Brainstorming a triathlon coaching business name/website (Page 2)

Joel... I really like Sisu Multisport...

Anyone involved in Triathlon will know what that means.

Sisu Multi-sport

specialized training for the multi-sport endurance athlete

You would have to be pretty stupid not to get that... and the concept of Sisu is AWESOME!

You had better start learning to read/ write Finnish though... If you start on line coaching you could get very popular in Finland! I think you will make a great coach Joel! follow your dream!

Joel,

From someone who has been in your shoes recently let me share with you a few lessons learned:

1) Whatever your company is called make sure that it is easy to remember. I can't tell you how many people I have met at the pool (no pen or business cards) and have tried to tell them what my website address is (was, I let it go early this year) and them not being able to remember it.

2) Get a pro to do your web design, I tried to do my own and it looked very amatuerish and unprofessional.

3) Get  your name out there by offering a clinic or a lecture at your Y or health club.

4) Have your athletes sign a Waiver and Release from Liability as soon as they start training with you. This protects you and your personal assets.

5) Incorporate (see above)

6) Get a certification from a governing body (USAT ) this not only makes you legit, it also gives you $2 million in liability insurance as long as your coaching license is current.

Good luck! Coaching athletes is a very gratifying profession, especically new athletes. Seeing their progress and celebrating their achievements is an indescribeable feeling.

Feel free to email or PM me if you have any questions. 

Thanks for the advice Brett-

The goal is to make the name short and sweet...and hopefully easy to remember.  I haven't started to do my homework on what needs to be done in setting up a personal business but I assumed I would incorporate and figured liability waivers and such would need to be standard in a business like this.  I'm expecting to be USAT Level I certified by the end of the summer and I have a few other certifications at the top of my list as priorities over the next few years...USA Cycling, CSCS, and Total Immersion ceritfied instructor are what I think I'll focus on to get things off the ground.

So what was your web address and what is it now?

So I can't stop thinking about this but I thnk I'm getting really close.  Here's what I cam up with during my run this evening:

SISU Endurance & Fitness

~Specializing in Personalized Training for the Multisport Athlete~ 

or

SISU Multisport & Fitness

~Specializing in Personalized Training for the Endurance Athlete~

The actual name is general enough to not exclude anyone (and also leave it open to general fitness and conditioning) while the sub-title helpd to specify what my primary focus is.  Of course within any printed materials or web page I can go into more detail about the different types of coaching/training I would offer to explain that I'm not limited to triathletes.

Joel - this is nitpicking but I think nitpicking is what you want.  In the interest of brevity the "specializing in..." could be dropped.  So it would say "Personalized training for....".  I think that still says exactly what you want to say in fewer words. 

Some will say that worrying this far ahead of time about precise details is unnecessary.  On some levels they may be right.  On the other hand, this type of obsession over minor details that you want to get just right is the best way for you to go into business for yourself.  Speaking as someone who runs their own business I can tell you that you will sweat these kinds of details morning, noon and night for the rest of your working life.  It will be one of the hardest and most rewarding things you've ever done.  Go ahead and obsess now, it's good practice for the future.

 Regardless of the final format, I think if you use Sisu whoever posted that gets the prize, just my opinion.

joker.com is alot less than $35/year ($12/year), as probably are lots of other places. If you're looking for someone to do the web design, let me suggest my cousin's business: http://www.tekture.com/ 

BTW, I think SISU sounds really cool, and I agree with dropping the "Specializing in" part of the sub-title.

The only reason I added "Specializing in" is because I don't want it to sound like I am limited to endurance athletes.  That's something I can tinker with down the line though.  I've got the name which lets me register my URL and start working on the financial organization aspect.

Final decision...Sisu Multisport & Fitness...Jim get's the prize!

I'm actually amazed that I went from no idea to being completely convinced I have the right name in less than 24 hours.  I figured I'd be mulling this over for weeks in not longer.  I guess sometimes things just click.  THANKS JIM.  I'll find some way to show my appreciation.

Holy cow Dan!  How did I not realize you are in Newport News?  That's awesome...we have to do some training together!  Do you train with the Final Kick crowd at all?

That's a good idea you have there on the name...now you've got me thinking again.

I'd love to help coach you...just not sure I have ennough knowledge at this point to effectively give you what you need.  There are a couple complete beginners that I'm going to start working with for free to help them through the season.  One has Colonial HIM as his goal and first HIM so that will be cool.  The other is registered for Breezy Point as her first ever tri.  I'm happy to give you as much advice as I can but judging by your logs I'd say you're in the same neighborhood as me in terms of development.  Although we are both training for Boston and a demanding upcoming tri season so I think we'd make good training partners.  You should head down for the Sunday morning long rides with Final Kick.

I've only looked over your logs quickly a few times but I saw some fast runs under 7min pace.  The marathong training I think I can help with, the IM training I think you might be better off paying for a Gold membership here in BT and hooking up with Mike on the training support forum.  Once you have access to that forum you can also follow along on the thread I have going with him to track everything I'm learning too.  It's the best $75 you can spend for your training.

Yeah, we ride from the store on Shore Drive and we've been rolling out at 8am so far but it gets earlier later in the season whgen it's warmer and we tend to go longer.  Right now I'm riding long every other Sunday...including this coming Sunday.  The group tends to be a bit small this time of year...only the serious people venture out in the cold.  We usually have an update on the Final Kick group workout forum: http://www.finalkick.com/phpbb2/viewforum.php?f=1

I usually do my long runs from Final Kick out through the trails of First Landing State Park.  It's mostly non-paved trails (easy on the knees) and there is a nice section of hills on the back side which is good for Boston training.  It's a very popular place for people to run.  I think I'm going ~20ish Friday or Saturday morning depending on how the weather works out.

Interesting...I've never heard of that brand.  Is it a Canadian thing?  You all got some strange stuff up there.  Doesn't sound like it's a mainstream type of product since I've never heard of it or seen it advertised in any major publication so I don't think it bothers me...even if it does taste nasty.
 

Bringing back an older thread.  Now that I've got my coaching certifiacte and a few clients I want to start moving forward with a web page and stuff.  Here's my latest...