How I Finally Stabilized My Coaching Income
How I Finally Stabilized My Coaching Income (After Years of the Feast-and-Famine Rollercoaster)
If you’re a health or fitness coach who has made at least $8,000 at one point in your business — but you can’t seem to keep that income consistent — you are not alone.
Some months feel amazing — like, "I’m on fire, clients are flowing in, and this thing is finally working." Other months? Crickets. The revenue dips, the stress rises, and you find yourself questioning everything.
I’ve lived that life. Repeatedly. And it sucks.
Contrary to the highlight reels and guru screenshots, most businesses do not scale in a perfect upward line. Real growth is messy. There are ups, downs, false starts, and setbacks. And often, the problem isn’t that your offer sucks or that the market is broken — it’s that your systems haven’t caught up to the level you’re trying to play at.
In this post, I’m going to break down the key systems and strategies that finally helped me stabilize my income and create predictable client flow — even after years of inconsistency. I’ll share personal stories from running a gym, launching my online business, and the hard-won lessons that helped me build a six-figure+ business online.
From Sinkholes to Stability: My Origin Story
Back when I was running a gym in South Florida, we literally started in an abandoned hockey rink. True story. We turfed it out, fixed a literal sinkhole (no joke — we couldn’t have members vanishing mid-burpee), and built South Florida’s first and only outdoor fitness center.
It grew to over 300 active members, and we served more than 3,000 people during our 8 years in business. We even franchised it — had an investor come in and everything.
But even then, with all the growth, I had seasons where I couldn’t pay myself. Months with zero take-home pay. And the emotional weight of that? Brutal.
Then came the online coaching shift...
Online Boom... and Bust
In late 2019, I launched my online coaching business — just months before COVID hit. Timing-wise, it was a gift. Interest in online coaching exploded, and within a few months, we’d scaled to a six-figure business.
But the inconsistency followed me.
One month: $22K. Next: $8K. Then a $5K drop, then back to $17K.
It was stressful.
I hired teams. I ran ads. I listened to gurus. We sent 50–100 DMs a day, hired appointment setters, bought into VA agencies... but the instability never really went away.
And I realized: throwing more tactics at the problem wasn’t the solution.
I needed to build systems — systems that worked even when I didn’t feel like hustling, and that didn’t rely on me being in the DMs all day.
System #1: Your Messaging System
The first real shift came from a reminder of something I learned while franchising my gym: systematize everything.
When we built the franchise, I had to create a full-blown operations manual — from starting the LLC to retaining clients and building community. That principle applied perfectly to the online space too.
And it started with messaging.
What I Realized:
Most coaches have generic messaging.
They talk about fat loss, mindset, or hitting goals — but it all sounds the same.
If you want consistent income, you need a clear, compelling, and unique message that positions you as the person to help your dream clients.
My First Win: The "Stubborn Fat Solution"
When I got specific with messaging and created my first "big idea" — the Stubborn Fat Solution — people finally started listening.
But the real secret? It wasn’t just the name. It was that I found the core belief people needed to shift first.
"In order to lose stubborn fat, you need to stop eating ‘healthy’ and start eating in a way that supports your hormones and metabolism."
Once people believed that, they wanted to learn more.
That’s what marketing legend Russell Brunson calls the Domino Belief — the one belief that, if accepted, makes someone far more likely to buy.
System #2: Your Strategic Content Ecosystem
Most content advice is outdated. "Post every day, follow this calendar, show authority, blah blah blah."
The problem? Content is now a commodity.
AI tools like ChatGPT can spit out info in seconds. Everyone’s posting. So what actually moves the needle?
A strategic content ecosystem that:
Attracts leads
Nurtures relationships
Builds authority
Converts attention into action
What It Looks Like:
Top of Funnel (Get traffic)
Facebook profile or Instagram
Grow 10+ new leads/day (friend requests or followers)
Middle of Funnel (Build trust)
Facebook Group or YouTube (longer-form content)
Weekly email with value + links to deeper content
Bottom of Funnel (Convert)
Monthly Conversion Content Campaigns (3–5 posts driving to a masterclass, event, or offer)
Example:
A hot hook: “The Truth About Why You’re Not Getting Clients Even Though You’re Posting Daily”
A unique angle that challenges their assumptions
A crystal clear call-to-action: “Comment ‘invite’ for access to the free training”
When your messaging and content ecosystem work together, demand builds on its own.
You’re not chasing leads… they’re coming to you.
“People don’t need to be reminded I’m open for business. If they follow me, they know. But I still make strategic invites.”
System #3: The Value-First Conversion Flow
Here’s the truth:
I hate DMing people all day.
I’ve had setter teams. I’ve tested outbound sales. It’s just not how I want to do business.
Instead, I focused on building a value-first conversion system:
Run regular workshops or masterclasses
Deliver real value
Let people self-identify if they want help
Sometimes they’ll DM you. Sometimes you drop a soft CTA. Either way, you’re in your zone, teaching and coaching.
You can say things like:
"If you want help getting to consistent $30K/months, here’s what to do next."
"If you're curious about our co-creation offer, where we build your client-getting system together, reach out."
Simple. No pressure. No bro marketing.
System #4: The Backend That Buys You Freedom
This one isn’t sexy. But it’s necessary.
I call it the Scale & Freedom Formula — aka making sure your delivery and ops won’t break when you sign 10–20 new clients.
Ask yourself:
If 10 clients signed up today, would your onboarding process hold?
Do you have SOPs for basic tasks?
Can you delegate without micro-managing?
My system:
Record Loom videos
My VA takes the video → plugs it into ChatGPT → builds an SOP
We systematize once, reuse forever
This frees you up to grow, not just survive.
Bonus Strategy: The Waitlist Rhythm
One of my mentors reminded me to bring this back — and it’s worked really well:
Build a waitlist for your core offer.
Run interest posts
Build anticipation
Open spots once every 4–8 weeks
When we did this, clients like Patty were able to:
Build a 30-person waitlist
Fill her program with 10+ new clients in one week
It makes your business feel in demand, creates urgency, and gives YOU control over enrollment.
Final Thoughts: Simplicity Wins
When you strip everything down, here’s what creates consistency:
1. Clear Messaging
Say the right words in the right way to the right people.
2. Strategic Content Ecosystem
Build an ecosystem that attracts, nurtures, and converts — not just random posts.
3. Value-First Conversion Flow
Workshops > DMs. Teach. Help. Invite.
4. Backend Systems
So you can scale without being glued to your laptop.
5. Waitlist Rhythm
Build anticipation. Create demand. Sell with ease.
Ready to Get Off the Income Rollercoaster?
This isn’t theory. This is what helped me (and 350+ clients) go from feast and famine to consistent, scalable income.
If you're stuck bouncing between $8K and $20K months, and you're ready for the next level — without 100 cold DMs a day — you know where to find me.
Let’s make your business predictable, profitable, and fun again.
Let’s go. 💪
Who Is Jason Meland?
I am a value creator, mentor, and entrepreneur. I help online coaches master their messaging, attract dream clients, and build thriving high profit, high impact businesses.
When You’re Ready, Here’s How I Can Help You:
Grab a copy for the 5 posts responsible for 7 figures in online fitness sales: https://www.indemandcoach.com/5-posts-ebook-2505
Join the waitlist to get an invite to join the Client Attraction Accelerator https://www.indemandcoach.com/in-demand-waitlist
Work with me personally 1:1 to build a high profit, high impact online coaching business. DM me "mentorship" here for details
