http://www.samconleyfitness.com/

HQ Business Academy, Units 20 & 21 Loughanhill Industrial Estate, Coleraine (2026)

21/04/2025

I enjoyed my time in the Car and Motorcycle trade ...

It taught me a tonne of lessons in business that I still use today !

Starting a business from ZERO when all you have is a huge amount of passion and determination is so rewarding but very , very risky too ...

Business Coaching clients means a lot to me. If they're in the fitness space then I have the PLAYBOOK sussed ,, I tweak it to their skill set and demographic and BANG 🎉🎉

When it's a new business type for me I LOVE the challenge of getting into how it ticks and what challenges can be faced and overcome.

Business is a LONELY PLACE for many ...

A fresh set of eyes can see things you're missing and opportunities you've ignored.

In these challenging times STRONG businesses will survive ,, the weak probably won't.

✅ Know your market

✅ Don't be afraid to sell

✅ Assume nothing

✅ Keep a tight grip on expenses

✅ Track your progress every single week

If you need a helping hand drop me a message.

⏩ 12 Week Mentoring Program

⏩ 1 Day Business Bootcamp coming soon

14/04/2025

SMALL BUSINESS COACHING ...

I've learned a lesson or two from over 24 years in business. Some lessons are expensive too ! I'm very proud to be a business coach and mentor now to people from not just the fitness space .

Here are some common mistakes I see small business owners make ...

✅ They don't know EXACTLY who their client is. You can't market when this evades you. Dial into PRECISELY who you serve.

✅ They think SALES is a dirty word. Get comfortable with it. Like or not you can't grow without it.

✅ They prioritise WORKING IN THE BUSINESS and neglect WORKING ON THE BUSINESS. That's often where I come in.

✅ They ASSUME TOO MUCH. For example that people know exactly what they do and offer ( dangerous assumption) , that people they know will support them and show loyalty ( dangerous to the point of stupid ) and they assume swapping lots of time for ££ is the key to success ( hint ,, it's not )

✅ They see social media success as being more likes and follows. Times are changing !
Engagement is the trump card .

✅ They don't know the numbers . Costs, break evens and margins.

Business is a lonely place ...

It's easier to share the burden sometimes.

I have ONE SLOT available on my 12 week Small Business Mentoring program to start next week ... Pm for details 🤩🤩

07/12/2024

I had a busy afternoon yesterday working with Business Coaching Clients , face to face and online ..

Self employment and business is a lonely place sometimes! Over 24 years in business I get that !

✅ We do " extra " hours most people don't see .. but they usually think we've a great wee time of it 🤣

✅ We have multiple worries , often all at once , that employed status doesn't bring

✅ We have to deal with uncertainty. Making sales , keeping customers , the economy , costs etc

✅ We can't get sick 🤢 we don't get paid and often struggle on when really a couple of days rest is exactly what we need

But ...

We still do it. And often love it. Some of us just aren't destined to be employees .

But just like losing weight , learning a new language or skill we often need HELP and GUIDANCE.

I spent far too long trying to figure out and do everything by myself . Thran , unwilling to accept there were strengths I didn't have or just not in a position to afford it ,, whatever the reason, we all do it.

Every single one of the small businesses I work with are EXCEPTIONAL at what they deliver for their clients and customers. I honestly wouldn't work with them otherwise. You need that in place first. I coach fitness businesses and a host of other types of enterprise too.

So are they naturally good sales people too ? No.

Are they social media experts ? No .

Do they have amazing systems in place ? No.

They're really good at a skill which people are happy to pay for .. the rest needs to be learned and developed.

Interesting fact. They hate sales. Most if not all actually have crippling imposter syndrome in fact. So it's not easy at all !

Point of my post ??

If you know deep down you're good at what you do but you are struggling to make it work or it just feels impossibly hard ...

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

❌ Burying your head in the sand does not work . I've done it.

❌ Hoping it'll miraculously get better on its own does not work. I've done it.

❌ Following cookie cutter , one size fits all , group style courses does not work . I've done it

Getting a second set of eyes on your pride and joy business is hard ,, I know ,, but sometimes a helping hand is game changing.

I came on board with a beauty business just as she was about to throw the towel in ,, I know ZERO about beauty 🤣🤣 but I knew her systems, pricing and marketing were just not fit for purpose. She was seriously talented too and definitely not earning her worth. It could all be fixed in 3 short months.
Simple.

Stop making life difficult for yourself 😉

Because of the demands of my fitness and gym businesses I can't throw my books wide open here to new people ( much as I'd love to because I get such a buzz from this ) but I will take 2 X new clients this month and we'll see what the January schedule allows .

Pop me a message and we'll get a chat ✅

28/11/2024

BLACK FRIDAY... just my thoughts 🤔

Agree / Disagree ???

Let me know 👇👇👇

I'm opening a couple of further BUSINESS COACHING slots for December too if you need a guiding hand , some direction or as one client put it ,, a good kick up the backside to get things moving 😂😂 metaphorically of course 😂😂

13/08/2024

Small business ... SALES COACHING

Sales .. is it a dying art ?

Or a " dirty " word ?

It really doesn't have to be either 😊

07/07/2024

This picture of HQ 1 always made me very proud of how far it has come from those early days ...

It's also a good lesson too though ...

These were the days I was so busy working IN my business that I wasn't working ON my business.

Swapping TIME for MONEY is a very easy trap to fall into.

I had a business coaching client recently for a consultation who was doing just that and when it was pointed out to her it was like a Eureka moment!

When you charge by the hour / per session it often becomes a case of how many hours a week can I graft here before my body gives up. Very understandable.

I was doing all the manual work to get this gym ready AND still running a crazy busy book of clients . Madness.

We become hamsters on a wheel very easily ...

Weeks pass ,, months pass ...

We have the best of intentions but NOTHING gets done.

I know first hand what burn out feels like. It's not good.

Sometimes have someone else to point out the seemingly OBVIOUS stuff isn't a bad thing 😉

I'll have 4 x business coaching slots open up from mid July AND ...

My first SMALL BUSINESS COACHING workshop too 😉

Half a day AWAY from working in your business to do some serious work ON YOUR BUSINESS 👌👌

🧩 SOCIAL MEDIA / MARKETING

🧩 BUSINESS PROFILE

🧩 DEMOGRAPHIC DEEP DIVE

🧩 PRICING / SALES / PROCUREMENT

🧩 SYSTEMS / STRUCTURE

This will be a small group , less than 10 businesses so we can get maximum impact for each individual business involved. Ideal if you're just starting out / looking to grow or you're reading about that " hamster on a wheel " and it's all sounding very familiar.

Sound good ???

🏆 Best use of social media in fitness ( winner )
🏆 Fitness influencer of the year ( shortlist )
🏆 Outstanding contribution to fitness and health ( winner )
🏆 Best Customer service ( winner )
🏆 Best Small Team
🏆 Mentor for Association of Business Mentors

18/06/2024

You need to wear a lot of hats ...

Small business owners are the epitome of multi-tasking !

From sales to marketing and tidying upper to book keeper ...

Get used to it. That's just how we roll.

When I first went self employed I was a salesman. That's what I enjoyed. Truth be told that's what I wanted to do all day.

Then the reality hit. The cars I would be selling needed bought , collected , prepared and the paper trail that created needed sorting too.

The buzz phrase now is " out source " ...

That's all well and good. But it costs money and it's often difficult to find the right people.

We need an element of being willing to do it all until we can afford / justify the right help and be able to find it.

When I take on a new business coaching client my first task is to figure out where they're strong and weak.

If you're a great salesperson/ coach / therapist / craftsman then you need to dedicate time to that . Your business will grow when you do.

If you're not great at marketing or finance then you'll need help or guidance there.

I've seen so many bury their head in the sand and hope it'll all magically unravel itself.

If your books aren't in order for example there is trouble ahead . Guaranteed. And yet I see so many play Russian Roulette with them.

If you're just not a tech / social media person then you're going to be missing a huge trick and leaving a lot of money on the table unnecessarily.

So be prepared to MULTI TASK but also be prepared to ask for help where you most need it too.

It's a lonely old game sometimes but having the right people around you / beside you can make a huge difference 😉

17/05/2024

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ...

Over 23 years in business has taught me A LOT of lessons.

Some I had passed on to me from older , wiser and more experienced entrepreneurs I respected ( I never take guidance from people I don't respect) and others I had to take on the chin and pay for my education!

But learn them I did.

It's amazing how many apply just as much in my fitness business as they did in my car yard , motorcycle shop or supplement business.

And this is one.

It was given to me by one of those almost impossible people to find now. A great bank manager.

He lead in with ...

" As you have been told I'm sore many times Sam , the customer is always right "

As I nodded in agreement he followed it up with a wry smile and the words ...

" But not every customer is the right customer"..

Truer words never spoken.

When I coach a small I often see the same dilemma I used to encounter myself.

You're starting out and cash flow is tight. Every pound counts. You can't be sure where your next sale / deal / order will come from. And , as such , you'll compromise yourself and work with anyone. Sure it's money.

Only it's not. That's a false perspective.

Some business / customers you are always better without.

If it doesn't feel right and it's probably not. That " smell test " is valid.

I've made this mistake . Trust me.

That car / bike customer who started with " it's too dear " before they even heard the price 😂😂😂

That PT client who was slagging their old coach off day one !! ( They'll do the same to you btw 😉)

If it looks like a duck , waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck 🦆...

It most likely is ,,, a duck 🦆

So before you best yourself remember when something goes wrong.

Just remember.

Sometimes the only mistake you ACTUALLY made was trying to please the unpleasable 😉

Business is hard enough.

Choose who you do it with carefully .

My small business mentoring event is coming soon 🔜

28/04/2024

Get the BASICS right ...

When I coach a small business they invariably think we'll be starting in on complex strategies and secret success formulae.

The truth is I like to make sure the BASICS are done really well first and foremost.

If your business is in any way customer / consumer facing this is absolutely VITAL.

I remember a sales development course I was on over 20 years ago for a major car manufacturer. The trainer told us that PEOPLE BUY PEOPLE FIRST. He was right. I never forgot that . Your product or service might well be amazing but if the end users point of contact with your company isn't ,, then it could be lost .

I've had some AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE recently. Really , really bad. Rude , unhelpful and very frustrating.

In a large DIY chain last week I was served without eye contact , no hello , no please , no thank you let alone a " that's a nice day " or a " are you doing some gardening ? ".

Small talk maybe. But it makes a huge difference.

I left 80 quid lighter and resenting the hard earned cash I'd given a company who I could only assume don't care if I shop there or not. I'm sure they maybe do ,, but their staff acted in a way that day that said they don't. I also sourced out that day where I could go in future. Customer lost.

Just one example of many.

So we expect too much???

I don't think so . In times where we have to spend more than ever I think some basic manners are the least we can expect.

It's not the first time I've paid to have one of my businesses mystery shopped to see exactly how we performed. It's that important.

Same goes for online.

Someone comments on your social media post , or even better , shares it ...

Did you thank them / engage with them ??

I hope so. Big error if not.

That's the same as a customer walking until a bricks and mortar business, putting their hand up and saying " I'm interested in what you do / sell here ! " .. and your staff ignoring them . You wouldn't! Don't do it online either.

A business is like a building.

Useless without good foundations.

Those foundations are simple things done well.

2 X new slots for small business mentoring in May. Drop me a message.

24/03/2024

Delighted to be a Mentor for the Association of Business Mentors ...

I knew when I spent years working for others that some day I wanted to be doing it for myself ....

I've learned a lot of valuable lessons , made a lot of costly mistakes and built several businesses from scratch along the way .

Winning Customer Service Awards , Social Media Awards , Management Awards and even Outstanding Achievement awards all were very pleasing over the last few years BUT seeing ideas 💡 come to fruition and hard work paying off are the real prizes .. if you know , you know .

The truth is that running a small business is very rewarding but also very frustrating/ demanding/ lonely etc too .

Sometimes you're so busy working IN THE BUSINESS that you can't see what's happening right in front of your eyes .. trust me ,, I've been there !!! You're the hirer , the firer , the cleaner , the marketeer , the book-keeper and often the Scape goat too.

When I Mentor a small business it's a FRESH SET OF EYES ...

Mostly the businesses are in fields I've no experience of but the principles are the same ... The traps are the same too.

Here's where I help ....

✅ Processes ... How efficient and effective are they . What tricks are you missing ? How easy is it for customers to do business with you ?

✅ Sales ... All businesses involve sales ultimately. Are you good at it ? Or like most people does it scare the life out of you and you're leaving ££ on the table as a result .

✅ Social Media ... I've picked up a lesson or two here alongside a couple of awards .

✅ Marketing ... Do you have a strategy? Do you even know who your customer truly is ?

The gyms and my online coaching take up a huge chunk of my time but this is something is REALLY ENJOY so I do make some time for a select number of clients .

‼️ In April I'll be taking on 2 X new 1-2-1 clients in my 12 week program

‼️ I will also be running an in-person Small Business Mastermind Event . A day to work in a small group of fellow business owners and cover all of the above but also do some specific work on your own business too ! Great opportunity to network, share experiences and challenges too.

Pm for details.

Thank you for following 😄

05/01/2024

‼️ Be careful of this ‼️‼️

It's meant in the best possible way but it'll potentially KILL your engagement.

The Algorithms are constantly changing . It's a minefield sometimes staying on top of them .

There is a major misconception that it's all about getting followers. It's not. I made the same mistake.

It's about ENGAGEMENT.

So massively boosting your follower count with a load of people who mean well and are trying to be helpful but have no intention of interacting with your page / posts will actually hold you back .

Better to have 1000 followers and 100 engaging with you than 5000 followers and still 100 engaging.

One is 10% engagement and Facebook will push you out to more ..

The second is only 2% and you'll be shown to less because of it .

QUALITY now beats QUANTITY

Followers gained because they're interested in what you have to say ALWAYS win. Yes it'll take longer to grow but that's ok.

⏬⏬⏬

01/01/2024

Happy New Year !

An exciting time for business.

Why ?

Because there are challenges out there .

So how's that exciting Sam ? 🤔🤔

I've been in business through challenging times before. I've gone into savings to prop the business up in a previous business I had while someone was plundering me from the inside. It was tough.

But ...

I remember someone telling me during a previous economic downturn that there will be casualties,, leaner , tighter businesses however will survive,, make sure you're one of them . It was a great way to look at it . I did thankfully. But I learned a lot of key lessons !

That's why I love helping other businesses. Just like I love helping health and fitness clients.

I'm a good weightloss coach because I used to be 21.5 stone myself. I used to get bullied for my weight. I used to binge eat really badly. That gives me an edge.

I'm a good business coach because I've started several businesses from scratch. I did it without having " enough " capital to do so. I didn't get handouts or leg ups. I made mistakes and had to make sacrifices. Good lessons to learn.

But don't just take my word for it ...

" Sam spent time understanding my business. I thought my social media was good but he found so many errors in it which we fixed straight away. My sales process was a mess. He fixed that too. I was in a position where I was really busy but not making money and I was considering throwing the towel in .. he came along at just the right time. Best 12 weeks ever ! Sam got me fired up and back in love with my business "

That's why I love what I do 🙌

I am planning an " in person " event for early this year.

A small group . Mastermind style .

Coaching on social media. Sales. Marketing. Processes. And of course ... Mindset. I'll also share some tips I've learned and some avoidable mistakes I made.

Being a small business owner is a very lonely place to be sometimes ...

This will break that cycle ( for one morning at least ) .

It'll also be a chance to network and bang the drum about what you do ( we are typically very very poor at that in this country ) .

Would that interest you ?

Drop a comment or a pm and I'll keep you in the loop !

Here's to a healthy , profitable and fulfilling New Year 🎊🎊

HQ Business Academy

21/04/2025

14/04/2025

07/12/2024

28/11/2024

13/08/2024

07/07/2024

18/06/2024

17/05/2024

28/04/2024

24/03/2024

05/01/2024

01/01/2024

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