Lesson 6 of 6
Choosing the right model for your stage
Learning objectives
- Match model choice to cash, audience, skill and time
- Avoid premature product launches
- Phase your build over 12 months
- Write a 90-day primary focus
Stage decides the move
New coaches with little cash and a small audience should usually start with services. Coaches with a meaningful audience can test digital products or group programmes. Coaches with a validated product idea should validate before ordering stock. Coaches with a community mission should prove delivery on a small scale before adding formal structures.
Build in phases, not in parallel
Phase 1: cash and proof. Phase 2: leverage (group, digital, async). Phase 3: brand and product. Phase 4: mission, partnerships, scale.
Skipping phases is the most common failure pattern in fitness entrepreneurship.
Founder insight — Derrick Twum
Many coaches want to launch apparel in month two. Almost none can survive the cash gap if it doesn't sell in month three.
Key takeaway
Choose your model from your stage, not from your ambition. Ambition is the destination, not the starting point.
Reflection questions
- 1What is your honest stage today?
- 2What would change if you focused on one model for the next 90 days?
- 3Which model are you currently being distracted by?
Action task
Write one sentence: 'For the next 90 days, my primary model is X, my secondary is Y, and I am not building Z yet.'
Worksheet
Work through these prompts. Answers save to this device.
Answers are saved to this device only. Cloud sync coming soon.