We were lucky to catch up with Justin Senense recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Justin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

Love is what my parents do right. They have a unique love story that withstood distance and struggle. The first four years of my life, my father was living in the Philippines, and my mom and I in Texas. Because of the time difference, my Dad would wait for hours after his shift to be able to call my mom each day, to connect with her. Since those phone calls would usually be late at night, I wouldn’t get to speak to my dad. So he would take his tape recorder and send me tapes of him singing songs on his guitar to me and telling me stories. I remember as a kid, when I couldn’t go to sleep at night, I would play those cassette tapes over and over so that I could fall asleep. Finding ways to show love, even in distance; and to allow the love to remain strong and even grow, is what my parents did right. They loved despite and loved even harder when it got tougher. No wonder they we able to still love and accept me for being gay despite the struggle to understand. My parents were able to accept and stand next to me, even though we did not see eye to eye, and continue to love. To love and to accept is in their bones, and is in my bones because of them. It is in my bones when I am training a client motivating them to achieve things they did not think they could. It is in my bones when I am listening to a friend going through a difficult time physically and emotionally. It is in my bones every time I am in acting class or performing on stage. To love as my parents do is something they do right. It inspires me, each and every day, to do my best to love as they do and did for me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

I was always a creative kid growing up. I loved to sing and act. I was never the most athletic. In fact I was usually the slowest and weakest kid physically growing up. But, through the arts I was able to grow in confidence and surround myself with others that were similar to me. That community elevated me and motivated me to want to become something and chase my dreams. I majored in music at James Madison University and then moved to NYC where I became a working actor. As my career expanded, I noticed the need for myself to take care of not only my skills in acting, singing and dancing, but physically and mentally and emotionally as well. I began to go to the gym and learn more and more about fitness. I actually had a personal trainer, who put me through an intense workout that left me so sore I was unable to walk. I couldn’t straighten my calves! I could barely even sit on the toilet! I had a very important audition the next day that I had to cancel and not go to. That was when I realized I needed to become the trainer that I always wanted for myself. Someone who understood what an actor and dancer needed to accomplish daily to help them achieve their long term goals: maintain flexibility, while building strength and endurance. That led me to studying fitness and training more in-depth and it led me to my first training gig in NYC. Training at Rich Barretta Private Training. While training at the studio, I fell into my niche. I was known as “the wedding trainer” for the first couple years of my training career. It was all about getting my clients ready for their weddings, fitting into that perfect dress. Looking and feeling as they have always dreamed of, while also teaching them how to live a balanced lifestyle that was able to be maintained. Soon after all of my brides got married they began having babies. The next few years turned into adjusting my training to pre and post natal scenarios. Now, I have clients in various stages of their lives, my primary clientele is women, but I train men as well. Mostly now their husbands! A healthy and happy family is one that prioritizes health and fitness, makes time to love themselves singularly, so they can love each other mutually. As all my clients have grown from my support and help, I too have grown from their support and help. We have built friendships and a community that I have always wanted to have. A community that is balanced, whole and loving on all levels.

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

Although I see great benefits of marketing and social media, for me my business is based on referrals and word of mouth. My strategy is simple. Understand your clients needs. Develop a solid plan to cater to those needs. Know that those needs may change and be flexible. Communicate to your best ability and make every second count with each client or prospect that comes your way.

There is no better strategy than living proof that the product you offer brings results. When people speak about you and recommend you, they remain loyal, and they remain committed. Take care of the seed you plant and watch your harvest grow. Overtime, you will gain the recognition of others and business will thrive because your main priority has always been giving back to those who helped you start. Always remain present to where you are and how you started. That will always be the root of all your success and growth.

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

I feel like I have been pivoting my whole career as a trainer and artist. When I began training more than a decade ago, I was competitive and wanted to be the highest producing trainer at the studio. After a few years of working towards that goal and remaining motivated, I ended up achieving that goal. Then it became about how to maintain those numbers and productivity. I was able to maintain that for a good 3-4 years, but there was something still missing in life for me. It was my creativity and my love of the arts. I had everything I wanted from my business and it was growing, but I didn’t give myself time for self growth, for my passions and hobbies. As that need began to arise more and more, things naturally started to shift. When business slowed down, instead of trying to gain more business I took the time to myself. I began to take more acting, singing and dancing classes. I spent more time taking care of myself, and though business was not at its peak. I was at my peak. I was more balanced and centered. I noticed I was more present to my everyday activities, and was even a better trainer! Not just a better trainer, but friend, son and human! As I began to give back more to myself, business then began to drive up again. I shifted to training more again and went back into the scarcity mentality. I neglected to practice boundaries for myself; therefore my business and personal goals were not aligned. Both will change over and over again and it is ok. Pivoting and adjusting business so that it can align with your personal life and your personal goals, and vise-versa is key. The more aligned you are to yourself, as a human first, the more aligned your business will be as well. What is your intention for yourself personally? What is your intention for yourself business-wise? Do those intentions align, do they compliment each other, or are they at odds with each other? Whenever you feel like your business needs to pivot, which it will, remember that when that does your life will need to pivot as well. They go hand in hand. During the pandemic my work turned to 100% virtual training, and luckily that pivot was the answer I needed to align my business life and my personal life, but I attribute that balance to aligning with self first. Once that happens any pivots thrown your way business and personal become wonderful blessings in disguise.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @jsenense84
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Photos by Ella DeGea