What does it actually take to land a job as a personal trainer? And what are hiring managers really looking for?

In this episode of Smittyville, Fitness World CEO Chris Smith draws on his experience hiring hundreds of employees to share what separates a strong personal training candidate from someone who doesn't make the cut.

Alongside co-host Krissy Vann, Chris breaks down the personal training interview process, from first impressions and certifications to practical assessments, common red flags, and why experience isn't always the deciding factor.

They cover:

• What hiring managers notice in the first five minutes
• How to prepare for a personal training job interview
• Why certifications alone won't build a successful career
• The biggest interview red flags, including ego and unwillingness to learn
• What to expect from practical assessments and training demonstrations
• How to manage nerves and show up authentically
• Why having a plan matters more than having all the answers

Plus, in the Trainer Circuit, Chris tackles a question about fitting in on the gym floor and shares why focusing on your own goals can be more valuable than comparing yourself to other trainers.

Smittyville is the smartest small town in fitness. Hosted by Fitness World CEO Chris Smith and fitness business journalist Krissy Vann, the show delivers real talk for real trainers on business, leadership, money, and everything they don't teach you in certification courses.

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Should personal trainers become friends with their clients — and what happens when the relationship starts crossing professional lines?

In this episode of Smittyville, Fitness World CEO Chris Smith and Krissy Vann get into one of the messier parts of personal training: client relationships.

Trainers spend hours with clients, learn intimate details about their lives and often become one of the most consistent sources of support in their week. That connection can be powerful — but it can also create blurred boundaries, misunderstood intentions and some seriously uncomfortable situations.

Chris breaks down how trainers can navigate friendships with clients, what to do when a client starts flirting or pushing the relationship further, when a manager should step in, and why being exceptionally good at your job can sometimes be mistaken for something more.

Plus, Chris shares how some of his own clients became mentors early in his career, including leaders from companies like Nike, Adidas, Apple and Intel.

In this episode:

• Should personal trainers be friends with their clients?
• How to maintain professional boundaries
• What to do when a client starts flirting with you
• When trainers should involve their manager
• Why clients can misinterpret attention and support
• How client relationships can create unexpected mentorship opportunities
• The communication lesson Chris still works on as a CEO: listen twice as much as you talk

Smittyville is the smartest small town in fitness — real talk for real trainers about business, leadership, money and the stuff no one teaches you on the gym floor.

What makes a bad boss, and what should you actually do when you’re working for one?

In this episode of Smittyville, Fitness World CEO Chris Smith and Krissy Vann get into the realities of leadership, from managers who fail to model the behaviour they expect from their teams to employees burning emotional energy on things they can’t control.

Chris shares his own experience working under leaders he didn’t respect or align with, why autonomy became critical to his success, and the difference between disagreeing with a decision and refusing to get behind it.

They also dig into why people are often promoted before they’re ready to lead, when an annoying boss is actually preventing you from doing your job, and why bad leadership tends to reveal itself over time.

The bigger lesson: you don’t need to agree with every decision, but once the decision is made, alignment matters.

Smittyville is real talk for personal trainers about business, leadership, money and the stuff nobody teaches you on the gym floor.

Burnout is becoming a major concern for personal trainers, and new data suggests it may also be affecting how much they earn.

According to the NASM State of Personal Training Report, 27% of personal trainers say burnout is capping their income potential. The report also found that burnout appears to be more pronounced among higher earners, with 35% reporting it as an issue compared with 18% at the other end of the income spectrum.

In this episode of Smittyville, Fitness World CEO Chris Smith and fitness business journalist Krissy Vann unpack those findings and debate what burnout actually means for a personal trainer building a long-term career.

Is burnout simply the result of working too much, or can it be a symptom of deeper problems around time management, prioritization, boundaries and self-discipline? Chris argues that many of the factors that lead someone toward burnout can be identified and addressed before they become overwhelming, including learning when to say no, managing time more deliberately and following through on personal priorities outside of work.

The conversation also examines why higher-earning personal trainers may be especially vulnerable. Trainers earning more than $100,000 may be servicing more clients, training at higher frequency and intensity, and carrying the pressure required to maintain that level of income. That creates a bigger question for anyone trying to grow in the fitness industry: how much work does success actually require, and how do you know when hard work has crossed into something unsustainable?

Chris also challenges the broader conversation around work ethic, asking whether attitudes toward hard work have changed across generations and whether there is sometimes a gap between wanting a particular career outcome and being willing to do the work required to achieve it. He reflects on his own experience working six days a week and 12-hour days for more than two decades, while also arguing that recovery, vacations and making time for the things that make life enjoyable have to be deliberately prioritized.

In this episode:

• What the NASM State of Personal Training Report says about trainer burnout
• Why 27% of personal trainers say burnout is limiting their income
• Why burnout appears more common among higher-earning trainers
• The relationship between workload, client volume and income
• Whether burnout is the problem or a symptom of something deeper
• Time management, prioritization and learning when to say no
• Why vacations and life outside of work matter
• The difference between wanting success and being willing to work for it
• Hard work, hustle and changing generational expectations
• How trainers can build a career that is both successful and sustainable

Smittyville is a podcast for personal trainers about business, leadership, money, career development and the things nobody teaches you on the gym floor. Hosted by Fitness World CEO Chris Smith and fitness business journalist Krissy Vann.

On this episode of Smittyville, Fitness World CEO Chris Smith pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to become a CEO — and what the job looks like once you get there.

Chris shares the unconventional path that took him from personal training and gym operations into executive leadership, including the intense boardroom “final exam” that resulted in him being named CEO. He breaks down some of the biggest leadership lessons he learned along the way: taking responsibility when things go wrong, doing the job you want before you have the title, learning to listen instead of always jumping in with the answer, and staying close to the people actually doing the work.

Chris and Krissy also get into the realities of running and rapidly growing a fitness business, from leases, financing and expansion to people management, hundreds of emails a day and the importance of knowing your numbers.

Plus, Chris explains how he protects his emotional energy as a leader, why he expects problems without allowing them to derail him, and the mindset behind his latest Smithism: you don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.

If you're a personal trainer, fitness professional, gym manager or aspiring fitness business leader wondering how to advance your career, become a better leader or eventually move into executive leadership, this episode offers a practical look at the skills, habits and mindset required to keep growing.

Smittyville is the podcast for personal trainers hosted by Chris Smith, CEO of Fitness World, and fitness business journalist Krissy Vann, covering personal training, fitness careers, leadership, business, money and the lessons nobody teaches you on the gym floor.

NASM surveyed 1,133 certified personal trainers to understand where the profession is heading, how trainers are earning, and what separates the industry’s highest performers from everyone else.

In this episode, Chris Smith breaks down the findings through an operator’s lens. The conversation covers trainer optimism, income growth, specialization, GLP-1s, burnout, the limits of one-on-one training, and why six-figure trainers are relying less on social media and more on referrals, local search, hybrid coaching and stronger business systems.

Chris also challenges parts of the report, including whether burnout is really the problem trainers think it is, and shares what he believes fitness professionals should focus on if they want to build a sustainable career rather than simply fill more hours on the gym floor.

This is a practical look at what the numbers reveal, where Chris disagrees, and what the future of personal training may actually demand.

Millions of women are entering perimenopause looking for answers, and many are turning to their personal trainer for guidance.

In this episode of Smittyville, Chris Smith explores the important role fitness professionals can play in supporting women through one of the biggest physiological transitions of their lives.

Rather than trying to become medical experts, Chris discusses why great coaches understand the value of empathy, education, and collaboration. From strength training and lifestyle habits to knowing when it's time to refer a client to a physician, this conversation focuses on how trainers can build trust while staying firmly within their scope of practice.

The discussion also explores why perimenopause represents one of the biggest opportunities for personal trainers to better serve an often-overlooked population through thoughtful coaching, ongoing education, and stronger relationships with healthcare professionals.
Whether you're a new trainer or an experienced coach, this episode offers practical guidance on navigating these conversations with confidence while putting your clients' long-term health first.
In this episode:

Why more women are seeking support during perimenopause
The role of strength training, sleep, nutrition, and movement
Why there's no one-size-fits-all approach
Staying within your scope of practice as a trainer
Building referral relationships with doctors and healthcare providers
How continuing education can help trainers better serve female clients
Why empathy may be your greatest coaching tool

Personal training has never been just about exercise.

Every day, coaches help people navigate stress, heartbreak, self doubt, major life changes, and the emotions that inevitably show up outside the gym.

In this episode of Smittyville, Chris Smith and Krissy Vann explore the human side of coaching. From crying at work and leading with empathy to navigating relationships and becoming a better communicator, this conversation is about the skills that separate good coaches from great ones.

Because the best coaches don't just change lives.

The work changes them, too.

In this episode:
• Is it okay to cry at work?
• How leaders should respond when emotions show up
• Why communication is one of a coach's greatest strengths
• Helping clients through difficult life events
• The connection between personal growth and professional success
• Why becoming a better human makes you a better coach

Welcome to Smittyville.

Building better coaches.
Building better careers.