Serious Training for Everyday People with Sean Armstead of Phenomenal Fitness

Ep 148: Serious Training for Everyday People with Sean Armstead of Phenomenal Fitness Part of noseyAF's 31 Days of Black Business series 🖤 He trained 33 people last Saturday. Starting at 4 in the morning. Sean Armstead is a former Marine Corps infantry officer who served in the Persian Gulf, and he's been running Phenomenal Fitness since 1997. The slogan hasn't changed in almost thirty years: serious training for everyday people. His whole book of business comes from referrals. He calls it old money. What We Talk About Successful aging, what it actually means, and why he's training you for the body you'll have at 70 rather than the one you had at 25 The five pillars: structural integrity, movement skill, work capacity, body composition, and power What it's really like your first day, and why he says if you get sick twenty minutes in, that's the trainer's fault The unexpected turn: he started with no certification, no business background, and no idea what he was doing. A mentor kept telling him to burn the ship. If you love a conversation with somebody who's been doing it long enough to know, this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:13 - Reflecting on the Black Business Series 04:49 - Building a Team: Lessons from 30 Years in Business 12:35 - Transitioning to Entrepreneurship 17:52 - Understanding Fitness and Aging 38:01 - Engaging Clients: The Importance of Retention and Revenue 44:47 - Building a Sustainable Business Model All about Sean Armstead You're gonna love Sean. He's a former Marine Corps infantry officer turned strength and conditioning coach who describes himself as a triple threat leader: know the way, go the way, show the way. He founded Phenomenal Fitness in 1997 and has been a brick and mortar gym owner since 1999, operating out of the South Loop. His model is semi-private training, which keeps sessions around $50 rather than the $120 to $130 that private training typically runs. He writes his first name in lowercase to remind himself of humility and gratitude. Things We Mentioned Phenomenal Fitness, South Loop Chicago → new website coming, with free exercise and programming content Serious training for everyday people, the slogan since 1997 The five pillars: structural integrity, movement skill, work capacity, body composition, power The four principles: mindset, muscle, metcon, modification of lifestyle Semi-private training, averaging $50 a session This series is supported by Off the Grid, a podcast for small business owners who want to leave social media without losing their clients. Find them at offthegrid.fun 🖤 Connect with Phenomenal Fitness Website IG: @phenomenalfit1 Stay Connected 📬 Get the noseyAF Dispatch → Subscribe here 🏡 Grab the Good Neighbor Playbook → Download it free More ways to connect Email: [email protected] Follow on IG: @stephaniegraham Listen to more episodes: noseyaf.com Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported; thank you for being here. 💛🫶🏾 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Stephanie Graham Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick