We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Caroline Pearce. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Caroline below.
Caroline, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.
To date, the best boss I’ve ever had is Lee Hillman, the CEO of Performance Health Systems. I’ve worked for Lee for 20 years, right out of University, educating, promoting, researching and presenting the benefits of the Power Plate, the World’s leading vibration training platform. With Lee’s support, belief and guidance, I’ve had to opportunity to travel the World, move from the UK to US to further my work with the company, expand my television presenting opportunities as their expert host, and to work with and coach so many incredible individuals form elite athletes to those with disabilities who can benefit from vibration training. Lee is a loyal leader and the hardest working individual in the room. I’ve learnt the power of nurturing great connections and continuing to grow within the business as we continually evolve and grow our products and education. Lee has also been a great supporter of my other career path in television sports broadcasting, attending my events and cheering me on.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Of course! I’m a former International athlete for Great Britain, having represented my country in track and field at European level and Bobsled at World Championship level. Alongside my sports career, I graduated from Loughborough University in the UK with an undergraduate degree in Sports Science and Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology. I immediately joined Performance Health Systems/Power Plate where for 20 years I’ve put my education to use, sharing the benefits and use of Power Plate’s vibration technology worldwide. Alongside this role, I’ve grown a successful online fitness and health business where I consult with several brands and companies in the fitness space. I’m a lead trainer for FitOn App, where I’ve helped millions of our members get fit via our app from the comfort of their own home. In 2022 Forbes voted our App the leader in the fitness app space. I’ve also authored a book ‘Better Body Workouts For Women’ with publishers Human Kinetics and was the host of ‘The Health Hack Podcast’ for Lumen, the metabolic tracking device. Alongside my fitness business, I also work as a Sports Broadcaster for UK’s BT Sport network, covering The UFC, boxing and Sports News. I’ve also worked with Fox Sports, ESPN and Star Sports India as their anchor and reporter. I’m proud that I’m able to combine my passions for the fitness industry and sports entertainment and continue to succeed and grow in both. I feel my sports background allows me to create and program in the fitness space with a unique level of expertise. At the same time, my fitness endeavors allow me to really understand how the athletes I interview train and push their limits, as I’ve been there and done it myself. The challenge comes in juggling my schedule of events and commitments whilst working across so many platforms and companies. But having been a heptathlete athlete (7 events), I’ve always been good at time management and juggling events and disciplines. It’s never boring, that’s for sure!
I’m most proud of how many people I’m able to reach with my workouts. I receive messages everyday from online clients, FitOn App members and Power Plate users, telling me how my workouts and support have motivated them and in some cases changed their lives. That feedback makes it all worthwhile and drives me to keep working, responding to individual messages and bringing the best of myself to their screens.
As part of my brand I also focus heavily on recovery and longevity. I believe getting fit is one thing, but recovering properly and focusing on methods to improve our longevity is the future. Through my social media content, interviews and brand partnerships, I educate on myofascial release, cold water therapy, food that nourishes and replenishes our body and the importance of sleep and how to track and monitor these things. My goal is to help people to live a long, healthy and happy life.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
In the health and fitness space, research is evolving all the time and public messages about what we should and shouldn’t do or eat change. It’s no wonder people get so confused. As experts, we have to pivot and update people on these messages frequently, backing it up with science. My early studies and thesis work at university around the year 2000 was a time when research talked about the benefits of low fat diets and eating little and often to keep our metabolisms firing on all cylinders. This led to a lot of people following ‘low fat diet’s’ which instead tended to be high in sugar, which we now know is one of the worst dietary practices! We now know that eating fat in the right form, high in omega 3’s is far more favorable than cutting it out altogether. Research is also now heavily pointing towards the benefits of fasting and intermittent fasting, giving our body’s digestive system a rest and cell renewal the opportunity to take place, rather than constantly eating. Of course everyone is different, and I advise individually on this, but my point is there is a lot of information I’ve had to unlearn and re-learn based on new findings. In turn I have to re-educate my followers and clients too. 
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Collaborations. These are so valuable in the fitness and health space. I learn so much from my peers on a weekly basis and by collaborating on projects, filming and education, we can reach new heights. It’s not beneficial in this industry to work alone. It’s a constantly evolving industry where support and collaboration is so valuable.
Secondly, empathy with clients and online followers. Every human I coach has different needs physically and mentally when it comes to their wellness journey, so one plan doesn’t fit all. A big part of the job is to really understand what each individual, or group of people, need and how I can best get them to their goal in a way that is scientifically supported, but emotionally suited to them also. This requires really listening combined with some trial and error. A good coach will do both and not be afraid to pivot if needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carolinepearce.co.uk
- Instagram: @carolinepearce
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolinepearce.tv/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinespearce/
- Twitter: @carolinepearce
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/@carolinepearce
Image Credits
Riker Brothers FitOn Antonio Carrasco