When Michael Sokol says that he's one of the best, that's no idle boast. The personal trainer, who runs One-on-One Fitness Personal Training Service in Chicago and Scottsdale, Ariz., was just named one of the top 100 in his profession—in the entire country—by Men's Journal. On top of that, he's a nominee for the American Council on Exercise's award for personal trainer of the year.
Windy City Times recently grabbed a few moments with the highly esteemed and busy trainer, who also serves as an occasional consultant for the newspaper. He talked about everything from the practical applications of law school lessons to his grand plans for expansion.
Windy City Times: You got a law degree from the University of Wisconsin. How has that helped you in your business?
Michael Sokol: The law degree helps me read, draft, and understand contracts. It helps me run my business smoothly and also helps to protect clients. For example, the liability waiver protects them and us. It's helped immensely.
WCT: How did you go from law to fitness?
MS: I was very unfulfilled practicing law and existing in the corporate world. I didn't think that I could do it the rest of my life, despite a remarkable salary. Also, I had always been interested in fitness. My [ then-girlfriend ] was a personal trainer and had a great lifestyle; however, I wasn't sure that I could earn the type of salary that I was accustomed to. I put together a business plan and talked to some good trainers. I structure my programs in such a manner that it makes it impossible for the client to fail; for example, clients have to come in three times a week and because they pre-pay, that helps both of us reach our goals.
WCT: Tell me about One-on-One Fitness. It's currently in Chicago and Scottsdale. Is it anywhere else?
MS: [ In 2005, ] I plan on opening in Los Angeles; there, I'm only training actors for upcoming roles and musicians for upcoming tours. In 2006, I plan on opening in Aspen, Colo., and in 2007, I plan on opening in Miami.
WCT: Why are you aiming for such a specialized clientele [ in L.A. ] ?
MS: First, L.A. is so spread out; I don't feel like spending a lot of time in traffic. Second, I think [ that actors and musicians ] are a better market.
WCT: I'm sure that people like Tom Cruise already have trainers. Isn't it going to be hard to break into that market?
MS: I know people like agents and attorneys who can make recommendations.
WCT: Now what does One-on-One do in Chicago and Scottsdale?
MS: We [ cater ] to anyone's individual goals: flexibility, fat loss, toning, nutrition coaching, strength training—at any level from beginner to advanced.
When someone calls, we ask about their starting points, including their current diets. Then we ask about goals. If they say they don't know what their goals are, we usually decline to take them on and recommend that they try another trainer. Most people know what they want to do, whether they want their arms to be bigger or if they want their abs to show. I then determine if the goals are realistic; you can't lose 100 pounds in two months, for example.
We set up people for success, not failure. I believe in that old adage: If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail.
WCT: How many trainers do you employ and how do you go about choosing them?
MS: I currently have five but my goal is to have 10 in each city.
When it comes to choosing them, I have someone who does my hiring for me. I post ads at colleges and at certain Web sites. I then look through the resumes.
One thing that I require is that a person has to have trained someone for one year for money; I don't want someone who's trained only a relative or friend. The social workings of a professional relationship are different than a social one. The second requirement is that the person needs to be nationally certified by a gold-standard agency, like The National Academy of Sports Medicine, the International Fitness Association, or The American Council on Exercise.
Then, candidates undergo a half-hour phone screen followed by an interview with my hiring guy. They then undergo a series in which they train me as well as a few existing clients; then, the trainers are rated by them. The main things I look for are ownership and accountability: Do you take ownership of the client and do you take accountability if the client fails to reach his goal?
WCT: What do you enjoy the most and least about running your business?
MS: What I like the most is that it's the best job I've ever had. It's really rewarding and fulfilling—plus I get to dress in sweats all day. There's no sense of urgency, like in law.
What I like the least is that there's a lot more stress than I signed up for, especially now that I'm running this business that's expanding. I've had to hire people and if they forget to do one small thing ( regarding paperwork, for example ) , that could lead to one huge problem. You don't have as much control over things.
See www.usagetfit.com .
