Should I become a Beachbody Coach?

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Replies

  • CariMugz
    CariMugz Posts: 2 Member
    To bad those friends don't pay your bills :) and it beats the whole "job" pyramid scheme where your boss is at the top of the pyramid and you are at the bottom working your tail off... unless you have a cool boss then good for you. I kinda like helping others reach their goals and feel good about themselves. It's not for everyone and just like everything there is good and bad and as you can see here everyone has their opinion. I coach, I make money, I like it, and I have friends.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Yes if you want friends and relatives to avoid your Facebook wall at all costs. MLM's are so tacky and laughable. I won't even go into a Barnes and Noble because of all the weirdos that hang around the diet & business sections trying to recruit more suckers.

    I agree with the above...if you want people you know to avoid you. Then yes.
    If you want to post it here in the forums, be prepared to get warnings and strikes because you cannot sell it here either. (Not saying you would, just giving you a heads up).
    So who does that leave you to sell it to?
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    It's Amway for fitness people. If you are REALLY interested in a career in fitness, get educated and get certified by an actual health related organization.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    I just heard the topic of making money in an MLM business on the Dave Ramsey show last week. Link below if you're interested in reading:

    http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/guide-joining-multilevel-marketing-company
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    It's Amway for fitness people. If you are REALLY interested in a career in fitness, get educated and get certified by an actual health related organization.
    This. And as a "part time" trainer (about 18 hours a week), I make a little over $2000 a month. And I don't have to buy any products and have free gym membership to boot. I love my job.
    At my center, we have a few trainers that make over $6,000 a month( $72,000 a year). They work 8 hour days like others, so it's totally doable if you like fitness that much.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jchadden42
    jchadden42 Posts: 189
    One of my friends recently became a Beachbody coach and ever since then, ALL I hear about is Shakeology, Insanity, and Turbo Fire. Her facebook is constantly filled with posts about healthy food, working out, and... you guessed it... Shakeology. They try to sell it to anyone and everyone. I think they also get something special for recruiting new coaches, because she's always sending me videos and information on becoming one (which I'm not interesting in doing). I think it's awesome that Jenelle has made so much money on it, but I don't think the average person would even come close to having that level of success. If you want to give it a shot, go for it, but I personally wouldn't.

    Likewise. I have a friend who does this and another one who is selling "detox" wraps. This seems pyramid-y to me.
  • OnTheGround
    OnTheGround Posts: 78
    No.

    IMHO it's tacky to use your friends to sell to in this manner.

    And I think it's SUPER shady and deceptive to call these folks "coaches" as if they have some sort of professional coaching designation.

    As others have mentioned, I hate seeing FB feeds filled with "Buy this from meeeee!" and it seems like LOTS AND LOTS of folks are doing it lately............there's no room for real money making at this level, it doesn't seem like.

    And, coachpryor.....I work for a non-profit. I work for a paycheck and don't sell a thing! ;)
  • missytrishy
    missytrishy Posts: 203 Member
    Excellent reply :)
  • CariMugz
    CariMugz Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks for posting this link to Dave. It is exactly accurate. It's not easy and it's not for everyone, and not everyone is "that guy" if you have a good heart and want to actually help others then it's a great thing.
  • PeaceLoveTrees
    PeaceLoveTrees Posts: 42 Member
    I'd also vote no. Maybe do it part time, on the side, if you really feel that passionate about it, but I would not rely on it to compensate for a full time salary.

    Years ago I sold Scentsy and seriously you'll just annoy yourself with how much you talk about the products and try to convince people to buy them.

    I used Shakeology for a while and then started testing out other meal replacement powders. I've been using a different brand called Amazing Grass, getting the same results, and paying $80 less a month for it. This is also why I say no, eventually people won't be able to afford the product and look elsewhere anyway. It's a tough sell to people who have done their homework and are concerned about their budget.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Rob banks. It's more respectable
  • elleloch
    elleloch Posts: 739 Member
    OP, I'm a Beachbody coach and Jenelle is in my upline. She is fantastic.

    I will say that I'm not really a "business" coach. I have a passion for health and fitness but don't have any formal training, but there are great tools as a coach that allow you to help people. I was already helping people in my life before I became a coach, so it seemed like a natural step to take. I'd say my role as a coach is more of hobby than anything, and it's really enjoyable to me.

    You can't approach people like you are in it to make money or to just sell them things. Being a coach is about sharing your own journey and encouraging others along theirs. It's not for everyone and that's okay. You should check it out if you are really interested.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    I don't think you understood what I meant. Can't you train folks without being certified? Can a person still be called a personal trainer without being certified? Can a person be called a coach without a B.A. in physical fitness? Example, there are a ton of folks who lost weight and have helped other folks lose weight without being certified. I would assume that most BB coaches don't have a B.A. in physical fitness. Here's another example, Diva Slims Down lost a lot of weight and is helping other folks lose wight. Another example, a neighbor, co-worker or family member can help you lose weight without being a certified personal trainer.
    Anyone can train anyone without being certified. The point is that there is a difference in receiving information from someone with actual knowledge from years of studying, then the person who was able to lose weight because they REALLY wanted to. And would you personally pay for information from advice of a non licensed, unable to pass the bar attorney to help with a case, or just ensure that you're just going to go with the one who's licensed?
    I get people all the time in the gym saying "man I could do your job", until they really see what I have to do with all the assessments, writing up of programs, making all the adjustments to bad form, knowing that "pushing" people to workout harder isn't always the best approach, etc. They just know THEIR way of how THEY did it and don't realize how many variables there are to individuals.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    ^ Appropriate Credentials worth paying for.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Noooo! MLM businesses are a terrible way to make money. Most people end up losing money on them. And you become a full time salesperson trying to convince everyone in your life to buy overpriced products..

    You're better off just finding new, legitimate employment. Best of luck to you.






    THIS^^ All day long.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Noooo! MLM businesses are a terrible way to make money. Most people end up losing money on them. And you become a full time salesperson trying to convince everyone in your life to buy overpriced products..

    You're better off just finding new, legitimate employment. Best of luck to you.

    THIS^^^
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    It depends on who your upline is. Mine is Lindsay Matway. She is a 16x diamond beach body coach. She made enough to get out of debt and become financially free. I became a coach under her group and it has changed my mind about MLM. We are not "scamming people" we or not trainers or nutrition experts.We are helping people get through beachbody workouts and inspiring others with our results. We make our earnings by helping others and paying it fourth. Your success is our success we do not want you to fail but to succeed as a beachbody coach or not! Our team has about 6 of the top ten coaches in beachbody. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but if you have any questions about our team or coaching email me at Solimarcaban@hotmail.com best of luck!
    She's happy to have you to increase her income. And let's be honest, in an MLM, upline make their money on purchases of product or service from people UNDER them (a lots whom they've NEVER met or are introduced to) who are spending their money in hopes of reaching a higher level one day.
    All it says about your team is that the 6 top coaches are GOOD at selling people on an idea and inspiring them spend their money on a product that is overpriced for what actual ingredients and dosage are in it. There are opinions and there are statistics..............out of every MLM out there, only the top 1% are rich or financially independent. The rest are just worker bees making the 1% even richer.
    MLM's are great marketing schemes to entice people to make a decision on attaining wealth with them and all at a minimal start up cost. And all the top people have a great BS story (changes little by little each time it's told) of their struggle from poverty to the riches they have now. I'll hand it to them though because they do have to put A LOT of time and devotion into it.

    Here's my last take away: A good product doesn't need anyone to sell it. It will sell itself.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    If you think you can make money at beach body you know nothing about;
    Business
    Marketing
    Fitness
    Nutrition.

    http://www.vandruff.com/mlm.html





    You also can't read the little date next to the OP.

    Stop making fake accounts and bumping this junk to try and get leads.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    Two year necro thread... hmmm.
  • christy84065
    christy84065 Posts: 1 Member
    You've got a lot of feedback and I noticed a lot of it was negative. I'd like to tell you about my experience. I started just for the 21 Day Fix challenge. And it CHANGED MY LIFE. Beach Body is so much more than Shakeology and work out videos. It is a whole network of support. I have been struggling with 100 lbs extra for the past three years! And so when I started my challenge I thought, "Just one more thing that I won't stick to" and "Yeah, this isn't going to work". But I DID stick to it and it DID workI

    I get it. It's MLM. Wah! I live in the capital of America for MLMs. And I was skeptical about the company for that very reason. I myself have looked into half a dozen or more. But what I have learned Beach Body is like any other company, like Gold's Gym, Target, GNC or Walmart. They just happen to sell through their customers instead of a brick and mortar store. And just like GNC, Gold's Gym, and companies that sell through Target and Walmart, they have the people on the lower levels, mid levels and higher levels. That's the only difference between an MLM and a company that sells through a store. Beach Body just happens to be a MLM that has the right mixture of product and need. There is a HUGE need in this country for what Beach Body has to offer. We have an obesity problem in this country. And if Beach Body is making money off of helping people get fit and healthy what can you say about that??? It's no different that a gym who makes their money off of people who sign up and never go! I was one of them! I paid for a membership and never showed up. But we don't see Gyms being bashed for taking advantage of busy people now do we?

    I did Mary Kay. One of the lines used was "Your customers wash this stuff down the drain every night and so of course they are going to need more!" I am not a heavy make up wearer as it is. And I couldn't make myself wear it. It was a great product, but my heart wasn't in it. A decade later, I can tell you that my heart is in nutrition and health! Beach Body is an amazing fit for my likes and interests. When I saw what Shakeology was doing for my health I knew this was more than a "scheme". It is loaded with nutrition you will not find in any protein drink and has none of the junk that you will. So, yeah, you will find the coaches who spam the crap out of their friends. But that is not the company itself. And if you were to be a coach it does not mean that YOU have to be that way! There are awesome coaches who have made it from poverty, homelessness and ruin to now doing very well for themselves.
    So, take it or leave it. But that is my view, as a skeptical woman married to the biggest skeptic on the planet! I think that you should do what you feel is right for you, of course, but I just had to address some of the negative comments made from people who do not know what they are talking about. This is not going to be for everyone.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    You've got a lot of feedback and I noticed a lot of it was negative. I'd like to tell you about my experience. I started just for the 21 Day Fix challenge. And it CHANGED MY LIFE. Beach Body is so much more than Shakeology and work out videos. It is a whole network of support. I have been struggling with 100 lbs extra for the past three years! And so when I started my challenge I thought, "Just one more thing that I won't stick to" and "Yeah, this isn't going to work". But I DID stick to it and it DID workI

    I get it. It's MLM. Wah! I live in the capital of America for MLMs. And I was skeptical about the company for that very reason. I myself have looked into half a dozen or more. But what I have learned Beach Body is like any other company, like Gold's Gym, Target, GNC or Walmart. They just happen to sell through their customers instead of a brick and mortar store. And just like GNC, Gold's Gym, and companies that sell through Target and Walmart, they have the people on the lower levels, mid levels and higher levels. That's the only difference between an MLM and a company that sells through a store. Beach Body just happens to be a MLM that has the right mixture of product and need. There is a HUGE need in this country for what Beach Body has to offer. We have an obesity problem in this country. And if Beach Body is making money off of helping people get fit and healthy what can you say about that??? It's no different that a gym who makes their money off of people who sign up and never go! I was one of them! I paid for a membership and never showed up. But we don't see Gyms being bashed for taking advantage of busy people now do we?

    I did Mary Kay. One of the lines used was "Your customers wash this stuff down the drain every night and so of course they are going to need more!" I am not a heavy make up wearer as it is. And I couldn't make myself wear it. It was a great product, but my heart wasn't in it. A decade later, I can tell you that my heart is in nutrition and health! Beach Body is an amazing fit for my likes and interests. When I saw what Shakeology was doing for my health I knew this was more than a "scheme". It is loaded with nutrition you will not find in any protein drink and has none of the junk that you will. So, yeah, you will find the coaches who spam the crap out of their friends. But that is not the company itself. And if you were to be a coach it does not mean that YOU have to be that way! There are awesome coaches who have made it from poverty, homelessness and ruin to now doing very well for themselves.
    So, take it or leave it. But that is my view, as a skeptical woman married to the biggest skeptic on the planet! I think that you should do what you feel is right for you, of course, but I just had to address some of the negative comments made from people who do not know what they are talking about. This is not going to be for everyone.


    I am glad it worked for you, glad you are happy. I have no problem with that.
    I do disagree with some of your post. The bolded - that sounds exactly like a line as well, just like your Mary Kay line.

    And that is not the difference between brick and mortar stores and MLMs. When I go into Walmart they aren't trying to recruit me to sell their products. If I do get a job at Walmart or another store, I am paid a salary, perhaps with some benefits for reaching sales goals. I am also not required to pay THEM to sell their product nor am I required to get anyone to work under me to make money or to move up in the company.

    ETA - and, yes, I realize this is a two year old thread.
  • Fitnessman168
    Fitnessman168 Posts: 85 Member
    I was a beachbody coach for six months and while I love beachbody and the workout programs I could not drink shakeology. So I was done while I believe network marketing offers time to really get out of your comfort zone and make unlimited income if you work hard enough. Then it can be a great thing but most don't put in the work part of the reasons Jennell is so successful is because she works her *kitten* off in the business and she is also a multi millionaire from it. I do agree if you want to see the real money ask for the tax return. But I will tell you right now if you really want this commit 100% to it. Does not mean you quit your job right now most people will say don't quit your job until you make what your making at your job monthly. Which is true.


    Also if you choose to go in with it give it 100% don't quit and don't make all your Facebook post about shakeology etc. the most successful coaches don't talk about it a lot on there FB. And also this is the most important follow the training your mentor gives you this is a must if you want to be successful also you must read personal development in a business like this to be successful.


    I've read great things about jennell she is a great mentor and the number two person in beachbody behind lindsay matway in the coaching business. If you choose to join she should be a great mentor to you.


    But remember give it 100% if you do MLM is one the hardest but most rewarding career ever.


    Good luck I wish you nothing but success it a long road to make it to the top but anyone can do it. Just listen to your mentor and follow what she does. You have a great coach and mentor to help you if you choose Jennell. Good luck (:
  • dina_livefit
    dina_livefit Posts: 1 Member
    Very well said!
  • Kelli0604
    Kelli0604 Posts: 1 Member
    Do you have a blog to promote yourself?
  • rbiss
    rbiss Posts: 422 Member
    I would say yes as long it was your only source of income. I know 2 coaches that I used to be friends with prior to college. We're now facebook acquaintances and the constant status updates about Beachbody drive me insane. And I don't even interact with these people outside the internet and I find the constant marketing very annoying. Any after you annoy all your family and friends, where are you going to get new clients from? So yes, if you genuinely love the Brand and want to help people you know, then give it a try. If your going to use it as a full time job, its going to be very difficult.
  • catpea33
    catpea33 Posts: 76 Member
    Don't do it! I became a coach when I was low on cash and it was the worst thing I could have done. There are better and more reliable ways of making money. There are so many problems with Beachbody coaching:

    1) You'll always be talking about Beachbody trying to sell products or recruit other coaches. You will drive your friends mad. If you decide not to talk to friends and rely on strangers and online relationships then you will have a much harder time of it.
    2) There's a lot of competition out there. You might sign up a customer and then have them stolen away from you. It's in the rules not to recruit on the Team BB website forum yet every day I get messages from coaches trying to entice me away. Holding onto customers means 'building a relationship' but also maintaining it - that takes a lot of time.
    3) They say you can do it in only a few hours a day. This is true for people who have been doing it for a while because their downline coaches are also generating income for them with team bonuses and the like. For a new person, being a coach can turn into a full-time job itself because you rely on you only.
    4) They say that it doesn't cost much but don't forget that to be 'active' as a coach you have to have 50pv points in purchases, i.e. $50. Your upline coach will probably want you to buy Shakeology to maintain your active status so we're talking about $90 (not sure of current prices today) each month.
    5) I find the fake positivity of Beachbody annoying. Coaches will post to their wall about how it's changed their lives and how great things are but that's because they're trying to sell the lifestyle to you! Behind the scenes myself and fellow coaches were ALL struggling. I'm still friends with some of my fellow coaches and they'll write to me about how burned out they are, that they want to quit, etc and then straight after post how amazing their life is and how much they love BB. It's a lie.
    6) The coaches are the real money makers for Beachbody. Customers will buy products now and then but the coaches spend money regularly - they have to in order to maintain their active status. I truly think 'coaches' are taken advantage of.

    When I quit coaching, I was told I hadn't tried hard enough and I found that so insulting. The idea was that if you work hard, you'll be successful so if you aren't successful then you obviously weren't trying. Getting few sales was tough on the old self-esteem! The most successful coaches (thinking of a friend who went diamond in just two weeks) recruit their friends and family. The friend who went diamond also set up fake profiles, made them coaches under her, paid their bills, etc.

    Unfortunately my experience tainted my thoughts about Beachbody to some degree. I still think their programmes are great, I still recommend them but that's as far as it goes for me. Also, as a coach I felt very uncomfortable about some of the programme info that was provided. Les Mills Pump told me to eat 1300 calories, which is way too low. The Ultimate Reset is about 1200 calories and drops down to about 800 in the final week, which is sheer starvation. I often worried about whether or not people were getting anything out of their experience or if they were feeling bad, falling off the wagon and getting into a worse position as a result. A lot of Beachbody's nutritional guidelines are carb-heavy and I've had more success with low carb eating than I ever had with two years of their programmes.

    All that being said, it's your choice. Sometimes the best lessons are the ones you've learnt yourself by diving straight in. I usually stay away from BB-bashing because some of their coaches can be really rude and protective but I can only share my own experiences and what I saw. It's up to you to decide what to do with the info!
  • pcdoctor01
    pcdoctor01 Posts: 389 Member
    Would you rather have someone with a B.A. in physical fitness and/or B.S. sports medicine train you or a personal trainer? Who has more value, the person with the B.A./B.S. in physical fitness/sports medicine or the licensed personal trainer?
  • lindseykp
    lindseykp Posts: 76
    I'm a coach and I am LOVING it!!
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
    MLMs are a great way to annoy and alienate your friends and family.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    MLMs are a great way to annoy and alienate your friends and family.

    It's also a great way to reduce your Facebook friend list.
This discussion has been closed.