Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dan Kenary MS, CSCS, Founder of Dan Kenary Performance, located in Holden, MA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Dan Kenary Performance is a virtual personal training business that customizes an exercise and nutrition protocol to meet clients who need structure and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I understand how much information regarding fitness, nutrition, and health is out there. It's extremely overwhelming. I want to be the middle man between disparate information and individuals filtering out the 'BS.' My business model is unique. I want to ensure I'm the last investment someone needs to make in a trainer because I want to educate them on how to write up their own strength program and create a nutritional protocol they can adhere to for the rest of their life. I find it's my purpose to empower each of my clients with the knowledge they can use to create a protocol they can write for themselves. What good is a trainer if you haven't learned how to be independent in your own training, right? Clients presenting me with a strength or nutrition program THEY WROTE after our time together is where I find the most success and feeling of happiness. Having clients reach out with health goals they've always wanted to accomplish, working with them over weeks, and then being presented with a program they made for themselves is where I see progress. The student becomes the teacher. With an investment, Dan Kenary Performance is an investment in you for the rest of your life.

Tell us about yourself

I want to educate people who want to take the time to invest in themselves. I find purpose in enabling folks with the right knowledge to create their own fitness and nutrition program. I find many people aren't comfortable in the gym because they simply don't understand what a successful exercise session looks like. If someone wants to gain strength and size, how should an appropriate exercise session be created to maximize their valuable time in the gym? The same applies to nutrition. We all know what to eat, but how do we optimize our busy schedules to complement our nutritional goals? How do we still enjoy alcohol and tasty food yet still adhere to our fitness journey? I believe in balance and slow attainable progress, powered by momentum developed from achievable progress. I want to educate others on how to balance their social life with tasty food, alcohol, and busy schedules to invest in me to teach them how to develop a strength program they create and a nutrition plan they can adhere to for the rest of their life. Through Dan Kenary Performance, I empower folks with strategies to eat the food they want and learn how to write their own exercise protocol. Lastly, food is 'fuel,' and exercise is 'movement.' If you can change your perception of these two major components of a healthy lifestyle, you change your actions.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Seeing my clients become independent in their training to the where they don't need to hire another fitness professional or me. I understand how much fitness, nutrition, and health information is out there. It's incredibly overwhelming. I want to be the middle man between disparate information and individuals, filtering out the 'BS.' My business model is unique. I want to ensure I'm the last investment someone needs to make in a trainer because I want to educate them on how to write up their strength program and create a nutritional protocol they can adhere to for the rest of their life. I find it's my purpose to empower my clients with the knowledge they can use to create a protocol they can write for themselves. What good is a trainer if you haven't learned how to be independent in your training? Clients presenting me with a strength or nutrition program they wrote after our time together is where I find the most success and happiness. I see progress by having clients reach out with health goals they've always wanted to accomplish, working with them over weeks, and then being presented with a program they made for themselves. The student becomes the teacher. With an investment, Dan Kenary Performance is an investment in you for the rest of your life.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The journey from where Dan Kenary Performance started to where it is now has been amazing. The business has been primarily referral based. Early on, I knew the social media presence would be a challenging space to stay consistently active on, but the referrals keep Dan Kenary Performance going. The value I provide to individuals seeking to improve their health has been worthy enough to grow my business based on word of mouth, and I could not be happier. There are always struggles with running an online business, such as being unable to be in person with my clients and the consistent outreach to be accountable to my clients. My goal of helping others become healthier based on their goals is a challenge yet my favorite part. Everyone is unique and must have a custom program, which means time dedicated to each of my clients to ensure they have the tools to succeed. The journey and challenges that come along with the fitness brand are unique to the space, but what makes the space right for me to serve the world?

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

If you can answer these three questions, you have a reason to begin your entrepreneurial journey:

  1. Can I put away serious time to invest in serving the world with my expertise?
  2. Do I have a network/someone to help me along the way for support and guidance?
  3. Am I 'ok' with often failing, fast, and early on?

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.dankenaryperformance.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d._j._k/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-kenary-ms-cscs-05693a245/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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