Coach360 is building The Career 26, a recognition of 26 clubs, studios, and wellness organizations creating real pathways for people to grow. Applications for the Class of 2026 close Friday, October 30, and the report publishes by November 12. Applying is free, and anyone in the industry can nominate an organization they know.
The central question is simple to ask and surprisingly hard to answer. If you want to build a real career in fitness and wellness, where should you do it?
Why the Question Needs Asking
This industry has never had trouble attracting people. Talented, generous, genuinely gifted people arrive every year because they want to help somebody feel better in their own body.
Keeping them has been the harder part.
The reasons people leave are rarely about the coaching. They leave because the compensation stopped making sense for the hours, or because nobody ever explained what came after the floor. Some look up at year five and can’t name a single person in the organization invested in where they go next.
Plenty of organizations already understand the difference between a job and a career, and they have quietly built something better than the industry average. The Career 26 exists to find them and say so out loud.
“We talk a lot about attracting great people into fitness, but we don’t talk enough about what makes them stay. A job gets someone through the door. A career gives them a reason to build their life here. Career 26 is about recognizing the organizations that are doing more than hiring. They’re creating real pathways for people to grow, lead, earn more and see a future for themselves in this industry. When we raise that standard, we don’t just retain better talent. We build a stronger industry.”
— Kathleen Ferguson, Founder & CEO, Coach360
Nine Things Coach360 Is Looking For
Selection comes down to whether an organization gives people somewhere to go. The editorial team reviews every application against nine areas:
- Career growth and upward mobility
- Education, onboarding, and professional development
- Leadership development and internal promotion
- Compensation and earning potential
- Culture and quality of leadership
- Hiring, expansion, and breadth of opportunity
- Retention and career longevity
- Innovation in talent development
- Commitment to advancing fitness and wellness as a profession
Some of those are obvious. A few are less so. Breadth of opportunity matters because an organization expanding into new roles is one where a career can change shape without changing employers. Innovation in talent development matters because the places doing this well are usually doing something nobody else thought to try.
None of it requires a national footprint. A single studio that develops people well belongs in this conversation alongside a company with 200 locations.
The Ladder Became Something Else
Part of what makes this question harder than it used to be is that the career path stopped being a path.
A fitness professional today can move into coaching, management, education, operations, sales, corporate wellness, technology, recovery, longevity, or ownership. Some of those roles did not exist a decade ago. Several pay considerably better than the floor, and most are invisible to someone who has only ever been shown one direction.
The organizations worth recognizing are the ones who make those routes visible. A coach who can see five possible futures inside a company tends to stay long enough to pick one.
How Selection Works
The Career 26 is selected independently by the Coach360 editorial team, and the methodology is worth stating plainly.
Organizations may apply directly. Professionals may nominate an employer where they have built or are building a career. Coach360 also researches and considers organizations that never apply, so the list is not limited to companies that happened to see the call.
Applying does not guarantee selection. Honorees are not ranked against one another, because an honest comparison between a boutique studio and a national chain is not available.
Sponsorship, advertising, and partnerships do not influence selection. Any sponsor content in the report is labeled and kept separate from both the selection methodology and the honoree profiles.
What the Report Will Include
Each honoree receives an editorial profile covering:
- The opportunity inside the organization
- How they develop people through onboarding, mentorship, and leadership development
- What the career path actually looks like
- What stands out to Coach360 editorially
Alongside the profiles, the report carries career stories from real people inside those organizations. They describe where they started, where they are now, and why they stayed. The report also includes a feature on the modern career path across all its branches. It adds a look at what professionals actually want from an employer and an analysis of the common themes across all 26.
The closing section looks ahead to the convergence of fitness, health, technology, recovery, longevity, and preventive health. It covers the roles that convergence is about to create.
Who Should Apply, and When
Applications for the Class of 2026 close Friday, October 30, and the report publishes by November 12. Applying is free, takes about five minutes, and every application is read by the Coach360 editorial team. Owners, executives, and people leaders can apply on behalf of an organization, and anyone can nominate one they know.
If you work somewhere that developed you, this is the moment to say so. Think about who taught you something nobody paid them to teach you. Think about the manager who explained what the next role required rather than leaving you to guess. Ask whether anyone in your building has a career today that didn’t exist for them three years ago.
Organizations rarely nominate themselves for the things they do best, because the people doing that work are usually too close to it to notice. A nomination from someone who lived it carries information no application form collects.
And if you run one of these places, apply. Honorees receive an editorial profile and career stories from their own team. They also get reach across the Coach360 report, newsletter, and social channels, in front of exactly the professionals they are trying to hire. The industry needs examples more than it needs more advice.
Apply or nominate for The Career 26
FitHire — Your Next Role Is Looking for You
FitHire by Coach360 connects health, fitness, and wellness coaches with the clubs, studios, and brands hiring now. Build your profile once and let the right opportunities find you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Career 26?
The Career 26 is Coach360’s editorial recognition of 26 clubs, studios, and wellness organizations creating real pathways for professionals to grow, covering education, leadership, earning potential, and long-term opportunity. Honorees are not ranked against one another, and organizations of any size are eligible. The focus is on career development rather than on job openings.
When is the deadline to apply for The Career 26?
Applications for the Class of 2026 close Friday, October 30, and the report publishes by November 12. There is no cost to apply and the form takes about five minutes. Owners, executives, and people leaders can apply on behalf of an organization, while anyone in the industry can nominate one. Coach360 also researches and considers organizations that do not submit an application.
How are the Career 26 selected?
Selection is made independently by the Coach360 editorial team, which reviews every application against nine areas: upward mobility, education and onboarding, leadership development and internal promotion, compensation, culture, breadth of opportunity, retention, innovation in talent development, and commitment to advancing the profession. Applying does not guarantee selection. Sponsorship, advertising, and partnerships do not influence who is chosen.
What do honorees receive?
Each honoree receives a Coach360 editorial profile covering the opportunity inside the organization, how they develop people, the career path available, and what stands out editorially. The report also features career stories from the organization’s own team members, and Coach360 promotes honorees across the report, newsletter, and social channels, reaching the professionals they are most likely to want to hire.
About Jessica H. Maurer
Jessica is a recognized fitness business consultant and strategist focusing on transforming businesses from overwhelmed to organized. Her international presentations, workshops, certifications, and consultations underscore her commitment to helping fitness professionals and businesses realize their full potential. When Jessica takes the stage, she’s sharing fresh ideas and inspiration that spark positive change. Jessica’s international presentations and consultations are about growth, career transformation, overall wellness, and making fitness a joyful journey. Her expertise spans education, program and instructor development, and brand evolution, making her a key player in elevating the industry. Jessica also played a pivotal role in developing the Mental Well-being Association’s certification for Fitness Professionals., always striving to bring a holistic approach to wellness that’s as uplifting as it is effective.
Jessica has presented at prestigious events like IDEA World, Fitnessfest ACSM Health & Fitness Summit, SCW Mania, AsiaFit, and more. She has worked with brands such as FIT4MOM, SFR, BOSU, Lebert Fitness, Savvier Fitness, SCW Fitness, FitSteps, canfitpro, IDEA, and VIBES music. She also has written content for the IDEA Fitness Journal, canfitpro Magazine, Mental Well-being Association, FIT4MOM, Motherly, and more.
