Business idea... Personal Drill Sergeant

[Atom Smasher]

Hey, at least give me credit for thinking outside the box.

For many years I have thought of how I would have benefitted from joining the military. My problem was always that I was far too self-willed, and eventually I would have squared off with my drill sergeant and not cared about the consequences. I'm not proud of that but it is a realistic evaluation of my overly independent personality.

During the past few years I have wished for and imagined having my own personal drill sergeant. He would have a key to my house, come in and wake me up, yell at me a little (but with some motivation thrown in there), oversee my workout, shove my lazy ass into the bathroom, wait till I shower, shave, etc., see that I eat breakfast and demand from me 3 tasks that I am going to complete that day. He then moves on to another house to do the same drill with someone else.

During the day I am under intense pressure to accomplish my missions, because at 16:00 Sarge enters my house again and demands a thorough accounting of how I spent my day.

I thought that this would make a great business for an enterprising man, and an opportunity to help young (and even older) men to receive some of the benefits of being in the military (discipline, strength, good life habits) while still maintaining a civilian life.

What do you guys think of this idea?

 

[FairShake]

No. Back into the box for you.

Who the hell wants that? Most people don't need that to get motivated in the morning (having to pay bills is a much bigger motivation)...and those that do need it sure as SH!T don't want it and sure as HELL won't respond to it.

 

[Atom Smasher]

I'm going to stay out of the box a little longer to see who else checks in.

I'm thinking of the many people who grew up without the parental guidance that was needed in their lives to instill that sense of self-discipline. They go through their lives daily wondering why they just can't get it together. They lack structure and they lack the ability to get a foothold in life.

I know because I used to be one of them.

I'm sure that many people hire personal trainers specifically because, for whatever reason, they lack motivation to do it on their own. They have the money to pay for personal motivation and structure, so they do it.

Thanks for your input. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[Rogue]

Your personal drill sergeant idea is a variation of the “life coach.” And the “life coach” is a variation of “self-help.”

99% of people do not experience any sustained long-term changes in behavior. At best, any inspired motivation dissipates after a few weeks, leading to a perpetual state of dependence on the life coach. Penn & Teller devoted an episode of their Showtime series Bullsh*t! to life coaches and you can find a copy of the episode somewhere. Or you can also read this article from Scientific American magazine. The bottom line is there is no supporting evidence which shows that any self-help method, whether books, seminars, 12-stepping, or life coaches, actually works. Once in awhile someone will experience genuine enduring change but they are the wildly rare exceptions.

 

[synergy1]

here is my rationale. The people who need a personal drill seargent aren't motivated in life and probably don't have much money, thus you'll struggle to get good money out of them. Those who have the money are already motivated and don't need the service. I guess you could target rich non-motivated type though.

 

[squirrels]

I've seen it done before with personal trainers...some people like that little bit of abusive motivation.

Someone in your house, though...I think eventually you'd just tell the f**ker to get lost.

YMMV

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

I think synergy got it...those who need you, can't pay you. And they would scoff at any idea that they are responsible for themselves. "**** that" is the ordinary reply of ordinary men.

 

[FairShake]

I'm sure that many people hire personal trainers specifically because, for whatever reason, they lack motivation to do it on their own. They have the money to pay for personal motivation and structure, so they do it.

As somebody who grew up in boxing gyms in Philadelphia I know the value of a harsh coach. But that was about 10 hours out of my week. If I had that every day I would be sick of it really fast.

Besides, who really wants some jerk you don't even know to have a key to your house?

 

[Atom Smasher]

I understand what you guys are saying about those who need it not being able to pay, but I have this niggling feeling that there could be a sweet spot comprised of those who are moderately well-off and catching a vision of there being something better out there for them. Perhaps they are watching their peers exeed their own accomplishments but lack the motivation to keep up.

Good thoughts, all.

 

[FairShake]

Far be it for me to sh!t all over somebody else's ideas when people have done so for me. What's life if you don't risk it once in awhile? It might turn out very successfully. Besides I think I sounded like a jerk criticizing you!

FWIW I think you should target suburban parents with semi-wayward teenage boys and girls. That's where this idea seems like it would work best. True hard cases wouldn't respond and inner city parents couldn't afford it.

 

[dj_china]

haha this thread actually made me laugh (in a good way)

I think it's an interesting idea, but I'm going to have to agree with synergy1 on this one

 

[Atom Smasher]

haha this thread actually made me laugh (in a good way)

I think it's an interesting idea, but I'm going to have to agree with synergy1 on this one

Get on the ground and give me 50!!

Just practicing.

 

[backbreaker]

Honestly I like it. I like it alot actually but you would need to really get your business plan down to a T, and get your methods down to more than just give me 3 tasks.

You can sale it as a way to get more done. For people that tell you they can't afford it, you need to show them that they can't afford to not have it becuase of all the productivity they are missing out on. I've actually done something quite similar with my lif which is why I know it would work if you really wanted it to.

I break my day, and I am not ****ing exaggerating, I can send you the excel sheet right now, until 2 minute intervals. It takes ma bout 90 minutes to plan the next day, literary down to the next minute.

I do this for 6 days a week, it's alot of mental work, one day a week I just don't do anything and give myself a break. This formula works for me. The **** I get done in a day is amazing.

It sounds easier said than done, it took me about a year and a half to get to the point where I could follow it. I would go a day, maybe even 2, then get side tracked by the internet (i schedule about 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week to come to this forum, i dont' need to be here more than that but I need to be here)


The way I would approach it, and this is just me, is I would give a free consultation with someone and have them right down all the things they want to do in say, a 10 week trail. Give them a 2 week trail period where if they don't like the results you can get their money back. you will come up with a game plan for each day so that they don't have to do it, and you make sure that they follow that plan. **** i'd pay or that now lol. I still get side tracked from time to time.

The way you sell it, achievement is extremely easy (and it is). Brainstorming + coming up with a game plan (Which you do) + executing the game plan. you are here to make sure that they execute the game plan withotu fail. When someone fails to achieve something, it's becuase one of these three things did not work or was not done to it's best potential. You are here to ensure that the chain is not broken therefore ensuring success.

It would have to be internet based, because you need to be able to take more than one client at a time, so that you can stay in the sweet spot price wise, you don't want to make this personalized because then that one person would have to pay your salary ,and no one will be able to do that. Sub having a key to a house to making the person have skype on their computer and their phone and you cn talk to them at all times face to face, that way you can work with more than one client at a time. But you charge, 40-50 dollars a week.. i think you could be on to something here. It really isn't a bad idea iif you took the time to think it out.

Here is the catch however. For this to work, you would have to be able to show that you live this lifestyle as well. You have to be able to break your day down and follow it to a ****ing T, you have to for your business to work, balancing multiple clients, etc.

You'd have to think some things out like, how you are going to do payment, what happens if you get just a real lazy fat **** that doesn't want to do antyhing and then wants their money back because they don't have any results lol, **** like that. But this would work. especially with people with weight loss goals.

Every 10 weeks I right down what i want to do, just everything I can think of. Then I take a day and figure out exactly how I am going to do it, each thing by each thing in all aspects of my life. Then I plan out how I am going to go about it, then I execute. The thing is, had i had someone to get on my ass everyday, I would be further ahead in life now than I was. There is a need for this, you just have to convince people why they need it. It's not that ovbious to the avg person.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Thanks, BB. But in keeping with the Drill Sargeant paradigm, what would be the consequences of clients not following through?

I was thinking more in terms of a local service, rather than the Internet, simply because I was thinking these people needed an in-your-face, physically present DI.

Thoughts?

 

[AAAgent]

i actually designed a plan like this but it wasn't just boot/drill Sargent it was life coach. the plan fell through when i couldn't maintain the frame.

But my plan consisted of regular payments. If they did well, the benefit and rewards were there for them, both physically, mentally and emotionally. Well if they made some excuse not to show up, i charged extra for not showing up which then motivated them to show up even more. I had it mapped out to a T but i was just supposed to manage the business not run it.

i worked out with them, sparred with them, lined up fake dates so they could practice dating etiquette (where i covertly observed), then i would have the girls come back to me and fill out a critique form about the client etc.

I had a website that had client testimonies, i made a brochure for my clients and i set them up on dates with good looking girls mostly my friends or people i knew which i paid.

It was a good idea, i just didn't want to go the route.

 

[Atom Smasher]

I was thinking of a real personal touch, yet with limited time commitnments on my part.

I go to their house, barge in and wake them up. I yell at them a little for being the lazy-asses that they are, gradually changing the tone to stern, tough encouragement for the day. I see that they get themselves going, give me the battle plan for the day, and then they report to me later with what they did that day. Next morning, I deal with yesterday's report with them.

While he is in the shower, of course I visit his wife to see if she needs any "comforting". This is my idea of a full-service organization.

Obviously, it needs a lot more thought and planning. I know that there have been times in my life where I wished I could have my own personal DI. Many people struggle with a lack of structure, and this has been my life-struggle.

All I needed was some big brute (who had my best interest in mind) kicking my door in early in the morning and jarring me into action. It's the personal touch that does it.

Of course the biggest complication is the wife and kids. I can be pretty scary if I want to be, even though I am extraordinarily friendly in my day-to-day.

Just some meandering thoughts here.

 

[Atom Smasher]

BB, I read your message too fast. I'll chew on your ideas. Thanks.

 

[AAAgent]

WTH is this ......

"While he is in the shower, of course I visit his wife to see if she needs any "comforting". This is my idea of a full-service organization."

 

[Atom Smasher]

Lol, just trying to provide for her needs.

But seriously, I'm thinking of making it Internet-based with one weekly visit per customer, because I would be disrupting the household. I want to see how the guy lives and get him on track with taking command over the condition of his environment.

 

[backbreaker]

keep in mind, i came up with that off the top of my head in less than 10 mintues. download business plan pro 11.0, it's huge, fill it out, it will give you a better idea of what you want to do. take a month and plan this out. it can work.