We were lucky to catch up with Allison Kalsched recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, thanks for joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I never thought I would own my own business.

I wanted to be a museum curator. I studied art history and started working in the contemporary art world in New York City. I never went for a graduate degree, so curator was out. I changed my mind and decided I wanted to be a museum director instead!

When I became a mother, my now ex-husband and I decided that we wanted to be a family that had a parent at home. And that was me.

Fast forward seven years, and I’m ready to get back to work. I had been really into triathlon and working out, so I thought “I’ll become a personal trainer. I can make my own schedule and be close to home.”

Shortly thereafter I got divorced and my job as a personal trainer needed to grow into something that could support me on my own.

That was ten years ago. My business has grown tremendously, and I have been able to be the kind of present parent I want to be as well as be successful in work.

So to answer the question, YES. I am happy as a business owner. I love creating things and seeing if they work. I love the strategy and thought that is involved with building and growing a business. I love the independence of being my own boss. With that, of course, comes all the responsibility, and when I think back to having a job that I can leave at the end of the day, I am a little nostalgic for that freedom.

But not for long. I love owning my own business.

Allison, 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?

I started working as a personal trainer out of necessity, really. After a career in the art world, I wanted to do something that was more flexible and closer to home so I could be near my young son. I had become interested in triathlon, and participating in these multi-sport races had changed my life so I thought “I’ll become a personal trainer.”

Over the past ten years, I’ve grown this business into a thriving women’s fitness coaching business. I never would have imagined I would work for myself and have my own business. Never would have imagined I’d be in the fitness industry. But I am so proud of what I have done with the support of so many amazing clients.

Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of women on their strength and fitness. Many of my clients have been with me since the beginning of my work as a trainer.

I’ve developed a practice that is designed to build women’s strength, mobility, coordination and endurance in an environment that encourages respect and admiration for the body and what it can do.

I’ve worked with women through all life stages, from pre- and post-natal, pregnancy, all stages of the menopause transition, pre- and post-surgery and so many more. I’ve worked with women who have recovered from disordered eating and helped them reset their relationship with exercise and body image.

I’ve developed numerous products to enable my work to be more accessible. In addition to my 1:1 sessions, I run outdoor boot camp classes in my community, and have built online communities through my AK+ program to reach people who might not live near me.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Results, reliability and communication.

When I can deliver on my promise of fitness, strength and happiness, my clients realize they can depend on me.

I communicate in and out of the gym with my clients so they always know when schedule changes happen, what I expect of them, and that I will be there for them when I say I will.

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

March 13, 2020.

Up until that day, I had been training my clients at a private facility that was owned by someone else. I was a freelancer. I rented space, I had no maintenance responsibilities, no equipment purchases. Just me and my clients in a gym. It was great.

On March 13, 2020, I sent an email to my clients letting them know that due to the COVID-19 virus, we would need to transition from in person sessions to virtual sessions. On March 16, 2020, I did my first ever live zoom training session.

Interestingly, earlier that winter I had been toying with how to incorporate online fitness to grow my own business. I took my successful in-person boot camp and made an online version of it, and launched it on March 1, 2020. Little did I know how prescient that would be.

The transition from training in person to training exclusively online was severe. It was overnight, and neither my clients nor I knew what to expect. But we persevered and made the best of it. In fact, I think it made me a better coach.

Since that fateful March 2020, I’ve expanded into the virtual world with AK+ On Demand and AK+ Accelerate, as well as fleshed out my YouTube channel. Additionally, I’ve built a private facility in an old barn on my property in suburban New Jersey that has enabled me to continue to serve my clients in person.

Contact Info:

• Website: allisonkalsched.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/allisonkalsched
• Facebook: facebook.com/exerciseoutside
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-kalsched-a680b25/
• Youtube: youtube.com/@allisonkalschedfitness

Image Credits
Headshots and promotional photos: Yasmeen Anderson Other: Allison Kalsched