From a degree in Journalism from Leeds Trinity University to coaching athletes at the pinnacle of combat sport, and winning some titles along the way. This is the story of Reiss Silva, founder and performance coach at Elite Step.
Reiss, what made you start a business in S&C?
I wanted freedom. I’d heard over and over again that you only get into S&C for the passion and love, there’s no money in it. I never wanted to work for a club but wanted to build something so good that athletes from clubs would want to use. I wanted to be my own boss, set my own hours, own pay and have freedom.
It didn’t take long for Reiss to make an impact, within 3 years he was working with fighters across the UFC and within 4 years was supporting Sunny Edwards on his journey to becoming British Champion in December 2019.
Following this early success Reiss went on to help even more athletes across the globe through his online coaching platform
When I moved my business online, it was a crowded space. Ever since lockdown all coaches had done the same. But with combat sports all business were the same, offering same stuff and doing the same thing, I saw a gap for a product that made world class performance accessible. I decided to bring S&C, nutrition and sport psychology together as no programme had all. You had to go to a different place for each which got messy and costly - we offered 3 elite coaches at affordable able prices.
This is a great example of operating in a blue ocean. Most people operate in a red ocean. Everyone is competing for the same audiences with the same product/service. To succeed, you must find a point of differentiation. Be unique, whilst still meeting the needs and desires of your audience.
What obstacle almost stopped you and how did you overcome it?
Finances. The first year was hard. I had lost all my income from in person coaching and was struggling. Luckily I had a great partner who supported me during this time but there were times I thought I’d made a mistake and would have to get a job. I never really would but you have the thoughts. I just kept going and learnt from what wasn’t working. I also got the help of a business coach who helped me massively. The biggest thing that helped was dialling in on my niche of fighters, messaging and systems.
It sounds counterintuitive - dialling in on a niche to make more money. Seth Godin in his book This Is Marketing calls this a minimal-viable-audience. What is the smallest group of people you can market your product too? You don’t want 1000 followers, you want 100 raging fans.
How did you manage the transition from coaching hours to running a business without burning out?
You have to go through suck to get freedom. I’ve always worked super hard but also as I’ve got more experience I've made sure I’m balanced. Balance isn’t hours which I think most people believe. Balance to me could be a 12 hour day and a 2 hour dinner with my Mrs - but that 2 hours I’m present and focussed 100% on her - not mixing work with it.
This is another great point that unfortunately a lot of early coaches get sucked into. Hustle culture, especially in fitness, S&C, and high performance, screams outworking others. Ultimately, the only person you are in competition with is yourself, and if you burn yourself out by never switching off, you are fighting a losing battle.
To finish - any books, podcasts, or mentors you’d recommend to other coaches starting a side hustle or business?
Phil Graham by far the best business mentorship I’ve ever been on.