 Hey, we are here with Hoops, Never Stop Academy, Marcus Wagner, what's going on, Marcus? Too much, man. Can't complain. Awesome, man. So Marcus, you just joined the Accelerator program, right? With Make Money Coaching Sports. Is that right? Right. That's correct. How long ago did you join? It was in the middle of February. How long were you in business when you first started? I first started in 14, so I've been doing this nine years now, man. Nine years, wow. And what was something that you used to struggle with within your business? The biggest struggle I was having at the moment was probably a lack of growth, the speed of it, and the lack of growth. And I'd also say the client retainment was not as high as I wanted it to be. Those are part of the two biggest things and obviously the growth is kind of piggybacking off, just not able to make the big bucks that I was looking to do. Right, right. And since joining the Accelerator program, what type of changes have you made that have helped you, what'd you say? Oh, man, I mean, been the same as my life, as far as what I've been doing, doing it as long as I've been doing it. I was actually just talking to somebody about this yesterday, ironically, but I just never realized how wrong I was doing it. So, I'm kind of like a dog chasing its tail, man. But so the number one thing that you're going to hear, I'm sure, not just me, I've heard from other folks is organization. You know, getting organized is the first step, and then I'm a big systems guy anyway. It's how I train, how I teach players to learn. So being able to add systems and processes to everything is what changed the game for me. And then sales strategies that he implemented and kind of introduced me to the promotions and all that kind of stuff is just things that I never really understood the value of. So it was more so the organization systems and processes and then also using different sales tactics in order to grow the business. Right. Can you tell us something that like maybe like a little tidbit of information that you specifically that you used that was different than what you used to do? Like you used to do this in your business and then you realize, all right, I'm going to I should do it like this. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's tons of top three. I think the first one probably stay commitments. You know, I never did a contract based business model and I know folks who did and I was always a little leery of it. But now that I've done it and I'm able to see, you know, the benefits of it, that's the number one. You know, being able to lock players in for a term, it changes everything, not just for them, but you know, for me also. In addition to that is my terms and conditions, you know, laying out an agreement for the parents to understand that this is how business will be handled if we're going to be in business together. That's just huge. I'll give you three and then probably the third thing that I used to do, that I don't do now. Oh, is willing to allow people to kind of come and train. Just kind of piggyback on having people come and train kind of when they feel like it. You know, they would come a couple of days and they would leave and they come a couple of days. You know, no longer we're not doing that anymore. And again, I just seeing how the parents and the players, how they treat me and the program is night and day. So those are probably the top three. Right. So it sounds like you're saying that they look at you as in your business more professionally. You know, they're not trying to get one over on you. They're not trying to like jump in for two weeks, like you said, and get out. Like they're either in or they're out. Right. Yeah. I think the best way to say it is they respect it a lot better. You know, it's the respect is going up because I think they admire and kind of see the effort. You know, the ways that I run it now, it's a little bit different. It's not just your typical, you know, come in and train, use some cash and go, you know. So it's a lot more involved with the player value. Oh, another thing is the player evaluation component, which is huge for me. Now that right there is really, that really, really kind of changed the whole game where I can ask you to player in and evaluate them in order to assess if it's going to be a good fit. That right there is just, that's probably one of my favorite. Right. So now it's like the parent has to qualify their child, right? They, they're not qualifying you. You're qualifying them. Is that, have you found that? Exactly. Exactly. That's exactly what's going on, man. I tell parents is, you know, I'm known in the area, so I'm not new. So I have a way of, my sales is a little different, but I tell them, you know, it's my program has changed and I'm putting a lot of red tape around the program. Nobody's just able to, to enter in and they, they, they get what I'm saying. You know, I used to have an open door policy, you know, come and go and please, there's no longer that way. Either you're going to come in this way or you're not welcome. So, you know, it sounds harsh and tough, but again, at the end of the day, it just, it creates a different expectation that I've never really been introduced to that way. Right. So have you found that you're, have you attracted more committed players and more serious parents and things like that since you changed your process? No doubt. No doubt. I mean, again, doing it as long as I've done it, you know, a lot of these things you kind of know, but you really don't, it's kind of like training the way I train. I tell players sometimes you just learn things and sometimes the difference between understanding the concept and just being able to show it, you know, and I think that's kind of what I've always really kind of had an idea. And I kind of didn't realize that the parents that I had and the players that I like to work with the most are always the ones that are most committed, but I never still made that a requirement. So now that I've required it, now I'm surrounding the program with nothing but, you know, committed players and parents. So it's like a different vibe, you know, it's a totally different culture, which is really what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a community and now I'm able to kind of build a community with these parameters and like I said, it's night and day. But yeah, no, the parents are definitely, it's different, you know, the parents, it's a different, totally different vibe, man. And have you been able to like weed out people who you would have let in, but you talk to them and you're like, eh, you don't, you don't seem like you're down for that. I had a call yesterday, Nick. I had a call yesterday with a very, with a very, the prospect, man. I've actually, he just, he's not really a cold lead. I've done, he attended the camper that I did before and then he was looking for, he fell into a text promotion that I ran on Monday or Tuesday and we were talking and he's working with a training area that I'm familiar with. And of course I explained my program to him and as soon as I got to the portion, started talking about commitment, he started to balk right there and I knew, okay, this is not it. Like I already knew and I was ready to shut down the call, but you know, I kind of, I kind of kind of trained how commitment means and he just wanted to hear the rest. So I took the rep as Ben said, I need the reps. I just took the rep and finished the call out, you know what I mean? Just to practice and I knew I won't hear from that guy. He's not, he's not a fit. So for, for, for coaches who are watching, like what's something that he said that made you believe that, all right, he's, he can't commit. And he's not committed or his child's not committed. Like what's up that he's directly sick or was it like? Well, yeah, so I'll tell you, Nick, it's when you're asking and I hope this video, people watch this because I think they'll relate. So, you know, again, it's all about reps. You know, we've done this for a long time, just the training component. So I approached this sales process the same way. I wanted to get in as many reps as possible. So when I started doing the program in, I think the end of February. So I've been doing it for about a month and maybe a couple of weeks. And I'm at 37 kids right now there. So I've done a lot of reps. So what I'll tell you is this now. Now some of those kids were obviously past or current clients that I just, you know, flipped into the new program, right? But there are a lot of new kids as well. But you know, here or there, here's the point I'm trying to make. After you've done all these reps, you can hear it, right? So I have my script or my sales pitch or sales, whatever you want to call it, sales call the way it's formulated that there are points in the process where I can hear you right away. So my script goes, you know, players, you know, we require them to be committed for at least six or 12 months. I don't even mention my three month commitment anymore, but I need them for at least six or 12 months. And the players that commit the longest are always the ones that have the most success. And do you see yourself being able to commit for a minimum of six months when that's 12? And he says, as soon as you hear that, I said, I already know. I just, I just know, Nick, I just, I mean, man, there's no need to BS, man. As soon as I hear that deep breath, well, you know, with all the activities he has going on, I know. All the, I just went through everything. You're, doesn't have activities. He's free on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. You already asked that question. I already know it. Again, it's just the reps, people. You got to put the reps in, put the reps in. You'll know right away, you know. So like I said, that was the first thing. And then that happened. I said, okay, he's not going to, you know, he's not going to be able to do it because in his mind, he's overextended and he is, you know. So I mean, he is, that's the reality of it. So, you know, like I said, that's kind of what I knew, man. Long winded answer, but I feel like that will help people because it just, I knew there was a first sign like, uh-uh. And then when I hit him with a direct question, I already knew. That's awesome. So it seems like, you know, even though you haven't been doing this process a long time, that you've, you've picked up enough reps where you've learned, right? Significant amount in just that short time, right? It sounds like you've had a lot of calls. It sounds like you've had a lot of calls with, uh- Yeah, man. I'm actually, I'm getting better at logging them now, but I've had, uh, I think to date I've had, well, I think I've had, uh, 27, 29 calls. So, you know, I try to do, uh, and again, those are, you know, some parents I knew. So, you know, I don't want to add, they're all fresh, you know, fresh new ones. I did know some of these parents, they still went to the whole, you know, the whole process so I can kind of give it to them. I told them I'm going to usher you in on the red carpet, like I would do brand new customers. So, that's, that was my pitch. They, they loved it, man. That's, that's great, that's great wording. Did you, so you changed even clients who you were working with, you changed what their commitment was? Absolutely. You changed everything. You revamped the whole thing. Absolutely. Whether you were new or not. Every, everybody in the program is under the perfect player program. I do not have any drop-ins. I don't do, nobody is a, you know, under my own business plan or whatever. Nobody's doing month packages. Either you're in three, six, or 12 months. That's it. Wow. That's awesome. And financially, you don't have to give me numbers if you don't want to, but like how much like, like have you grown significantly with financially? Like two? Oh, yeah. How's it gone up? I mean, it's going up drastically, bro. I have, it's, it's kind of overwhelming to be honest with you. I didn't know, I had no idea that this work like, you know, I mean, it's, it's, it brings a smile. I've made more money doing it this way than, I mean, I'm almost halfway of what I made last year. So it's, it's, it's, I'm almost there, man. I'm about a quarter of the way there. So it's, it's, I'm sorry, not a quarter of the way there. So it's, it's, I, I just follow, I'm just following the process. And I'm still going through a couple of modules, you know, but I got stuck because, you know, I had to reorganize, even sure, you know, we had to reorganize. And when you, when you're going through each module, it's an action step. So I get stuck because I have so much revamping and reorganizing, you know, organizing to do, excuse me. And now I finally have my, my business automated now. So I've done pretty much everything to where there's a, I call it a workflow and I have a, I have an actual workflow that I've put together. So I know each step that clients go through, and, you know, from the beginning all the way to the, to the end. So, right. And if, if you had to give like advice to somebody who was like seeking help with their business, but they're like, I don't know if I want to like invest in myself or like, you know, is it going to work for me? Like what type of advice would you say to somebody like that, who's kind of like, they want help, but they're kind of skeptical of everything. Well, I got to, I can say what I got to my buddies. I've been trying to get to Ben to get in contact. I'm trying to get there to get in contact with Ben and I'll tell you what I'm telling them. You're wasting time. I'm telling them just, I mean, there's, I tell them there's, there's many ways it's going to cap, but I'm just telling you that this way works. And it's, I don't know, man. I just don't, don't be scared to get organized. And a lot of people are just scared to actually go through and, you know, and read, reorganize everything and change and all that. So that's, that's the biggest advice I would say. Don't wait, you know, don't wait, be nine years in and then realize that you've been doing it wrong. Like I did, that's, it's a lot of time wasted. I mean, a lot of time wasting. You're missing out on a lot of revenue. Like that, I mean, a lot of revenue. So that's, that's the biggest thing I would say. You're losing money. So why, why lose money? Just start now, find some money in order to invest in yourself. And you'll make, I made it back. I mean, what 15 times already? I mean, because I'm crazy. I mean, it's just, it's crazy. So it's not even, it's not even a question to me, you know. Right. So it sounds like you're saying you wish you started earlier or you wish. Man, Nick. Nick, man, come on, man. You know me, man. Come on, man. Come on, man. I don't, I don't, I think I almost been to Cuss, man. I'd have been doing this, man, five, six, eight years ago if I could. If I'd been doing this from the gate, I would be, I'd have my region unlock. I mean literally, I mean, I haven't even gotten, I get very few people who say no. You know, the only reason why the program doesn't work for them is because financial or, you know, other commitments, but it's never been, I don't like the program or I don't like, you know, the process that you're walking me through. You know, it's not, I've never got that. So that, that's how I look at it. I would never go back to what they call hustling. I'm not hustling anymore, Nick. I don't want to hustle anymore, man. So now, now you feel like, okay, this, this feels like a sustainable business. Right? Oh, absolutely. I mean, I, I, everything is automated. Yeah. I can, I can scale. This process teaches you how to automate, organize and scale. And that's, that's the goal to where my, my goal is to eventually be able to go to the gym when I want to, not because I have to. That's, that's what I want to do. You know, I have other folks to go because they have to, but I go when I want to. So do you have, do you currently have other coaches working under you right now? Not yet, but I am going to have to start hiring probably in, I think in June, June to July, in order to grow, I can't maintain, you know, all my clients by myself at this growth rate. So, you know, if I want to continue to grow, it's going to be required. And do you, what's the limit that you put on? Is there a certain number that you put on groups in terms of players or no? As far as total kids in the program? No, total kids like per, in a session, like, is there a limit that you put? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. What's your, what's your cap per like hour that you train? Yeah, so I do, my model is designed for, it's called personal training. And I do a max of six players. So it's six or less. But the way they end up working as everything that tends to fill up when I max out, they'll be six players. So everybody will be in a session with six players. Okay. And that's, so that's, there's no, there's no larger group. You just do six and that's it. Right now, yeah, right now we're doing, yeah, there are plans to get back to doing my study hall. My study hall is basically a clinic style of training. Okay. I just haven't, I haven't gotten back into it, but the plan is to try to do that in the summertime and get that going for the rest of the year and kind of get back to where I was doing pre-COVID. So I'll be running those, excuse me, probably about once a month for two hours. And then the size of that would probably be no more than 15 or 20. Gotcha. So in study, so study, study hall for people watching is something, is a program that you used to have that was just, just meant more kids could be in it. And then personal training. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Personal training is obviously more intimate one-on-one in a small group setting. And then a study hall is actual large group training where the way it's designed is you're kind of, you're kind of doing, it's self-sustaining. So, you know, each player is doing what they're doing. They have their own ball. They're doing whatever it is that we're working on that particular day. Gotcha. Awesome, man. And where can people find you on Instagram? And you're on YouTube as well, right? Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, man. I'm everywhere. Yeah. So if you search hoop, you know, with the out and S. So it's just right here. Hoop never stops Academy, Instagram. I just put the underscores in between hoop and all the words, you know, come right up. Hoop never stops Academy. YouTube, Twitter, Facebook. You just Google us. We're there, man. And you're in California, correct? We are in the Bay Area. I'm in the East Bay, California area. I do a lot of training in Comfort, which is near Walnut Creek. Let's see what it says to folks in the Walnut Creek, Martinez, Richmond area. Awesome. So I want to thank you. Thank you. For taking the time to talk and look forward to chat with you some more. Good, man. Nice. Appreciate it, bro. All right.