We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heather Garrigus. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heather below.

Hi Heather, thanks for joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I cannot imagine not having my own business and going back to working for someone else. I have been doing things on my own terms for so long, I just don’t think I could go back. It is always challenging running your own business, but that also makes it that much more rewarding. I learned long ago to never get complacent and to always keep evolving and striving for better. I worked for someone early on, but it was very limiting and I felt like I reached the ceiling very quickly. That doesn’t work well for someone who is always looking to grow and improve to higher levels.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I have a personalized fitness studio in Downtown Franklin with a muscle-centric focus on building stronger, pain-free bodies. It is not a one size fits all approach in any way. I build exercises around the client that is in front of me. I have to always consider what does their structure allow, their abilities, goals and what limitations they might currently have. One big thing that sets me apart from most, is that I am one of the few Muscle Activation Techniques certified Mastery Specialists in this area of the country. This allows me to help clients dealing with muscle inhibitions that could be preventing them from getting the most out of their workouts, sports performance, or just living a more quality life. Most people are focused on trying to “loosen” tight tissues or increase mobility, where I am more interested in restoring stability in the body to provide a stronger structure long-term. I also offer some unique equipment that allows me to strengthen just about any joint angle in the body with minimal risks. Most people that come to me are looking to get out of pain and/or get stronger so that they can live their best life. I work with many professional athletes, as well as people just seeking to improve their quality of life. Just because someone is getting older, doesn’t mean that they have to live in pain or stop doing the things they love most.

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

I first started my own business in Houston, Texas and probably grew a little too fast as my one studio quickly grew into 3 studios. I was managing several trainers, a lot of clients, marketing, payroll, etc.. Looking back now, I don’t even know how I managed it all on my own. Over time, I scaled back to one studio for the last couple of years I was in Houston, as the competitive landscape was fierce and the costs of having a small business in Houston was growing exponentially. I was constantly having to evolve the business and additional revenue sources to remain competitive. I started selling various brands of athleisure clothing in the studio, and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy sessions, which was a great addition for my clientele. I got very good at coming up with ways to add to my bottom line. Moving to TN and starting a brand new business from scratch presented its own challenges, but I knew it would be easier sticking with a one on one business model. A solo model also allows me to keep my focus on the client in front of me without distractions. However, the biggest hurdle was dealing with lockdowns, etc 6 months after opening. I often asked myself “How do I get people to learn about my business when everyone is all in their homes and no one knows who I am?”. I had to figure it out, and giving up was not an option as I knew that I offer a valuable service and just needed to hang in there to let people find out about my business.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I went to law school and got my law degree, but realized it was not something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I didn’t think fitness was something I could build a career in, but I just happened to meet the right people who led me down a unique path in this field. Unfortunately most people in fitness don’t get extensive education, and become more about counting reps and memorizing exercises they learned along the way. I have been doing this for well over 20 years and unfortunately the industry hasn’t always progressed for the better as a whole. A big missing component is considering the application of forces on the body and how to manipulate them effectively in a way to minimize risks and maximize potential benefits. I knew that when I walked away from a legal career to pivot to fitness, that I was going to treat this as a true profession and continue to evolve and learn like no one else. I love the nuts and bolts of the engineering of exercises and the human body, and figuring out the puzzle of what can make somoene stronger and better. I made a complete 180 from a law profession to fitness and biomechanics specialist.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.atr-fit.com
• Instagram: MusicCityMAT
• Facebook: MusicCityMAT