Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fitness and health but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Bernadette Currie, owner of FitLife Wellness Solutions, located in Stratford, PE, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am the owner of FitLife Wellness Solutions - a company I started in 2015 after moving from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Prince Edward Island, Canada. My mission is simple: to help people become a better version of themselves physically and mentally through movement! I offer personal training services, online personal programming, and a subscription-based online platform called FitLife Online.
I also work with corporations on their employee wellness initiatives, primarily through speaking engagements and movement sessions during conferences. I like to emphasize to corporations that if their employees stay physically and mentally fit, it can increase productivity and revenue for their business. I absolutely LOVE what I do and differentiate myself from other trainers by giving a personal level of service and welcoming environment to allow my clients to feel like every session is fun and inspiring them to continue to CRUSH IT!
Tell us about yourself
Fitness for me was a part-time hobby that became my full-time passion. I have a university degree in Business and Finance and have worked in financial services for 13 years. I began teaching fitness classes in 2010 for the perks of a free gym membership and because I loved the energy I got from my class participants.
Once I moved from the US to Canada, I decided to make my passion my profession and became a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) to move away from group fitness classes and begin working one-on-one with clients on their wellness journey. I went from waking up every day dreading my job to waking up every day in disbelief that I get paid to do what I love!
What motivates me every day is the unique challenge that every client brings and watching them improve both physically and mentally. There is no greater high to me than seeing my clients become a better version of themselves and seeing the unreal benefits that movement can bring to their lives personally and professionally! It's a game-changer!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Coming to a brand new country with a very tight-knit community was challenging. I never thought I'd be able to start from scratch and ever make a livable wage doing this profession. To be at a point in my business to have a new business based solely on referrals and less and less based on social media marketing is such an accomplishment to me. It allows me to spend more time with my clients and have the time to take courses and classes so that I can become a better trainer for my clients as well.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The instability of being a business owner has always been a struggle for me. The loss of a consistent paycheck, and certainly the perks of paid vacation, sick days, etc. Days you don't work are days you don't make money. Or the struggle of being able to shut off the computer. The irony is I preach the importance of work/life balance, but some days and weeks, I work late into the evenings. My husband is also a business owner, so it does help that he can empathize with having to work outside of the traditional 9-5 hours.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Network. Associate yourselves with like-minded people in your profession and find someone you would consider a mentor, and bounce questions off of them. They may not be interested, but that's okay! Someone will be. I love to help people out in this industry with how to get started and promote them.
- You NEED to learn to SAY NO. And be confident with that decision! You can't do everything, and you certainly shouldn't do things you don't believe in or don't have the time to do just because you're afraid to say no. And if your schedule starts to become overwhelming, you'll need to be comfortable with saying no in order to maintain that work/life balance.
- ENJOY LIFE. Life is too short to spend it working 80 hours a week. I have days where I purposely block out hours with nothing planned. Maybe it's a beach day, maybe it's to take a class, or just to have quiet time and listen to a podcast. But if you spend your whole life working, you're missing out. Take the trip. Visit friends in other places. Explore. I always tell people that I keep myself moving and healthy because I want to enjoy an amazing life in retirement. But if you don't take care of yourself now, what makes you think you'll be strong and healthy to enjoy an independent life in retirement?
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
You're never too old to start moving. You're never too old to switch professions and do what you love. If someone told me in my 20s that in my 40s, I would be living in Canada as a Certified Personal Trainer and living my best life, I would have laughed. So don't let your age define what you can and cannot do. You are capable of amazing things personally and professionally at any age - REMEMBER THAT!!!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://fitlifepei.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FitLifePEI
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitlifepei/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitlifepei/
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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