Stop Losing Money on Bad Hires: Expert Fitness Recruiting Strategies with Christine Howe | Episode 553

Hiring the right people can make or break your fitness business. One great hire can elevate culture, performance, and profitability — while one poor hire can drain time, money, and momentum. In this episode, Justin “JT” Tamsett sits down with Christine Howe, founder of Fit Pro Finders and one of the most experienced recruiters in the global fitness industry, to unpack what it really takes to find, interview, and retain top talent today.

From AI in recruitment to interviewing techniques, compensation strategy, onboarding, and resume red flags, Christine shares practical, experience-driven insights that every owner, manager, and leader can apply immediately. If recruitment feels overwhelming, inconsistent, or time-consuming, this episode will change how you approach hiring — forever.

Key highlights from the episode:
✔ How to spot the right candidates faster: Christine explains the three interview questions she always asks to assess passion, preparedness, and long-term fit — and why video interviews are now non-negotiable.

✔ Why recruitment is only 50% of a successful hire: Learn how onboarding, leadership, and coaching determine whether great candidates thrive or fail after they’re hired.

✔ What owners get wrong about resumes, compensation, and culture: From salary benchmarking to resume metrics and social media red flags, Christine breaks down what truly matters when choosing between top candidates.

 

Curious about the future host of Fitness Business Podcast? That's Zoe, the host JT's daughter!

 

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Quotes:
“Recruiting is only 50% of what makes a successful hire; the other 50% is leadership, onboarding, and training.” - Christine Howe

“You can’t perform well at something you don’t like doing. Passion and purpose always matter.” - Christine Howe

“One poor hiring decision can change your P&L for the entire year.” - Justin ‘JT’ Tamsett

Resources:
- Become an FBP Insider on Patreon: https://patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast
- Fitness Business Podcast’s LinkedIn Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9878228/
- Mystery Shopping for Fitness Businesses: https://mysteryshoppingforfitnessbusinesses.com.au/ 

 

Our Guest:
Christine Howe, Owner and Principle Recruiter of Fit Pro Finders

• Website: https://www.fitprofinders.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitprofinders/ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fit-pro-finders/ 

 

Merch Sponsor:
Be a Merch Sponsor - https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/merch/

 

REX Roundtables:
Website: www.REXRoundtables.com
Email: [e-mail]

 

The companies you’re about to hear about are REX Roundtable Trusted Suppliers. They’re also experts who help fitness businesses thrive. You can learn more about each one at FitnessBusinessPodcast.com. Support them as they support us.

• Groe Solutions: Provides AI and computer vision software for gym member retention. https://www.groe.solutions

• Budderfly: Provides comprehensive, no-cost energy efficiency as a service for businesses. https://www.budderfly.com/

• Gym TV (Club Com): Provides custom digital entertainment, music, and signage for fitness clubs.https://www.clubcom.com/

• Simple Again (Performance Food Centers): Helps businesses open smoothie and juice bars with clean ingredients. https://www.performancefoodcenters.com

• Power Plate: Sells whole-body and targeted vibration plate machines for fitness and wellness.https://www.powerplate.com/
  
  

Skip to the good part:
(03:53) Why hiring the right people matters more than ever
(05:10) AI in recruitment: what it can — and can’t — replace
(07:45) Hiring inside vs. outside the fitness industry
(12:10) Christine’s three go-to interview questions
(18:40) Common hiring challenges and payroll realities
(23:30) Why onboarding determines hiring success
(30:05) Best practices for interviews and candidate experience
(36:40) Resume mistakes and what actually stands out
(42:20) Social media, reference checks, and red flags
(47:30) The future of recruitment in the fitness industry

About Our Guest: Christine is the owner and lead recruiter for Fit Pro Finders, a full-service staffing firm that specializes in entry to executive levels roles in the fitness, wellness, and sports industries. Her services include creative sourcing, detailed screening, candidate interviews, career and business coaching. Prior to launching Fit Pro Finders she recruited for major fitness brands, including Xponential Fitness, Crunch, Equinox, Planet Fitness, and LifeTime. Christine loves sharing her passion and expertise in how to make the right match between job seeker and employer.

About Your Host: Justin "JT" Tamsett is a fitness industry veteran with over 30 years of experience who aims to reduce global healthcare costs by promoting physical activity. Through his company Active Management, he provides business coaching to fitness entrepreneurs, leads 8 REX Roundtables in the US and Australia, and has spoken at over 40 conferences across 23 countries. His ultimate goal is to create a world of opportunity for his daughter Zoe by helping more people move and stay healthy, while empowering gym owners to build successful businesses that contribute to a healthier society

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