Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aaron Hines. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Aaron, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken in my life was leaving a stable corporate career to pursue my passion for health and fitness. It was a life-changing decision that shaped my path in ways I never imagined.

About 9 years ago, I was working in a steady, well-paying job. It provided security, benefits, and a clear career path, but there was always something missing. Fitness had always been a passion of mine, and I had been training people on the side for years, just for the joy of it. As time went on, I realized my true calling was helping others transform their lives through fitness working for myself and not a big corporation.

The idea of starting my own fitness business was both exciting and terrifying. I had a young family to support, and the thought of leaving behind a stable income in exchange for the uncertainty of running my own business weighed heavily on me. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if I didn’t take the leap, I would always wonder “what if?”

The turning point came one day when I was training a client after work. She shared how much her life had changed because of the work we were doing together. It hit me then—I was making a real impact, something I didn’t feel as much of in my corporate role. I wanted more of that, and I knew I had to go all in.

So, I took the plunge. I put everything I had into building Premier Performance Training in Brentwood, TN. The early days were tough. I didn’t have a lot of clients at first, and there were many nights I stayed awake, worrying about whether I had made the right choice. But I kept pushing forward, focusing on what I knew best—helping people improve their health and fitness.

Slowly but surely, things started to turn around. Word spread, and more clients came in. I began to specialize in working with individuals over 45, solving their unique fitness and health problems. My vision for Premier Performance Training became clearer, and with that, the business grew.

Looking back, that decision to leave my corporate job was one of the scariest but most rewarding risks I’ve ever taken. Today, Premier Performance Training is thriving, and I’m able to make a living doing what I love—helping others transform their lives. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth every challenge and sleepless night. Taking that risk not only changed my career, it redefined how I view success and fulfillment.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

About Me and How I Got into the Industry

Aaron Hines entered the fitness industry through a combination of passion, personal experience, and a desire to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. While working in a corporate career, Aaron always maintained a strong interest in fitness, training friends and colleagues on the side as a way to share his love for health and exercise. Over time, he realized that his true calling wasn’t behind a desk but in helping others achieve their fitness goals.

The pivotal moment came when Aaron saw firsthand the transformative effect his training had on clients—specifically helping one individual overcome years of chronic pain and regain mobility. This experience fueled his desire to pursue fitness full-time, and after years of balancing his corporate job with personal training, he took the bold step of leaving his stable career to found Premier Performance Training in Brentwood, TN.

He entered the industry with a vision to fill a gap in the market, focusing on individuals aged 45 and older, many of whom were underserved in the fitness world. By addressing the specific needs of this demographic—mobility, strength, and functional health—Aaron built a business around helping people improve their quality of life as they age. His journey into fitness was driven by a genuine passion for helping others and a belief in the power of health and exercise to change lives.

Services We Provide at Premier Performance Training

At Premier Performance Training, we offer a wide variety of services to cater to the unique needs of each client. Here’s a breakdown of what we provide:

Personalized One-on-One Training: Every client’s journey is different, so we don’t believe in cookie-cutter fitness plans. We take the time to do an in-depth assessment of each client’s fitness level, medical history, and goals. Based on that, we create a fully customized training program designed to meet those specific goals—whether it’s improving strength, losing weight, increasing mobility, or recovering from injury.

Group Training Sessions: For clients who thrive in a more social environment, we offer small group training sessions. These groups are kept small (usually 3-5 people) to ensure personalized attention while also allowing clients to motivate each other. The group dynamic often helps build a sense of community and accountability, which can be key for long-term success.

Specialized Programs for Individuals 45 and Older: Our focus on clients 45 and older sets us apart. We specialize in fitness programs designed to address the specific challenges that come with aging, such as loss of strength, decreased flexibility, joint pain, and weight management. The goal here is not only to improve physical health but also to improve the overall quality of life by helping clients stay active, mobile, and independent as they age.

Nutritional Coaching: Fitness is only part of the equation—nutrition plays a massive role in overall health and performance. We offer nutritional coaching that focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods that fuel the body properly for both everyday life and athletic performance. I also personally advocate for the use of high-quality, whole food supplements to fill in any nutritional gaps and promote longevity.

Recovery and Mobility Training: Recovery is often the most overlooked aspect of fitness, especially in older clients. We incorporate recovery and mobility training into all of our programs to help prevent injury, improve flexibility, and ensure that our clients can maintain their progress over the long term.

Problems We Solve for Our Clients
The majority of clients who come to Premier Performance Training have tried other fitness programs before but were unsatisfied with the results. Here’s a breakdown of the most common problems we solve:

Injuries or Chronic Pain: Many of our clients come to us after years of dealing with injuries or chronic pain, particularly knee, back, and shoulder issues. They often feel like they’ve hit a wall in their fitness journey because they don’t know how to exercise without making their pain worse. We work closely with each client to create safe, effective workout plans that allow them to build strength without exacerbating their injuries.

Loss of Strength and Mobility: As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, and flexibility can become a serious issue. Many clients come to us because they feel weak or stiff, which impacts their ability to enjoy activities they once loved. Our programs are specifically designed to help clients regain strength and mobility so they can continue to live active, fulfilling lives.

Frustration with Stalled Progress: We see clients who have been working out for years but have plateaued—they aren’t seeing the results they want, and they don’t know why. In many cases, their workouts aren’t properly aligned with their goals, or they aren’t addressing key aspects like nutrition and recovery. We offer a fresh perspective and create a comprehensive plan that gets them back on track.

Need for Accountability and Structure: Some clients struggle to stick with their fitness routine because they lack structure and accountability. We solve this problem by providing not just a training program, but also regular check-ins, progress tracking, and accountability to ensure that clients stay motivated and continue progressing toward their goals.

What Sets Us Apart from Others
Here’s what I believe truly sets Premier Performance Training apart:

Focus on Clients Over 45: While many gyms and fitness programs focus on younger populations or general fitness, we specialize in working with individuals over 45, addressing the specific challenges that come with aging. This means our programs focus on longevity, functional strength, and mobility, ensuring that our clients can continue to live active, healthy lives for decades to come.

Personalized Approach: Every client’s program is customized from the ground up. We take a holistic approach that includes not only physical training but also nutritional coaching, recovery protocols, and lifestyle adjustments to ensure each client gets the best results possible.

Community and Support: At Premier Performance Training, we don’t just offer a service—we offer a supportive community. We pride ourselves on building strong relationships with our clients, fostering a positive environment where everyone feels supported and motivated.

Expertise in Injury Prevention and Recovery: Many trainers shy away from working with clients who have injuries or medical conditions, but we specialize in helping clients overcome these challenges safely and effectively.

What I’m Most Proud Of

What I’m most proud of is the lives we’ve changed. I’ve had clients who came to me after years of struggling with pain, low energy, or a lack of confidence, and seeing their transformation—both physically and mentally—has been incredibly rewarding. Some clients have been able to avoid surgeries they thought were inevitable, others have been able to lose weight and regain their mobility, and many have improved their overall health to the point where they feel younger and more vibrant than they have in years.

What I Want Potential Clients to Know

If you’re thinking about working with us, here’s what I want you to know: we are committed to helping you achieve your goals, no matter where you’re starting from. Whether you’ve been active for years or you’re just getting back into fitness after a long hiatus, we’ll meet you where you are and create a plan that works for you. At Premier Performance Training, you’re not just another client—you’re part of a community that’s here to support you every step of the way. We’re not about quick fixes or trendy workout fads—we’re about long-term success, building strength for life, and helping you stay healthy and active as you age.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most significant pivots I had to make in my career came shortly after I launched Premier Performance Training. When I initially started the business, I was eager to help as many people as possible, and I didn’t have a clear focus on who my ideal clients were. Like many new business owners, I wanted to appeal to everyone—young athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and people looking to lose weight. I figured that the more people I could serve, the faster my business would grow.

However, after a few months of trying to be all things to all people, I quickly realized that my approach wasn’t working. While I was getting clients, I wasn’t gaining the kind of momentum I had hoped for. My marketing was too broad, and I felt like I was constantly competing with every other gym and trainer in the area. The business wasn’t growing as fast as I needed it to, and I knew something had to change if I wanted to make Premier Performance Training a sustainable success.

That’s when I decided to pivot and narrow my focus. Instead of trying to serve everyone, I looked at the clients I enjoyed working with the most and where I could make the biggest impact. I realized there was a growing demand for fitness services for people over the age of 45—individuals who wanted to stay active but were dealing with age-related challenges like joint pain, loss of strength, and reduced mobility. Most fitness programs didn’t cater to this group, and I saw an opportunity to fill that gap.

I restructured my entire business around this demographic, creating customized programs specifically designed to help older adults maintain their strength, mobility, and health. I began marketing directly to this audience, hosting workshops on active aging, and partnering with local healthcare providers who could refer clients. This shift in focus not only gave my business a clear identity but also allowed me to stand out in a crowded market.

The pivot was a game-changer. Word spread quickly within the 45-and-older community, and soon, my client base grew steadily with people who needed exactly what I was offering. By specializing in this niche, I was able to build strong relationships with clients, many of whom referred their friends and family, creating a loyal and engaged community around Premier Performance Training.

This pivot taught me the importance of having a clear focus and serving a specific audience. It wasn’t just about reaching more people—it was about making a deeper impact on the lives of the clients I was uniquely equipped to help. It also reinforced the idea that sometimes, less is more. Narrowing my focus allowed me to deliver better results, build a stronger brand, and grow my business in a meaningful way.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the most important lessons I had to unlearn was the idea that “more is better” when it comes to training and business. Early on in my fitness career, I believed that the key to success—both for my clients and my business—was to do more: more sessions, more intensity, more clients, and just constantly grinding. This “hustle harder” mentality was something I had absorbed over time, and I thought it was the only way to succeed.

When I first started Premier Performance Training, I applied this approach not only to my business but also to the training programs I designed for my clients. I believed that pushing people harder and getting them to train as frequently as possible was the best way to get results. My goal was to have clients working out intensely five to six days a week, thinking that if we worked harder and longer, the results would follow.

However, over time, I began to see the cracks in this mentality. I noticed that some of my clients—especially those over 45—weren’t responding well to the high-frequency, high-intensity workouts. They were dealing with more soreness, fatigue, and even minor injuries. In some cases, clients were actually regressing rather than improving. They weren’t recovering properly, and their progress stalled.

On top of that, I was applying this mindset to my own life. I was overworking myself, trying to grow my business by taking on too many clients, handling every aspect of the business, and feeling like I had to be “on” all the time. I wasn’t delegating or taking time to recharge. As a result, I became burned out, physically and mentally. It became clear that pushing myself and my clients harder wasn’t sustainable or effective.

The turning point came when I started to educate myself on the science of recovery and the importance of balance in training. I realized that more isn’t always better—smarter is better. For many of my clients, especially those dealing with age-related challenges or injuries, training three or four days a week with proper rest, recovery, and mobility work was far more effective than six intense days. When I started incorporating more focus on mobility, functional strength, and recovery strategies, my clients began to see better results without the constant fatigue and injuries.

I had to unlearn the idea that the grind never stops and replace it with a more thoughtful, balanced approach. This shift not only improved the results my clients were seeing but also transformed the way I operated my business. I learned to focus on quality over quantity, both in my training programs and in how I managed my time. I began delegating tasks, building a support team, and creating space for rest, which allowed me to recharge and show up as my best self for my clients.

Unlearning the “more is better” mentality was crucial for me, both as a coach and as a business owner. It’s a lesson I continue to apply today: that sustainable progress comes from balance, not overexertion. This shift in mindset has allowed me to build a business that thrives without burning out, and it’s a philosophy I now pass on to my clients, helping them achieve their goals in a healthy, balanced way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.premierperformancetrainer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/premierperformancetn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/premierperformancetn
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-hines-66566a69/
• Twitter: https://x.com/thepremierpt
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@premierperformancetn