Over a decade ago, I embarked on a journey of starting an endurance coaching company. I had recently resigned from my position as a high school teacher and knew that I wanted to combine three things that I valued deeply: flexibility in raising my daughter, teaching others, and my passion for endurance sports.
Launching my coaching business wasn’t easy, and I learned many lessons along the way. What started as a way to earn a little extra Target money turned into my full-time job and a career I love.
Here’s how I started, the mistakes I learned from, and the principles I follow that keep my company growing.
Humble Beginnings
My endurance sports journey and my teaching career coincided perfectly. Both began in my early 20s, and I appreciated how much marathon training balanced out my long days in the classroom.
It wasn’t long before I entered the multisport world. My love for spin class led me to a road bike, and shortly after that, I joined the local YMCA sprint triathlon.
The choice to start my business, Evolve Coaching Systems, seemed like an obvious way to combine my love for endurance sports, education, and helping others. On January 1st, 2014, I launched my little company armed with a Gmail address and the hope of landing 10 athletes.
By the end of the day, I had met my quota (thanks to my previous involvement in the local triathlon club and marketing through my social media platforms). I was excited to officially start coaching.
First Lesson Learned
Looking back, I had made a mistake before even beginning. I quipped to a friend that my goal with coaching was to earn a little extra money to fund my Target habit.
Now very obvious, the mistake was that I assumed coaching would only occupy a small portion of my time. But as often is the case in life and racing, hindsight is 20/20.
In less than a month, it was clear.
If I wanted to coach correctly and create a sustainable business, I needed to dedicate far more than just a few hours a week.
After a decade, I am proud to run a company that coaches more than 100 athletes. We employ nine assistant coaches and have helped hundreds of athletes at all levels achieve their goals.
I equate the success of Evolve Coaching Systems to four founding principles.
4 Coaching Principles That Guide My Business
Establishing these four principles shaped my business and continues to help Evolve grow. I believe having a core understanding of your values and sticking to them are paramount to your success.
Your business might have different values, but knowing what they are and sticking to them is what’s important.
1. Never Waiver From Your Founding Values
At Evolve, we believe this principle is the foundation upon which success is built and demands the most attention.
If you are reading this and you don’t know what your founding values are, then I suggest you start there.
Some values we adhere to at Evolve include:
- Individual plans tailored to each athlete.
This is important to consider. How do you view coaching? Do you want to create individualized plans for each athlete, or deliver a more scalable product to reach a larger audience?
The former will likely require more staff, premium TrainingPeaks accounts, and/or a limited roster, while the latter might not appeal to every individual’s schedule or goals.
- Guidance that focuses on best practices.
With an endless stream of how-to videos, social media posts, and just a general information overload, it’s often hard for athletes to know what they need.
Staying abreast of current research is at the heart of a coach’s responsibilities. We owe it to our athletes to constantly learn and strive for excellence in our practices.
2. Mentors Are Invaluable
Establishing a mentee/mentor relationship from the onset can reduce stress, provide a fast track to knowledge, and create a supportive environment.
A 2023 Forbes article suggests that “establishing a mentorship relationship can provide mentees with immense advantages, such as new knowledge, expanded networks, and the ability to advance their career.”
This seems like an obvious need. After all, we want our athletes to find value in a coach, so we should seek value from a more experienced mentor, too. Finding mentors as endurance coaches is invaluable. But perhaps even more so, seeking out business mentors is paramount to growth.
When you wear too many hats, it reduces the amount of time and energy you can give to your athletes. A business mentor can help you determine what tasks to delegate so that you can focus on higher-priority action items.
3. Community Is Everything
Humans need community. Think back to your high school days: you probably recall moments together with friends, whether it was on a sports team or as a member of another group.
While thankfully high school doesn’t last forever, our need for community does. This need for connection draws many age groupers into endurance sports.
For In-Person Athletes
There are numerous ways to establish community when starting a coaching group.
The most obvious is routine in-person meet-ups tailored to your clientele. However, having a group ride where athletes are riding at varied paces may not make sense.
I found that creating a looped course allows athletes to cheer one another on and achieve their own workout goals while still working together.
For Online Athletes
Establishing virtual activities is a great way to cultivate community for your online athletes. The training plan feature in TrainingPeaks is really helpful for this. On the plan, we create notes inviting our athletes to weekly Zwift rides, Zoom meetings, and more.
For example:
Team races and annual training camps are another great way to create long-lasting relationships among athletes who might otherwise not have the chance to meet.
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve witnessed friendships form and even a marriage come out of the Evolve community.
While we can’t guarantee that our athletes will find love, we can create an environment that unites athletes who share the same values and goals. And if they are extra lucky, some may even share many happy years to come.
4. Systems Allow for Growth
Growing a successful coaching business requires repeatable practices and policies. If your goal is to expand your business, it’s essential to establish systems to streamline the processes. At Evolve, we have numerous systems from onboarding an athlete to weekly and monthly expectations.
One system we are proud of is the development of a new coach. We want to make sure they align with our core values and prepare them to take on athletes. So, we offer an internship for all new coaches. This helps them gain the certifications and knowledge they need to help athletes reach their potential.
The ability to shadow and learn assists in shaping a new coach into a confident coach.
Successful systems provide support and deliver clear goals for your employees. Remember, when your brand delivers prepared, reliant coaches, organic growth comes naturally.
Take Away
Athletes have many choices when choosing a coaching group or training plan. This is why it’s crucial to understand what sets your company apart.
If you know this before signing your first client, you’ll attract the kind of athletes that match your values.
As is in sports and life, preparation equals success.
