Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aiesha Collins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Aiesha , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was becoming a full-time entrepreneur. I had a corporate job for 13 years and ran my fitness and nutrition coaching business at the same time. My job allowed the flexibility I needed to do both–and I loved that. I didn’t mind doing both for a while. But I’d come to a point in my career where work seemed more like chore than the job I loved. And I remember reading something that said when something you love seems harder to do than it used to be and you lose the love for it; it’s time to move on. As the days passed, it became harder to show up. I planned to quit in September of 2024, so I made a plan, counted the money I had and the money that was coming in, and knew exactly how I was going to move. But God had other plans. I got laid off. And rather than look for another job, I took a leap of faith and bet on myself and stepped into my life as a full-time entrepreneur. I was scared out of my mind–I questioned a lot. I never questioned my abilities to be my own boss, but it was more about not having a fallback plan. This is now my plan A. And while I was completely ok with that, there is a fear of failing that gets really heavy when it’s just you. I had an established clientele and successful events, so the initial transition wasn’t bad. But baby when life hit, it hit hard. Finances changed, business slowed, investments in my new baby TOTUM (a business platform for wellness professionals and enthusiasts) stalled, and life took a wild turn. But still, I wouldn’t trade it. I’m still doing it, growing, and rebuilding. There’s nothing like putting in work for YOU. I stand 10-toes on that.

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

I’m AC, owner of Type A Fitness/Aligned Strength, and fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle coach for high-capacity, high-achieving women–women who carry a lot. I don’t sell anything. I simply help my ladies become more grounded, disciplined, and aligned in their lives and pursuit of strength, health, and personal growth. It’s not just about working out for me but showing women simple ways to achieve their goals without compromising themselves in the process. No time? No motivation? Money? I’ve got you covered with a variety of options for my lady’s needs. I’ve created a space–a community–where women can unload, decompress, laugh, cry if needed, and be their unfiltered selves, and feel supported no matter where they are in their journey. Aligned Strength is filled with structured workouts, nutrition guidance, faith-driven programs, community of like-minded women on a similar journey, and so much more for my ladies to achieve success within their bodies and minds as well. It’s real different over here. Because it’s more than my business. It’s my way of life.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’m an empath and naturally want to help everyone. But a lesson I had to learn… I’m not for every body and every body isn’t for me. See what I did there? Lol. But it’s so true. I desire to work with a specific type of woman–she comes disciplined in other areas of her life and is high-achieving. She’s ambitious, authentic, and aligned (very Type A). But her wellness often takes a back seat. She’s like me, often putting other’s needs before her own. And I learned this very early, that I didn’t want to have to “make” someone workout or show up for themselves. I desired to work with women who were already built to show up. We’re built different. And for my ladies who need a bit more love, I had to understand my own capacity and know that’s not something i could commit to. It wouldn’t be fair to me or them. My goal is to get every woman who I work with the feel so confident in their own skin and their own abilities to take this part of their journey and be amazing on their own some day.

I’ve had to fire plenty of clients. But, one in particular… She was a piece of work. She came on early in my career wanting to change the way her body looked–tone here and lift there. And like my other ladies, I advised there was going to be some work on her end in order to achieve her goals. And like most, she agreed not fully understanding what I meant by work. The first couple of months were good, she was on time for sessions, followed 80% of nutrition guidance, and was enthusiastic about her progress. And once she saw that small bit of progress, she fell back into her old ways. She started showing up late to sessions, neglecting any guidance provided to her regarding her eating habits, and slowly started to gain weight back. And by weight, I mean fat. I’m not the type to sit around and not say something good or bad about why ones journey takes a turn downward, especially because my name is on you. So, rather than take heed to my advise, she blamed me for the down turn. She lacked accountability. And it was in that moment, i realized I couldn’t work with every body.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source for new clients is current clients. Word of mouth is golden. What better person to tell someone about how I operate than someone who’s already or has already worked with me. I also network and utilize social media, but most if not all of my clients came through a previous or current lady of mine.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: typea.fitness
• Facebook: AC Collins