We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katie Szymanski a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Katie, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
First, I want to clarify that I’m certainly not the only one in the industry who does this, nor am I the most vocal (for no real reason other than I’m still more in the “sit back and learn” phase).
I’m a body positive/body-neutral personal trainer and I don’t emphasize or prioritize weight loss.
Weight loss is such a common facet in the fitness industry, to the point where weight loss is an expected goal for virtually everyone. I’ve read stories of people going to meet with a personal trainer who, without asking any questions about their needs or goals, tells them what they need to do to lose weight. I’ve heard horror stories from my own clients about being pushed through uncomfortable and painful exercises that their bodies weren’t made for, or they just weren’t ready for yet. We’re at a point where people care more about weight than health, (which is not the same thing, and not as correlated as everyone believes). I’m sick of that narrative, and I’m not going to let my clients suffer because of it. I care much more about them moving without pain and enjoying life than a number on a scale.
Katie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Katie (she/her), I’m a NASM-certified personal trainer from Tampa, FL, currently living in Blacksburg, VA. I love to hike, travel, and recently started indoor climbing!
I got into personal training after starting my own fitness journey, which didn’t happen until I was in college. I grew up in a bigger body so my first experiences with physical activity, mostly in the form of P.E. at school, had me feeling pretty negative about exercise. Outside of school, I was pushed to do fitness classes and go to the gym because I was fat. I hated the activity, and I grew to have some pretty negative feelings about my body.
My opinions changed in college, when I went on a hike that I almost couldn’t finish. I had a hard time climbing stairs at the end of the trail and my whole body hurt, which was a little crushing because hiking was the one physical activity I actually enjoyed.
At that point I knew I wanted to change things, but I didn’t approach it in a healthy way and a lot of my motivation came from me not liking my body. After unlearning all the negativity and bad habits I’d gotten into trying to change, I realized that I could help other people change their feelings and mindsets, and not make the same mistakes I did. I studied hard, passed the NASM certification exam, and got to work!
As gyms were shut down during the pandemic, the facility I worked at allowed me to take clients online. Only one of my clients took up this offer, but it was the start of something great. I worked really hard to put a business plan together and in November of 2020, officially started SyzFIT. After nearly two years, I rebranded to a more focused and holistic approach with Sprout Wellness!
I provide private and semi-private personal training and customized workout plans to help people of all bodies and abilities reach their fitness and wellness goals. I’m especially passionate about helping people change the way they feel about their body, as well as improve their mobility and move with less pain and discomfort since that’s what I most relate to.
When it comes to what sets me apart, again, I think my perspective and philosophy really differ from a lot of what you see in the fitness industry. I’m not a small body, I don’t have a lean, muscly physique, and I’m not here to help bodybuilders get show-ready. I’m an exercise coach in a normal body helping normal people find ways to get more active, improve their health, and feel better.
I think this approach can take a lot of the pressure off people who are hesitant to work out, or feel they have to get to a certain level of fitness before they can start personal training.
I do want to clarify that I still work with people who want to lose weight! I work hard with these clients to make sure we’re approaching their goals with the right mindset and for the right reason, and employing safe and healthy techniques. I’m not against people who want to lose weight, but I strive to help peopel find motivation that’s more than just a number on a scale.
My philosophy is important to me, but what I’m most proud of is my style of coaching. I’m a gentle trainer. I support and encourage, but I let my clients determine their own limits and push themselves only as far as they’re comfortable going.
I’m not a boot camp instructor and I don’t have it in me to be aggressive and bark orders at clients. I used to think this was a bad thing, but I realised pretty quickly that a lot of people don’t want or need that type of personality. My gentle guidance and support helps my clients feel more confident and empowered, and I think it really helps build their trust too.
The most important takeaways about me and Sprout Wellness are this: first, I really want people to know that I’m not here to judge! I genuinely want to get to know you, learn about your struggles, and help you overcome them. Support is such an important factor when it comes to bettering yourself, and I want to be that support! I don’t care if you wear pajamas or tell me all you want to do for that session is stretch, I’m just happy to have you!
I also want everyone to know that even if you don’t plan on signing up for personal training, I want to help you! I offer free consultations with no pressure to sign up for sessions because I know it can be overwhelming to start your fitness journey. If you have just the slightest desire to get active and change the way you feel, don’t hesitate to reach out! We can talk about things like exercise schedules, activities that might work for you, and more, with no pressure and no expectations. Just reach out!
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Word-of-mouth referrals have been essential for attracting and retaining new clients. I can’t stress how helpful this method has been for my business. It can be a challenge to try and attract new customers who fit your ideal clientele and then convince them of your value. However, when a prospective comes in already knowing a bit about you from someone they trust, the chances of them signing up and sticking with you really improve.
Not every client can be a referral, and it’s still important to market, advertise, and be prepared to show your value, but don’t skip out on word-of-mouth!
It can feel a little uncomfortable asking clients for referrals, but in my experience, they’re happy to do it! Something I’ve also found helpful us offering a free or discounted session/appointment/etc to clients when their friends or family reach out to me about signing up.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the most important lessons I had to unlearn was hustle culture. I see a lot of small business owners (and other professionals) grinding away 24/7 and assumed that’s how I was supposed to act if I wanted to get anywhere.
The burnout is real from this! When I was first starting my business, I also had two other jobs and a bunch of side projects going on, not to mention the stress we were all facing from COVID. Every few weeks I would have one or two days where I was so exhausted I could barely move, but I was still adamant that hustle culture was the only way, so I would work from the couch or my bed.
It’s not just burnout, but also a lot of guilt when I decided to take breaks or do non-work-related things. I felt like I should be spending every second of my free time working on growing my business. I couldn’t even enjoy the time off I gave myself because I was concerned that I shouldn’t have taken the time in the first place.
Once I started to set boundaries for myself and make a work schedule, things got a lot better! I wasn’t exhausted all the time, I could relax during my breaks, and I felt more excited when I was working. It’s not that I don’t have things to get done, and maybe setting these boundaries is slowing my business growth, but it’s worth the rest.
I still work a lot, and I don’t follow a 9-5 schedule, but I let myself have a life too!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sproutinclusivewellness.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sprout.wellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sproutinclusivewellness
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sprout-inclusive-wellness/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/spr0ut_wellness