This article was originally published on www.Medium.com in the winter of 2016. I feel it still holds relevance today and is worth sharing on CoachCaseyLee.com. I hope you all are able to pull a few golden nuggets that will help better your business!

It’s no secret I love house music.

Like...reallllllly love it…to the extent that I used to pretend I was Calvin Harris. I learned to mix and produce music. I even played a handful of local gigs for about 18 months. You know...high school prom and winter formals are totally the same vibe as Coachella, right?

You catch my drift though. I didn’t make it to the ‘big time’ quite like Tiesto or produce international albums like David Guetta, but I like to think that I learned a lot from my short stint on the decks.

It isn’t about me...it never was and never will be.

This was my biggest mistake when I first got started mixing and mashing. I honestly thought that I could play only music that I wanted to hear and people would love it the same way I did. When I was DJing a local high school prom, the kids kept requesting a particular song that was really big on the radio at the time. To me, this song was really over played and drove me absolutely insane and I promised myself that I would never play it. As it turns out, none of the kids cared what I thought about the song. I wasn’t paying myself for my services, they were paying me to provide what THEY wanted.

This exact phenomenon happens in the fitness industry as well. Clients seek a Coach for their expertise or their past history and testimonials. Why did I think music would be different? In a service based industry the SERVICE you provide is what matters, all nitty-gritty aside, if you can not gather the attention of the market you are providing a service to, you will lose out every time.

Check your ego, figure out what the market wants, and provide.

Atmosphere is everything

People have fun when they see other people having fun. I remember doing a show at a local venue, looking up, and seeing everyone having a great time. That motivated me to make sure I kept the energy at the highest levels. Energy and excitement is 100% contagious with the DJ providing that energy through the music he or she decides to play.

Fitness industry translation: the facility better be jamming every hour, every session, every day. As the Coach, you’re the DJ, and it’s your job to take the crowd on a journey to whatever they are seeking. Whether that be weight loss, building muscle, or just plain feeling more confident...it’s your job to create and cultivate an  atmosphere that fosters success the appropriate environment for your clients.

Be a master of your craft

When I first started DJing in front of crowds I was thrown off by how many people wanted to watch what happens with the mixer. Every transition, sample, mash up, and random effect became entertainment to those right in front of me. I loved that people wanted to know what went into providing great energy, a kick ass atmosphere and song selection, but it had a much bigger effect; I had to know what the hell I was doing!

Attention is one of the most valuable attributes of a person. You could argue it is the only thing that matters when it comes to business, sales, branding, or marketing. In an industry where the service we provide requires undivided attention for up to 90 minutes...I owe it to that group or individual to make sure I bring 100%. Being prepared, always learning, and adding new skills revolving around your craft are a must, not only in the fitness industry, but in every industry. It's easy to become complacent and stale, but if you remember why you serve, the excitement it brings, and the end result it produces, the every going quest for mastery becomes a process to fall in love with, rather than a never ending day to day task.