Everyone has those moments when business is slumping. It could be due to seasonal slow times, economic changes, or unfortunate business decisions. Whatever the reason is, there is always a way to overcome these challenges. ExerciseJobs reached out to successful fitness professionals who have seen their fair share of ups and downs. Here are their tips on Survive and Thrive: How to Get Out of Tough Times in the Fitness Industry. 

• Ask “How Can I Serve?” “Challenges come even when you love your work. What helps me most when I am faced with a difficult client, a non-cooperative coworker, or just a bad day at work is to refocus on serving my clients. Asking “How can I serve?"has made the bad days bearable and the good days even better.” - John Holley, NASM PES, ACE FNS, Author of multiple books, Personal Trainer, and Health Food Enthusiast. 

• Revamp Your Business Model During Slow Times. “One thing I consistently struggle with as a fitness entrepreneur is the decline in business around the holidays, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas. Typically, clients either don't have the finances for training or they are going on vacation for weeks, which means less sessions. My top tip for overcoming this challenge is to use your rapport with existing clients to endorse additional sessions around their vacation to "make up" for the time they are gone so that they have a better chance for success when it comes time for New Year's resolutions. As far as potential clients, no one wants to buy a trainer around the holidays, but I've found it productive to propose the idea of buying sessions for family or friends as a Christmas gift, which could put you in an awesome position for setting up a thriving business when the new year begins.” - Destini Moody, RDN, CPT, Sports Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer.

• Communication is Key. “Often problems at work are based on a lack of direct, yet, cordial communication. Usually, once you have that conversation with the parties involved, there will be some clear-cut decisions that can be made because everyone knows where they stand at that point. Without the communication, the challenging aspect of it becomes even harder to deal with on a daily basis. Communication is really important to see what the best options you have are after that.” Darian Parker, PhD, NSCA-CPT, co-founder of Epic Leisure Management. 

• Access, Analyze, and Go For A Run. “Make a list. Name one challenge at a time. Research new and better ways of doing things. Then educate yourself to overcome the situation. Step away from the challenge and then revisit it when your mind is clearer. Embrace the challenge with strategies. Explore ways to overcome the barriers through careful planning. Last of all, stop worrying about it and go for a run.” Lisa Felder, Ultra Runner and Coach and Pinkathon (Breast Cancer) Race Director. 

For additional related articles, check out: 

How To Stick To Your New Year’s Fitness Job Goals

5 Fitness Business Marketing Tips from Successful Entrepreneurs

Insider’s Guide to Being a Successful Personal Trainer

10 Ways To Work With Challenging Clients

Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN, is a Registered Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist specializing in Weight Management and Sports Nutrition for youth and adults. She writes articles for multiple publications, provides customized nutrition coaching, and is a brand spokesperson. She is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta.Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.