^ My photo from when I worked at Inner Strength Bootcamp ^

You may be thinking of starting your own bootcamp (or other form of registered program) or you may be in the midst of one already. Either way, here are some best practices to think about in order to make the most out of your business:

First, the Don’ts:

1. Don’t stay outside forever.
   Unless you live in a perfect climate, have a plan to move inside eventually. The weather will eventually get cold in the winter (unless you live in San Diego), bugs will be out in the summer, people will want showers before they go to work, etc. Outside is a great way to launch your business and keep starting costs low, but have a plan to eventually move in. You can still head outside on nice days as a treat!
2. Don’t get aggressively territorial.
   You’re not the first person in the world to come up with the idea of running a bootcamp in a park. Try to find a space that somebody isn’t already in (don’t be a jerk and set up next to one that’s already going). If somebody encroaches on your space or you have an issue with another professional, sit down and have an adult conversation. Remember: There’s enough business to go around.
3. Don’t be such a hard-ass that people get injured/sick.
   The days of “no pain, no gain” are over. If you’re in this business to help people, they should be getting better, not worse. Injuring clients is awful and shows an extreme lack of knowledge and professionalism. Also, you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot – negative press travels faster than positive.
4. Don’t make a mess of the scenery if you’re in a park.
   It’s great to use a beautiful outdoor space for your workouts, but trampling on flowers isn’t cool. Neither is ruining the grass or leaving trash in the park. Respect the land you’re on as well as the other people that may be around utilizing the area.
5. Don’t try to be everything.
   Pick a focus/niche and stick with it. You don’t have to be bootcamp, and cycling, and tai chi, and pilates.

And now for the Do’s:

1. Cover your bases.
   If you want to be taken seriously, you need to take your business seriously. You’d better act like a professional. Have a waiver no matter what. If you’re outside in the park, make sure you have the proper permits to operate a business on public/private land. If you’re inside, check the floors/walls to make sure slamming med balls or sand bags isn’t going to damage anything (I made that mistake once). And make sure you’re not disturbing anybody nearby. Whether you’re indoors or out, nearby people or businesses don’t want to hear you. Most people go to the park or beach to chill. Neighboring tenants don’t want to hear your yelling and playlist while they’re trying to conduct meetings during business hours. Think about noise when choosing your location.
2. Think outside the box. 
   There are only so many bench dips, step ups, squat jumps, and push-ups people can do before they get bored. Be creative with your programming.
3. Keep in mind a certain comfort level for your peeps.
   I’m not saying people are going to be super high maintenance, but nearby bathrooms are a good idea, well-lit areas with ample parking make people feel safe, and nobody wants a rash from having to lie on chemically treated grass.
4. Have a back-up plan. You’ll eventually need one. 
   A: If your bootcamp is outside and it rains, have a nearby shelter or indoor location ready to go… as well as a way to communicate the plan to all your clients ASAP.
   B: If there’s bad weather (e.g. a snow day for everybody’s kids) or an instructor has an emergency and you need to cancel class altogether, what will you do? How will you notify your peeps? Make sure they know what to do and how to get this information at the last minute.

Want More Info?

I’ve been there! I’ve worked for several awesome bootcamp companies and I ran my own successful bootcamp for years. I’m sharing some of what I learned in this free webinar with some helpful information about running your bootcamp!

Sign Up To Watch It Here: