Everything you might want to know about Cartel Coaching, how the membership and one-on-one coaching work, getting set up, and what to expect. Can't find your answer? Just ask us in the community.
No. Not at all. Cartel Coaching and the Cupcake Cartel are two separate things, and you absolutely do not need to be part of one to join the other.
Cartel Coaching grew out of the Cupcake Cartel community, that's our origin story, but it stands on its own. Anyone can join Cartel Coaching, whether you've never heard of the Cupcake Cartel or you've been part of it for years. You just need to want to get better at triathlon.
The Cupcake Cartel is a triathlon community Cal helped build over years, a club of athletes who train and race together. Cartel Coaching is a structured coaching membership: real programming from Tim, weekly coaching calls, an education library and a community of athletes at every level.
Think of it this way: Cartel Coaching is the coaching. You don't need any prior connection to anything to be part of it.
Structured triathlon coaching, built around a real community, at a price everyday athletes can actually afford. You get programming from an Olympic-level coach, weekly coaching calls, a full education library, and a crew of athletes who show up for each other, from first-timers to Kona qualifiers.
It sits in the gap between expensive one-on-one coaching and free plans that leave you training alone with no guidance.
This is the big one, here's the honest version.
One-on-One with Tim is the full custom experience. Your own plan, built around you specifically, with Tim's direct individual intervention, continual access, and feedback on your training. It's the ceiling of what's possible, and it's by application, with a limited number of spots.
The Membership is where we do it together as a team. You still get elite-level programming written by Tim, the same coaching brain, but it isn't a fully customised individual plan. Instead, you get the structured programme, and we help you make it yours: we guide you to make some of the edits yourself, help you set up TrainingPeaks, and use the weekly group calls to answer your questions and keep you on track. The community is where we all learn and grow together.
Short version: One-on-One is Tim coaching you directly and individually. The Membership is Tim's coaching delivered through the team, the calls and the community, so it's reachable for everyone.
The community and the coaching calls cover a huge amount, you can ask Tim, Cal or Em questions any time, and chances are someone else has asked the same thing. But if you want feedback on every session, your own individual plan, and regular one-on-one check-ins with Tim directly, that's the One-on-One coaching program. It's by application with limited spots, reach out to Em if you're interested.
It's elite-level programming written by Tim, set to your training level (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced) and your zones, not a fully bespoke one-on-one plan. The difference is that in the membership we guide you to adapt it around your life and teach you the why, so you learn to make smart calls yourself. If you want a plan built entirely around you with Tim's direct individual input, that's the One-on-One program.
No. Cartel is built for everyone from someone signing up for their first sprint tri to someone chasing their first Ironman. You don't need to be fast. You don't need an athletic background. You just need to want to improve. We'll place you on the right track and build from there.
Two simple tools. The community, classroom and coaching calls live on Skool, a friendly app that keeps everything in one place. Your training plan lives in TrainingPeaks, where it's set to your zones and synced with your devices. We walk you through setting both up when you join.
It happens, don't stress, but don't stack sessions either. A few rules:
Tim's plans run in 4-week blocks with progressive overload and proper recovery built in, designed around longevity, not ego. You're placed on the right track for your level, and as you progress, you move up. The whole approach is built so you understand your training, not just follow it.
In the community, that's exactly what it's there for. We want to cheer for you. Big race, small race, first ever finish, new PB, post it. Tag it with your race name if you want to find people who did the same event.
Post in the community and ask, or search the community feed for your race name. Someone else is probably training for the same event, the community is the place to find them.
The membership is $65 USD / $89 AUD a month at the founding rate, and right now the first 150 members lock that rate in for life. One-on-One coaching with Tim is $600 AUD a month, by application, with a limited number of spots.
Cartel is brand new, and that's the point. The first 150 members join at the founding rate and that rate is locked for life, not until we put prices up, locked. As we grow, the model and price will change for everyone after you. Founding members keep their rate for good, and help shape what Cartel becomes.
Yes, there's no lock-in contract on the membership. That said, the way we see it, you don't really cancel Cartel, you graduate through it. As you hit your goals, there's always a next step.
Head to our Skool community to join the membership, you'll be guided through onboarding from there. For One-on-One coaching, it's by application: email hello@cartelcoaching.com with a bit about yourself, your race history and your goals, and Tim reviews every application personally.
The Swim Squad is coached, triathlete-specific swim sessions based in Wanaka, New Zealand, led by Tim and swim specialist Thomas Heaton. It's a focused way to fix the discipline most athletes find hardest. It's a separate program, enquire at swim@cartelcoaching.com.
We run immersive triathlon camps, coached sessions across all three disciplines in one place. Our Noosa camp sold out, and we've got two more coming in 2026: a Beginner camp and an Intermediate / Advanced camp. Register your interest on the Camps page and you'll be first to hear when dates drop.
The best place to ask is inside the community, but if you'd rather reach out first, we're happy to help.