We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Valerie Dickson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Valerie below.
Valerie, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
After serving my community for 14 years as a full-time professional educator, I made the decision to pursue my business venture full-time and open my boutique Reformer Pilates and Group Fitness Studio. While I have a true passion for education, the demands and high stress of the profession began to impact my daily life. Prioritizing my health and the well-being of my family, I chose to transition into a career path that allows me to create balance while continuing to serve others through wellness and fitness.
Valerie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My passion for teaching health and fitness was inspired by my own personal journey and the lessons I learned along the way. As a weight-loss patient, I have lost a total of 177 pounds and am currently 23 pounds away from reaching my final goal. Through this transformation, I have reduced my medications, improved my overall health, normalized my lab work, and even restored my hair health. These powerful changes motivated me to help others especially youth by teaching preventive wellness strategies so they can build healthy habits early and avoid the struggles I once faced.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
While working full-time as an educator, I also pursued my passion for health and wellness as a part-time fitness professional and supervisor for several organizations, including the YMCA, LA Fitness, Crunch Fitness, and corporations such as Phillips 66, Woodside Oil and Gas, and Halliburton. During this time, I expanded my fitness repertoire, earned multiple professional certifications, and developed a well-rounded skill set as a fitness instructor. I have taught a wide range of formats, including strength training, cardio, dance, spinning, mobility and flexibility, as well as nutrition and overall health and wellness.
Have you ever had to pivot?
In January 2025, I officially made the decision to resign from my 14-year professional career in education to focus solely on growing my boutique Reformer Pilates and Group Fitness Studio. In September 2025, I celebrated the grand opening of my Galleria studio in Houston, Texas.
Our studio offers a wide range of services, including private fitness events, traveling fitness experiences where we bring our services directly to clients’ locations, and a full schedule of daily Reformer Pilates sessions, private instruction, and group fitness classes.
Studio Address:
4665 Southwest Freeway, Suite 217
Houston, Texas 77027
Looking ahead, I am excited to announce plans to expand into a second studio location in 2026, with potential areas including Katy, Fulshear, and Richmond.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fiercefitfactory.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fierce_fit_factory/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FierceFitFactory1/
- Youtube: https://music.youtube.com/@V3xena
Image Credits
www.fiercefitfactory.com