We recently connected with Sean Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sean thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

Creating an inclusive space was why the business was established in the first place and is the only way that I operate. Most gyms, especially corporate ones, are exclusive and lack community, but United Athletic Club was built to disrupt that. The conventional American gym culture – hyper-patriotic, isolated and masculine – I never fit in with coming from Gabon and being in community with queer people. As an African immigrant, fostering connection is part of my culture and myself. That’s why the best advice I can give to make a workplace more inclusive is to be hands on. If you are physically present, learning about the people who support and work for your business, you can adjust to make your space and services more inclusive. I have had to overcome many obstacles on my own after coming to the U.S. and being a Black man, so I know how much harder it is alone. When we come together in community, have relationships where you believe in each other and grow trust, inclusion comes naturally. Burdens and barriers to accessing a space lessen when we are united, especially when your messaging and branding prioritizes unity and community.

Sean, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My history in exercise and corrective training is long, with over a decade of experience working in corporate and independent gyms in numerous roles. I’m an immigrant from Gabon, a country on the coast of Central Africa, and a native French speaker. One of my greatest accomplishments is when I became an IFBB pro bodybuilder in 2018. Throughout this long career, I was motivated to save up to open my own space after retiring from bodybuilding. Everything I do is built on the desire to help everyone grow and feel empowered, in all walks and stages of life. While juggling work and training, I continue to enjoy bodybuilding and living my life to the fullest with my child. When working with personal training clients, I like to focus on areas of weight-loss with an emphasis on nutrition, rehabilitation as well as strength and conditioning.

While I still compete in bodybuilding, the support of others who believed in me motivated me to not wait to accomplish my dream of opening United Athletic Club. The gym is more than just a business to me, it is an extension of who I am and my passion. Our colors – green, yellow and blue – are the colors of the Gabonese flag. Our motto is “unis par la force” which means united in strength in French.

We opened the doors of the first location shortly before the start of the pandemic in early 2020. Though the timing was difficult, the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests that summer were a shakeup I needed. I had felt trapped in the corporate industry where I felt like I didn’t belong, which made me determined that UAC would be different. Several years later, that first location in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland is bustling. We are proud to offer the cleanest, friendliest local gym with top-of-the-line equipment, diverse staff and unique music selection.

At the beginning of 2024, I had taken on another venture by acquiring Magnus Strength & Conditioning, which became a secondary location of UAC in August. We were ready to expand the community and offer the same atmosphere and inclusion at another location that specializes in group strength and conditioning classes.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

UAC has been defined by moments where the business has had to pivot from the beginning, but I refuse to fail and will exhaust every resource. That mindset and resourcefulness is what brought us out of the pandemic with strong clientele while keeping safety in mind. However, one of the business’s biggest pivots was when I acquired Magnus Strength & Conditioning. Originally, the two businesses were intended to remain separate and I bought Magnus with the intention of growing an already thriving business. Turns out, the business was in debt, members were unhappy and a coach poached the large majority of the clientele to start his own business. I knew I had to pivot to save what was left of that fantastic community and recuperate my loss. That’s why I decided to change Magnus into a secondary location of UAC, United Athletic Club – Eastside. Machines, fresh paint and new coaches have transformed the space while preserving the amazing qualities of the community and classes. The Eastside location is still not where it needs to be, but the growth has been immense and the path to a successful, profitable business is laid out.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Since it was my dream for so long to open my own space and create an inclusive fitness community, I made many connections along the way. While Portland is a well-known city, the community is small and I already had a positive reputation from my work across town in the fitness industry and from professional bodybuilding. Since I am not just the owner, but also the face of the business, I was able to channel these relationships positively into the business. I know that if I were to sell the business to someone else, it would not be the same and that has a lot of value. Being selective about trainers, front desk staff and managers has allowed their personalities and reputations to positively reflect on the business as well. My staff are also my collaborators and the power of working together separates us from corporate gyms that have a top-down structure. The rest of maintaining that reputation is making sure the product is high quality, meaning that when a guest walks in the gym is clean, staff is friendly and our equipment is maintained.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://unitedathleticclub.com
• Instagram: @unitedathleticclubpdx & @uac.eastside
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/united-athletic-club/

Image Credits

United Athletic Club