Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Prezanowsky, founder of MSP Fitness and Nutrition, located in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

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

I am Michelle Prezanowsky, and I am the owner of MSP Fitness and Nutrition(Michelle Sherisse Fitness) in West Edmonton, Alberta. My business helps women lose weight and get healthy. I provide personal health services to women. I am a personal trainer and health coach to women. I work with women who have no one to turn to when it comes to their health and fitness goals in person and online. These clients are women from the age of 23 to the age of 70 and are all over Canada. These women have health issues and have lots of weight to lose. They don't like going to the gym or are too shy to ask for help. They have limited funds and limited time. For example, I helped a young lady in Ontario lose 85 pounds by working out with me over FaceTime. I help women find their passion for working out and eating healthy without making their diet or doing crazy workouts. I help my clients reach for the stars by providing reasonable rates that allow them to afford personal training long term when otherwise they would not be able to afford it. For example, I base my prices on what the client can afford long term. I focus on professionals who want short effective workouts that get them results. I provide my clients with support, knowledge, and self-esteem. My clients are not just a paycheque; they have become my friends. I care about each and every one of them.

Tell us about yourself

Until 2010, I was completely inactive. I had never been to the gym or dieted. I had lower back pain, no energy, no friends, and was completely ignored by the people around me. One Friday afternoon in August 2010, I went to the gym and did the elliptical for 30 mins. I loved it so much that the following Sunday, I went back and did cardio again. The staff suggested I hire a personal trainer. I was scared. I didn't want anyone to yell at me, but I couldn't say no, so I booked. At the time, I had no intentions of going. A few days later, I saw a personal trainer training her client. She was so kind, and the exercises looked so cool. So I approached her and asked her if she was the trainer I was going to meet; she said yes, so we did my consultation for 90 minutes. I signed up for three sessions a week, and within a year, I lost 100 pounds by eating right and exercising. I wasn't dieting or on any plan. Once lost weight, the gym asked me to be the full-time front desk girl.

I became happy, healthy, and able to do things that I couldn't do before, such as getting my first job and developing real friendships. I got my personal training certification and got a job at Spalady and then the YMCA of Northern Alberta. In 2017 I got my Nutrition Certification, and in March 2021, I got my Life Coaching.

I started my business in 2019 when I saw that I couldn't help my clients because they couldn't afford the personal training prices in a gym setting. So I went to my landlord and made an arrangement so I could bring guesses into the gym. When the pandemic hit, I went online and grew my client base. Over the last two years, I have built my business into what it is today. I am motivated by my clients seeing results and loving their times with me. I love seeing my clients lose weight and become healthy. I love seeing my clients do things they couldn't do before.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is creating a place where women feel comfortable and safe so they can trust me with their health challenges. I turned a room in my apartment into a formal gym where my clients come and go.

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

The hardest thing has been getting new clients when there are other gyms out there.

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

Keep going; be different and realistic.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I love helping other women. Health and fitness should be accessible to all people who need help.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://mspfit.squarespace.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleSherisseFitness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellesherissefitness/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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