Exclusive: A new partnership promises big moves for personal trainers in the “gig economy”

By the year 2020, Nasdaq projects that 43 percent of Americans will identify as freelancers. Ergo, titles like “wellness influencer,”  “life coach,” and “energy healer” are about to become even more widespread, as boss babes go all-in to pursue their passions projects.

Encompassed within this trend is an ever-growing number of fitness trainers who are ditching the gyms to claim their own share of the gig economy. “There’s a huge move toward more and more trainers becoming independent and wanting to be self-made businesses,” says David Hung, co-founder and CEO of Find Your Trainer. FYT, similar to GrubHub for trainers (but with way more health benefits), is a platform that connects workout warriors with nearby trainers who have available sessions. It takes care of the more nitty-gritty aspects of being self-employed—like, #ugh, schedule organizing, payment services, and, double #ugh, taxes—so that personal trainers nationwide can pour all their energy into prepping killer sessions for their clients.

“There’s a huge move toward more and more trainers becoming independent and wanting to be self-made businesses.” —David Hung, co-founder and CEO of Find Your Trainer

And the company just partnered with the American Council for Exercise to make connecting trainers with trainees even more simple: “ACE is the largest certifying body of trainers in the country, and it certifies about 25 percent of all the trainers in the U.S. We’re optimistic that we can add thousands of trainers in areas where we need more of them,” says Hung.

All 70,000 of the ACE’s PTs will reap the self-employed benefits FYT has to offer. Meaning: more qualified trainers, more happy clients, and, ultimately, more wellness for workout warriors nationwide.

Speaking of personal trainers, here are five signs that you’re totally ready for one and six questions you should ask before taking the plunge.