Start a Business
How to Start a Weight Loss & Control Consultants Business
Want to become your own boss? Perhaps it's the right moment to start a weight loss and control consultants business. Your business will have its own unique requirements and particulars, but these startup truisms are timeless.
Thinking about opening a weight loss and control consultants business? We tell you what you need to know to get started.
First Steps in Weight Loss & Control Consulting
According to statistics cited by the American Heart Association, there are currently more than 145 million Americans (age 20 and older) who are overweight or obese. Motivated by shockingly high obesity rates and their own personal commitments, many health-conscious entrepreneurs set out to become professional weight loss consultants.
But personal experience and a desire to help others lead healthier lives isn't enough to qualify you as a weight loss consultant. The field of weight loss and control is a specialized part of the fitness industry that requires skills and expertise. In the wrong hands, weight loss coaching and consulting can have lethal consequences for dieters.
The first step in your journey to become a weight loss and control consultant is to education. Individuals with degrees in nutrition, health and/or fitness are prime weight management coaching candidates. At a minimum, consultants should pursue certification through ACE (American Council on Exercise) or similarly reputable organizations.
Transitioning from Weight Loss Consultant to Consulting Business Owner
There's a big difference between being a weight loss consultant and owning a weight loss consulting firm. If your business is successful, you may discover that you aren't able to spend as much time working with clients as you did when you were just a consultant.
Instead, you'll need to devote a good share of your energy to hiring qualified consultants, marketing your business to prospective clients, executing a public relations campaign, and countless other jobs that are all part of small business ownership.
Although it may be tempting to neglect the business side in favor of client work, do so at your startup's peril! Without a strong leader at the helm, your consulting firm will have little chance of achieving long-term success and profitability.
Growth Strategies for Weight Loss & Control Consulting Firms
It's inevitable that at some point you will want to create and execute a growth strategy for your weight loss consulting business. But what many entrepreneurs fail to realize is that the foundations for growth are laid during the startup phase, when the business is most capable of adjusting its approach to the demands of the marketplace.
Although you will probably need to modify your growth strategy as your business matures, it's helpful to identify a framework for growth in your startup business plan. Based on your goals and circumstances, you may want to pursue growth through geographic expansion, additional services, deeper market penetration or other proven strategies.
Characteristics of a Good Weight Loss & Control Consultants Company Business Plan
Your weight loss and control consultants company's business plan should be tailored to your business's unique traits and goals. But if it's done right, your weight loss and control consultants business's plan should contain a handful of sound business plan elements:
- Mission Statement � Your description of your weight loss and control consultants business's reason for existing.
- Goals & Objectives � A list of mile markers on your weight loss and control consultants business's road to success.
- Financial, Marketing & Action Plans � Each of these plans covers a specific aspect of your weight loss and control consultants business's strategy and direction.
Check Out Competitors
Well in advance of opening a weight loss and control consultants business in your area, it's worthwhile to determine how strong the competition is. We've provided the link below to help you get a list of local competitors nearby. Complete the form by entering your city, state and zip code to get a list of weight loss and control consultants businesses that are close by.
Gain a knowledge of how existing firms have positioned themselves in the marketplace, and then design your business in a way that sets you apart from the others.
Getting Advice from Experienced Entrepreneurs
Once you've finished assessing the competion, the next step is to have a conversation with someone who is in the business. Local competitors are not going to give you the time of day, mind you. What's in it for them?
On the other hand, an individual who has a weight loss and control consultants business outside of your community may be more than happy to give you a few tips, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. Indeed, many experienced entrepreneurs enjoy offering advice to startup entrepreneurs. In my experience, you may have to call ten business owners in order to find one who is willing to share his wisdom with you.
How do you locate somebody who runs a weight loss and control consultants business in a different locale who can assist you?
It's easy. Here's a link you can use to find a mentor outside of your area.
Top Three Reasons to Buy an Established Weight Loss & Control Consultants Business
It's almost always preferable to buy a weight loss and control consultants business than to pursue a weight loss and control consultants business startup.
You'll want to conduct a comprehensive due diligence process, but here are three arguments why you should think about buying instead of a startup.
- Initial Revenue. With a business purchase, you'll have the ability to buy a company that is already operating in the black.
- Operational Efficiency. A good weight loss and control consultants business should already function like a well-oiled machine.
- Capital Acquisition. Lenders, investors and other funding sources almost always prefer business purchases to startups.
Franchising May Be a Better Way to Go
Buying a franchise means you benefit from feedback and ideas from other franchisees and get strong support from the home office.
Before opening a weight loss and control consultants business, you ought to check out whether purchasing a franchise might help you avoid common entrepreneurial mistakes.
The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.
Related Articles on Starting a Company
These additional resources regarding starting a business may be of interest to you.
Consideration Before Buying a Franchise
Buying vs. Starting a Business
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