We recently connected with Kaitlyn Butts and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kaitlyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I started Ohana Fit and Well in February 2022. I finally decided to bet on myself, my skillset, and my knowledge base to open my business. I also work full-time and was using the, ‘it’s not perfect so I can’t do it,’ excuse. I had completed my certifications and was afraid of the potential of failing. What I didn’t realize was that I was not doing myself any favors by delaying my dreams of launching a personal training/nutrition coaching business. Starting sooner would’ve allowed me to build my client base as well as get more exposure within the fitness and nutrition space. The biggest thing I would have changed looking back would be starting my business sooner despite my fear of everything not being perfect. Sloppy action will beat perfect inaction every day.

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’ve always had a passion for exercise and health. I am a former Division I athlete in track and field, a marathon runner, and an avid weight lifter. I was already helping friends and family with their nutrition and their workouts when a friend talked me into getting my certifications in personal training. At the time, I was also recovering from a second ankle surgery in a little over two years. This was a large struggle for me as I was non-weight bearing for a longer period of time. For a very active person, it’s never easy to go from 100 to zero in an instant. My personal experience with lifting allowed me to be familiar with modifying some lifting exercises so I could at least do something while I was still recovering.

As a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, I offer a range of workout options as well as nutrition coaching for weight loss, weight gain, and maintenance. I help clients with the roots of strength training in an attempt to eliminate fear of lifting and the theory that lifting ‘makes you bulky.’ Understanding nutrition at its fundamental core enables clients to be in control of their emotions around food and make choices that work best for their goals without eliminating food they enjoy.

When I was exploring certifications prior to launching my business, I discovered that there was a certification that would go hand-in-hand with my skills to modify workouts while recovery after surgery. I wanted to be able to offer this to people who maybe graduated from physical therapy but needed extra help in a gym setting or help someone who has always had some sort of imbalance that is hindering their day to day activity and life.

I’m able to work with people in all walks of life, in varying places on their health and wellness journey to help them build confidence around food and exercise.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media plays a pivotal role in many small businesses, especially in health and wellness. To start, I reached out to family and friends and asked for their support. From there, I’ve made it a point to share valuable information for those who might be struggling. Being authentic and sharing real topics also helps to make you relatable. However, it’s easy to get caught in the comparison game and feel like you should have more followers compared to others in the same space. I’ve tried to make it a point to not worry about followers as much as I do serving my clientele. Clientele sharing reviews and referring you are far more likely to get you new clients than having a massive social media following. Just be yourself- your people will find you.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I always thought you needed a large amount of capital to start a business. However, for many that aren’t utilizing a brick and mortar business, you really do not. There are numerous options for website hosting if you choose to go that route but a lot of entrepreneurs can utilize social media as their storefront. Don’t let capital be your limiting factor in starting a business and pursuing your dreams. The advancements in technology allow much more flexibility in your business design and that tends to come at a lower upfront cost.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ohanafitandwell.com
• Instagram: ohana_fitandwell