As the story has it, one day I headed to the opposite side of the globe – the Flipside. I arrived in Korea February 16th, 2005 and thought I’d do a year, then leave. I was wrong. I stayed, launched my first company, Flipside Fitness, and then opened Korea's largest boxing club, Hulk's Boxing (now called Hulk's Club).

After 11.5yrs in Korea, I then picked up one day and returned to Toronto, Canada. But then I left again.

Now I live in the Philippines where I am the CEO and head coach of Empowered Clubhouse, the Philippines' first and only boxing clubhouse exclusively just for women. I also am the founder of the Lil' Sistas Project, CEO and designer of Slay Gear and Baa Baa Black Sheep .Ph.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

No More Discounts... Sunday, May 20

The BoxHIIT in the Park online sign-up had reached it's max capacity, so much so that I had to start telling new sign-ups that they couldn't participate.  It was an anticipated packed class.

Only one participant showed up -- 1 out of the 8.

I think with my BoxHIIT being free, participants feel it's easier to drop off or cancel last minute because it's not like it's costing them and it's not like they're owing me any pay for the session.  It costs them nothing but it does cost me.  It doesn't cost me money, time or effort because I already have the gear and I plan for the class regardless of if there's 1 or 8 participants.  What it does cost me though is focus and drive.  My focus and drive to continue this takes a little punch to the gut with every random cancelation.  It's incredibly discouraging and I don't think people know that.  I'm doing what I'm doing because I love it but it's hard to continue doing so when you're constantly putting yourself out there and others don't respect it or respond positively to it.  Instead, they act like it's nothing but it's not nothing.  It is something.  It is something big to me.  

I've started accepting personal training clients and I've unofficially have started to accept small team training clients.  

I've been in an ongoing conversation with a friend in Korea about me coaching for free every Sunday and from the get-go he hasn't been for it.  I was convinced with what he was saying today, about people not acknowledging what I bring to the table with my regards to my skills and experience with boxing and with coaching, and told him that my BoxHIIT session today was going to be wicked.  "I've got a packed class and I'm going to come back as high as a kite on endorphins because I love what I do and do what I love!"

I texted him after my BoxHIIT.  "Only one person showed up.  This is the opposite of a high as a kite high", I told him.  

"Know your worth girl", he texted.  "Once you know you're worth you'll stop giving discounts... you'll be adding tax!", he added.

I do know my worth but I'm starting to think that offering free training sessions only cheapens what I have.  I don't need to offer anything for free because I know the experience bring to my coaching.  I've trained in five different countries, alongside Olympian athletes and world champions.  I've coached in three, one of which was at a boxing club I made myself and one I helped raise over $100,000 for a charity with coaching one of their teams.  And I've fought in five countries as a pro fighter.  

I know my worth.  Experience is expensive.

I'm not interested in overcharging my clients, that's not what it's about, but I'm also not about underselling myself.  

And on that note, next Sunday will be my last BoxHIIT in the Park for Empowered Clubhouse.  

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