Welcome & thanks for coming! Blogging has been around for years and although I’ve always liked to write, I’ve never considered blogging. Yet, here I am, well beyond the launch of blogging and well behind the masters and money makers of it. I’ve decided to listen to the advice of ‘you’re never too old to try something new’ and more importantly, I’m excited that you wanted to be a part of the journey. I seriously appreciate you being here…this has been much more difficult than I’d imagined.

You may not even know what the hell I’m talking about. For those of you that have known me for a while, you know me as a personal trainer and competitor, a nutritionist and an athlete. You couldn’t give me any excuses, I knew you would earn the results you wanted with the work, while under my guidance. And we were good, too! My clients and I. We were a team, a pair, a partnership. We’ve shared successes of all kinds, over and over again. Through pure grit and passion, we made things happen. It wasn’t always fun, but man oh man, it was always worth it. Nothing compares to that confidence that comes with determination. I miss those days.

Although I was successful with my circle and always felt just on the cusp of greater success, I’d found myself limited. Too small to really find some financial stability, but too large to continue in the small rented space shared with so many others…and I’d made a tough decision to go back to working for someone else. And many of my fit and fierce tribe came right along with me; still crushing their goals and staying super focused. After all, so was I! I’d been at my absolute fittest and felt amazing. Confidence I’d never experienced, speed I’d not known and strength I’d created through some pretty hard work. I can still remember how I’d felt on top of the world personally. However, professionally, I was still chasing every dollar and facing stress of demands of two and three bosses at a time. Trying to make them all happy while still staying engaged with my crew and of course ensuring I’d kept time for myself and my goals!

Then an opportunity presented itself in the name of Orangetheory Fitness. Driving (allll the wayyyyy) to the location in Middletown, I was nearly ready to turn around and go home. GPS had me all screwed up, I’d not been commuting for years and I was about to interview! When was the last time I’d even really done that?! My reputation would precede me and people called me! Now I’m about to walk in and talk about a concept I’d done very little research for and speak with people that don’t know me at all about a job I’m not even certain I wanted. By the time I parked my car, I was convinced this was stupid. I wasn’t even sure where to go, no sign to look for, just a strip mall with a bunch of stores that I’d never heard of. Something nagged at me, “you always have the best time at the parties you don’t feel like attending.” I went in.

The place was a construction zone, freezing cold (as it was February) and there was a table with two guys talking with another guy (interviewers to interviewee). One of the men said they’d be right with me and I stood there awkwardly as there’s no where to go and they were making their best attempt to wrap things up. Something happened. The energy shifted. My attitude changed. And all of a sudden I knew this was where I was supposed to be. I knew this was my job. And I freaking wanted it. A few moments later, the interview was dismissed and the guy passed me and smiled with a “Good luck!”, I’d smiled back with a genuine, “Don’t need luck. Sorry, Dude.” And we walked in opposite directions. I’d made my way to the table and began to talk.

I was hired. Months later, after so many conversations together, my boss & now partner, Ned, admitted to me that within two minutes of our initial conversation, he’d kicked the other guy under the table to signal I was his pick for Studio Manager. I’d admitted to him that I’d said, ‘sorry, Dude’ to the gentleman before me when he’d wished me good luck. Ned has shared these stories several times now, and honestly, the whole thing still makes me laugh.

But this was just the beginning….