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

Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

Scaling up wasn’t necessarily intentional, but I wanted the best experience for my clients, so I built what they needed. I was paying rent at a local gym and only doing personal training. Eventually, my clients were reaching their goals and didn’t really need personal training anymore, so I started grouping them together. The groups kept growing when we invited other people from town to join us. We had one group of 35 people in the parking lot! The gym didn’t have enough room for that many people during the winter and I didn’t want to shut down the program, so I went looking for my own space, and that’s when my company was born!

Ashley, 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 got certified as a personal trainer in 2002 and my first job training was at the YMCA. I went to school for graphic design and I had fitness jobs on the side until I was laid off by the marketing company I was working for in 2008. I had trouble finding another job in graphic design at the time because, during the recession, companies started outsourcing freelancers instead. I started doing more fitness work on the side to make ends meet and eventually ended up doing it full time. The funny thing is, I almost changed my major in college to Exercise Science. I had the papers signed and everything but I never turned them in because I decided computer skills were better at making money than fitness. I ended up going back to get a masters degree in Exercise Physiology 10 years later.

I stopped doing personal training about a year ago because I wanted to help more people and there are only so many hours in the day! I converted to groups and I do coaching along with memberships now, which is working out very well. Members get the support they need to reach their goals and great coaches to motivate their workouts.

What sets me apart from others is my longevity and education in the industry. I’ve seen it all, I’ve tried it all, and I’ve learned a lot. I help women that are being pulled in a million directions between work, family, and other obligations and are neglecting themselves and their health. I help them get back on track to feeling strong and confident in their bodies.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The pandemic was a doozy for everyone, but especially the fitness industry. The media was demonizing our businesses as places where all the covid was hanging out. Meanwhile, health and fitness was what people needed the most. Half of my members canceled their memberships which meant the business wasn’t bringing in enough money to pay its bills and mine. I was faced with a decision whether to close or keep fighting through. I chose to keep fighting through. I was able to get some government funding that kept us afloat and we were able to stay open. My instructors kept teaching classes online so people could stay connected. That was the most difficult time in business that I’ve ever been through. I never imagined that, in an instant, the government could rip everything I worked so hard to build out from under my feet.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When the pandemic was finally coming to an end, I was proud that we made it through, but the business was still not making enough money to stay open and I didn’t know how to build back up. When I first opened, everything flowed naturally. When you’re the new shiny thing in town, everyone flocks to you, so building from the beginning wasn’t something I had to put much effort into. What nobody teaches you is how to pull a business out of a hole 8 years into its lifespan. So, again, I faced a decision of whether to keep fighting or shut down. And, again, I chose to keep fighting. I hired a coaching company to teach me how to properly structure my business, how to market, and how to sell. Within a year, not only was the business healthy again, but it was in a better place than it ever had been before.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://activelifestylefitness.com
• Instagram: @activelifestylefitness @ashleybrodeur_
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/activelifestylefitness http://facebook.com/ashleybrodeurfitness
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrodeurpt/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ashleybrodeur

Image Credits
MamaRazzi Photography