How This Running Coach Grew Her Business With Long-Form Video
If I had a dollar for every time I heard that someone was scared to start their YouTube channel, I’d be a rich woman.
It’s true — many people are hesitant to jump-start their channel because they’re intimidated by the type of undertaking it may require, or because they aren’t really sure how to get started. But if you’re tired of searching for something that will actually bring results without driving you crazy (looking at you Instagram), then allow me to ask you something you already knew was coming — have you tried YouTube yet?
I see a lot of people struggling to start their channel for those very reasons, which is why we recently sat down with Lisa Pozzoni, a member of Video Strategy Academy, to talk about what it’s like to be intimidated by YouTube, and more importantly, what it’s like to push through those barriers and just get the darn thing started!
Meet Lisa
Lisa Pozzoni, owner of The Running University, is a personal trainer and running coach with over 15 years of experience. She got her start coaching after realizing fad diets didn’t work. Determined to put her health first, Lisa met with a personal trainer and realized that there was a practical, healthy, way to lose weight, and she knew she wanted to help others discover it too.
When Lisa was laid off from her corporate job in 2005, she decided to go all-in and coach full-time. Since then, she’s helped thousands of people learn better running techniques so they can maintain this habit in the long run.
Lisa is a Certified Master Instructor from ChiRunning in Arizona, has numerous certifications and partnerships, and is currently working on a membership to help people continue their running journey injury-free, no matter what season of life they find themselves in!
How YouTube came into the picture
It’s not uncommon for personal trainers and those in the fitness industry to create YouTube videos to help them grow their businesses. YouTube offers a visual way to learn. But teaching people how to run can be a bit of a challenge through the internet — especially if you’re someone as hands-on as Lisa.
So when we asked her why YouTube? Why now? She said:
“I’m on social media quite a bit, and I love going live (I know, I’m one of those weird people who like going live) because I feel like I get to be my authentic self. And people, my audience, really resonate with that. I enjoy being vulnerable and opening up about my running and weight loss journey.
I started a YouTube channel a long time ago but didn’t do anything with it. I wanted to try again so I could further that connection with my people. I wanted to do more with my online resources — and see a return on it.
And I think that before COVID, I may not have seen the same results, but because of it, people got more used to doing things online, like Zoom, and now it sticks. The results for me have been more anecdotal if anything, and I love hearing that what I’m doing helps.”
Her biggest concern with YouTube
Everyone has concerns about YouTube — and Lisa was no different!
“I initially found Trena through Louise Henry, in an Asana course. I heard Trena talk about YouTube, but it sounded like a really big undertaking, and I had my concerns. But when I joined Video Strategy Academy, I was ready to commit because I wanted to grow my business.
I had an email list and was active on Instagram and Facebook, but I knew I needed to add something to that. I bought VSA in March 2021 and didn’t start right away because I was overwhelmed with the thought of YouTube.
But then, when Trena recently opened it up as a more walk-you-through-it type thing versus an evergreen course that you go through at your own pace, I was in 200%. I needed that constant flow of motivation and guidance, and it worked!”
What a steady stream of results looks like
Not everyone knows this (and probably because of the viral nature of TikToks and Reels), but seeing results with YouTube takes time.
For Lisa, success looked more like providing valuable content to her audience that drove them to her offers than going viral overnight (which if you hang out with me long enough, you’ll know is the ULTIMATE goal with YouTube.) And she has been happy to ride out the wait because now she’s seeing some traction!
“I started making videos on April 13, 2022, and I’ve been consistent every single week. Well, except for one week I missed because of vacation, but hey — we all need time off! At that point, I was doing one video a week, but here recently, I started doing 2 per week, with the second video being a repurposed Instagram Live.
Since April, I’ve gained 97 new subscribers, have about 234 total, and have over 5,000 views total across all my videos. This is big for me because I’m still working my way through figuring this thing out, so seeing this growth has been encouraging! I enjoy hearing how this content has helped people.
And my most successful videos seem to be the ones that show people correct running techniques — some from 2014 and 2019 that were back in the early days of my channel when I wasn’t paying it much mind. I think they’re doing so well because I’ve been posting more, and people will watch the new videos, then discover the old ones.
I still haven’t grasped the analytics all the way yet — but we’re getting there! Right now my focus is just on dropping the content itself, but the success feels very tangible and anecdotal to me.”
How YouTube fits into her overall business strategy
Despite her initial hesitation, YouTube is now a major part of Lisa’s marketing and business strategy:
“Ultimately I want to grow my membership, which is where YouTube comes into my business strategy. I already have an online community built up through my membership, but I want to reach more people so more people can find out about it. That was my ultimate goal when getting started.
YouTube is now a big part of my marketing strategy. I create the videos and can then repurpose them into my newsletter or on a blog. My whole content strategy has changed because of YouTube and it’s much easier. The more I do work at it, the easier it gets. When you see results, it's very motivating!”
What more people should know about YouTube
So now that Lisa has had a chance to get her feet wet with long-form video content, we asked her if she had any advice for business owners who may be hesitant to get started. She said:
“The biggest AHA! moment for me was knowing you don’t have to make it perfect. I’ve never had any fancy equipment, I’ve just been using my iPhone and it’s working just fine. And I use Asana to store all of my content ideas (which is free to use by the way!). It sounds intimidating but it’s really not that bad. Not even the editing part. You can get help if you need it. But the ideation phase is nowhere near as hard as I thought.”
Need a dose of motivation too?
Not knowing where to start can be the trickiest thing — and when we feel directionless, it can be hard to feel like trying something new is doable. Trust me when I say you’re not alone in feeling that way. I hear it all the time inside Video Strategy Academy, and I’ve even felt it myself (I know, I know, the YouTube coach being scared of YouTube?? 2015 was a different time, you guys!)
But if you’re looking for the same roadmap and dose of motivation Lisa found inside Video Strategy Academy, then it’s your lucky day!
VSA is now open for enrollment for a LIMITED TIME ONLY.
Sign up today to get in on the fast-track system that teaches you how to create a YouTube channel that connects YOU with your audience, drives results, and most importantly — is sustainable for your business.
