How She Found Success With 30 Minute Virtual Bootcamps - Lauren Brennen
Kyle Wood: Hello, and welcome
to Everything Bootcamp.
Uh, today my guest is Lauren Brennan, and
now I'm going to kick things off pretty
quickly, uh, over to Lauren to find out a
little bit about, um, more about who she
is, especially as we have an international
audience of trainers listening to this,
I thought it would be really interesting.
Where exactly in the world you are.
Lauren Brennen: Hi.
Thanks Kyle.
Thanks for having me.
Um, I am from Melbourne Victoria in
Australia and in Ferntree, gully, small
specifically to those that know the area.
And yeah, I've been doing my bootcamps
here for 10 years now in my own business
and, um, had my own, I've been a
personal trainer for just over 18 years.
Yeah,
Kyle Wood: that's crazy.
That's.
Yeah.
That's uh, uh, so did you get qualified?
I mean, not to like start asking
you, Hey, for, do you qualify
pretty quickly out of school then?
Lauren Brennen: Um, no.
I actually went to uni and I did a,
um, undergraduate and human movement.
And then I did a post-grad
in exercise rehabilitation.
So then I tried to go get jobs once
I was out of uni to in exercise
rehab and all that kind of stuff.
And I just, I, no one would take me no.
Straight out of uni.
You haven't got the experience.
I'm like, well, that's what
I've got to start somewhere.
And then yeah, one, one of the employers
actually said to me, I need you.
I like your attitude.
And I really, you know, like, we'd
love to have you here, but I need you
to go away and be a personal trainer
for a year and then come back to me.
And he was in the city.
Probably 40 minutes from me here.
And yeah, so I did that.
I went away and I became a pistol
trainer and I just fell in love
with it and I never went back.
So I'm a very overqualified
personal trainer.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
I didn't realize it,
that, that background.
And that's always tricky.
Like you're coming out
of a uni course and yeah.
They want to experience, but
it's like, that's why I'm here.
It's not even business goodbye to get
experience, I guess, and for tree galley.
So I always think of the, and I think
everyone does this, the Kokoda Memorial
trial, the thousand steps really used
to feel like, cause I grew up 15 minutes
from there and I used to feel like going
out to the country for a tree gully,
but it's not that way anymore at all.
Lauren Brennen: All our friends
say we're out in the sticks of the
sticks and what we, not that far.
Kyle Wood: It's the Melbourne's filled
in so much that, um, yeah, I'm in the,
now that I live outside of Melbourne,
it's like, I go to the century gallery,
I'm in the big smoke with the complete
Lauren Brennen: opposite.
I've been quite grateful during,
um, lockdown for actually
being out in the sticks.
They say, um, just for having all the
trails around and yeah, we haven't
got, we can't get to the beach.
We're not close enough to that, but
yeah, at least we've got the Hills
and the mountains and so that, yeah,
that's definitely helped by the time.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
So were you always pretty like sporty
and like active, um, through like attains
and like, and is that why human rights.
Lauren Brennen: Yeah, I was, I
was, I, I kind of did every sport.
I went, we actually moved
to the country as a family.
Um, when I was just at the end of grade
six and that then I was doing athletics
and tennis and netball and basketball,
most of them in the same season.
And, you know, we moved to a
small country town called Cobra
in Victoria and, um, yeah.
That's all is there's nothing
else to do, but play sport.
So yeah, we played, uh, I did all that.
And then we came back to Melbourne,
um, just for my parents, um, employment
and yeah, I got right into nipple and I
ended up playing state league netball.
Um, and just, yeah, it
was right into that.
And then just always enjoyed
sport, watching sport, you
know, all that kind of thing.
And.
Yeah.
I didn't really know what I wanted
to do when I finished school.
I thought I wanted to be a PE teacher.
And then I kind of went off that
and human movement was just that
kind of course that you could do and
venture off any way you wanted to.
So there was a lot of ways you
could go, you know, teaching
physio, all that kind of thing.
Um, and by the end, yeah, I've worked out.
I, I really liked the exercise
science side of things.
Um, but kind of, yeah.
Went through the winter, the rehab way.
Yeah.
Like I said, I enjoyed it, but you
know, as soon as I got introduced
to personal training and, um,
did that at a big gym then?
Yeah.
I just fell in love with it and the
people and, you know, helping them out
and yeah, it was that's where I've landed.
Kyle Wood: Uh, athletics.
Activity.
Lauren Brennen: I was a hurdler.
Yeah.
So I actually went to state for
hurdles and ShotPut, which are
two complete different things.
Um, but I've always had
the upper body strength.
I, I rocked up our member and.
Did most of the girls were twice
my size because they are very
beefy and that school, um, but
I still come to light, so I did.
Okay.
But, um, yeah, that was a bit random,
those two, but I enjoyed sprinting.
I wasn't into the long distance.
Like I am now I'm a bit more of a
runner now, but, um, yeah, I liked
the short stuff, the short and fast.
So.
Kyle Wood: Yeah, same, same.
And the hurdles.
I think I just had the
advantage of being tall.
I dunno if my technique was actually
that good, but I had the growth spurt,
you know, cause it's all age range.
I hated the other kids could sort of get
over the, um, so now maybe a little bit
more into like fit the fitness space.
Is this a podcast about group fitness?
Do you remember the first
class like fitness class?
You attended this of.
Lauren Brennen: Um, Yeah, let me think.
Yeah, I'll look, I do.
I w I was going to a gym.
I used to like step class.
Um, but I am quite coordinated, but
I'm not in step class for some reason.
Um, maybe I'm just ball hit.
What does it all.
I had balls, whatever coordination.
Um, but yeah, it's, I did a step class
and I kept going back to step class.
Um, and I actually did become qualified
as an aerobics instructor at university.
Um, but I didn't enjoy it.
I didn't like that style, um, of
being out in front of everyone, even
though a bootcamp, I guess we're
at, in front of everyone, we kind of
more amongst people rather than just
everyone staring at you the whole time.
Um, but yeah, that's, that
was my first experience.
And I didn't really go to
gyms, um, regularly before I
worked at a gym, to be honest.
So I just did enough outside, I
think, with all my sports and started
running and all that kind of thing.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Yeah.
It's a different style of
coaching that sort of in front
of the class style class way.
That's more about you like doing
it and motivating people through.
Uh, role modeling it, I guess isn't
it compared to like, you know, like a
bootcamp class where I think it's more
like getting in there a bit more and
correcting technique and show people
what to do, but then, then it's more
about, um, it's a little bit more
personal, which some people like some
people don't, some people want to be
the person in the back of the class
or the train that doesn't look at them
the whole time and something like that.
Um, they want a bit more interaction.
Yeah.
And, uh, yeah.
So that was your first
experience, obviously.
That's interesting that crew
fitness didn't necessarily.
Gel with you back then, but then later
when you started your business, so
about 10 years ago, did you know from
the start you wanted it to be group
fitness or you're thinking, oh, it
would just be personal training to
Lauren Brennen: start with.
I guess it all started back
when I was working at the gym.
So I was working at a Fernwood gym,
which is a all female gym in Australia.
And, um, Yeah.
I, they, all of a sudden decided to do a
bootcamp, which they'd never done before.
So, um, I was a personal training
coordinator then, so I had to organize it
all and I was kind of like, oh, hang on.
I want to do that.
Like, I'm not going to
give it to anyone else.
So, you know, we got to go outside
the gym and it was something different
and yeah, they kind of, they kept
sending session plans and we had
to do these exact session plans.
I thought they were a little bit of
rubbish and I was like, these are boring.
Like surely there's gotta be, you
know, you can do something more.
So I started tweaking them a little bit.
Um, and yeah, we were just having
really good feedback from the members.
Um, a couple of other trainers
were doing them as well.
And.
Yeah.
I ended up with a lot in my class.
Um, and then all of a sudden
I was like, hang on a minute.
I reckon I could do this by myself.
Like, I'm pretty much
doing it myself anyway.
I've turned their stuff into what
I want to do and what is working.
Um, so yeah, I ended up leaving that
gym, knowing that I was pregnant with
my first daughter and, um, went to a
smaller gym just in the meantime, um,
just to keep working while I started
working on thinking about getting
my own business going and I had.
Probably 50 to 60 clients from that,
from what I was, I was full-time,
they're really busy with clients.
So, um, I had a lot of people
to leave behind, which I
didn't like the thought of.
So I stayed probably there for a lot
longer than what I probably should have.
I probably could've left that.
I was just so worried about leaving
people behind or people not following me.
And yeah, so.
And then yeah, over, I went to another
small gym and in the meantime, um, had
my daughter and then yeah, six months
later I started a new heart's fitness.
So.
Cool.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Cool.
Yeah.
As you were telling that story
about Fernwood running the
gym, uh, the bootcamp, I was.
Uh, I think I've got to get from woods
bootcamp credit for me starting a
bigger campus because my, my mom did it.
My mom was part of the city Fernwood
and she did, and I remember them and
I, and I can't remember when it was
new and they were like, we're running
this new, like boot camp thing.
And, um, and I was kinda like, ah, yeah.
And then, yeah, I remember I'm
doing that and really enjoying it.
Compared to like being in
the gym, it's really like the
instructor and stuff like that.
And yeah.
So I'd say that as like a business model
was more, I guess, at the forefront
of my mind, once I got qualified
to and started to train people.
Yeah.
Lauren Brennen: And these, I
mean, I loved the one-on-one.
I haven't done one-on-one since
I've been doing my business.
So that was your other question.
I think we were getting to, so, um, I
went straight into just doing boot camps,
um, and it started probably just with a
few close friends and clients, but some
of them, you know, a lot of them go to
a female gym to be in that environment.
I originally did start with
girls in my bootcamp, but didn't
make it an all girls thing.
It just kind of worked that way.
There was just no guys that
were joining or anything.
Um, and then my husband and
my dad got involved and then
it turned into a well, okay.
We've got guys now, like we're doing it.
And.
Yeah.
It just, you know, obviously
the, the clients that wanted to
come over definitely came over
and, um, some stayed at the gym.
Some just came to me and others I've just
kept in touch with, because you know,
I'd been training them for so long there.
So, um, Yeah, I've done it
where I was going with that.
Kyle Wood: No, that's good.
And I like the, this, the story of, of
getting started and yeah, sometimes we
have an idea of the type of client we
want to try it and then that all changes.
Uh, and so yes, it's changed.
It's actually a good segue
because I want to spend some time
talking about the last 18 months.
Being in the fitness industry, uh,
protonated telling you when it's
listening to this, how badly we've been
hit, um, because so much of what we
do relies on being face-to-face with.
So you started your business
and you grew it quite well.
And I remember cause you came to a
workshop of mine and you would, you would
sort of send me these updates periodically
and you're like, oh, I got a, a hundred
people signed up, I've got 150 people and
I was just talk about, and it just, you
just seem to go from strength to strength.
So where were you actually at
like paint a picture of your
business at the start of 2020.
So.
Yeah, January, 2020.
Lauren Brennen: Yeah.
So I pretty much had around
a hundred, 120 coming to my
bootcamps face to face-to-face.
Um, I was doing four days a week.
I'm the only trainer.
Um, there, I don't have anyone that
works for me, so I do all the sessions
and yeah, I think it was maybe.
At eight sessions awake.
I was running.
Um, but yeah, it was just, you know,
full flight, loving wife at the time.
Yeah.
Um, and just enjoyed it.
Like I enjoyed it.
I've got a really good group of people.
I've got some that are still with me
from the start so 10 years and, you know,
they're just those loyal clients that
will always be there and I'll do anything.
I come up with some silly idea and
let's go on a road trip and go, we
have a bootcamp here and they're the
first ones to put their hands off.
And yeah, it's, I'm really, really
proud of honestly, the community.
That we've created there
because the people just, and
they've all become friends.
That's what I'm seeing.
And even through COVID there, like I'm
seeing friendships formed and you know,
like they're doing stuff with each other
outside of bootcamp, which means it
is a really nice environment obviously
to be in, because if they're all.
Getting along and enjoying it.
And they were all looking
out for each other.
They look, oh, I haven't seen whoever
for so long or, you know, oh, I called
the other P you know, them to see where
they were and I'm like, oh, good luck.
It's not just me handing them.
Kyle Wood: So yeah.
What do you, what do you think
has created that, that culture?
Lauren Brennen: Um, oh, I don't know.
I.
I don't know.
I kind of say it is as a trainer.
I think you will attract the
people that are similar to you.
I think like I'm pretty laid back.
I can have a joke, but I can also lay
down the law and, you know, get them
to be quiet and not talk and get them
to move, but still give them that time.
Like, so, you know, I'm not a
drill master, but I'm not a like
airy fairy, like go grab a drink
and come back when you're ready.
It's like, no, go grab a
drink now, come back now.
Like, you know, it's just
little, you know, and I guess.
You know, I guess I've had people come
and not have them go light and yeah.
But I think that those that have stayed a
very old there they're all quite similar,
but all from different backgrounds.
And like I said, I've got men
and women and all different ages.
Um, but yeah, I don't know, I guess, and
they just find they're clicking the group.
You know, I'm always trying to
pair people differently as well.
I find, um, you know, you will always
get friends that want to go together.
And definitely when people start together,
that's something that I allow for a long
time, just so that person's comfortable.
But, um, yeah, if you can then start
mixing it around a little bit, so people
are meeting other people and yeah.
They just, if they find
their own way, I guess.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Okay.
So yeah.
Okay.
Mixing people around.
Yeah.
And I guess.
The way you show up to
class, what were you doing?
A lot of like active marketing back then
Lauren Brennen: No, since that's
something I've never been great at.
Um, look it a really,
a lot of word of mouth.
Once my eldest actually went to primary
school, I found that that did help
a little bit because all of a sudden
I hit this new community and, um,
a couple of people as I was walking
through with my, you know, tops on
of new Heights, fitness, Definitely
something that you need to be doing.
And that's something that I
learned from, um, I think it was
a file ex convention way back.
It was like where your brand, you
are your brand where it every way.
And I need a deep beforehand.
I don't think I ever had tops beforehand.
So, um, and it's not something,
I mean, I live in active wear,
so it's just easier for me.
I don't put it on meaning to do it now.
Yeah.
I had a few, you know, you'd have some
people go, oh, you laws from new hearts,
fitness, and everyone kind of like
would just be, I'm like, oh yeah, a lot.
What is, what are people saying?
And they like, no, no, it's all good.
And then, you know, you you'd slowly
get them and then they would come
and then their three friends want
to come because they're going.
And it just, yeah, that,
that really did help.
I found, um, when you've got those
groups of friends coming, cause then,
you know, and if they're enjoying
it, they get to tell people lot.
That's that's the main thing.
Yes.
I've definitely done Facebook ads.
Um, And it's, uh, I think everyone would
find like some ads go really well and some
really Boehm and Mon and mostly the same.
So I don't know how that fits in the
Facebook world, but they have helped
sometimes and other times it seems like
I've paid money and nothing's happened.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
Definitely rely on that word of mouth
Kyle Wood: and I guess, yeah, you need
to have a really good product then
too, which is something I think, you
know, you put a lot of thought into.
Planning the classes.
And even how you said before that
thinking about, I want to make sure that
different people in the group interact
with, you know, not with just the usual
crowd they like to interact with it.
Little, little things like that.
I think, do we make a big difference?
Because people aren't going
to recommend a bootcamp.
That's not any good either.
So yeah, that's
Lauren Brennen: it.
Yeah.
I think once you recommend something,
like I'll even recommend a physio
or something that I'm going to, when
you're worried, you're kind of like,
oh, I hope they like, and so I'm only
going to say it if I really liked.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I've found with, um, my clients I've
found, I've kind of had those few little,
you know, advocates that I'll, I'll post
something about an event coming up and
they'll just automatically share it.
But when they share it, they'll
write a little thing up at the
top saying, oh, this is laws.
Like you've got to come to a boot camp.
This is where I train.
And then you'd actually see comments
going, oh, is this where you're going?
And stuff like that.
And you obviously, you know,
the talks getting around.
So that's yeah, it's good.
Kyle Wood: So going back to last
year, so you built this big came up,
you got this great community going.
First locked down, hits in Melbourne.
When did you make the decision
to try out going virtual?
Did you straight away start
running virtual swim classes
or did you hold off a bit?
Lauren Brennen: Yeah, I held off.
I didn't really hold off.
I, you know, probably what most
people did, went in a bit of a slump
for a couple of days and went, oh my
God, what, like, what do I do now?
This is my business.
This is all I do.
And I'm not allowed to do it.
Kind of didn't want to believe it on.
Um, the positive one, that'll
always like, oh, it'll be right.
Like next week we'll be back on
Kyle Wood: a thing like a month,
then we'll be back to normal.
Lauren Brennen: Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think, yeah, I'll see it.
I was hoping that, um, but no, I
have, yeah, a few more days later, I
just thought, what am I doing here?
And obviously I had a bit of, you
know, I got down, but then I just
started thinking about my clients
and it was more just, oh my God.
Like.
They were obviously losing their
jobs as well, but then they're losing
their gym and their bootcamp as well.
Like, you know, I was thinking
more how they would be feeling,
losing more, um, more that way.
So I was like, I think I'm going
to have to do something and then
saw people doing virtual channels.
Like, oh no, that's not me
the camera on their way.
And there was no other, there
was no other option, really.
So I got my sister and my best
friend and another friend.
Together.
And I ran one from my, um, I think it was
on my iPad to start with from my garage.
And it was horrible.
That was at the start, just getting
everything connected and had no
idea what I was doing, but that's
what, you know, I said to them,
can I kind of play with you guys?
I need someone on the other end so I can
practice and yeah, it ended up being two.
Um, and I probably did three sessions
or three days, um, both of those weeks.
And by the second week, I'd actually kind
of got onto about six of my clients that
had been with me for a long time saying,
look, this is what I'm looking at doing.
Can you come to a session?
Do you want to come to a session?
And like, I'm just kind of, you
know, getting everything sorted.
I don't know if it's gonna
run smoothly and all that.
And they were more than happy to help.
So yeah, once we did that, Um, advertising
it and thought, oh God, is anyone
actually even going to want to do it?
And yeah, got a really good response.
Like probably not as much
as I thought to start with.
Um, but I think everyone just like
me and I totally understood was a
bit like, Ooh, virtual training.
Now I can jump on.
I can jump on YouTube and get
whatever, you know, you can get
whatever you want from a celebrity
trainer and follow them for free.
And why would people come to me?
And, um, Yeah.
So in the end, yeah, I did my first
sign-up can't even remember how many or
to have, might have had 30 or so start
with me, firstly, so that was pretty cool.
And then, yeah, obviously just then for
Grest my way and my knowledge with the
tech side of things, um, ended up on.
And now, yeah, I use my phone on a
tripod, my, um, computer, and then I
connect it to a big screen TV that I can
actually see everyone on quite easily.
Kyle Wood: Okay.
So you use that to see people
and then what the phone is.
Lauren Brennen: Yeah.
So that's what they see.
So they see me through the phone, on
the tripod and then off to the side.
Yeah, I've got a big gun, a big screen TV.
That's pretty much
nearly behind the camera.
Um, and then I can see them and yeah,
they're probably all pretty much iPad
size when they come on, unless I've
got quite a big class, they get a bit
smaller, but yeah, it's very easy to
see them then and see their, see their
faces and what they're doing and yeah.
Be able to talk to them.
Awesome.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Cause you cha so how long
were your sessions before.
Uh, did you run 45 minutes or
Lauren Brennen: an hour?
Um, I w yeah, I was, I finished off with
an hour and then, yeah, I just realized
I was like, there was no way anyone's
going to want to do an hour session.
You know, at home, in front
of a screen kind of thing.
So I, I toyed with the fact of doing a 45,
but then I just thought, oh, I think let's
start with 30 and see if that's enough.
Then I just found that with the
programming, it's more just really.
Keeping their breasts short,
um, and just controlling
everything I've found by a timer.
So there's, you know, it's like, if
you've got a break, then it's timed
and then you're going to have a beep
and then we're going to go again.
And if you're not ready,
that's fine, but I'll be going.
And, you know, everyone will
be joining in kind of thing.
Um, and I just found
the 30 minutes worked.
It was enough.
I was getting really
good feedback about it.
Like, because they'd all come for
an hour going, oh my God, look, I
still feel like I'm getting just a
good workout because it was more.
At a time.
So obviously, you know, with an hour
you can kind of give them a little bit
more rest time and have a little giggle
and chat in between here and there.
But when you do it in half an hour,
it's not bang, this is what we've
got to do and let's get it done.
So,
Kyle Wood: yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
And so, and yeah, and obviously your
clients, because I think that I can
imagine that being something trainers
being like, ah, but I'm offering, you
know, a shorter time, but you know, it
is seeing it like, I guess you observed.
No one wants to spend an hour
with their laptop in front
of them in their living room.
Like they want to get in.
Lauren Brennen: Yeah, and I did reduce
the price for them, but the good thing
at the time is I went, um, from, I
just had bootcamps two times a week,
um, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I was
having the mum's groups that extra days.
So they had more days to choose from,
um, So, yeah, I found that then when
I was offering them three times a week
at 30 minutes and reduce the price as
well, um, that they really did kind
of, they were like, oh, this is cool.
We get to train three times a week now.
Like, so it was kind of like
a plus for them as well.
Um, but yeah, I've, I've never had
anyone say to me, I wish it was longer.
So which means they're obviously
working hard enough and yeah.
And there was a lot of sore bodies
and a lot of people were saying, I
didn't realize how hard I could work.
Um, you know, with, without
weights and stuff like that.
So I've got a lot of different equipment
and we do take a lot to classes,
just so you know, it, it looks fun
when they walk in and they think,
wow, look at all this stuff that
we're going to use and everything.
And to go from that to nothing was
scary for me as well, because there is.
So many body weight exercises out there
are found, but there is a hell of a
lot of variations and combos that you
can do to make them totally different.
I've found as well.
So, and that's what I've had
to keep evolving over 18 months
as I've continued to do it.
Um, just to keep things fresh, like my
bootcamps, like, you know, I'm a bit cans.
I can usually buy extra equipment
that you can't really for this.
So it's just finding different
ways to keep it interesting.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Yeah, I like that.
And, um, I did notice that with some
of your workouts that you use these
exercise combos, where you're pair
to exercise together and sort of one
exercise, I, so you mentioned, you know,
we, haven't obviously Melbourne, we
haven't been in lockdown the whole past
18 months, um, all the large chunks,
but there has been times where you've
been able to go back face to face.
But you haven't stopped
your virtual sessions?
Lauren Brennen: No.
So yeah, when we got to go back a
couple of weeks, whenever they made the
announcement, um, forget what locked out
of lockdown is life actually, but I'm
sure we were at a lockdown at one point.
Um, yeah, we.
Oh, I made the announcement that
we could go back to bootcamps.
Um, what I'd done is because
I was training on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, I can't afford ahead.
And that's why I did my virtuals
on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Cause I thought if we ever do go back
and I need to cross over a little
bit, nothing's going to be affected.
Like everything will just be.
As it was.
So that's what happened.
So we went, I, I brought my bootcamps
back Tuesday, Thursday, but I had a lot
of messages from people going, oh, does
that mean you're going to stop virtual?
Like, oh, I don't, I don't, you know,
I'm still working from home and I
don't know if I'm going to be able to
make boot camps and stuff like that.
And I, in my head.
I think I was going to stop, but I didn't,
I didn't really have a plan to be honest.
I think I was just like,
yeah, let's get back.
Probably everyone wants to get off virtual
and yeah, I ended up putting it out there.
I've got a private page for the virtual.
I call them my virtual training tribe.
Um, and I kind of pop a post
on there to saying like, is
anyone keen to still continue?
As you know, we're still
gonna go face to face.
Yeah, I've got a really
good review from it.
And I kept it.
I have, yeah, at least when we went
back to face-to-face, I've still had at
least probably 30 people doing virtual.
Yeah.
Probably half of them being maybe
a bit more being both of them and
actually doing the face-to-face and
doing those extra days of virtual.
So, you know, pretty much paying me for
four to five days a week of training.
So yeah.
So for me, it was a bonus for my business.
Obviously, a lot of work, a lot more
work than I was doing, especially when
it's so physical with the, because I do
everything with the virtuals, with them.
I know there's some trainers
that just talk and sit there
and tell them what to do.
But I actually, um, demonstrate and do
the whole workout with them stopping
little bits and obviously looking at the
screens and correcting form and stuff.
Um, But yeah, I definitely have
kept it going the right way through.
I haven't stopped it at
all and yeah, I've had it.
I've had a good number the whole way
through like same thing as bootcamps.
You'll get people dropping off and
losing a little bit of motivation
and kind of send them a message.
Like, how are you going?
And, you know, pretty much straight away.
It's like, oh yeah, I
know I need to come back.
All right, I'm coming back.
So you don't even need to twist their arm.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Yeah.
So just following up, because I was
going to ask you that next, like hacky
kept the numbers up, cheering that time.
Cause people got like screens to take
and chatting to other trainers that be.
And maybe it's that you kept it going
to cause Chad and other trainers,
I know they've like did virtual.
Then they went fully back to face-to-face
and they went back to virtual and this
time they only had half as many clients.
So maybe it was the consistency.
That's played a big part.
What's your feeling on.
Lauren Brennen: Yeah, I think, I think so.
I think definitely having that consistency
and keep going, but I think it's really
about keeping your sessions different.
Like if they're going to, you
know, log on and think, oh, we kind
of know what we're going to do.
You know, we've done it last week
and the week before and you know,
it's not interesting for them.
So yeah.
I've I spent a lot of time
on YouTube looking up.
I've got certain people I follow in
Instagram, all that kind of thing.
Just trying to find.
Something new.
I try and find something
new for each session.
Like always one new little exercise
or one different combo or something.
That's kind of my aim.
Um, just to, yeah.
Keep it different.
But then, um, yeah, I also
introduced using household products.
Um,
yes.
Yeah.
So, you know, stuff like a chair,
a tell a backpack, dumbbells.
My crew loved boxing, no matter whether
we're at boot camp or now virtual
and they beg for those sessions.
So, um, if you know, and I love them
so much that a lot of them have gone
out and bought dumbbells now, but
at the start, people were holding.
Cans of food were having drink
bottles that they were holding.
Some guy was holding
a, um, like batteries.
I could ever know what he had.
It was quite amazing.
Um, but yeah, so a lot of them have gone
out and bought that they don't have to,
you know, you can use anything around your
house for any of those kinds of things.
Um, but it's, yeah, it's just been fun.
And then, you know, the interactive stuff
where you, you know, you can share, which
I actually got from my kid's school.
Um, they were doing this wheel, um,
As on there meets with their teachers.
And I was like, oh, I can, I
could use that for bootcamp.
So I got on there and started
playing with it and realize I am
come up with the wheel of fitness.
So, um, so that's a bit of fun.
Um, and I always joke around that.
Obviously that's not my fault.
It's whatever the wheel spins up.
And, but you can also share dice.
You can share heads and tails.
So it's nothing like
you don't have to do it.
They can see it on the screen.
It's just a little bit more interactive.
Um, and yeah, I think it's just offering
what I do it all of them in one week.
Like, I'll probably do one of those in one
week and swap which one I'm kind of using.
So it does keep it different.
And then you just have those hard
sessions where it's just cardio,
where you're doing just strength or,
you know, you do have that combo.
So yeah, it is planning out the week,
but they're going to come back because
I don't know what to expect and they
know they're getting a good workout.
Yeah.
Kyle Wood: Cool.
Yeah.
Thanks.
Thanks for summing that up
because I was curious and another
trainers will be curious too.
All right.
Are you ready for the rapid
fire round of questions?
Uh, so, so I already had your
answers here, so if you could
get anything, I can prompt you.
Um, so what are the top three
things you do each week that
you found to help your business?
Lauren Brennen: Um, so definitely
connections, connections with clients.
Um, like I spoke about with
the word of mouth thing that
is that's I think priority.
Like, if you're getting along with your
clients, if you're listening to them
and you're asking them next time you see
them, oh, how did your moving house go?
Or how did your daughter's
graduation go and stuff like that?
I think people really relate to that.
Part from the fact of saying that I care.
So I don't, I don't just
do that as a trainer.
I do that because I do care about
the people that train with me.
Um, yeah.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Awesome.
Lauren Brennen: Oh, well there
was three things, wasn't it?
Um, yes.
What else have I researched?
Yes, definitely.
So, yeah, like I was just talking
about, it's all about keeping things
fresh, um, and looking up different
things, not letting them know.
That's going to happen.
Yes.
You can use templates and God, I don't
come up with totally different things
for the hundreds of sessions that
I've done, but, you know, using the
same kind of template as in workout
intervals and stuff like that, to just
putting different exercises, which just
makes it a totally different workout.
And, you know, they, they
can't see that it's, uh, you
know, there's the same workout.
Um, and yeah.
Just trying to find out as much things
as you can try and try and find out some
facts that you can tell them all in a
session or, you know, just something, um,
it's something to keep them interested
really lot, and they want to come.
They want to come and see you.
And then, you know, you also
acknowledging that when they're not there.
I don't hand people.
I don't chase them, but if they'll
miss two sessions in a row, then I'll
definitely just checking on them.
Like everyone can have that one way.
And most of my clients will message to be
off let's look, Dean will be sold that.
Um, but yeah, most of all it's yeah, just
definitely, um, Keeping track of, you
know, knowing where they're at as well.
Yeah.
Kyle Wood: And the last one, third
one you wrote was spend the time,
Lauren Brennen: spend the time.
Yeah.
So yeah, I guess they all
come in to each other.
Right.
I really do.
Yeah.
That's that's spending the time
spending the time, obviously, you
know, looking up resources, spending
the time on your clients and you
know, small messages here and there.
If you know, someone's about to go
do a fun run or they're training
for an event, you know, check in
with them, see how they going.
Is there anything I can help you with?
Um, And yeah.
Obviously spending the time, looking
for resources as well and spending
the time I find writing the session.
I do take a while to write a session.
I'll take a good day.
I want to write a 30 minute session.
Um, because I'm thinking a lot, like
I'm thinking how I'm going to do it,
how I'm going to make it different
to the last time I did it, if we did
the similar thing, um, or sometimes
it's sitting there and totally.
Just thinking something brand new.
And a lot of the times you look up
things and obviously using, um, the
BCI, uh, resource helps, you know, a
million times over, all you've got to
do is open up a couple of sessions and
you could not even have to copy them.
You can just create your own from the few
different elements that each of them use.
Um, which is what I find.
I do a lot of stuff.
Yeah.
Kyle Wood: Awesome.
Yeah.
And I guess you talk about spending a lot
of time and your workouts, but for you,
from what you've told me this, during
this interview, it it's really like
your mom, your biggest marketing thing.
So a hundred percent makes sense.
You would spend so much time
planning each workout because.
That's yeah, why not?
You know, and probably the time
better spent than, you know, spending
an hour, make making a Instagram
post or something like that.
Cause it's, it's your product.
You're improving a product.
Lauren Brennen: Definitely.
Kyle Wood: Uh, all right, next question.
Uh, what is your favorite
song or band to work out?
Yeah, this
Lauren Brennen: is a tough one.
This could be anything for me.
I'll even run to podcasts
about running the tail boring.
Um, but I do like my music as well,
but at the moment I'm, I'm into kind
of the RNB all at the RMV Fridays
and, um, just yeah, a bit old school
really, but yeah, I really am.
I'll I'll uh, like anything, anything
that's fast when I'm running?
Um, I do a lot of running,
um, Yeah, definitely.
If I've got to choose one kind of genre.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
And I actually meant to look up
and I forgot before this episode,
like some of the old R and B
that we would have grown up with.
I couldn't remember any of it, but
I was like, oh, so like in the,
yeah, like it was all like, yeah.
All right.
Last question.
Thank you for being daggy.
So, where would you like to head next
in with your business or, you know,
in your fitness career in general?
Lauren Brennen: Yeah, this one's a tough
one because I feel like I'm, I'm feel
like I'm kind of in it at the moment.
Like there's a lot going on.
Um, you know, like once we get
back to the bootcamps, I can't
wait to get back to the bootcamps.
Um, and obviously keep the virtual
and I've always said, I'll, I'll
keep the virtual why there's demand
for it because what's the use of
stopping it when people want it.
30 minutes, you know, in my own house as
well, like it is for them or like, so it
is, you know, it's, I can fit that around
my family life and around my work life.
Um, but yeah.
W where was I going with that?
Um, Yeah, where I want to be.
Sorry.
So yeah, I enjoy both of those.
I can't see getting
rid of either of those.
I've actually just entered into a
corporate fitness gig at a local,
um, large company in the area.
Um, so I've, I've been there.
Kind of right on the cusp of COVID coming.
So I haven't had a good run with
them yet, but, um, I, I did help
them design their new D deem.
Um, they moved their old gym from
the old factory to the new gym.
And I did, I have written all of their
staff that wanted to use the gym program.
So they made it kind of like, if you want
to use the gym, then you must see Lauren.
Uh, program to be you, which was nice
too, because it was a good one-on-one
way for me to meet everyone as well.
Um, but then the, you know, the
future ideas for that is then we
are looking at doing programs,
wellness programs within that.
So we're going to be doing, you
know, getting a body scan machine
and we'll do a full kind of challenge
with them where we, um, You know,
meal plans and I give them exercise.
We'll do some group.
They actually, they want
to start the group fitness.
I haven't got any way to do indoor.
So we did have to wait for the
weather to become nice anyway, to
do some outdoors, um, bootcamps.
Um, and then yeah, a little bit
of one on one stuff as well.
Like, um, so yeah, that that's one that
one's definitely gonna progress too.
So at the moment, I think, yeah, I
can, I can't see anything past all that
because that that's, that's my thing.
Kyle Wood: And then you, um, recently an
e-book for trainers to, that was shared.
So you compiled of a 24 of your favorite
virtual 30 minute virtual workouts
with, when you think about it, like
if you spend an hour planning each of
those sessions, like that's, that's a
lot, that's a very valuable resource.
So, so that's something you
may be dabbling as well.
Cause you do have a lot to share with.
Lauren Brennen: I think I
found a kind of set there.
Well, not one day, a lot of days in a
row where I was like, God, I've got a lot
of sessions and I I'm very old school.
I write all my sessions on
paper always have I just, I
don't think I can change it.
I tried to, but I can't.
Um, but I just like having them
there to go through all the time.
More convenient for me.
Um, but I just thought God, I've
got all of these sessions to share.
And I was seeing a lot of comments
on different forums of people, kind
of struggling with what to do for
virtual and how to keep it different.
I do try and comment on as
many as I can just to help out.
Um, but then I just started
thinking, God, I really, you know,
maybe I could do a resource like.
They like you and produce
something like that.
Um, and then yeah, I came to you
and kind of with the crazy idea
and thought, well, I've put it out.
I'm one of those people that if I
put it out there, I'm going to do it.
So, um, yeah, many, many hours
later come up with, um, yeah, the
virtual training session guide.
So which a few have purchased
already, which is a bit exciting.
Kyle Wood: Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And, um, I'll, I'll include
something at the end of where
people can find out more about.
Uh, yeah.
Well, thank you Lauren so
much for coming on the show.
And I know it's like, wait, wait, you
know, you're a trainer, you were training.
Being interviewed on podcasts.
Isn't saying that happens every day.
So I really appreciate you
stepping
out of your comfort zone and
again, sharing with us and with the
community, uh, everything you have.
I feel like we could have talked for
probably at least another half an
hour, uh, in your brain about stuff.
So they will have to
have you back for like,
Lauren Brennen: We'll see, we'll see now.
Thank you very much for having me.
I appreciate it.
And yeah, hopefully it does help
some people, obviously on any of
the forums, I'm happy to help.
So if you've got any questions
where you just find me, that's fine.
Like, um, yeah, I'm
always happy to help, so.
Kyle Wood: Awesome.
Thank you so much, Lauren.
