Not info. Options.
🛠️ HOW TO INVEST IN YOURSELF WITHOUT WASTING YOUR MONEY:
Only pay for courses that help you make better decisions—not just follow steps.
Stack skills that increase client lifetime value, not just front-end leads.
Upgrade your critical thinking, your delivery systems, and your messaging. These are recession-proof skills.
Choose programs that teach you how to problem-solve—not just replicate. Replication dies when context changes. Adaptability doesn’t.
💄 Want to survive the downturn? Be the lipstick.
People still buy lipstick in recessions. Why?
Because it’s small, personal, and makes them feel powerful.
If your coaching feels like that?
They’ll find the money.
But if you feel like a bulky, hard-to-justify commitment?
You’ll get cut when budgets tighten.
Be the lipstick. Be the line item they protect.
That means:
Clear ROI in what you deliver
Human-first systems
Education that sharpens both your content and your delivery
🚀 TL;DR:
Investing in your education:
✅ Positions you as the expert
✅ Lets you charge premium rates
✅ Attracts aligned clients
✅ Future-proofs your business
✅ Turns “marketing panic” into “client pull”
If you want to train smarter, sell with substance, and build a career that doesn’t crumble every time the economy sneezes—
🧠 Invest in your brain.
💪 Invest in your method.
📈 Invest in the tools that make your clients stay longer, refer more, and respect your work.
Want help choosing the right pathway, not just another course?
Message me directly.
— Dr. Suz

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