Jen:
Hey Sarah, welcome to the Mom's Safe Movement podcast. How are you?
Sarah:
I'm well, thanks for having me.
Jen:
I'm excited that you're here. Let us kick off, we'll get straight into it, is share with us a word to describe how you're showing up today, a when, and also something that you're working on at the moment.
Sarah:
Okay, a word would be relieved just to get here this morning, to get the kids out the door, worked, get here. Yeah, here I can breathe. And my win is that I'm working on resources constantly at the moment and getting those out to my mums, which feels awesome.
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
And what was the last one?
Jen:
something that you're working on.
Sarah:
I'm working on. Well, I'm working on a relationship with a insurance company here at the moment. So that's exciting. And that's coming up in October. We might touch on that later. So
Jen:
That is very exciting.
Sarah:
that's exciting. Yeah.
Jen:
Cool. And I don't know which that they both could be wins and working on because if that's two
Sarah:
I know.
Jen:
cool things that you're doing
Sarah:
They're,
Jen:
nice.
Sarah:
yeah, they merge.
Jen:
Very, very cool. Now I wanted to get you to come onto the mom safe movement podcast to talk about the topic of being over subscribed and how it shows up in your business. We had Daniel priestly on in another episode. So if anyone's listening and they haven't listened to that episode yet, it's a really good idea to backtrack and listen to that. And that is the concept of consistently working towards being sold out within your fitness business. But before we get to that, why don't you give us a little bit of the background to how you, I guess, came into the fitness industry and then ultimately how you ended up working with moms.
Sarah:
Okay, I'm one of those stories that I reinvented myself from being a state home mum for about 10 years and prior to that being a police officer. So living in multiple states. coming back to Tassie to live, it was like, what are we gonna do? That's gonna work well for our family. I've got four children. And I'd done my fitness certificate well back when I was 18 and I was always 40. But as a mom, when I, I guess I wanted to get back into exercise in Hobart, I realized that there wasn't much for us here, other than just showing up at a gym. I'd been really interested in getting back into the fitness industry to work. I felt that would work with the family. So I guess I did my CERT 3 and 4 again and then I found Jen's Save Return to Exercise. I did that with this and I started working in the industry, just working in gyms and then with this massive desire to create a program for the Hobart Mums, something that I didn't have. So after... Completing safe return to exercise that was like 2019 and then COVID hit and I was like ah When am I gonna do this? When am I gonna do this? And then by the end of 2020 it was about the September I'm just gonna do it like who knows what's gonna happen. And so I started work or I started my program then and That was my first term. So I did it school-based terms so I could have holidays with my kids and I guess that was the beginning of where I am now, which is
Jen:
Get.
Sarah:
only a few years on which feels like it's heaps but
Jen:
I
Sarah:
lots
Jen:
also
Sarah:
has
Jen:
remember
Sarah:
happened.
Jen:
that course in Tassie it's the only time I've been to Tassie to do a course actually and there was it was a small course which they often are when you first go to a place but there was what there was only what seven of us
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
in the room but how many children
Sarah:
There's
Jen:
can
Sarah:
like
Jen:
you
Sarah:
27
Jen:
remember
Sarah:
kids,
Jen:
it was
Sarah:
27
Jen:
insane
Sarah:
kids and like two people to women's health physio visits.
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
It was just a mind blowing conversation to have.
Jen:
Yeah, absolutely. And yeah, I still can't get over the fact that there was so technically few women in the room and there was millions of children associated
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
to
Sarah:
because
Jen:
these.
Sarah:
I was like, oh, I'll say I've got four kids and everyone will be like, oh, wow.
Jen:
Wow,
Sarah:
And then
Jen:
four
Sarah:
everyone
Jen:
kids!
Sarah:
was like, I've got four kids and I've got four kids. I was like, oh, I'm yeah, I'm nothing.
Jen:
Well,
Sarah:
Nothing
Jen:
you all
Sarah:
special.
Jen:
had my respect. I struggle
Sarah:
Hahaha
Jen:
with two most of the time. But what I will also pick up on what you just said, what I heard you say there was 27, let's say 27 births and there may have been more births,
Sarah:
Mm.
Jen:
there may have been more pregnancies. We didn't go down into the nitty gritty of that, but two women's health visits out of 27.
Sarah:
Yeah, that's crazy. And that was really the first time for me after four kids in three different states that I even heard the words women's health physio, which I thought was really sad.
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
So, and then I took myself off to women's health physio.
Jen:
How did that go?
Sarah:
I was so scared. I thought, wow, I've just learned all this stuff and I've had four kids and anything could be going on and I would not know.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
But it was great and I needed to do it because as you had said, go and do it so you know exactly what it's about and you can chat to your clients with that information. And so that's why I did it.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
And I've since been back again and it was fine. It was all good.
Jen:
Was it fine the first time? Like I know you said it was scary, but was it really scary when you got in there?
Sarah:
No, it was fine. Yeah,
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
and it was interesting because I was intrigued by this stage. I was like
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
I want to learn I want to know more. Why don't we know this stuff? So
Jen:
Why don't we
Sarah:
I
Jen:
know?
Sarah:
Know. Yeah. Yeah
Jen:
Okay, so if I recap, so you did cert three and four, when you did cert three and four, did you know you wanted to work with mums? Like when you did it a second time? Was that the intention?
Sarah:
Yeah, yeah.
Jen:
Yep,
Sarah:
And
Jen:
okay,
Sarah:
I was really
Jen:
so you did
Sarah:
disappointed
Jen:
cert three and four.
Sarah:
that there was nothing about mums in Set's Rainfall. And I left
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
it feeling really deflated and thought where to now and looked and looked and looked, yeah, for more. So,
Jen:
Yep. Awesome.
Sarah:
and then,
Jen:
And so
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
you found safe return to exercise. And how long after doing safe return to exercise did you jump into Mumsafe? Do you remember?
Sarah:
Oh,
Jen:
Did
Sarah:
it was
Jen:
you jump
Sarah:
pretty
Jen:
straight in?
Sarah:
quick. Yeah, it was pretty quick. And because
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
I was into the new year, so I think it was September 2019. And I started, well, I continued working because it was that weird COVID year. And I went to a retreat. You remember that retreat up in,
Jen:
Yeah, the mom's safer trade.
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
Yeah,
Sarah:
So
Jen:
yeah.
Sarah:
that was my first, and I was a mess, like an absolute mess, crying.
Jen:
Tell
Sarah:
It was away
Jen:
us
Sarah:
from
Jen:
more!
Sarah:
my children. I was away from my children for like the first time in a long, I can't even tell you when I've always
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
been the primary caregiver and it felt so wrong to be away. I had so much guilt that weekend and I cried
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
a lot in front of all these strangers.
Jen:
They're nice strangers though, we're a nice
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
group of strangers.
Sarah:
And it was amazing. I made some awesome friends. It was great.
Jen:
Yep,
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
yep. So then it was the Body Beyond Baby affiliate retreat, wasn't it, back then?
Sarah:
Yes.
Jen:
But so then when did you launch your sessions? Like define that for us.
Sarah:
Um, I was trying to think about that. So my sessions, um, so yeah, it was September, 2020 and I started off and so I was a bit different, um, to a lot of my then, um, body beyond baby affiliates
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
because everyone was working in parks and I remember
Jen:
Mm.
Sarah:
having lots of conversations with you Jen and you were trying to get me on the right track and I wasn't listening and, um, I just didn't know what I was. doing really, I look back now so naive and I also didn't have any self-belief and we talk about this a lot within MumSafe as well about the imposter syndrome and that was me all over and so I started this program thinking I don't know if it's gonna work, no idea if anyone's gonna turn up and so it was one program I was, I thought if I can get nine people, eight or nine people I'll be happy. And I did, and that was great. First one done. And so I was working in a gym. So I, I delivered this program of mine that I developed in a gym here in Hobart. And it was, it was awesome. And so then very quickly though, I was able to feel one class very easily. And I was like, Oh wow. What am I going to do now? Again, Jen in my head. Don't, don't put on another program too soon. So. I didn't and I can't think it would have been at least three, maybe I'd say maybe I did it for three terms with just one program.
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
And then by the January of, it must have been January of last year, so 2022, that I had two full classes and like oversubscribed, like I was having to accept 10, which doesn't seem like many, but in our little space is plenty with children as well. Um, and then, um, so I continued on with two programs
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
per term. So I choose their program, the Thursday program, they were full every term. And, um, then I got to the end of last year and thought there's room for another one. And so then this year and this term, I have now got three programs that run at two different gyms. Yeah.
Jen:
Yeah,
Sarah:
So it's uh-oh.
Jen:
yeah. So yeah, very, very cool. Yeah,
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
I want to circle back because I heard you say before, um, I wasn't like everybody else. I was not working in a park, like working in a gym. And I know some, sometimes people go, I've got to fit this specific mold to make something work. Um, but you, you were working actually for a another business. So were you an employee or a contractor or what?
Sarah:
as
Jen:
What
Sarah:
a contractor.
Jen:
were you, what was,
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
okay. So you were working as a contractor and you developed the program for that specific gym back then. So you went in or you were working in there and you said, I wanna create a Mums and Bubs program for the gym.
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
Is that right?
Sarah:
yeah, yeah. Cause
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
I'd just seen, I was working at the time at the gym and I still work there that we had these 9.30, we call them child friendly,
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
and we only have up to 12 in our groups anyway. And so we had these child friendly and basically they became just moms coming with their children, which was ideal. That's what I wanted and I'd really encouraged my. boss to look at that because I needed it for me. But as a trainer, what I was finding, and not just in the 930s but in the other evening classes as well, I was having women coming through my door that only after I'd built a rapport with them that they would then tell me that they had prolapse or they were leaking when they were. And I was like, what are we doing? This is not okay that we're not screening these women well at the beginning. but also potentially they don't want to tell us because they don't know us well just
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
yet. And that for me was even more of a driving force that I needed to get this program up and running. Yeah, so then, yeah, with the support of my boss, I started the program at the gym, and then, yeah, and then two programs at the same gym, and then now a second gym, so.
Jen:
Yeah, okay. So tell me some of the things so you launched this program. What are some of the things that you did in order to become oversubscribed? So what are some of the actions or was it all just super easy and just fell into your lap?
Sarah:
It wasn't super easy.
Jen:
Okay, cool. I was like, you just gotta go, oh, they just all showed up.
Sarah:
They just turned up. They said, Hey Sarah,
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
train me. No, so I think like everything, it takes time and definitely by, and I can only speak for Hobart and Hobart, again, it's different to other locations, but it's very much word of mouth down here. And so it was trying to work out what works and how to get your name out there. So I followed all of the steps that we get so much support in the MumSafe affiliate group. So I was following some steps, but yeah, I think I was a little bit naive. And I just didn't think I knew what I was doing. And I still don't, none of us do, but.
Jen:
No, we don't.
Sarah:
No, but I've worked out what works and what doesn't work, I guess. And I worked out that social media doesn't work. You can't just rely on social media. It goes
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
around and around in circles and it doesn't necessarily get out to new people. So you've got your same people seeing your things. That's awesome. So the first, I guess, couple of years, you know, I was, I was doing, you know, that a lot of social media and I was trying. trying to do other things, but I never actually did anything. I'm going to try and get some media. I never did. Like I just, I mean, it's mum life too, but it was also me just putting roadblocks up for myself. Um, and then, um, then I started networking more and the, the collaborations with women's health physios are amazing. And I did that more and more and more. So that's what I guess has changed for me is the more. collaborations I have with other people. And particularly, so long story short, but I guess initially my program was in the gym that I started at and then
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
this year, this year, yes, this year I've rebranded for it to be my own program because I was already promoting it as a independent program. It's not attached to a gym, I just wanted to be helping mums. But I found out, I worked out that I was still a robot. People thought that if they came to the gym, I was gonna say, you have to stay at this gym.
Jen:
Hmm.
Sarah:
And I didn't want that. I was marketing it that come to me for eight weeks and I'll help you safely return to the exercise that you want to return to. So whether that's hockey or netball or running or your own gym, that was the message that I thought I was sending out clearly. But then I spoke to a lot of my clients and they said, well, no, because kind of just feels like you're attached to this gym and so it's a program at that gym. And I said, well, I don't want it to be like that. I want to help women all over Hobart. So how do I fix this problem? So I relaunched this year and rebranded as Mum Strong. And really, and that's only been very, very recently and that's taken another
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
path altogether. So there's a whole lot of... other people that have discovered me and yeah, there's new opportunities that have come my way because of it.
Jen:
because you're not primarily seen as being a program within the gym that you're working at.
Sarah:
Yeah, so I'm seen as me and it's my program. And now I
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
have a couple of locations that it's, people are like, oh, okay, no, it's Sarah's. And because people would say, oh, it's Sarah's program. But if you're looking out from the inside, it still seems like it was a program at that gym. But now, because
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
the name of my program was different as well, it was sort of affiliated with the gym. It was all kind of tied in together, whereas I've kind of moved away from that. and try to make it my own, my program that is portable to
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
any gym and I can host it wherever. And that
Jen:
Fantastic.
Sarah:
has changed a lot now.
Jen:
And that's where you've launched the third program.
Sarah:
Yeah, so then
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
I saw that yeah, there was space because I was always having people on waitlists and so I was like, okay, can I manage three groups because that's about 30 women and
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
I thought let's give it a crack and see how it goes. So I've done that this term and it's been successful. I can handle that. So I couldn't do any
Jen:
Amazing.
Sarah:
more on my own, but yeah, so three
Jen:
Interesting.
Sarah:
full groups. So at the moment
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
I have two at the initial gym that I started at and one at the new gym. And the new gym is a bit bigger, so I actually took it on. I just said yes, because you do. But I'm only gonna take
Jen:
No you
Sarah:
10.
Jen:
don't.
Sarah:
And then I took 11. Yeah,
Jen:
Don't tell
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
anyone that. That's not how it works. Um, okay. I heard you say before, I really want to dig into the process. So, um, you operate in school terms and that was a decision that you made right at the start. And that allows you to spend time with the kids and that kind of thing. And what I just heard you say was each program is eight weeks long. So run me through what. a campaign cycle looks like? Like where do you start? At what point do you, like what are you doing?
Sarah:
So I felt like at the beginning I was just always trying to promote basically And I think that you do I think every new business has that time where you have to put a lot of effort in But then I've now got to more of it Which is nice that when I first got to a school holidays and I was already full for the next term That was amazing feeling because it meant that I could actually have school holidays off
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
and not have to worry about filling my groups. And, um, so I guess in the lead up, I always, so I am week two and three for current groups and I will not start actively promoting, uh, for another. Probably two or three weeks. And I'm always putting up. this is what we're doing on my stories, on Instagram, because people want to see, because obviously a lot of people, moms want to see if it fits them or what are you doing? You know, we're all little internet stalkers. So that's what we do. And it can take a long time to get women on board too. I've had people on my list that have had onto their second baby. I didn't get them through the door with the first baby, but I've got them through the door with the second baby because I've just kept in contact with them. So I have my... I guess Jen calls them your leads, which I do have them all compiled and I just go through those leads and go, okay, who haven't I seen? Who has contacted me and committed to a program and who hasn't? And then I send out emails, it's through my website now, emails to all those people who I haven't ever seen or had conversations but we haven't actually linked up yet. And then I start posting out on social media that my website's open for the new term. And I contact all my Women's Health video contacts, my obstetricians. They all get emails from me with my new flyer. And then the gyms as well, the two gyms will start to just share my content as well. So. I think they're the main ones that I do. I do random things as well. Where I
Jen:
Random
Sarah:
just,
Jen:
things are good.
Sarah:
yeah, I do, I think Jen's in my head and I'm driving the car with pamphlets and I go, oh, I'm gonna drop these off. And I went, like recently went around to all the Woolies and Coles have notice boards and I put all of my flyers up on the notice boards there. I've done the. cafes, you know, that sort of thing, putting business cards wherever I can. So I do that, but I am not as good, I guess, at constantly doing that. Whereas my other ones I do all the time, women's health physios and yeah, obstetricians are really good ones.
Jen:
Yeah, and it's interesting because I guess what I'm reflecting on as you're speaking, because you're now in a position where you are oversubscribed for all three classes that you've got, it's you maybe don't need to do all those avenues. It would be a different conversation if one, you weren't oversubscribed, yeah, or two, you decided to scale this and go, okay, now we're going to open in six locations.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
You would probably have to go back to all of the actions that you do. and go, what is working? How do I do more of what's working? So how do I get more partnerships, more women's health physios, more obstetricians, you know, another gym on board? And then what other actions do I now need to do in order to ramp that up?
Sarah:
And I think you should always be looking for other avenues. Like I certainly am. Like my brain doesn't ever stop like where what I could be doing better, really. Like I'm got, I'm into one hospital here. So really I need to work
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
harder to get into the other ones. And it's purely just, I have tried, you know, I've sent them an email, they've said no, and that's been it. I can try harder. So it's just, I haven't. Again, cause I haven't needed to. But it's also like I met with a chiropractor during the week because he reached out and he wanted to speak to me because he specializes in women's health and pregnancy. And so he wanted to collaborate and have someone that he could refer to. So what's that an hour of my week? So I've
Jen:
Mm.
Sarah:
gone and met him, given him a heap of my flies. There you go. And it was, it's just another connection. So, so. I guess it's always being open to what could work. And if it doesn't work, it was an hour of your life. Doesn't really matter, so.
Jen:
And the thing that stands out for me there, Sarah, is he got in contact with you. So you are known for working
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
with mums in Hobart, which is
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
awesome.
Sarah:
And that's taken time
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
and said, and it's so in, you know, so these are connections. So the reason he found or heard about me was through the women's health physio. So he was networking,
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
he hasn't been in Hobart for long, and he wanted to find out who he needed to know, so he could refer on. And he'd been talking to the women's health physio that I'm connected to. And they said, Hey, Well, Sarah does this and he was like, oh, and looked me up on Instagram and was like, I need to speak to her. So that's how that came about. Yeah.
Jen:
Yeah, so that's someone else pitching on your behalf, which is even
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
better.
Sarah:
yeah it's
Jen:
Fantastic.
Sarah:
really awesome. So...
Jen:
So I want to go back again through the campaign cycle because I want people to kind of go. So you at so you said you're on week two to three. So you'll start advertising the next. Term or the next
Sarah:
turn.
Jen:
cycle or whatever it is in.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
How many how many weeks before
Sarah:
I reckon
Jen:
the
Sarah:
a couple
Jen:
end of
Sarah:
of
Jen:
the
Sarah:
weeks.
Jen:
end of the school term?
Sarah:
We're different. We've got about six weeks left. So
Jen:
Okay, so you'll do
Sarah:
I'll
Jen:
that
Sarah:
probably
Jen:
about
Sarah:
give myself.
Jen:
three weeks before the end of term.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
I just like to take a breather a bit. And then I sometimes I go, Oh, I need to get onto this.
Jen:
Mm. Hahahaha!
Sarah:
I hope this is gonna I haven't left it too late. But yeah, I need to open up. my website and just get everything locked in there and then
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
just start. And because what I do, which not every trainer does, and this is my thing and it's really time consuming but worthwhile, is that, and it has to go into school holidays a bit now because I have three groups but I onboard all of my women individually. So once they have paid and as they pay they, so it's all through my So these are all things I've put in place over three years. I didn't
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
used to do this, but I was like, how can I make my life easier? And it needs to be quick and moms need to be able to do it on their phone. So through my website, they can now register and then they have to do their pre-screening as part of that registration. And they pay the full amount straight up, which again, that didn't used to look like that. And this has evolved to this. And I thought
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
I'm gonna give it a go, see if it works. I do offer. a payment plan for those that need that. And so that is an option, but I do just try and get it all paid up straight up. And because I was chasing before and I didn't
Jen:
Mm.
Sarah:
have time to chase. And then once they're all locked in and once I get my class full, then I start to organize their one-on-one consults. And that's a 20 or 30 minute conversation at the gym because it just breaks down a barrier there's a lot of anxiety. Even the most confident mum that's really raring to go they still there's anxiety around returning to exercise and how it's gonna look and they want to see the gym they want to meet me and then straight away it's day one is so much easier. So 30 mums going through school holidays it was a big ask. But I still keep it to how
Jen:
Mmm.
Sarah:
I want it to be. Like I don't let it impact my life. I was like, no, I'm
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
making sure that I only have these on certain days so I can have these days with the kids. And yeah, whereas before I would have just let it overrule everything, but these are the things you learn. So
Jen:
They are,
Sarah:
yeah,
Jen:
they are.
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
Do you charge extra for that session?
Sarah:
No, it kind of well, I guess it's part I put it as part of the overall cost. So I guess, yes, it is it's part of the cost. So I've worked out if I charge x amount and then I pay rent, this amount, this is how much as I'm gonna have leftover. So
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
as part of my agreement with the gym that that's part of it. And the new gym, I just said, this is what I do. Are you happy with that? And they said, yes, pop
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
in like any, and the gym's bigger than the other gym. So I can pop in any time to that gym and I can just have a little space.
Jen:
Fantastic.
Sarah:
My other gym's a little bit different. I have to actually find spaces because it's a smaller gym and
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
that's fine too. So, but it's really worthwhile.
Jen:
I was just trying to make sure you were charging enough for people to get these one-on-ones.
Sarah:
I know.
Jen:
That's a conversation
Sarah:
I haven't.
Jen:
for another time.
Sarah:
Yeah, I haven't changed my price for my program. And I still think sometimes you think you're always questioning that, aren't we? We're always talking about prices. But I'm happy with where mine is at the moment.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
So, yeah,
Jen:
I guess
Sarah:
for
Jen:
it's,
Sarah:
what they get.
Jen:
yeah, and if you choose not to expand, that's where, you know, being oversubscribed, you can put your prices up because
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
there's just no availability left, which is cool.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
Yep. So then they book in, so by the end of term, everyone's booked in. So by the, hopefully by
Sarah:
Yes,
Jen:
the day you
Sarah:
so
Jen:
guys go
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
on school holidays, they're all booked in
Sarah:
That's
Jen:
and paid.
Sarah:
a hope. Yeah.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
And if not, then I just keep on popping up on my Instagram, really in, in
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
Hobart, I don't know about everywhere else, but Instagram really, we get more traction on Instagram than Facebook. Um,
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
so I do put it on both just saying I might have one spot, one spot available and, um, I'll just keep
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
on circulating that, but that's about all I do because generally it does get taken by, even if
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
it's. the week of starting, it will get snapped up. And then if someone oils like this term, I had someone decide after I'd met with her that she was all fine then, but she did have a lot of pain still. She was on early
Jen:
Hmm.
Sarah:
postpartum and she was doing all the right things and seeing all the right people. And she'd done my program before with a previous baby. And so she knew what it was about. And I said, I can keep you safe, but I really think that you need to get your pain looked into. And so she did, or at her next check, and then she sent me a message saying, I'm not gonna come, I'm not ready to start.
Jen:
Mm.
Sarah:
And I said, that's fine, no worries. And she said, just put me on the next Term 4s program. And then, so then I just popped on my Instagram again, that late spots become available, and that was taken. Yeah. so it was full again.
Jen:
So cool.
Sarah:
Yeah, yeah.
Jen:
So then the spots are sold out and you're going into their onboarding, which is great. The term doesn't start till after school holidays. What then happens if people go, oh, but I want to come and train. Like, do you open, as soon as those doors close, do you open a wait list? Like, what do you do?
Sarah:
Um, I haven't had to have a huge wait list before, but what
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
I do is yes, if people want to train, I give them options. Um, so the options are that they can wait. And so there has always been a little bit of a issue around, well, I don't, you won't get to come to me again until quite a number of weeks. So and some aren't interested in that. They want to start now. Um, and. So I give them the options of coming to the classes that I teach, that I teach at the gym that I work at as an
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
option. But I also give them the option of going to our Women's Health Physio who also runs classes. So that's my go-to if we're in between my programs. There's nothing else for them to go to. So if I wanted to keep them safe, I decide, well, you can either come with me. or you can go to the pelvic studio and do their postnatal classes to kind of bridge that gap before starting mine. And occasionally I'll let an extra one in if it's just one person.
Jen:
Stop telling everyone that. I think
Sarah:
So.
Jen:
sometimes they're overbooking like the nature of mums and we had a big conversation about this the other day inside of one of our mumsafe sessions is Mums sometimes do nine times out of ten somebody doesn't show up because a baby's sick or something like
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
that So you could potentially
Sarah:
yeah,
Jen:
overbook by one person, but we
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
do want to make sure that we've got that integrity
Sarah:
And that's
Jen:
And we're
Sarah:
what,
Jen:
not overbooking
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
by five or something. That
Sarah:
Well,
Jen:
would be a
Sarah:
the
Jen:
bit
Sarah:
problem
Jen:
crazy
Sarah:
is if you do have too many, you can't look after them well.
Jen:
Mm.
Sarah:
So, um, and that's what I've worked out with, like numbers, the numbers game at the beginning of this three years ago, I didn't know how many you would want in a class.
Jen:
Mmm.
Sarah:
had no idea do I want six, do I want eight, how many do I want? And it's only actually doing it that you work out what works for you and works for you in that space. So in my
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
one space, it's a weird number, but nine works really well in that space. And I can take 10 if I want to, but it's a real stretch and I now know that because I've done it before, so I try not to go to 10. But then as you said, you know, especially in the winter months. you are going to have weeks where you might only have
Jen:
Hmm.
Sarah:
six turn up. So taking 10 isn't really, you wouldn't, I wouldn't want to take any more though.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
And then in the new gym, I mean, I've got 11 cause I've never been there before. I said, yep, come along. We'll see how it goes. And I say that to them, like, this is new for me. I've never been here before. We're going to see how it goes. Um, and because it's a bigger space, it's actually fine, but I still wouldn't want to have, I would still have 10 as my limit. because when you're one trainer trying to look after, well,
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
10 moms with lots of different contradictions plus their babies, plus under fives usually, there as well, you've got a lot going on.
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
So you don't need to have huge numbers, yeah.
Jen:
Yep, yep. So I know that you said you haven't needed a wait list, but I'm just wondering whether we've said the words right, because you've obviously got these people then that come, they contact you after your program started and they want to get onto the next program. So do
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
you just book them in for the next program or like, how does that
Sarah:
It's
Jen:
work?
Sarah:
very techy. I just have a list. I
Jen:
So
Sarah:
do
Jen:
that
Sarah:
have
Jen:
is
Sarah:
a
Jen:
your
Sarah:
list.
Jen:
waitlist. You have a waitlist.
Sarah:
I
Jen:
Ha ha
Sarah:
do,
Jen:
ha.
Sarah:
yeah. I have a list on my phone. So yes, I have a wait list.
Jen:
I love that you've got a waitlist on your phone, but hey, we'll figure that...
Sarah:
So I just
Jen:
She
Sarah:
do
Jen:
has a
Sarah:
turn
Jen:
waitlist
Sarah:
four,
Jen:
everybody!
Sarah:
yeah, turn four, and I think I have about three or four people on that list. So
Jen:
Okay, okay.
Sarah:
yeah,
Jen:
So we
Sarah:
so
Jen:
do
Sarah:
yes,
Jen:
have a waitlist.
Sarah:
I guess there is a wait list.
Jen:
So something that you could do to improve that further
Sarah:
I'm
Jen:
if you
Sarah:
sorry.
Jen:
want to not that this is a mentor session or anything like that. But
Sarah:
I'm sorry.
Jen:
as soon as you on your website, you say, we're sold out, put a
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
new button there that says waitlist now for the next program.
Sarah:
Yeah, so that is definitely something I have to do. So I have recently been putting on there because yes, I know that people are interested so I've kind of been marketing and say You head to my website and so you can subscribe But it's actually not very obvious because i've had a couple of it. Where do I subscribe?
Jen:
Mmm.
Sarah:
and so on my um Website, I need to make that like a What do they call it a light? Something light box.
Jen:
it's called
Sarah:
Um, it needs
Jen:
but
Sarah:
to
Jen:
a
Sarah:
pop
Jen:
button
Sarah:
up straight
Jen:
yeah
Sarah:
away so that
Jen:
yep
Sarah:
they can actually wait list because it is a bit hidden at the moment. And these are the things that you do work out along the way that need
Jen:
Absolutely.
Sarah:
to be changed to make it. So it needs to be spoon fed. We know
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
what it's like. My kids are big now, but I remember I was in a haze for 10 years. It needs
Jen:
I still
Sarah:
to be
Jen:
think
Sarah:
easy.
Jen:
I'm still in a haze some days.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
I'm like, dude, you know what? Isn't it supposed to be easier by now?
Sarah:
Yeah, no.
Jen:
Okay, so they are sitting on a wait list. And then I loved what you said before is, I mean, you articulated it about you need a break between onboarding people again, but how does it feel to know that you don't have to market that session for, you know, from the end of the term to two, three weeks before? for the end of the following term, you don't have to think about marketing those sessions at all.
Sarah:
Yeah, it's amazing and it really is a game changer because I guess this year's been the year for me that it has all turned every all that hard work and worry and am I doing
Jen:
Mmm.
Sarah:
it right and second guessing everything that you do. And working stuff out as well, like working out what you want, how you want it to look, and it's now starting to fall into place. And it's really nice going into like a school holidays knowing that you're full and you don't have to do anything until you're ready to. So
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
I have a Facebook group that for all the mums, and they all stay in their past and present. So everyone as part of my communications with the new mums, they all... they're on Facebook they join this group and that's how I communicate with them and text message as well but so I just pop things in there occasionally so you know getting excited for it to start and you know keep an eye on your inbox for X Y and Z and yeah
Jen:
Yeah.
Sarah:
but it is good you're not having to worry
Jen:
Yeah, do you have any moms that do the program more than once?
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
Yeah, okay.
Sarah:
yeah. So I guess that's another thing that in time, that's what happens. Yeah.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
So I've had quite a few now that I've returned mums and I've got now, I said earlier, the whole people getting to know you, the word of mouth is
Jen:
Mm.
Sarah:
massive because I've tried to get into mother's groups online. and you can't always get in and if you can, they don't want you to advertise. So it's, you're always coming up against like a roadblock. Um,
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
so at the end of the day, you have to get the moms to do the legwork for you as well. And, um, so if they tell their whole mother's group about you, then bam, you know, that's a whole new possible, you know, leads group of leads.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
So, um, and I have on the bottom of my pre-screening, where did you hear about me in different words? And they tell me and that's really good information, you know, to know what's working and what's not working And a lot of it is on my friend did it or my sister did it or someone I know Has done your program so that's becoming more and more the answer because
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
it's been three years now of running the program Before that it might have been a lot of people will Google like mums
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
and bums as well. So making sure that you're You're coming up in
Jen:
Yep,
Sarah:
your area for that.
Jen:
absolutely.
Sarah:
Yeah. And then it's all the other places too, like, oh, I got your pamphlet from the Pelvic Studio or the hospital. And then even other random leads, so connections with, you have to connect with whoever you can, basically. So there's a lot of duelers, there's a lot of sleep nurses, and we're all in a bit of a community down here together as well. So they are, we're all following each other. So now when I need having a conversation in class about sleep, I can say, oh, X, Y, and Z, have a look at these people.
Jen:
Hmm.
Sarah:
And they do the same for me. So, and another lovely lady down here, she takes baby's first aid and massage and she's a nurse. She's amazing supporter of me. So her name often comes up on my forms. So. Yeah,
Jen:
Fantastic.
Sarah:
it's just getting your name out there, which is hard, but
Jen:
edit
Sarah:
it does happen.
Jen:
It's worthwhile. Yeah. And
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
it's interesting listening to you because we you know, we've we're talking about being oversubscribed. But the precursor to being oversubscribed is to become the go to train for moms in your area to be known by people which you've done beautifully and we could delve deeper way deeper into that we weren't.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
But yeah, well done. It's been really
Sarah:
Thanks.
Jen:
beautiful to watch. Watch you grow, shall we say.
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
It's very,
Sarah:
I think
Jen:
very
Sarah:
it's,
Jen:
cool.
Sarah:
I've learned a lot along the way and it certainly hasn't been a smooth process at
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
all. But yeah, this year is really coming together how I could see it in my mind, how I wanted it to be. And at the end of
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
the day, I just wanted to help more moms because I didn't have that and that's what I wanted. So. And just on that with connecting, like, yeah, it's the connection that I've made that I believe now have set me in this position that I'm currently in, because even getting involved with the new gym, they have a whole new, another following. So
Jen:
Mm-hmm.
Sarah:
just through them, I've had all these opportunities come up, new people that have contacted me. And the one I said right at the beginning was to do with an insurance company down here. And that was through the other gym that I now deliver a program at. You know, one of their followers, you know, works for this insurance company and there's big things in Tassie happening with that insurance company and they're delivering, well, they wanna make Tassie the healthiest planet, the healthiest island on the planet.
Jen:
Amazing.
Sarah:
And so they're delivering a whole lot of everything, like yoga. all these different classes in this brand new spanking building in the middle of Hobart CBD. And so they contacted me and said, we want you to deliver something there too. And so for me, that's amazing. They've got 60,000, you know, members statewide. And this is not just for members. This is for the community. So anyone can book a session with me and the marketing is free. the room is free. It's an amazing opportunity to be part of and I would not have got that potentially if I hadn't have expanded and rebranded to where I am now.
Jen:
Yeah, and work to become that go-to person
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
in the first
Sarah:
like
Jen:
place.
Sarah:
so yeah, they are the ones saying, oh, we wanted to meet you because you work with moms. Like, yep,
Jen:
Yeah, so good, so good.
Sarah:
I do. So yeah,
Jen:
I'm glad you told me that,
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
because I was going to say, hey, are you allowed to share? Can you tell me? Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe He's so good.
Sarah:
Yeah, yeah. So I, so I just, yeah, I only just popped that on my socials this morning, because
Jen:
So
Sarah:
I saw
Jen:
exciting!
Sarah:
that they had signed, you know, I'm October, October
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
booked in for so they have all their other people booked in, but it's and it's new for them. So, you know, that might be something that I continue to do. I don't know. So but I'm booked
Jen:
Fantastic.
Sarah:
in for October, November, and we'll see what happens then.
Jen:
Well
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
done. Congratulations.
Sarah:
Thanks.
Jen:
So to start to wrap us up, because I know we've both got stuff happening very soon. Tell us if somebody wants to find you, whether they're in Hobart or not in Hobart, where can they find you or connect with you or get in contact?
Sarah:
Um, I have a website that is my name. So www.sarahcastley.com.au.
Jen:
Yep.
Sarah:
Um, and then I'm the same on my Instagram and Facebook, cause that's how I started, I guess. So I started as myself and I've, I've stayed as myself. So yeah,
Jen:
Yeah,
Sarah:
Sarah Castley,
Jen:
which
Sarah:
Hobart.
Jen:
I love because you are, you're, you're becoming the go-to trainer for moms in Hobart under your name and then if you elevate your name then the brand comes with you so yeah,
Sarah:
Yeah,
Jen:
good job.
Sarah:
yeah,
Jen:
Nice.
Sarah:
yeah.
Jen:
Cool, cool, cool.
Sarah:
So that's me. Yeah.
Jen:
If there's any mum listening that is hesitant to come and join the class, what would you say to her?
Sarah:
I'd say don't, yeah, don't be worried. It's such an amazing community and that's what the moms say. And that was it, that's a big part of any of the groups that the trainers, Mumsafe trainers run. It's the community that you're providing and the support that you're providing. It's not just about the exercise.
Jen:
Hmm.
Sarah:
Half the time it's not about the exercise, to be honest. So it's about the coffee afterwards and the connections that you're making. So if you're worried about the exercise part, don't be.
Jen:
Yep, nice.
Sarah:
Yeah.
Jen:
Sarah, I've said it, I said it just then, but it's been absolutely wonderful having the opportunity to work alongside you and play a small part in supporting where you're at. But one of the things I love about you, you know, you're not necessarily super active in the group all the time, but you're doing all these things in the background and then all of a sudden you pop up and go, oh, I'm just doing this wonderful new thing. And it's like, wow. You're consistently working at building the next stage of your business, elevating yourself, stepping and doing brave things and having brave conversations to get you personally to the next phase in order to support MomMum. So thank you for taking the time to share part of your journey with us today and also for your ongoing part of MomSafe. It's awesome to work with you. Very, very cool.
Sarah:
Yeah, no worries. Thanks for having me. It was fun.
Jen:
I'll see you soon.
Sarah:
Yep. See ya.
Jen:
Alright, stay there for me.
