We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adriane Pickering a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Adriane, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

There was definitely a defining moment in my career, honestly I believe I have had a few. I think my first defining moment was coming to the realization that I was that I had and gift and that, that gift could be used to help someone else. I was fresh out of college, at home trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I was working at a corporate gym as a trainer and on my off days I was tasked with training my little sister. At this time in my life I was having a deja-vu moment because months prior I had sworn to myself I would never be a trainer; Never say never. I realized how much I enjoyed it and that while I had always been an athlete, I was really good at training others and inspiring them to show-up for themselves. I found that in training my sister I was able to show her the importance of taking care of yourself early because, those habits we create while we’re young we carry with us for the rest of our lives. In this realization I was inspired to invest in myself and my craft. I ended up going to grad school a few months later and started my training business. I was confident that with my passion, knowledge, and care I would be able to make a lasting impact on my peers.

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.

I’m Adriane, a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Functional Strength and Conditioning Coach. I am a former D1 athlete and owner PICK Fitness which provides online training and in-person training in Atlanta, GA. I help women and new mom’s regain confidence in the gym while building a strong solid foundation. I specialize in functional training focusing on proper movement patterns. I am new mom so I have really tapped into postpartum recovery and training and redefining what fitness is for moms. I have helped my clients find their why, truly tapping into their ability to show-up for themselves despite life’s circumstances. What sets me apart is the way I approach education and progression. I strive to create a safe, enjoyable atmosphere, where we celebrate progressive milestones. One thing I am most proud of is the bond I’m able to create with my clients, we become family.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A time I had to pivot, is now. I can honestly say I am in that season. Getting pregnant in 2022 really shook things up for me. My business was growing, I was in the best shape I’ve ever been in, I was tapping into my social media presence with sponsorships and boom life became that much deeper. I really had to balance my schedule more being pregnant is a lot of work and I was committed to maintaining my activity level. The first part of my pivot was in my 3rd trimester when I had to take a break from my gym and relocate to save money. Training in a private gym is not cheap and often times I think that can be overlooked in this industry. Next was maternity leave, that was probably the hardest time to come back from. Mainly because I felt like I was starting from ground zero. Taking months off and having to rebuild clientele with a new schedule was a challenge. In that I have learned that change is inevitable and in order to succeed we must adapt. That is what I have done. So now I am building my online community, catering to a new demographic of new moms, and finding my space training in-person with a new schedule. What I know is that having a kid definitely made me pivot but it has also increased my drive and motivated me in ways I never imagined.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for me to grow clientele has been being combination of positing content on social media, word of mouth, and being active in the community. Consistently posting on social media doing my workouts to show that I put in the work just like my clients has been a tremendous help in getting my name out. My clients, friends, and other trainers referring me to people they know has helped me build my community. Being active in the community and going to events so people know who you are is so important because you never know who you might meet. I have to be very intentional about being consistent and getting out of my bubble, but it is worth it!

Contact Info:

• Website: linktr.ee/adriane_chrstine
• Instagram: Adriane_Christine