Beachbody coaches

aerobicgirl

So how many of you are beachbody coaches and how do you like it?

toberlili

i love it, i was scared of trying anything new, but it is the best thing i could have ever done. i will actually stick with this program and for the first time i am losing weight and its staying of. being a coach helps keep me accountable

takern

I am, and I have gotten great info out of it. Not to mention a great discount for my Shakeology.

tak1978

reneeot

Moi!! Discount was a great incentive for my Shakeology!!

00trayn

I just signed up yesterday, I've been telling everyone who asks about Turbo Fire's success that I've had, so I figured I might as well get paid to do it! I also really wanted Shakeology and it's a great discount on it

BeSexy

Love it!!!!! Strongly recommend it!

tondalea

Its a great business and like all others, great to get discounts on products you already love. Great way to keep accountable and help others.

ErinMarie25

I love it. I love helping others because I've been in the same place others have been. Not wanting to workout or even try to help themselves so its rewarding helping others.

o2blori

I LOVE it. I love being able to help people and know exactly where they are coming from. I love Turbo Jam. I actually have the song in my head right now which makes me excited to go home and work out.

~Lori
www.beachbodycoach.com/o2blori

Stooooo

Great question! I have to admit I orginally became a coach just to get the 25% discount on P90X. You see what a lot of people don't realize is that it is ok to join for that reason. However, after a week of just posting on my blog about my progress I earned a commission. To this day I don't even know what I did to deserve it, but I liked it. That was back in March of 2008, today thanks to Beachbody I have developed a love for helping people acheive their health and fitness goals. Sure it's great to make money, but I have a new found passion for fitness.

If there is anyone reading this who is thinking about becoming a coach, I highly recommend it. It is such a great feeling knowing you are making a difference in the world. I love getting e-mails from the people I coach thanking me for pushing them or thanking me for helping them to get into a pair of jeans they haven't worn in years. It really makes my day! If you know someone who is a coach talk to them. If not I'm more then willing to answer any questions. Beachbody needs your help! Americans need your help! Obesity is one of the leading killers in America today, and Beachbody is on the front lines of this battle against the bulge. Join us!

Hope this helps,
Stu

briteyes

not a coach, but i had some questions... for the people that are being coached, what is our cost? do we have to pay some sort of membership fee??? the whole thing kind of confuses me.

tondalea

You do not pay for a coach. You get a free coach when you purchase a product from beachbody. No membership fee required. Beachbody wants for you to be succesful with anything that you purchase and therefore wants you to have a live person that you can contact for issues. Once you activiate your online account this person should be your only friend.

Lyadeia

I am a coach and I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. I'm going to be candid and sorry if I step on toes...but it was asked.

I have been a coach since 2007. When I first signed up, it was after I had finished Power 90 and a round of Turbo Jam, and I was in very good shape. I became a coach because the programs work if you have the knowledge base of nutrition and keep up up with your workouts. I wanted to help people gain this knowledge so that they could be successful and reach their goals as well.

But, anyone can be a coach. I don't agree with this. The reason I say that is because I would personally want a coach who has finished their journey, lost weight, gained muscle, etc. to help me reach my goals. There are so many coaches that have not does this and I don't see how they can "coach" me to my goals when they haven't even reached theirs. Yes, they can help and support me, but that's why we are here on THIS website. And we don't get "paid" to be here.

Last year when the CEO of Beachbody started the Game Plan, it became painfully obvious that it was all about the money and not really about helping people. You can see that here, too. Buy this, buy that, sign up with me so I can be your coach (meaning when you buy stuff, you help me make a paycheck off of you). Even on the Beachbody website a few years ago, there were strict rules about NOT promoting yourself as a coach. You were there to HELP PEOPLE, which is not quite the way it is now. Lately on these boards, I've been seeing a lot of "attacks" from other coaches trying to promote themselves or make a sale. It's really not what Beachbody was supposed to be about!!! It was supposed to be about ending the obesity crisis.

A lot of coaches seriously neglect the people that are assigned to them. I have heard so many stories about people who need help, have questions, etc. totally frustrated with their "coach" who won't even bother returning an email. I am also a personal trainer and fitness instructor, and if that kind of behavior and attitude was present, I'd be fired. But you can't really be "fired" as a Beachbody coach, no matter how un- or under- qualified you prove yourself to be.

That being said, all those coaches who are like that truly do give the rest of us a bad name. People on this website complain about Beachbody coaches all the time, because they think we are ALL out there to make a buck and not really help people reach their goals. Unfortunately, with Carl Daikeler's "Game Plan," he has made it clear that the focus of coaches should be to get more coaches. I'm sorry, but not everyone has what it takes to coach someone. I just don't see how someone who has never done P90X, has never drank Shakeology, or still hasn't dropped below that 200 mark when their goal weight is 125 can possibly help me to lose weight and get in shape when I have purchased P90X and Shakeology and I already weight less than they do. It's like going to an overweight nutritionist when you make your doctor's appointment: you will take everything they say with a grain of salt...

But on the other hand, it has been a very rewarding experience helping other people and pushing them to reach their goals. That's why I became a fitness instructor and a personal trainer as well. It's great that I get discounts on the products, but that's really not why I became a coach. I also didn't become one to make money and build an empire of coaches. I wanted to help people, and by coaching, you will be doing just that.

When someone asks me about wanting to sign up as a coach, I always tell them that if their motivation is solely for the discount and making a paycheck, to please rethink becoming a coach. If they are wanting to be a coach to aid people in their journey and share the knowledge that they have learned (and are willing to always be open and learn from others since nobody knows everything!) then go for it because it is truly wonderful to help someone get to their goals. I feel like coaches should be like the silent partners...it's NOT about the coach, and all about the person you are coaching.

IMHO. :flowerforyou:

Stooooo

I am a coach and I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. I'm going to be candid and sorry if I step on toes...but it was asked.

I have been a coach since 2007. When I first signed up, it was after I had finished Power 90 and a round of Turbo Jam, and I was in very good shape. I became a coach because the programs work if you have the knowledge base of nutrition and keep up up with your workouts. I wanted to help people gain this knowledge so that they could be successful and reach their goals as well.

But, anyone can be a coach. I don't agree with this. The reason I say that is because I would personally want a coach who has finished their journey, lost weight, gained muscle, etc. to help me reach my goals. There are so many coaches that have not does this and I don't see how they can "coach" me to my goals when they haven't even reached theirs. Yes, they can help and support me, but that's why we are here on THIS website. And we don't get "paid" to be here.

Last year when the CEO of Beachbody started the Game Plan, it became painfully obvious that it was all about the money and not really about helping people. You can see that here, too. Buy this, buy that, sign up with me so I can be your coach (meaning when you buy stuff, you help me make a paycheck off of you). Even on the Beachbody website a few years ago, there were strict rules about NOT promoting yourself as a coach. You were there to HELP PEOPLE, which is not quite the way it is now. Lately on these boards, I've been seeing a lot of "attacks" from other coaches trying to promote themselves or make a sale. It's really not what Beachbody was supposed to be about!!! It was supposed to be about ending the obesity crisis.

A lot of coaches seriously neglect the people that are assigned to them. I have heard so many stories about people who need help, have questions, etc. totally frustrated with their "coach" who won't even bother returning an email. I am also a personal trainer and fitness instructor, and if that kind of behavior and attitude was present, I'd be fired. But you can't really be "fired" as a Beachbody coach, no matter how un- or under- qualified you prove yourself to be.

That being said, all those coaches who are like that truly do give the rest of us a bad name. People on this website complain about Beachbody coaches all the time, because they think we are ALL out there to make a buck and not really help people reach their goals. Unfortunately, with Carl Daikeler's "Game Plan," he has made it clear that the focus of coaches should be to get more coaches. I'm sorry, but not everyone has what it takes to coach someone. I just don't see how someone who has never done P90X, has never drank Shakeology, or still hasn't dropped below that 200 mark when their goal weight is 125 can possibly help me to lose weight and get in shape when I have purchased P90X and Shakeology and I already weight less than they do. It's like going to an overweight nutritionist when you make your doctor's appointment: you will take everything they say with a grain of salt...

But on the other hand, it has been a very rewarding experience helping other people and pushing them to reach their goals. That's why I became a fitness instructor and a personal trainer as well. It's great that I get discounts on the products, but that's really not why I became a coach. I also didn't become one to make money and build an empire of coaches. I wanted to help people, and by coaching, you will be doing just that.

When someone asks me about wanting to sign up as a coach, I always tell them that if their motivation is solely for the discount and making a paycheck, to please rethink becoming a coach. If they are wanting to be a coach to aid people in their journey and share the knowledge that they have learned (and are willing to always be open and learn from others since nobody knows everything!) then go for it because it is truly wonderful to help someone get to their goals. I feel like coaches should be like the silent partners...it's NOT about the coach, and all about the person you are coaching.

IMHO. :flowerforyou:

Very well put, thank you for sharing that. Of course there are things I agree and disagree with, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. As you can see from my ticker I am not anywhere close to reaching my goal, however I am now closer to reaching it then I am from where I started (I was right around 290 lbs.). With that said I have had people contact me saying that they identified with me and it was why they selected me as their coach. Prior to them joining me I tell them I may not know an answer to one of their questions, but I am sure I know someone who does. I am not afraid to defer to my upline coaches.

I do agree that coaches need to be a product of the product, which is something Carl along with the founding coaches stress all the time. If someone wants to become a coach to take advantage of the discount good for them. As long as they understand what they are getting into, I see nothing wrong with that. A lot of our products are not cheap, being a coach makes them cheaper.

All the best,
Stu

turboandrea

I like being a coach, but I originally signed up for the Shakeology discount. After seeing so much success, it's an investment that's repaid itself. I love coaching others - seeing them hit their fitness goals is immensely rewarding. Since becoming a Beachbody coach, I've gained the confidence and motivation to lose almost 20 pounds, 21 inches, and take a huge step - becoming a certified Turbo Kick instructor. I now teach twice a week to strangers and love every minute of it. I never thought I'd be a fitness instructor, let alone so close (3 pounds!) to the lowest weight in my life (with me counting of course). It's because of coaching I know that I'll realize my dreams and rock that Slave Leia bikini at the 2011 Beachbody Coach Summit.

PJilly

Thank you, Lyadeia, for your post. I debated about responding in this thread, but I have many of the same feelings you have.

I'd like to see coaches be rewarded for helping, not for selling. I think it might make sense for there to be three different routes one can go: coach, sales rep, or customer. I gave that feedback on the survey that was recently sent to coaches. Did you get one?

I love coaching and helping people, and I have kicked butt on my food and workouts and have met my goals, but I don't have one ounce of salesperson in me. Lots of coaches DO have that sales gene (we've seen plenty of examples here), and it's hard to blame them when that seems to be where the emphasis is now. It didn't feel that way when I signed up 2+ years ago.

Anyway, thanks again. I was beginning to think I was the only one!

Iluvchopsticks

I agree with many points here. I think there are 3 types of coaches with BB. 1. Those looking to make as much money as possible 2. Those who love the products and want a discount 3. Those who want to help people. If the second or third is your motivation I say go for it. There are a lot of coaches who push business real hard but aren't really there to talk to their people or help them because they are too busy accumulating sales and building their business. Those coaches are also the ones that turn a lot of people off of coaching. I have used BB products for years and love them. I became a coach for the discount and because I'd love to help people take the steps to change their lives and offer as much support as possible. I come from a family where diabetes is rampant and I'm scared for them. Unfortunately they don't want to make any effort to change. Being around their example has motivated me even harder to change myself and want to help anyone who is looking for advice, support, and encouragement. I have to turn to the virtual world to get these things because I don't have many people in my life who understand my desire to live healthy and who encourage my lifestyle. Most my friends and coworkers are fit because I am in the military, but I'd say at least 80% are 20-30 something men who barely have to pay any attention to diet/nutrition at all. They understand the workout part of the equation but being around them makes it really hard to eat right. I know a lot of people have the same issues where they don't have enough "real world" support so they turn to sites like this seeking guidance. That's why I'm here, to seek motivation and also help those who are much newer in the journey than I am. Sorry if I got on some off topic tangent but those are my thoughts

Lyadeia

Thank you, Lyadeia, for your post. I debated about responding in this thread, but I have many of the same feelings you have.

I'd like to see coaches be rewarded for helping, not for selling. I think it might make sense for there to be three different routes one can go: coach, sales rep, or customer. I gave that feedback on the survey that was recently sent to coaches. Did you get one?

I love coaching and helping people, and I have kicked butt on my food and workouts and have met my goals, but I don't have one ounce of salesperson in me. Lots of coaches DO have that sales gene (we've seen plenty of examples here), and it's hard to blame them when that seems to be where the emphasis is now. It didn't feel that way when I signed up 2+ years ago.

Anyway, thanks again. I was beginning to think I was the only one!

I filled out that survey yesterday when they sent it to my email. I let them know my frustrations because I think it is important to help others get fit rather than just make money. I get tired of hearing how Diamond Coaches can make over $100k a year when that wasn't the case for me. I got to Diamond status not by force feeding people a sale or making a ton of contacts with people I didn't know trying to get them into a business. I got there by real coaching where I was helping others reach their goals, giving tips and advice, and answering their questions. Many of them went on to be a coach after reaching their goals. As a Diamond, I didn't make piddly squat for money...but I didn't really care either. I was on a mission to help people reach their health and fitness goals. So, all those questions on the survey asked about the money you make, blah blah, and what you would like to see changed...I told them as much as I could without being mean about it. The focus needs to be re-centered onto the people we are helping, not just the ones that are recruited to make us money (which I refuse to participate in because it goes against what I believe helping others should be like).

And no, you are definitely NOT the only one who feels this way. I have a large support group of friends on Facebook and probably more than half of them are other coaches. We've been discussing this very thing for quite some time now. I even had 4 personally sponsored coaches to quit very recently because they didn't like where Carl and his Game Plan was taking the company. He needs to be reminded of the original goal and vision that he had before he even introduced the coaching idea. It's not about making money. It's about helping people.

turboandrea

Both my boyfriend and I are frustrated with the company's handling of the coaching system, especially now with the free coach signups and soon-to-be TV advertising. It's basically going to advertise to the public to join up as a coach and all profits from that will go to diamond coaches. That makes it really difficult for emerald and ruby coaches who are still trying to encourage coaches to sign up to make diamond. Do I try to get people to make more money? no. Would I like to use this as a career? Of course. But I agree that the Game Plan and now this new coaching signup push is really going to hurt not only our integrity, but the success of all coaches who are currently working to build their businesses.

I'm really glad to know others are frustrated. Thanks for posting.

Learning2LoveMe

I'm not a coach but I have been thinking of becoming one. I would love to help people in their journey.... and getting discounts is always a plus. One of the things holding me back is I don't know how it all works, and secondly... I thought it would be a little lame for me (who is still 60-ish lbs overweight) to be coaching people to their goals. Who am I to say how they should do their workouts and whatnot when I am still a big fatty? Nobody would take me seriously I think.

How does the coaching work? Whats the different levels I'm hearing about (diamond, ruby, etc)? How do you make money... and how much do you make? (It's not really about the money for me... as long as its enough to cover the monthly coach fee I would be happy). Do you have to find and sign your own clients or do they assign clients to you?

Lyadeia

I'm not a coach but I have been thinking of becoming one. I would love to help people in their journey.... and getting discounts is always a plus. One of the things holding me back is I don't know how it all works, and secondly... I thought it would be a little lame for me (who is still 60-ish lbs overweight) to be coaching people to their goals. Who am I to say how they should do their workouts and whatnot when I am still a big fatty? Nobody would take me seriously I think.

How does the coaching work? Whats the different levels I'm hearing about (diamond, ruby, etc)? How do you make money... and how much do you make? (It's not really about the money for me... as long as its enough to cover the monthly coach fee I would be happy). Do you have to find and sign your own clients or do they assign clients to you?

It's hard to answer those questions in these forums without someone saying we're advertising ourselves...but I will try to take s stab at it, lol.

When you start out as a coach, you are just "coach." This means that you have no other coaches signed up under you. You are NOT given customers by Beachbody at this time. So basically, your first customers are normally people you know, your friends, family, etc. and people you talk to who are interested in being coached. At this point you earn a little commission when people buy Beachbody products from the website that they give you which you pay $14.99 a month to have.

When you have 2 coaches signed up under you who are both "active" (being active coach means that you either personally buy about $50 of product a month for yourself or your customers go to your website and buy that much) you are called Emerald. So basically, you need to have signed up 2 coaches and those coaches also buy product. When you are Emerald, Beachbody automatically signs up customers with you as their coach when they buy a program. You also get "free players" which are people who sign up to get a coach without buying anything. (oh, I forgot to mention...to stay an active Emerald Coach, you also have to sign up for the Club Membership on their website which is like $40 every 3 months...) Get a couple more coaches under you, you move up to Ruby....I became a Diamond when I had 2 Emeralds under me.

So as you can see, the "business" side of things can be expensive for beginners because if you don't have active coaches then you have to buy product yourself! Unless you don't care about staying active 100% of the time. One of my coaches started ordering all these vitamins once a month for herself that she couldn't go through in a month just to stay active...sad, sad, sad when coaching turns into Show Me The Money. But I digress.

Oh and here's an interesting thing...it happened to me a lot. If someone doesn't like program and the return it for a refund, Beachbody takes your commission back from you by deducting it from the next check you get. How's that for making Carl richer? And they also take away the credit for selling it in the first place, so you might lose rank next week. I was Diamond one week, and then shot back down to Emerald the next week because one of my coaches went inactive and one little ol' customer returned P90X.

Are you starting to understand why the money grubbing coaches out there seem to have all these sell sell sell attitudes, now? You sell, you make money. You don't sell, you seem to get punished. Unless you remember that it is NOT about making money...................

But when you sign up, you get all these huge info packets about their compensation plan and there's meetings and webinars galore about how to get coaches.

Gosh, I wish they'd have a seminar on healthy eating or modifying difficult exercises! Cause that's what my customers care about, not me trying to get them to sign up to be a coach!!! But I digress...

As far as how much money you make, that totally depends on how many coaches you have signed up under you. Don't think that if you have a thousand customers you will make a lot of money. You get commissions from what they buy IF THEY BUY. Remember that they are a customer cause they already bought a program...no guarantee they will ever buy anything else. You also get commissions (so to speak) if your downline coaches buy or sell things to others and a "bonus" if you have really big selling coaches. It's an MLM. Most coaches hate it when you call it a pyramid scheme, but if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, no matter what the big duck Carl tells you....................

Being completely 100% totally honest with you...even when I was a Diamond before the Game Plan came out, the most I ever made was about $400 a month. It's really not that bad, but you can't live off it making what I was making. When the Game Plan was released, I had been knocked down to Ruby because I had a coach to cancel...and since then, making money with Beachbody has been insanely difficult. As stated before, after the Game Plan, all the really good incentives went to the founding coaches and those lucky enough to make it and stay in Diamond status. So Ruby and below have to work harder than ever to move up the ladder. As I mentioned earlier a few posts ago, I recently had a lot of coaches to up and quit out of sheer frustration with Carl and his money making schemes. Which sent me down to regular ol' Coach as if I had just started out. So for the past 5 months or so, I have averaged about double the money of the $14.99 fee per month...which puts me on top, but no where near where Carl said I could be. You hear all the time about the 6 figure salary of coaches, but let me tell you that is only true about the founding coaches! This is not true for the other thousands of coaches trying to make a difference in the fight to end obesity.

Goodness...sounds like a really negative, spiteful post, doesn't it?

I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic. I do not think being a Beachbody Coach is a negative thing at all. But you need to hear the truth about how difficult it is to make money instead of the hype that most diehard coaches will tell you.

I urge you to think about this when signing up to be a coach. Think about the people you want to help. And remember that YOU provide those people until you get 2 coaches to sign up with you and stay active. Don't focus on the money, or you will certainly lose focus of the people! It's all Carl's emails and Facebook page talks about is so-and-so just signed up more coaches...the "training" is about signing people up rather than health and fitness...

If you are passionate about health and fitness and want to do that as a career, I would personally look into personal training, fitness instruction, etc. Beachbody as a career seems to suck the joy of helping others right out of it sometimes unless you separate yourself from the business side of it.

But as I said many times before, I thoroughly love and enjoy helping people out. I don't even look at my Beachbody "office" anymore unless it is to get email addresses of new customers and greet them. They money isn't important. But I hope I answered some of your questions about the compensation plan. It was never really explained to me and I just assumed I would start making a check right away. Didn't happen. So please don't get wrapped up in that side of it. :flowerforyou: