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

Alright, Brooke thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

When talking about taking risks in the fitness industry, there are truly so many avenues we could discuss. It can be risky to try lifting a new weight for the first time. It can be risky to push yourself to a new speed on a treadmill. For most though, just walking through the doors of the gym is a risk.

When you step into the doors of Orangetheory Fitness, your risking your physical and mental capacities in order to grow stronger. It won’t always be easy, and it won’t always be clear, but that’s exaclty what taking a risk is – a chance. Each day our members at Orangetheory Fitness are given the chance to improve their lives, and thats a risk always worth betting on!

Brooke, 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?

My name is Brooke Hinders and I am the Head Trainer at Orangetheory Fitness in Downtown Kanasas City. I got into the fitness industry after graduating highschool and leaving highschool sports. I was missing that feeling, that community, and that goal driven mindeset – until I walked into Orangetheory Fitness. Orangetheory Fitness is a group heart-rate based training facility that focuses on promoting endurance, strength, and power in everyone to achieve long-lasting life! After I took one workout, I was hooked because I became imersed in a gym filled with passion and energy like no other.

As a member of Orangetheory, I found myself going almost every day because I missed it when I wasn’t there! So much so, that I became an associate for the front desk! After falling more in love with the workout and the members, I decided that coaching was the best way to combine the two! I completed my National Personal Training Certification through the American Council of Exercise and then became an Orangetheory Coach in September of 2020.

Since then, I have grown both as a fitness professional and an individual. I continue to learn every single day from my staff and members as the Head Trainer of the gym, and I think that’s what sets us apart from others. We truly value the individual, not the number. We want people to get the best out of their life, not just their workout. My coaches and I strive to create a community that feels like family, becuase thats what we really are (O.T.F = One True Family)!

I am most proud of the culture that is felt at our studio. From the moment you walk through the door to the moment you walk out, you can feel the support and encouragment. I would want any potential client to know that Orangetheory Fitness is a community that will emote the feeling of a hug your entire workout. We’re with you, we’ve got you, and you’re not alone! If there was anyone who was ever doubting themsleves for their fitness capabilities, OTF is the place that gives people the confidence they may have been missing.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

From experience at Orangetheory Fitness, the best way to grow your clientele is to be authentic. I think in today’s world filled with so many expectations from social media, we often forget what authenticity even is. With our members, we try to break down any barriers between one another to get down to the bottom of their deepest “why”. That motive that hits their hearts the hardest, is the one that pushes us to work the hardest so we make sure we can help them achieve it.

The same goes for staff. We want to be as professionally “real” as we can get. Share struggles with one another, laugh through the pain, push eachother to get uncomfortable when its needed for growth. These are the things that build relationships, because at the end of the day people may leave places, but people don’t leave people!

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

As the youngest manager in our region, this is something I’ve studied frequently and still focus on everyday. I used to doubt myself becuase of my age or the perception I thought others would have of me, and as soon as a stopped doing that, everything changed.

When I decided to put actions in front of other people’s words, I gained the respect I was needing to manage successfully. When I decided that I needed to put the smile on my face even when others weren’t, they started to follow. I realized that in order to be a great leader, I also needed to be a great do-er. Through leading by example and completing even the lowest list of tasks, I created team buy-in and higher company morale for everyone because they trusted me when they physically saw me doing it first!    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.orangetheory.com/en-us/locations/missouri/kansas-city/1706-baltimore-av
• Instagram: @otfdowntownkc & @brooke_hinderzz
• Facebook: Orangetheory Fitness Downtown KC
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
All images are taken from my iphone