We recently connected with Lisa Werth and have shared our conversation below.
Lisa, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My parents ingrained the importance of hard work and perseverance so consistently into my upbringing that I couldn’t even tell you when it started. I feel like it has been there since before I can even remember. They taught me that if I wanted anything in life – whether it be gaining a skill, getting an opportunity, or achieving a particular outcome – that I must work for it. No one is going to hand it to me, I have to earn it. In doing so, I learned the incredible impact that having a strong work ethic can have on one’s life. I learned to find enjoyment in the struggle as well as confidence that struggling would be worth it in the long run.
I’ve been an athlete my entire life. With that, comes wins and losses, excitement and disappointment, highs and lows. I don’t feel that I possessed any special talent, which I guess could be debated, but I achieved success in my sports by putting in the work. If I was cut from a team, they helped me see that I needed to work harder and improve my skillset. If my team lost, they helped me see what I did/didn’t do to contribute to that loss. If I made errors, they helped me see how I could improve for next time. I would practice ball handling for hours on end for fun. I would practice jump serving for fun. I would try different techniques for fun. You name it, I did it. Over time, this resulted in a higher quality skill set that achieved me a spot on a Division I Volleyball team — a dream of mine since I was a little girl. I can tell you with 100% certainty that if my parents hadn’t instilled a strong work ethic in me that I never would have achieved that dream.
This work ethic not only impacted my success in athletics, but has also impacted success in my career. This has set me apart from my peers and has led me to various paths of opportunity. Those opportunities then put me in a position where I could confidently open and run my own business with ease. And what is better, is that I enjoy the hustle, the grind, and the outcomes that gives my clients.
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?
As mentioned previously, I was an athlete throughout most of my life. Following a career-ending injury playing volleyball in college, I took a LONG break from sports/fitness. I got married, had kids, and immersed myself in parenting and my career. Towards the end of my 20s, following a nasty divorce, I started to struggle with chronic migraines, weight loss, and a whole host of other seemingly random issues. Then, I started rapidly gaining weight and having more random issues and was getting very frustrated with my health, the inability to get any answers, and ultimately feeling like crap. I felt like I was too young to feel this way and was also very bothered by the weight gain. I eventually found a physician who took me seriously and he determined that I had Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (and autoimmune thyroid condition). I began medication for it, but was still struggling with symptoms. I literally woke up one day and decided I’d had enough – I couldn’t wait around for a magic solution. I decided that I was going to do everything in my power to set myself up to feel the best I could, regardless of what physical conditions I was served with. This led me to sign up for an Intro to Crossfit class and I literally fell in love with it. Being a very competitive person, it was just the perfect fit for me. After several months of consistently doing Crossfit 5-6 days a week, I was still frustrated that I hadn’t seen much physical change – one of the coaches recommended I track my foods and see how much I was actually eating in a day and of which macros. Turned out I wasn’t eating nearly enough food, however, I was terrified of the idea of eating more when I was trying to LOSE weight. Our gym had a Clean Eating Challenge run by one of the coaches who also a nutrition coach, so I decided to participate in that Challenge to see if that would help. Being the super competitive person I am, I went all in and won the Challenge. And oddly enough….started seeing some results! After the Challenge, I decided to sign up for 1:1 coaching with the same coach since I was getting re-married just a few months after. She coached me through a cut to get ready for the wedding — and this coaching experience 100% changed my life. I had to reset my relationship with food, water, and exercise and was amazed at the results I was seeing and felt amazing on my wedding day. I continued working with this coach and found the entire world of nutrition absolutely fascinating, so I decided to take a certification class really just to learn more. Once I completed that, I ended up thinking that this information could be useful for the patients at the Surgery Center where I work my Full Time job (improved nutrition = improved recovery = improved results!). I wanted to put together a program for our patients, but wanted to do some coaching case studies with individuals whom I knew — to ensure that what I’d learned actually worked for others as well! I fell in love with the coaching during my first call with a case study client. From there, things just took off. I got a few more case studies and they were getting some amazing results! I decided that I wanted to do more coaching and help more people – it just lit me up inside. That is when I decided to start Evolve Body. I wanted to be able to positively impact client’s lives like mine had been impacted.
Currently, Evolve Body has been in business for a little over a year now. I’ve taken on about 15 (1:1) clients so far as well as run 2 different challenges with 25-45 participants in each. I offer VIP 1:1 coaching, pairs coaching (for significant others, parent/child, best friends, etc) and just released a group coaching program. I continuing to work on improving the client experience and value so they feel supported throughout their journey. My programs all include weekly group coaching calls, private client support group, exercise programming, education modules, habit programming, and consistency/progress tracking — and the 1:1 and pairs coaching include individualized plans, unlimited direct messaging, zooms calls, and a money back results guarantee. I support my clients how I would want to be supported by a coach and love to get their feedback on how the experience can be improved. My coaching style is based on a strategic approach – I collaborate with my clients, their goals, their plans, and take their feedback into account when creating their plans. I will be honest with them 100% of the time, but will never judge them. Everyone’s journey is different with different challenges and successes – I consider myself lucky to be able to go on their journey with them and am fully invested in them getting the results they are seeking.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Results. They speak for themselves.
Yes, marketing and social media have a place in the business model. Ultimately though, creating an amazing experience for clients is what gets them talking. When people notice a change in my client’s physique and mindset, they tend to ask my client what they’ve been doing. Clients who are loving their program and their results, are more than willing to share their experience with others and refer them. Having a referral program as well as collecting testimonials and social proof helps encourage them to share their experience and legitimizes your services to others.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Besides my training and knowledge, what has been most helpful in succeeding has been maintaining my integrity.
It is an undeniable fact that a necessary part of my business involves sales. However, I don’t enjoy it. There are so many programs out there for coaching businesses that teach owners how to close sales, increase revenue, etc. That’s all well and good (and some of the strategies have some merit), but I’m just not a fan of the focus being put on the SALE vs on the CLIENT. This just doesn’t sit well with me. I’m not a sales person and I don’t intend to be one. I am a coach.
I refuse to put pressure on potential clients. I refuse to ‘talk them into’ signing up. It makes me feel icky. I will always recommend what is in the best interest of the client, even if that is not what is the best ‘sale’ for the business. I feel like this resonates with potential clients as it builds rapport with them. They are putting their HEALTH in my hands – establishing a baseline of trust is fundamental in the success of the client/coach relationship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.trainerize.me/profile/evolve31
- Instagram: lisamarie080682
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evolvebody
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI-E0kY5_C1PyF7L6WR2fEA