176. All about the Benjamins - a podcast by Jason Ackerman

In today's episode Fern and Ackerman answer the following email:

I did my level 1 last August and started coaching in a brand new box in the small town I live in, population 5000ish.

The gym owners have no previous experience in CrossFit, both have just done their L1 to open the gym (1 Failed) they already have an everyd ay gym in the town that runs spin classes and HIIT.

I know for a fact they opened up only to make money which I understand it is a business at the end of the day but they just want to get as many members in and all classes full and don't really give a shit about current members, pretty sure they would struggle to know peoples names we have about 70 members at the moment.

Payment wise I earn €5 less than the average L1 coach starting out. Starting rate in Ireland is €15 per hour I also only get paid per class and get zero for all extra work I carry out in the gym i.e vacuuming gym floor and equipment, cleaning changing rooms, keeping toilets stocked most of the time this comes out of my pocket.

I agreed to coach for lower wages as I was coming into the industry with no past experience (day job as engineer) and wanted to start coaching asap and was a big plus to be able to do this in my hometown (where I had dreamed of opening my own gym someday).

I approached the owner last week to ask for a pay increase to be on par with every other coach in the country (Ireland) as i have shown i am a capable coach (thanks in part to the best hour of their day) and was told no.

So I'm basically stuck in a limbo I love coaching my morning crew and have created a great connection with them in the short few months the gym has been open which makes it harder for me to just walk away and find another coaching role, I do plan to open my own gym someday I just have a lot more coaching experience to gain and money to save.

I'm 32 with a mortgage to pay and a 6-week old baby to look after.

Do you think I should just shut up and get on with it and keep looking at the bigger picture or do I know my worth and walk away not knowing if I will get another coaching role I the near future??

PLEASE IF YOU TALK ABOUT THIS ON A PODCAST PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T MENTION MY NAME.

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