As an outsider, breaking into an industry can often seem like an impossible challenge and so we reached out to some very generous folks who agreed to share their stories of how they broke into their respective industries.

Tara Durnil

I first started practicining Yoga as a student after the birth of my son in 2013. It was always something I “thought I might enjoy” so I found myself a local studio-PM Yoga- and started taking classes. I immediatly fell in love with the way my body and mind felt after each class. It wasn’t until around 2017 that the little spark started when I heard about another student taking Yoga Teacher Training. Read more>>

Harold Chatman

From the beginning, I’ve always played sports as a young boy. I loved being active, working out, and eating healthy. My mom would always remind me to take my vitamins and minerals. My goal has always been to help people become the best version of themselves, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Read more>>

Brandi Ruffin

I created my fitness profile back in 2018 to hold myself accountable and track my progress. It was also an opportunity for me to join into the fitness world and meet others who enjoy doing the same thing ! For years I’ve been playing around with the idea of being a personal trainer I’ve even taken on a few clients in my own time just because they were looking for fitness help but I never really took it seriously. Read more>>

Corina Miranda-Risnes

After deciding to resign from a cushy corporate job, I took some time off to travel, reassess my goals and pursue my passion for fitness. I stayed financially afloat by doing small gigs in gorilla marketing and background work. It was an interesting time in my life. I had a lot of freedom, but as the financial security dwindled, I was eager to find work and start building a career in my new field. Read more>>

Adrienne Figures

Those close to me know that my first professional job is nursing. I’ve been a nurse 13 years this year, and I’ve seen a lot along the way. Some good and some not so good. It’s definitely a journey that’s helped mold me into the woman I am today. Read more>>

Crystal Jancovic

My first job as an acupuncturist is what shaped my views and opinions on healthcare drastically. This first job, is what ultimately made me decide I wanted to create a low cost nonprofit health clinic. The first acupuncture clinic I was renting space from was in the city and it was expensive. Read more>>

Ariel Johnson

I graduated in the middle of the pandemic in 2020. I wanted to get into travel therapy, but the market was awesome. So I started studying for my board exams and ended up failing my first attempt. After that I ended up taking a travel job that gave me some support while continue to study for my exam again. Once I pass my exam and November 20 20 I started working for a company and traveling to different locations and the Atlanta area. Read more>>

Krystal Tyree

My first job was a graduate assistantship. I had just finished up my undergraduate degree, and I was getting ready to move down south to Texas from Kansas. A former classmate and now really good friend actually got me the job if I am being honest. He had graduated a year early and was student coaching and teaching at the time. He informed me that they were looking for a graduate assistant athletic trainer. Read more>>

Terri Ross

I passed my ACE-CPT exam in July of 2019. I was so stoked! It was an online program and I had worked hard to complete it while I was working a full-time job and training 6 days a week for my first triathlon. 2019 was a big year! Read more>>