Recently, I was interviewed for a four-part podcast series with Jason Leenaarts of Revolution Fitness + Therapy. In this first installment, I had the pleasure of sharing some of my thoughts on entrepreneurship and getting started as an online fitness coach.
My online coaching career was born while I was a senior in college, still naive to the anxieties many entrepreneurs seem to harbor. I share in our discussion how I began taking imperfect action, plowing ahead and laying the foundation for the business I have today. I‘ve learned basic skills an online trainer needs to have, such as building training programs that actually make sense and setting expectations for client communication.
We also talk about how I’ve created a professional, consistent social media presence, sharing content that has helped my clients and the public at large. I am a hardcore advocate for having an original voice, giving credit where it’s due, and marketing in a way that aligns with my values.
Check out this episode for a no B.S. look at setting up an online coaching business.
Revolutionary You! #309-Sohee Lee: Getting Started With Online Coaching (1 of 4)
- 1:30 – What I’ve been up to the past 4 years
- 4:28 – Transitioning to online training
- 7:50 – How coach-client communication differs online versus in person
- 13:41 – How frequently a coach should communicate with their clients
- 17:57 – How to market online coaching in a way that feels good
- 22:55 – Where someone should start in growing their following and business when concerned about making money
- 27:48 – Tips for setting up your social media to curate your brand
- 32:25 – Why it’s important to have an original voice as an online trainer
- 37:54 – Consistently executing without getting caught up in developing perfect systems
- 41:29 – Having a growth mindset as an entrepreneur
- 43:20 – What I love about being my own boss
Ten to fifteen years ago, content creation was all writing long form blog posts.That’s where I started in 2011, releasing a new article each week. In this second installment of Jason Leenaarts podcast series, I lay out how I have transitioned from these 1000 word essays (essentially) to the 2200 character limit in Instagram captions to continue to build the reputation of my brand.
Through the years I have consistently increased the frequency of my Instagram posts, sharing intentional content that sends out messages I want to be known for. I’ve been careful not to jump on every trend that appears in social media, but have instead sat back and tried out the ones I thought I might enjoy. I’ve built momentum that I can manage to avoid burnout while more authentically sharing my personality in my posts.
Dig in to this episode to hear more of my tips about creating social media content.
Revolutionary You! #310-Sohee Lee: Content Creation For Coaches (2 of 4)
- 1:19 – A look at the media I have used to create content
- 4:30 – Some thoughts on repeating the same message in multiple forms
- 8:13 – When to know when it’s time to step back from a certain type of media
- 9:52 – Consistency in posting
- 11:14 – Structuring and planning topics
- 12:40 – How much of my content is outsourced
- 16:40 – Content style, methods, and platforms
- 22:04 – How I have fun on social media and let my personality shine through
- 24:18 – The consequences of plagiarism and how to avoid plagiarizing
- 26:13 – How much to engage with your audience
- 28:49 – Using social media ads
- 30:51 – Patience and consistency in content creation
- 36:45 – It’s okay to be yourself on social media
In this third iteration of my interview by Jason Leenaarts, we turn our conversation in the direction of the basics of effective dieting. How much knowledge is enough to get started in making dietary changes? We discuss this and the role of a coach in educating a client to avoid underreporting calories.
While white-knuckling is the most common approach to dieting, I have clients focus on incorporating manageable habits that create long-lasting change. I point out in the interview the importance of creating an environment that makes healthy choices easier and splurging less optimal – from building a support system at home to incorporating a more flexible weekday dieting approach. We also touch on creating an abundance mindset even during dieting and how to avoid the comparison game with our calories and our bodies.
This episode will have you re-evaluating your reliance on willpower in dieting.
Revolutionary You! #311-Sohee Lee: Diet Troubleshooting (3 of 4)
- 1:18 – The point when the knowledge you have is enough to enact change
- 4:30 – Applying nutrition knowledge to clients and managing expectations
- 8:49 – Addressing client assumptions about nutrition and calories
- 10:11 – Underreporting calories
- 12:27 – How to undo a deficit with excess weekend calories
- 17:20 – Building in more flexibility in weekday food choices
- 20:20 – Relying less on will-power on a diet
- 21:23 – How to foster a support system at home
- 24:10 – Learning to move away from a scarcity mindset and toward an abundance mindset when dieting
- 28:07 – When it’s time for a maintenance phase
- 32:00 – The calorie comparison game
- 38:26 – The influence of environment on your diet
In this final section of my podcast series with Jason Leenaarts, we dig into diet culture.
The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States alone, and much of our society’s contribution to that number stems from the constant messaging we receive from the media, our family, and others close to us – thinner is better. In this episode Jason and I discuss the anti-diet movement and how health at every size has been widely misunderstood.
I also get into how I straddle the diet culture middle ground – by providing science-backed support as a coach to clients who want to lose fat while teaching them how to take care of their physical and mental health first. I believe it’s vital that everyone in the fitness industry better understand how their messaging can make a huge impact on the well-being of their clients.
To get started learning what that message should sound like, listen to this episode.
Revolutionary You! #312-Sohee Lee: Diet Culture Vs. Anti-Diet Culture (4 of 4)
- 0:34 – Intro to diet culture
- 5:02 – The anti-diet movement
- 8:33 – How I straddle the middle ground
- 11:21 – How a person’s passing comments can alter another’s view of their body
- 16:20 – The ramifications of complimenting a person’s body
- 19:13 – Addressing the root of a person’s “need” to lose fat
- 21:00 – Food guilt
- 24:55 – Underlying factors that complicate fat loss
- 31:54 – Messages about diet culture from childhood
- 34:08 – Coaches aren’t trained to be therapists
- 35:38 – Spreading the right message as a coach
