1 Being on time. Let’s take our online service. We’ve conservatively run atleast 5000 hours of group classes. We’ve had a late start during 2 hours online. Once when I forgot I had to coach our European batch at 11 am on Thursday in 2024. I started that session 6 minutes late. Another time, when we had to reset our password in 2021. We started it 13 minutes late. 

We have had a late start once for our in person sessions. I started a 6 am session at 6:06 am in 2017. 

Being on time while crucial for a gym that runs batches also tells someone that you value their time. 

This might seem elementary. But i think it is underrated. 

2 Taking pride in being a well maintained gym. Stainless steel is rust resistant not rust proof. Even our nine year old squat racks and ten year old trap bars shine like they are a few weeks old. 

Patina or wear and tear is a normal, natural and admirable quality of gym equipment. But corrosion reduces the useful life of equipment and unsafe to use. A little WD40 and an appropriate scour pad can go a long way. If you have painted surfaces, a fresh coat once in 6 months and wipe down every day is a necessity. 

3 Taking pride in the job and being able to talk about it. I am not a content creator. I coach people and help them pick the most useful exercises to do for 3-6 hours a week. I make equipment. I run a gym. And I write about these things that I do. And I take pride in my work. It fills me with joy that clients pay me to build and run a gym. And I would have probably wanted to build a gym for my personal use (I built my first bit of equipment in 2008). People respect you more if they think you take pride and enjoy your work. 

The way I see if the CEO of Proctor and Gamble that sells toothpaste, detergent, soap and razors is revered, the chap who’s helping someone be healthier, live longer and move better deserves just as much if not more reverence. And reverence and respect needs to demanded from society. 

4 No quick bucks. And being clear about doing the job you were paid to do. We don’t sell supplements. We don’t have premium batches. We charge our overseas clients the same amount we charge our domestic clients. You pay us for the month and duration that you train. It’s that simple. No discounts. My rent and salaries don’t change for new years or Diwali. 

There is a whole cottage industry of behavioural psychologists who needlessly make consumers seem more complicated than they are. Our charge is 7250 not 6999. We don’t contrive scarcity of slots. Or tell people an offer will expire. We tell people what we do and how much we charge, show them our service and let them decide if there is value in it. 

5 Always asking ‘Is there a better way to do this?’ . Equipment, coaching, cueing, conditioning, exercise selection, foam padding. Every detail deserves scrutiny and questioning. Scrutinise, iterate, improve, implement and repeat.