Is Your Coaching Platform Serving Your Best Interests?

You know how most coaching platforms in the endurance sports space just naturally serve both athletes and coaches?

You might not even blink an eye at it because, well, that's just the way things are, right? But let's hit the pause button and think about what that actually means. Believe it or not, this default setting has some hidden gotchas and trade-offs that aren't so obvious.

Here at Training Tilt, we don’t offer any services directly to athletes, our product is for coaches who can in turn sell their own products and services to athletes. More about that later.

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The Alluring Appeal of Dual Focus

Platforms like TrainingPeaks have built a substantial presence by selling to both coaches and athletes. They offer training plans, coaching, and a marketplace that connects various parties in the endurance sports world. The intention is good, and the business model is undoubtedly successful. But what are the unintended consequences for coaches?

The Conflicting Incentives

1. Marketing to Athletes: In a dual-focus model, marketing training plans and coaching to athletes becomes a priority. But whose plans and coaching? Often, the platform's selected offerings, which can inadvertently undermine individual coaches' unique services.
2. Platform's Best Interest vs. Coaches' Best Interest: Balancing the needs of two primary customer bases is inherently complex. If a platform's revenue largely depends on selling plans and coaching directly to athletes, will it truly prioritize solving problems for individual coaches?
3. Competition Within the Platform: Coaches might find themselves not only competing with each other but also with the platform itself. This internal competition can hinder growth and make it challenging to stand out.

Intentions vs Incentives

Don’t get me wrong, these training platforms are great platforms and the solve problems for coaches and athletes every single day. They absolutely do not intend to negatively effect coaches.

Unfortunately for coaches, intentions do not equate to results, incentives do. Even with the best intentions the incentives will never line up, and as they say “Show me the incentives and I’ll show you the results”.

As the platforms strive to meet both athletes' and coaches' needs, coaches find themselves in a precarious position. With the spotlight often shifting towards athletes, coaches might feel overshadowed, their unique problems and needs left unaddressed.

The result? A coaching environment that feels transactional rather than transformational. A marketplace that emphasizes general offerings over specialized services.

The Double-Edged Sword: Marketplace Advantages and Disadvantages

For many new coaching businesses, a marketplace that connects athletes and coaches can be an attractive feature. It allows budding coaches to access a pool of potential clients and gain visibility in a crowded field.

However, as the coaching business matures and begins to build its own brand, the dynamics may change. The very marketplace that once facilitated growth can reverse its advantage.

1. Limited Brand Control: Within a marketplace, individual branding can become diluted.
2. Potential Conflicts with Platform Offerings: As the platform markets various training plans and coaching, it may inadvertently conflict with a mature coach's specialized offerings.
3. Transitioning Away from the Marketplace: For a mature coaching business, detaching from the marketplace can be a complex process.

The Training Tilt Difference

At Training Tilt, we've recognized this complexity and chosen a path that unambiguously puts coaches first. How? By focusing solely on running, triathlon, nutrition, and endurance sport coaches, without selling directly to athletes.

Our business model is carved from a philosophy that believes in the empowerment of coaches. We don't just provide tools; we build relationships, understanding the intricate nuances of a coaching practice. Coaches are at the heart of everything we do and all our incentives align with helping coaches save time and make more money in their businesses.

Why Focus Matters

By eliminating conflicting incentives, we ensure that your growth, your success, and your coaching practice are never compromised. Your problems are our problems to solve, your growth is our mission, and your success is our success.

Unlike a dual-focus model that might inadvertently lead to undermining individual coaches, our commitment is crystal clear. It's all about you, the coach, without distraction or dilution.

Training Tilt: Empowering Coaches at Every Stage

At Training Tilt, we recognize the evolving needs of coaching businesses. From budding entrepreneurs to established brands, our focus remains on empowering coaches without the constraints and misaligned incentives of a marketplace.

1. Ownership of Athlete Accounts: Athlete accounts are owned by the coaching business, fostering loyalty and continuity. Athletes can’t hop between coaches using the same account.
2. Protection of IP: Other coaches will never inherit your previously coached athletes, so will never see the prescribed training and workouts you’ve developed from years of hard work and experience.
3. Professionalism: You coaching platform is your own, you onboard your athletes into your own branded customized coaching platform, not someone else’s. You control the process.
4. Tools for Building Your Brand: Specific features to help build and sustain unique brands.
5. No Conflicting Marketing: Your athletes will never be pitched or sold alternative services to your coaching. Your athletes will never be sold training plans or coaching from your competitors or from the platform itself.

Elevate Your Coaching Practice with Training Tilt

The choice of a platform is more than a selection of tools; it's a partnership that shapes the future of your coaching business. If you're looking for an uncompromised, coach-centered platform, look no further.

Join Training Tilt, where your aspirations are not just understood but passionately pursued. Here, your success is our only goal, your growth our shared journey.

Let's redefine coaching together, one success story at a time.

Conclusion: The Choice for Coaches Who Want to Grow

The endurance sports coaching industry is nuanced, with different models catering to various stages and needs. Training Tilt is committed to providing an alternative—a platform that nurtures coaches at every stage of their journey. If you're looking to forge a path that respects your individuality and supports your growth without compromise, explore a free trial of Training Tilt today.