Just Jump: The No-Fear Business Start-up Guide for Health and Fitness Professionals

Just Jump is a business start-up guide written specifically for health and fitness professionals. It speaks in a language they understand, minimizing business jargon and includes real-life examples they relate to. It includes a series of exercises to move the reader from the investigative stage to actually earning an income. However, even before getting to the business plan and marketing plan, the reader is challenged to identify their big vision, clarify who their ideal client will be and discover what makes them unique. The reader is then led through the process of learning how to tell people what they do, in order to stimulate interest and generate business. Readers are also guided through how to start and grow a business when they don¿t have access to outside funding, and are provided with important tips and suggestions for how best to manage their time.

Only after these self-discovery steps are complete is the reader introduced to a simple business plan. Again using terms and examples they can understand, the reader is led through the process of writing their business plan. It helps them identify goals and objectives for the company, from start-up, through growth and eventually how to end the company or their involvement in it. All of these steps are critical in order to prepare for all possibilities. Examples include different growth scenarios, from no growth to unexpected incredible growth. Companies go out of business because of unexpected growth just as often as from lack of business, so the entrepreneur must be prepared for all scenarios. It is also important for them to identify what services they want to offer, both immediately and in 3-5-10 years from now. This helps them prioritize. They must also determine how to exit the company, as this determines such things as business structure and who else is brought into the company.

The reader is then walked through the marketing plan, which spells out how to accomplish their goals and objectives listed in the business plan. Health professionals will enjoy the specific examples and guidelines used to help them choose strategies and write out their action plans. The marketing calendar is a tool the reader can use to organize all of the action steps, so when their head hits the pillow, they can sleep at night, secure in the knowledge that all the phone calls and items on their 'to do¿ list are written down and organized for when they must be accomplished. The book ends with a chapter discussing the importance of balance in life. Not all of life is the business; it¿s important to incorporate balance and relaxation into life.

Just Jump is unique in that it addresses self-discovery and introspection and business planning as a whole, not as two separate parts. It speaks in a language the target audience can understand and eases them into the whole business planning process without making them feel intimidated and out of their element. It also addresses common fears, and how to face them, as it¿s quite common to quit when hit with the reality of creating a dream.