We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dylan Dessert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dylan below.
Dylan, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
When I first started my journey I was working with folks for free. It was a means of dipping my toes in the water, and seeing if fitness coaching was truly something I wanted to pursue. One of my very first “clients” I ever worked with made me realize that this was my calling. He was lost in life, had no direction, was struggling with depression and substance abuse. Our journey together was by far my greatest success, and I strive for that level of excellence everyday. Through the months of developing our relationship he opened up to me about his struggles. I patiently listened and offered support.
As the journey continued I saw him change, not just physically, but mentally. No longer did I see confusion and uncertainty in his eyes, I saw hope and a hunger for more. Through him I realized that I can offer more than just counting reps and planning workouts. I can facilitate a life changing journey. The lessons learned through fitness apply to all aspects of life. Discipline, delayed gratification, and relentless effort are lessons that will only bring purpose and fulfillment. Towards then end of our journey, he decided to go back to school and get his masters. He is now pursuing fitness coaching himself, along side his supportive wife and two daughters. Every time I see him, it is a reminder of who I can be. A reminder of my purpose. He gave me the push I needed to pursue my coaching business. For he opened my eyes to what I could be.
The advice I give to everyone who is interested in entrepreneurship is to start now. Start small, but get started. Your initial business plan is going to change, but the sooner you start the sooner you’ll figure out just what it is you wish to pursue. The experiences you’ll have early on will either dissuade or encourage you towards a certain path. Both are valuable.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Dylan Dessert, I am an online fitness coach. I have been writing programs and coaching for about a decade now. I’ve officially been in business for 3 years, so I’m still a rookie so to speak haha. I’m sure many are wondering what’s the difference between a coach and a personal trainer. The difference? Education. A personal trainer will count your reps and plan workouts for you. A coach will teach you how to use the tools at your disposal to achieve your goals long after you’ve stopped working with them. My main focus with my clients is educating them on what to do and why. Of course, with that comes a workout program and guidance on nutrition and lifestyle changes. However, the end goal is to prepare them to be self sufficient, and ensure that when we stop working together they continue their fitness journey.
I got into this line of work because people kept asking me for help and I couldn’t say no. The very first people I coached simply asked if I would and I said yes. I’ve always had a passion for strength sports and would consume as much information as I could about powerlifting and strongman. Fortunately, both sports are full of passionate nerds so there was a ton of free information on the internet. I read, watched, and listened to men like Alan Thrall and Dave Tate religiously. Standing upon the shoulders of giants, I took what I learned to college and got my bachelors in exercise science with a minor in Pre-physical therapy.
Originally, I was wanting to pursue a career in physical therapy. Although I’d be lying if I said a major deciding factor wasn’t that I could learn how to be stronger myself through exercise science. What dissuaded me from physical therapy where my experiences in clinics. Physical therapy is focused on just getting people from point A to B. From a total hip replacement to walking unassisted. The focus is on getting patients to a point in which they can perform basic tasks of daily living. While I have great respect for the work these therapists do, I do think that it is an incomplete model. Many patients who came in never changed the daily habits that brought them into the clinic in the first place, as such they would find themselves back in therapy over and over again. I want to treat the cause, not the symptoms. This desire lead me to pursue my own path, outside of the constraints of the clinic. A path in which I address every possible barrier standing between the individual and the life that they want.
The biggest thing that I think sets me apart from others, is my focus on the human being in front of me. A lesson I learned from listening to JM Blakley. I think fitness professionals get wrapped up far to often in the nuts and bolts. What progression models are most effective? What exercises are best for growing your pecs? Determining the best frequency and volume, ect. What is missed amongst all these debates and meta-analyses is the human being standing in front of you. Their mental state, their struggles, and most importantly why their goal is important to them in the first place. You can not effectively help someone in this industry without first understanding them on an intimate level. My approach to fitness is simple, first I work to understand my client. Then together, we build a lifestyle that will get them to their goal and will ensure that they can achieve future goals.
I take great pride in facilitating this journey, and watching people gain the confidence and drive to pursue life whole-heartedly. Fitness can be an incredibly powerful tool if used appropriately. The lessons to be learned are far reaching and empowering.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
The best piece of advice I have ever heard was “listen to your clients”. It is easy to get tied up trying to figure out how to run and grow a successful business. Guru’s and con-men who promise they can teach you how to become millionaire tomorrow are a dime a dozen now days. Your clients on the other hand, are the greatest resource and teachers you’ll ever have. You’re clients will tell you exactly what you need to do to provide a great service or product. If you invest time and effort into developing rapport with your clients, they will in turn be invested in you. They will provide honest feedback, which will alert you to problems in your business before they cause you to crash and burn. They will also want to see you succeed, and share ideas about how you can grow. Some of the best things I’ve implemented in my business were ideas from my clients. Invest in your community, and the community will be invested in you.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
First things first, as a small business your reputation will make or break you. In my industry, your personal reputation is paramount. Afterall, I’m selling my knowledge and experience. I’m selling myself. I go through great lengths to help as many people as possible and provide great experiences for anyone who comes to me for help. Even if it ends up losing me some money. I can make money, but earning trust takes time and constant effort. If someone asks me a question about fitness in the gym, I stop what I’m doing and give them the best possible answer I have. If someone isn’t interested in coaching, but just wants a program to follow. I’ll send them one of the free ones I keep on hand. If someone has a very specific problem they need help with, I’ll hop on a zoom call and help them through it. I’ve also started giving out free shirts. In general, I aim to provide more than anyone could have ever asked for in every interaction I have. As people continue to have these great experiences interacting with you they will become walking talking billboards for you. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mdt-strength.com
- Instagram: mdt_strength
- Facebook: Dylan Dessert
Image Credits
Lindsey Velotta