How a Broadway Actor Conquered NYC Fitness with His Colorful Approach, and What Gym OwnersCan Learn from Him.

The Optimal Aging Podcast

Mark Fisher didn’t set out to become a personal trainer or to run a successful gym in New York.

He wanted to be an actor, and was making a pretty good go of things when he stumbled into personal training – mostly for his actor friends at the start.

But before long, things took off and he opened Mark Fisher Fitness near the theater district as a special place for folks who typically don’t like the gym. There’s a big emphasis on fun, goofiness, irreverence, and all the other zany aspects that appeal to some who appreciate a certain flair.

Mark wasn’t trying to be everything to everybody. He knew his target audience. He knew his community. And he used email content to develop his business. It’s been going strong for more than a decade now, serving lots of non-theatrical people as well as actors. Mark has also moved into business consulting and is a frequent speaker at conferences.

I found a ton of similarities between how Mark built his gym and how fitness pros helping people over 50 can do the same. And, in fact, after we set up this interview, Mark and Alloy Personal Fitness announced plans to open a new location in New Jersey sometime in the coming months – aimed at our over-50 market, like the other locations in Rick Mayo’s growing Alloy universe.

Mark’s a smart, fun guy, and I know you’ll get a lot out of hearing his success story. We’re going to dip into it right as he was finding his way as a trainer.
Highlights
3:25 -- Developing a niche
6:40 -- Good training plus madness and shenanigans
13:00 -- 'I want joy and confusion'
19:45 -- Know and serve your community
23:55 -- 'My desire to share information'
30:30 -- Email helpful information and you won't be annoying
Resources and Links

Mark Fisher Fitness

Business for Unicorns

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