We were lucky to catch up with Christine Kontra recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christine , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

Ten years ago, I did a total career pivot to land in the health and wellness field. For most of my 20’s, I worked as a congressional staffer and then lobbyist advocating for higher education policies. While the work was intellectually stimulating and I felt like I was making a difference, my heart wanted to work with people to improve their lives through movement and greater self-awareness.

There was a moment that it clicked for me that a career change was possible. While attending a yoga workshop taught by an internationally recognized instructor, I thought to myself, “If she can make a living doing this, I can, too.” For the last two years of my political career, I laid the ground work for my transition by completing trainings in yoga and holistic health, building a teaching and client base, and preparing financially for the change in income. Once I was full-time, I hustled to piece together enough classes and clients at different studios to make a living, and eventually landed at a fantastic gym where I worked for 7 years before starting my own business in 2020.

There was never a moment I regretted the decision. I felt both at home in my new field and grateful for the lessons and experience gained from my time in politics. Over the years, I added certifications in personal training, pilates, martial arts, and behavior change. The health and wellness field offers a wealth of opportunities for constant learning, diversification of skills, and evolution of my business. Ten years has flown by and each day has challenged me while providing an enormous dose of gratification and fun.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

The gym is a place for preventative health care, mental health care, and self reflection. We build so much more than muscles here – we build better lives.

I deeply connected with the power of movement at a young age through sports and learning my way around the gym at the local YMCA. The gym felt like home, and it’s where I built confidence, friendships, and an appreciation for the benefits of maintaining a strong body and mind. Coaching and helping others unlock the power of fitness in their own lives came naturally to me and still motivates me on a daily basis.

I’m proud to offer a broad collection of modalities to serve my clients and help them meet their goals. Functional strength training is the bread and butter of what I do. Training healthy movement patterns leads to greater quality of life, better energy and sleep, alleviation of pain, and greater happiness. Every time a client learns to squat without pain, deadlift for the first time, or brace their core to perform an exercise, I know it will directly translate to the tasks of their every day life.

My martial arts career opened up a whole new dimension to my work. I began practicing Muay Thai in 2016, and spent several years competing both in the U.S. and internationally, where I won multiple world titles. While martial arts can be intimidating, I believe it’s a practice meant for everyone. Whether I’m coaching beginners to throw their first punch, or helping experienced fighters improve their conditioning and technique, teaching this art is a privilege and I love watching it change how people see themselves and the world around them.

Yoga and pilates hold an important role in my training as well. I’ve been teaching yoga and training new teachers for over a decade now. The mindfulness, breathing, and philosophy of this ancient practice applies to everything from lifting heavy weights to deciding what you are having for dinner, to how you interact with your loved ones. Pilates touches on similar principles of body awareness and breathing, and improves mobility and strength through core-centered exercises. While I work with some clients on yoga and/or pilates exclusively, everyone benefits from the teachings of these disciplines being woven in to their sessions.

Lastly, I’m certified in holistic health coaching and behavior change strategies. These practices take a bird’s eye view of someone’s wellness, with fitness being one piece of the greater puzzle. I love helping someone chart a plan for reaching their goals in several areas of their life, and seeing how they all connect.

I think about retirement differently than most people I know — I don’t envision myself ever retiring. I believe I will work less in the future, but this work feeds my soul and improves my own health, too. The thought of teaching pilates or coaching people in my 80’s brings a smile to my face. My business aligns with my values, beliefs, and how I want to serve and improve the world around me. For this, and all of my dedicated clients that show up ready to learn and work each day, I am deeply grateful.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Most of my clients are referrals, so maintaining good relationships with my existing clients is my best strategy for growing my business. Since my business is just me right now, I’m mindful of not taking on too many clients, which would leave me spread too thin. If I can’t maintain a high quality of service to the people I have, then my client retention and recruitment will suffer. I”m always finding a balance between the quality of my services and how many people I can commit to training.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Covid-19 created the biggest need to pivot in my business, and was actually the catalyst for stepping out on my own and starting Kegbox Fitness. Trainers were forced into the virtual realm in the beginning of the pandemic. As the first waves of people started to come back to the gym, I didn’t yet feel safe working indoors around large numbers of people. I also became pregnant during this time, so I had extra motivation to avoid getting sick.

An industrial warehouse nearby, which also houses the brewery that my husband owns and operates, had an empty section available to rent in late 2020, and I decided to take a chance and turn it into a gym. It was barebones, and in a section of town that was very much off the beaten path. However, it was private, spacious, and had a large rollup door that opened to the outside providing excellent ventilation. I slowly fixed it up, investing in flooring, lighting, walls, paint, equipment, and other touches that have made it the beautiful space it is today. My clients and I were thrilled to be working out together in a place that felt safe during the pandemic years, and I doubt I would have opened my own business had it not become a necessity.

Becoming a parent during this time period was a huge change as well. Having kids changed my availability to work, made me more efficient with my time, and opened my eyes to the needs and challenges of my clients that are parents. I decided to allow my clients to bring their children to the gym during their session. I hate seeing someone have to cover the cost of childcare in addition to the cost of training, or have to miss their workout because they don’t have coverage. This also gives the little ones a chance to see their mom or dad exercising and being a great role model for healthy living.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kegboxfitness.com

Image Credits
Kayleigh Tanthorey Jess Molina (maternity photo)