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

Amy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I think most people want to leave a legacy that is good and I’m no different. I want to be remembered for a lot of things, not the least of which is someone who wanted to help people. In any job I’ve had, the only way I have felt fulfilled is if I was able to help someone somehow. Not necessarily in grand ways either. I hope people say that I was a good helper in my life and my business. I hope when I am gone people will also say I was bold and kind. This year I jumped out of a perfectly good plane at 14,000 feet. I think that’s bold. I did it to support a friend fighting cancer, and I think that’s kind. Starting a company when I was 46 years old with no actual business experience in a field I really knew very little about was bold (and maybe a little crazy, but that’s for a different article!) I did it not only to help myself fight back against Parkinson’s Disease, but to help my community to do the same together. I did it to help people with a progressive, neurodegenerative disease with no cure have hope.

Hanging in my office is a quote by Stephen Grellett I try to run my business, and my life by:

“I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

Amy, 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?

In December of 2012 , at the age of 45 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Since I was not an old man, it was an unexpected diagnosis. I was told that exercise was the only way to maybe slow down progression of the disease. That was two awful facts in one day! Even though I really did not have any affection for exercise classes, I started to research classes in my area for people with Parkinson’s and there were few choices. Five months after I was diagnosed, my sister in law told me about a program called Rock Steady Boxing that was an intense exercise program specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease in Indianapolis. I decided to go check it out and was instantly hooked. The workout, the comradery between the fighters, and the fun they were having made me want to be a part of it. Two months later I was back in Indianapolis taking a course to get certified in the Rock Steady method, that was 10 years ago, After earning my personal training certificate, I started my own Rock Steady gym, Rock Steady Boxing West Michigan in my town. Mine was the first in Michigan and I was so excited to bring hope to my community. I had no business experience at all and was learning as I went along, but 10 years later we are planning a move to a larger facility again and starting a non profit Parkinson’s support center to bring more activities to enhance the lives of people with Parkinson’s Disease and their families.
Every time a fighter comes to class after a doctor appointment and tells me their doctor said their symptoms had not progressed, and sometimes had gotten better, since their last appointment I feel proud and humbled that this program is having such a profound affect on my community. And on a personal note, My symptoms have progressed vey little in the last 11 years. I didn’t start taking any medications until about 8 years after I was diagnosed and am on very low doses of what I do take. I am starting to have some affection for exercise!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

The story behind putting together the capital to start Rock Steady Boxing West Michigan is short and simple. Again, I had no business experience and also no money. I did not want to start off in debt, so I had a plan to sell my plasma to fund the project but was rejected, ironically because I had Parkinson’s. So, I organized a ginormous garage sale and asked family and friends to donate their unwanted items to sell. Between those wonderful folks, that sale and some very generous monetary donations, I was able to pay for the certifications needed. I was working full time and starting the gym, so some personal capitol also helped pay the rent until I had paying customers. It was definitely a leap of faith and a huge gamble, but I never doubted the mission or the vision.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

There are a few things that I believe helped build my reputation in the Parkinson’s community. I right away started speaking at Parkinson’s support groups and meeting the people I wanted to help. Even though I always had a script, I never stuck to it because I felt that people would be able to see how much I cared about this community. I have always felt like I need to be open and real and people will respond. Also, I made sure I knew what I was doing in the gym. The fact that I could modify any exercise for anybody was testament to my commitment to what I was doing and for the people I was serving.
I have been committed to the workouts myself and people can then see that I have faith in the program.
The doctors in my area began to see the benefits of what I was doing in their patients and began referring people to the program.
Most of all, though, In my dealings with fighters and potential fighters, I am open, honest, and real. I believe whole heartedly in what I’m doing and I show my passion to everyone.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rock-Steady-Boxing-West-Michigan-350887945104292/
• Other: email: [email protected]