A Day in the Life of an F45 VA

F45 is a boutique training studio that offers team-based, functional fitness programme. It is a growing franchise that started in Australia but has spread across the world and now has 1,150 franchises in 36 different countries.

F45 VA's

The brand is known for its circuit movement patterns that showcase over 1,000 exercises in 15 different timing modules structured in 10 customised training systems. All licensees of the F45 brand is equipped with all these patented systems as well as F45-branded music playlists.

Why do F45 studios hire VAs?

While the foundations of the brand remain the same, it is up to the F45 owners to run their studios accordingly. Therefore, while VAs are not required, it is common for owners to coach classes as well, leaving no time to do all required tasks. This is why owners delegate administrative work to VAs as their hands are full of other responsibilities.

Daily

Checking emails

Answering query about the studio

Processing Holds or Suspensions— the time it takes to do this varies from member to member as they will suspend their memberships for different reasons such as holidays, injury/illness, work, or travel

Processing Cancellations— this will vary as well according to the situation, but the VA will have to ensure that they implement the full 30 days notice when canceling

Processing new memberships and entering them into Sales Tracker

Weekly

On certain days of the week, VAs submit reports such as Outstanding membership payments, processing weekly payroll (which includes calculating their respective commissions for the week) using Xero and Deputy

Every Friday, VAs set the schedule for following the week’s classes

The Challenges

As in any remote work-client set up, daily communication is very important. Although a lot of factors are predetermined by the F45 brand, the VA and the client still has to establish the company’s goals. This forces the two parties to always be open to communication.

The VA, in particular, needs to always take the initiative to constantly update the clients on their current processes to ensure that they are accomplishing tasks and meeting deadlines. Clients will not always take initiative to check up on VAs, so it is ultimately up to the VAs to update their clients.

Making mistakes is also inevitable, but VAs have to make sure that once a specific process is explained to them by their client, they understand it fully and ask questions as much as possible to minimise the possibility of mistakes.

Maintaining the F45 Brand

Maintaining the F45 is mostly about still following the F45 Annual Calendar that F45 gyms all over the world follow. VAs have to ask the owners how they want them to do things and what they need help with, so the two parties constantly work together to find efficient ways to help each other.

What added value does the VA bring the F45 owner?

Many clients, F45 owners included, hire VAs without a clear picture of what exactly they need. They know that they need help to offload work from their plates but cannot fathom the transitional period that may come with having someone “take over.” However, VAs will not “take over” anyone’s job, but rather, help organize the long list of tasks that owners have.

To do this, VAs help fitness owners look at their business in the bigger picture and focus on their big goals. From there, VAs point out the smaller tasks that need to be accomplished. Once all tasks are organised and properly delegated, they help F45 studio owners with time management.

Since owners typically coach at the same time, VAs help layout and plan the process for turning over tasks that need to be delegated to them. This way, owners are left with more time to focus on the more pressing responsibilities that need their attention— may it be about the business or personal lives in general.

It is essentially up to a VA to ensure that tasks are done according to their client’s liking, but also are done in the most efficient way possible. They are not a substitute for their F45 owners’ jobs but a complementary aspect to help them run their business.