We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jackie Bachmeier. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jackie below.

Jackie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I’ve probably taken many risks over my lifetime thus far. Adventure risks like zip-lining in the Costa Rica Rain Forest, snow skiing, snowmobiling, riding dirt bikes, and waterskiing could all be forms of risk taking. But, by far the biggest risk I’ve taken to date was starting my personal training business with very little experience or knowledge of the industry.

My career up until 2014 was primarily in higher education, specifically admissions. But when my eldest son announced his fiance was expecting, I knew I had better get off my tush and get busy on my health and wellness. And I did!

The short story is that I realized there was a need for personal training targeted to men and women 50+. Most fitness centers focus on the 20-40 year olds, but 10 years ago the market place wasn’t full of trainers wanting to take on deconditioned 50+ people so I did. I opened Evolution Fitness & Wellness and became dedicated to attracting this market and it has worked.

In 2017 my husband joined EFW full time and together we’ve plowed through lots up downs, but mostly ups. Our community of people are fun, loyal, dedicated, and appreciative. They hung with us through the pandemic, a time when fitness businesses where shutting down left and right.

It’s tough to be a small business. But, our hard work, determination, family support, and loyal clients have made it work for us and we couldn’t be more proud and appreciative.

Jackie, 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?

As I shared in the “risk” question, I come from a twenty year career in higher education. I actually completed a master’s degree in global e-learning with a goal to obtain a teaching job in higher education and eventually teach in a study abroad program. While completing my degree, I spent a lot of time in the gym and helping friends and family with their fitness along the way. What I recognized straight away was how many box gyms did not cater to men and women 50+. I would observe people I thought to be my age and older, walking in and out of the gym, ultimately ending up on cardio equipment or leaving because they didn’t feel comfortable using the weight machines or free-weights. And, as I’ve learned over the years, there are not a lot of training facilities or trainers that are comfortable working with individuals with limitations that can come with an MS, CP, or PD diagnosis.

I spent a year researching fitness businesses; attending seminars sponsored by the SBA, and learning all I could about renting space with the goal of opening a place where active agers could feel at home and feel supported in their health goals. I learned a lot in that year but by the time I actually opened EFW in February of 2016, I recognized I still had plenty more to learn.

In June of 2016 I discovered the Functional Aging Institute. FAI was created to support trainers who worked with, or wanted to work with, active aging adults. I attended my first Functional Aging Summit that year. On July 4th of 2016 I took my Functional Aging Specialist certification test and in August of that same year I joined a Mastermind group led by Dr. Dan Ritchie and Dr Cody Sipe, co-founders of FAI. I remained a member of that group until 2020 and through that experience, met incredible teachers, coaches, mentors, and fellow gym owners. Many who have become great friends, even family now. After completing my FAS certification, I took a deeper dive into movement and completed an in depth, year-long program to be certified as an Integrative Movement Specialist.

In 2016 I just thought I’d train people, but over the years I discovered just how vitally important functional training is for an aging population. Most people associate gym time with managing body composition which is a terrific reason to workout, but what most people don’t understand is “sarcopenia”. Sarcopenia is the term used to describe loss of muscle tissue as a natural part of the aging process. We tend to think that the frailty, falls, and lack of strength, balance, and overall mobility is something to be accepted as we get older. But we can fight sarcopenia, even osteoporosis with a well designed fitness program that incorporates the 6 domains of physical function, we call it the FAT model, which stands for the Functional Aging Training model. Of course, the earlier you start a well rounded training program, the better your outcomes as you age. However, it’s not really ever too late to improve your physical function. You just have to have a positive mindset and willingness to be consistent.

I believe the guidance, support, and talent of our staff of Functional Aging Specialists is what makes Evolution Fitness & Wellness so unique and why we are a highly sought after training facility. Our speciality is working with a primarily over 50 population of men and women, but truthfully, our clients range in age from 34 to 90! We offer personal training in small groups of up to 8 people. Sessions are smartly designed to support the 6 domains of the FAT model I mentioned above so that our clients can continue to do all the things they need, want, and love to do daily with confidence. Our sessions provide attention to form and function, meaning modifying and progressing clients as appropriate for the individual’s needs. These are definitely not follow along sessions or sit and be fit. They are challenging, but doable, and the peer support from others in the group have encouraged lasting friendships. In fact, the social connections our clients make are probably one of the most unique aspects of our gym. Our clients tell us they’ve never stuck with a fitness program in the past like they have done with our sessions at EFW. And that is what it is all about – fitness should be part of our day to day habits so we can live life to the fullest.

I’m extremely proud of the community we’ve created with EFW.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Well, training in my profession is important. I think the best personal trainers are those who continue to learn new things. Our field is evolving as science and technology continue to develop. So, I think it’s very helpful to have that inner drive to keep learning.

I also think that you have to have a lot of empathy for people but balance that with a little bit of tough love. Most of the people I work with are uncomfortable being uncomfortable and for the body to change and develop resiliency, you have to push a bit outside of your comfort zone. Be willing to get your heart rate up; lift something a bit heavier than you might “think” you can, etc. So there is a bit of a balance that needs to happen to be successful.

I also think understanding that the vast majority of people don’t consider fitness to be an essential expenditure. When things get challenging on the economic front, the gym membership tends to get dropped even before dinners out or manis and pedis. Which is really sad and frustrating to me because I believe your health and wellness is the golden ticket to fabulous aging. So success in our field means constantly educating people on “all” the whys of fitness not just selling a membership.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Early on, using social media ads was a strong strategy for growing our client base, but in the past several years social media platforms like Facebook with their changing algorithms, has made paid advertising challenging so in the past few years we’ve really focused on delivering such an outstanding product (our personal training) and service (the care with which we treat our clients) that our clients become our greatest advertising asset. Reputation and word of mouth. Nothing beats a positive referral from a happy client.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://efw.fit
• Instagram: @efw77095
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/efw.fit/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-bachmeier-ims-cfas-154101b/
• Youtube: @jackiebachmeier685
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/evolution-fitness-and-wellness-houston?osq=Evolution+Fitness+%26+Wellness