**Post by my husband Nick**
I was as skeptical as it gets when it comes to Beachbody Coaching.
I have an MBA in Entrepreneurship. I have started and ran five different companies myself – a videography and photography company (Long Hill Productions), a skiing lifestyle website (AlpineZone), a web design company (Guiding Light Productions, Inc.), a real estate software company (Short Sale Artisan) and a mobile payments startup (TotalTab).
When Kathi told me she wanted to become a health and fitness coach with Team Beachbody, I think I legitimately snorted water out of my nose. The very first words that, as a reflex, flew out of my mouth were “Pyramid Scheme”. However, I was curious about what was involved; and the reason I was curious was because I knew about and had great success with P90X in the past. So, I started researching it (I am horribly thorough when it comes to learning about things!). I read the compensation plan (yes, the entire thing!). I started finding other coaches who were having success and learned what they did to succeed. And I ultimately learned that success is not a roll of the dice, like I had believed it was. It’s a legitimate business JUST LIKE any of the four that I run; where you get out of it; what you put into it.
After three months of back and forth with Kathi about it, she decided to give it a shot in June of 2014. We were out of options, really. She had been home with our kids for a little over 2 years and we were living off of just one income at the time, and it wasn’t sustainable – we weren’t making ends meet. We went through our savings, and then started going into the red on credit card debt. Each month, a little deeper. Even with all the businesses I had going, I couldn’t keep up with our expenses. We were heartbroken about it but Kathi was going to have to go back to work.
Well, I can honestly say that little decision to “give it a shot” has changed our lives in 13 months in more ways than I can explain. But here are a few:
- First and foremost, Kathi is able to continue staying home with our kids
- Both of us have gotten into the best shapes of our entire lives. Yes, ever!
- Kathi has exceeded her salary as a 2nd grade teacher in May of this year and now out-earns me
- We have paid off all of that debt that we had accumulated!
- We have become better parents and a better couple. Which is strange to me because I already had high marks in my head for us, but somehow it seems to improve almost daily!
- For the first time in a long time, we are focused on the future again! It’s so easy to have kids and then get into a routine; and then justify letting go of things you dreamed about before because you don’t have time, or it’s not possible now, or I’m too old, or whatever.
It all started with a shift in thinking. A crack in my (admittedly stubborn) mind to just learn more about it. Worst case scenario is I do P90X3 and get into great shape again, right?
Is it for everyone? NO, it’s not. It requires you to be self driven & self motivated, like any other business. You have to do the work & grow as a person to succeed. But you won’t know if you don’t at least check it out. Send me a message and I’ll get you added in. Or just message me (ntreuter@gmail.com) – I’m an open book about all of this. Transparency was what helped me learn & believe in the business model and I’m happy to share that with anyone.
If you made it this far in this long post – (congrats!) I’ll close with this little thought.
It’s so easy to get older and get cynical. Cynical about work, cynical about your dreams. I hate to admit it but it was happening to me, even though I had told myself forEVER I would never let that happen. Today, I am the opposite of that cynical person. I feel passion & purpose that I had told myself was a relic based on the naivety of my younger years. And I can’t tell you how great it feels to connect with that again. I want everyone to feel that way, that passion for life. So find what makes you happy and run for it. If you have kids, run for it twice as fast, because they are watching. It doesn’t have to be Beachbody. Just don’t let your fire die, ever!
