Dana Burke started her coaching journey four years ago. Today, she runs two different fitness programs, has her own app, is a certified Level 1 Crossfit instructor, and still finds the time to be an awesome mom.
Talk about a hustler.
The process of getting there was filled with lots of challenges though.
From her first Crossfit workout that her husband convinced her to do, all the way to managing her growing client list on Excel spreadsheets, she’s done it all and is continuing to grow her coaching business to new heights.
I sat down with her to chat all about her coaching history, how she found CrossFit, and the impact that SPRNG has made on her coaching business. She shared the secrets to building her business Optifit Nutrition, and where she plans on going as her brand continues to grow month after month.
From Cardio Bunny to Crossfit Candidate
For most of her adult life, Dana would tell you she was a “cardio bunny”. Her days were spent working out the way that most do—walking, running, and spending little time with weights in hand.
It wasn’t until her husband Jamin, a CrossFit junkie, urged her to give it a try that she found something that clicked with her.
“Jamin got me to try out a CrossFit class and after one workout I was hooked. This was back in 2016 and I was looking for something different in my workout routine and this really captured me. There’s nothing quite like feeling that superhuman strength that comes from lifting weights and moving your muscles like you do in CrossFit.”
With a newfound passion for CrossFit driving her forward, she started going to classes regularly. From there, she dove headfirst into nutrition and macro-management where she reaped the benefits of compounding her workouts with whole food nutrition. Quickly, she watched her body transform and she could feel the difference in her physical strength and mental bandwidth.
This triggered some of her friends in Texas to start asking her for some help. They wanted to know what she was doing every week to keep herself so lean and feeling good. Without hesitation, she started coaching a few of her friends through her process.
It was simple—have a few dynamic workouts a week, track your macros, manage your nutrition, and watch the weight fall off.
Her people found massive success and told her right away that she needed to make this a paid service. Not only were they stoked about her coaching, but they were referring other friends who wanted to get a taste of what Dana had to offer.
A Crossfit Coach Turned Fitness Hustler
Dana knew there was an opportunity for her to create a fitness business in west Texas but little did she know the undertaking that would come when she started coaching clients 1-on-1.
It started with Google spreadsheets where she would log all of her clients individually, then get updates every week with their measurements, macros, and movement. From there she adopted a texting app, social media channels, and a coaching app that could barely keep up with the influx of clients and information that was being sent back and forth.
“I was trying to juggle tons of different platforms to make my business work. I was receiving texts and DM’s from people every single day asking for me to coach them, and I had a system that was struggling to keep up with my pace.”
Once she had her clients aligned and all of her various systems in place, she launched her first Group Challenge that exploded. She had over 30 clients participating in her 6-week program filled with all her tips and tricks for kickstarting a healthy lifestyle.
“After my first Group Challenge, I realized there was a massive opportunity there. People wanted to be able to talk to one another, find out how each other was doing, and provide support and ideas to the group.”
Dana quickly realized that the hours she was spending on the computer crafting workouts, meal plans, and macros for all of her clients was growing out of control and sucking up all of her time. She needed a solution that gave her the space to continue running 1-on-1 clients while also conducting her group challenge every single quarter.
In Comes The SPRNG App…
After listening to a fellow SPRNG coach’s podcast, Dana realized that SPRNG could be the perfect place for her to grow her business.
She sat down with the team, gave them the download of her hustle, and started getting her own app developed right away. In March of 2021, she was ready to launch her first 1-on-1 clients on the OptiFit Nutrition App. Then 3 weeks later, she kicked off her first Group Challenge inside the app.
“A lot of my previous clients I had in the first Group Challenge wanted to try my program again through the OptiFit app—once they did it, they loved it! It was easy for them to jump in, chat with one another in the forum, and get all of my daily accountability without having to look at different platforms.”
Did I forget to mention that her first Group Challenge on her app from SPRNG had over 60 participants? That’s right, she doubled her group training clients and all of them found success through her 6-week program.
Since then, Dana has continued to run her 1-on-1 programs through her custom app developed by SPRNG as well as her quarterly Group Challenges that continue to capture more and more happy clients.
“It’s been a great experience working with SPRNG. All of my clients really love the app and they are always excited to join a new program. Plus, it has given me the advantage of running both of my programs in the same place, streamlining my business and giving me more time to focus on growth and family.”
Dana Answers Your Questions
What is the most difficult part of coaching?
“It’s hard getting people to stay committed and consistent. I try to set the tone early on that you have to be consistent, but it’s always up to the client to follow through at the end of the day.”
What is the biggest reward of coaching?
“I like seeing people get the results they are looking for and accomplish their goals. I also enjoy having the chance to educate people on the food they are putting in their bodies and help them develop a healthy relationship with food so they can enjoy what they eat and not feel bad about it.”
What’s one piece of advice you would give other coaches?
Coaching is a process and journey. Everything is not going to happen the way you want 100% of the time or overnight. Embrace the process and take baby steps—it will all play out the way it should.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Dana, her app OptiFit Nutrition, and her programs, head over to her Instagram and shoot her a direct message, she’ll be eager to chat with you!
If Dana’s story sounds a lot like yours and you think you’re ready to jump into your own app, schedule a demo with the SPRNG team and we’ll walk you through the process of getting your own coaching app.