We were lucky to catch up with Melissa Moore recently and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

When the pandemic hit in March of 2020 and gyms (as well as most businesses) shut down around the country, I was unsure about my future as a full time personal trainer. This had been my career for almost 10 years. It’s all I’d done since graduating college. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to start training a few of my regular clients virtually. It started small and I wasn’t sure it would grow into anything, but by August of 2020 I made the decision not to go back to the gym I’d been working at pre-pandemic. It was definitely a risk. I didn’t have a well thought out business plan, but I had an amazing community supporting me and a passion to empower women to gain confidence and strength through strength training. This was the start of my business, Moore Fit. It’s been over 2 years now and has been an incredible journey! I am continually learning and trying to be flexible as a small business owner. I am so thankful for the wonderful clients I get to work with day after day. They are the reason I have stayed in the business of personal training. I love building relationships with them and seeing how making small, sustainable changes in their health has a positive impact on every aspect of their lives. I’m grateful I was able to take this risk and for all the people who’ve supported me along the way!

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 studied Kinesiology – Health & Wellness in college and did an internship with the YMCA during that time. I was hired as Fitness Staff and got my first Training Certification a few months later. I always say I fell into Personal Training, but I’ve stayed because I love the relationships I get to build with my clients and the progress I am able to see them make. I worked at the YMCA for almost 10 years and became one of the top trainers in the Twin Cities YMCA’s before starting my own business, Moore Fit. At Moore Fit we focus on strength, community, accountability, and fun! I am passionate about helping people take small steps toward healthier lifestyles, wherever they are at. I am especially excited about coming alongside women and giving them the confidence and skills to add strength training to their workout routines. One way I’ve done that is through a community called Women on Weights. It began with a group of 4 women and has grown to a community of over 75 women through Small Group Classes and Personal Training. I offer in person training options, but virtual training has actually become the main way Moore Fit operates. Clients have found the convenience and comfort of working out in their own homes to be very beneficial when paired with a virtual training session or class.

Moore Fit is a personal training business dedicated to cultivating a welcoming space where you become empowered to achieve your goals and have fun along the way. I am passionate about building relationships with my clients and seeing them succeed in developing wholistic health habits that bring them freedom and joy.

I offer personal training, buddy training, and small group training packages with virtual or in-person options. I also do one-time fitness classes or parties as well as individualized fitness plans.

I have over a decade of experience and have worked with hundreds of clients over the years. I am an ACSM & NASM Certified Personal Trainer, along with many other fitness certifications.

I specialize in equipping women to gain confidence in their health journeys and their abilities to strength train effectively and efficiently. We have a strong community of women committed to their health journeys through Women on Weights. This group includes women who participate in personal training, small group training, free classes, our online Facebook group, or some combination of all of those options. I am so proud of these women. They inspire me everyday, and it is an incredible privilege to get to work with them.

Moore Fit has a unique approach of utilizing the virtual training option to reach a wider audience and really met people wherever they are at. You don’t need to have a fancy home gym to do virtual training. I have an individualized approach with each client and session, so I work with whatever equipment is available and suggest small additions as training progresses. The virtual training option is also perfect for someone who might not feel comfortable in a gym setting or has a busy schedule and can appreciate not having to commute to the gym.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I take a relationship “sales” approach to training and my business which basically means I truly care about my clients as individuals and am focused on that instead of number driven sales. Empathy is a strength of mine which helps me to connect with a broad range of clientele. I love learning about their story, their passions, and just their everyday experiences. This comes out over time, through many sessions together. Because of this, I think my clients do see that my interest in them, their health, and their lives is genuine. I’ve had the privilege of working with many of my clients for more than 8 years. I’ve attended graduation parties, family BBQs, an ordination ceremony, a Bar Mitzvah, as well as other special occasions and had countless coffee meetups and walks with clients outside our sessions. I’ve gotten to know family members and friends of my clients which has been an unexpected “strategy” to grow my clientele. My clients are also wonderful ambassadors for me and referrals are the other way my business has grown.

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

I am grateful to be working in fitness full time, but it hasn’t always been this way. I started out working 10-12 hours a week as a part time trainer at a gym and slowly built up my clientele over the years. I also was learning and growing as a trainer during this time. I’m grateful for the wonderful mentors I’ve had over the years who helped me discover my passion as a trainer and gain meaningful experience in this field. I had a thriving career as a full time trainer at the gym I worked at when the pandemic hit and it all came crashing down. I didn’t know if I’d be able to stay in fitness, but thankfully with some creativity and support from my community, I have been able to. I love that I have the freedom to offer classes and sessions that I believe will be most helpful. I also really enjoy coming up with new fitness challenges to further engage my clients. Currently I offer 3 different ones annually: a Holiday Challenge, Spring into Summer Challenge, and 10 Day Summer Reset Challenge. I could have given up on my dream of a continued career in fitness, but instead I’ve been able to become more creative and thoughtful about what I can offer to help my clients succeed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.moorefittraining.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moore_fit_training/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063798632162