We were lucky to catch up with SHANI ROSENBAUM recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi SHANI, thanks for joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

There have been so many moments that stay with me, but a few in particular really highlight why I do what I do.

One of the most heartwarming patterns I’ve seen over the years is how women come to me with such low self-esteem — not just about their bodies, but about themselves as a whole. They’re tired, worn down, and unsure of what they’re capable of. But then… they step into the gym. We start small. I guide them through movement, strength work, and gradually, they begin to see themselves differently. They realize how strong they are — physically, mentally, emotionally. I literally watch their confidence build session by session. They start walking taller, speaking more confidently and trusting themselves more. Not because their body changed, but because they changed. Their energy shifted. That inner light turned back on.

Another moment that still gives me goosebumps was with a client who had gone through a very dark emotional period. She had lost a significant amount of weight — and not in a healthy way. She was already thin and became too weak to lift the way she used to. A few months later, after a lot of healing, she felt ready to try again. I quietly loaded the same weight she used to lift, unsure if she’d manage it. She did. She looked at me mid-rep with tears in her eyes, and I felt mine welling up too. Neither of us said anything, but the message was crystal clear: “I’m back.” That moment was more than a lift — it was a reclaiming of strength, health, and self-worth.

And of course, the joy on a client’s face when they do something they swore they’d never be able to do — whether it’s their first push-up, running a full lap without stopping, or deadlifting their bodyweight — that joy is everything. It’s not just pride in their bodies. It’s pride in who they’re becoming.

Those are the moments that remind me this work goes far beyond sets and reps. It’s about helping people come back home to themselves.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For those who don’t know me yet — I’m Shani Rosenbaum, a certified personal trainer, Precision Nutrition coach, and newly certified yoga instructor. I specialize in helping women build strength, lose fat in a sustainable way, and most importantly, feel good in their bodies.

I didn’t always plan to run my own fitness and nutrition business — the idea only came up when a coach I was working with noticed how much I loved what I was doing and encouraged me to start something of my own. At first, I was just focused on fitness. I loved helping women feel strong, capable, and proud of what their bodies could do.

But over time, as I trained more clients, one question kept coming up: “How do I lose weight?” That’s what led me to dive deeper into nutrition. I realized that if I wanted to truly help women reach their goals in a healthy, sustainable way, I needed to expand my expertise. So I got certified in nutrition — and that’s when everything came full circle.
More recently, I became certified in yoga — something I never expected when I first started. But the more I worked with women, the more I saw how important it is to not just build strength, but to also slow down and reconnect with yourself. Personally, yoga helped me find something I didn’t even realize I was missing — inner peace. For so long, I was chasing happiness through achievement and people-pleasing, but yoga taught me how to tune in instead of constantly pushing outward. It helped me come back home to myself. Now, I use that same approach with clients — combining movement, breath, and presence to help them feel stronger, calmer, and more at home in their own bodies and minds.

Today, I offer:

Online and in-person personal training for women
Small group fitness and bootcamp classes
Track-based running programs (offered in the spring and summer for beginners and intermediates)
Nutrition coaching focused on real-life habits and sustainable progress
Seasonal challenges and WhatsApp accountability programs to keep clients consistent and supported

What sets my approach apart is that I don’t believe in quick fixes or one-size-fits-all programs. My clients are busy women — many of them juggling families, jobs, and never-ending to-do lists — and I help them create a healthy lifestyle that’s realistic, empowering, and sustainable.

The problems I help solve range from emotional eating and low self-confidence to inconsistent workout habits, lack of motivation, and confusion around what actually works. I also support women who want to lose weight, build muscle, and get stronger — not just for looks, but to feel capable in their everyday lives. Functional fitness is a big part of what I do — helping clients move better, feel better, and prevent injury through smart, intentional training. But at the core of it all, the deeper solution I offer is this: I help women believe in themselves again. I help them feel strong, worthy, and fully in control of their health — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

That belief is actually what inspired the name of my business: Shape by Shani.

When it came time to choose a name, I wanted something that reflected both the physical and emotional journey my clients go through. “Shape” is about more than just bodies — it’s about shaping your mindset, your strength, your confidence, and your lifestyle. And “by Shani” felt personal, because this isn’t a cookie-cutter program. When you work with me, you get me — my coaching, my support, and my full investment in your growth. Shape by Shani is simple, but meaningful — and true to the work I do every day.

What I’m most proud of? It’s not just the physical transformations (though those are amazing too) — it’s the emotional ones. It’s watching a woman who once doubted herself walk into the gym and own her space. It’s the mindset shift. The glow. The self-trust. I’ve seen women go from shrinking themselves to showing up boldly in every area of their lives — and I get to play a small role in that journey.

If there’s one thing I’d want new clients or followers to know, it’s this:
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to begin.
And when you do, I’ll be right here — cheering you on, coaching you through, and reminding you of just how strong you really are..

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

While education, certifications, and hands-on training are absolutely essential in this field, I’ve found that the real difference-makers — the things that truly help you succeed as a coach — go far beyond technical knowledge.

The first is empathy.
You’re not just working with a body — you’re working with a person. A woman who might be carrying years of insecurity, stress, shame, or trauma around her body or her health. Being able to listen without judgment, to understand where she’s coming from, and to meet her there — that builds trust. That’s when true transformation happens. It’s not just about telling someone what to do — it’s about guiding them with compassion, patience, and emotional intelligence. When a client feels seen and safe, they open up — and that’s when the real progress begins.

Next is body language — both theirs and mine.
So much communication happens in the nonverbal. I pay close attention to how a client walks into the room: Are her shoulders tense? Is she avoiding eye contact? Does her posture change when she talks about herself? These cues tell me what she might not be saying out loud. At the same time, my body language matters too — how I stand, how I make eye contact, whether I’m fully present — all of that signals to her: “You matter. I’m here. I’ve got you.” Especially in a female-only space, creating an energy of safety, support, and encouragement makes all the difference.

And then there’s something that took me longer to fully embrace: asking for help.
When you’re running your own practice, it’s easy to feel like you need to do everything yourself — program design, marketing, accounting, content creation, customer service… the list never ends. But the truth is, success doesn’t come from being a superhero. It comes from knowing when to ask for help. Whether it’s hiring someone to help with admin, asking a mentor for advice, or just texting a fellow coach for support — asking for help doesn’t make you weak. It makes you wise. It keeps you grounded, connected, and growing.

So yes, technical knowledge is important — but what makes a coach truly effective and impactful is their ability to lead with heart, read between the lines, and be humble enough to keep learning and leaning on others.

That’s what makes this work meaningful. That’s what keeps clients coming back — and changing their lives in the process.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There’s one chapter of my journey that really defines my resilience — not because it was flashy or dramatic, but because it was deeply personal.

For a long time, I tied my confidence to external things — what others thought of me, how much I could achieve, how “together” I looked on the outside. I wanted to be seen as capable, dependable, and easy to be around, so I pushed myself to meet expectations, often putting my own needs last.
Growing up, academics didn’t come easily to me, and that left an impression. It made me question whether I was truly capable of succeeding in the ways that mattered. That feeling of being “behind” lingered into adulthood — until I started proving to myself, one goal at a time, that I wasn’t behind. I was just on my own timeline.

Over time, I realized that real confidence comes from within — from showing up consistently, building strength (physically and mentally), and being proud of the way you live, not just what you achieve.

In my early 30s, I remember looking in the mirror and not recognizing who was staring back. I didn’t feel like me — I had no idea who that even was. I was constantly trying to prove myself, to stay small and likable, but inside, I was craving something more — something real, something that was mine.

That’s when things started to shift. Slowly, I stopped asking, “What will people think?” and started asking, “What do I want? What would make me proud?”
Fitness became more than a job — it became the way I rebuilt my relationship with myself. Every rep, every small goal achieved, every client I helped — it all added up. I watched my confidence grow. I started to believe in myself, not just as a coach, but as a person. I began to trust that I could succeed — even if my path didn’t look like anyone else’s.

Now, I don’t wait for permission. If I set a goal, I achieve it. Period. I’m not afraid of hard work. I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about being perfect or fearless — it’s about showing up for yourself, especially on the days when it’s hard. It’s about rewriting the story you once believed about yourself.

And every day, I’m still writing it.
But now, I’m the one holding the pen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shapebyshani.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shapebyshani/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shapebyshani
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanirosenbaum/

Image Credits

Dina Brookmeyer Photo
Mark Moyer Photo