We recently connected with Michele Canon and have shared our conversation below.
Michele, appreciate you joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
Fitness has always been a passion of mine, mainly because of my athletic background of being a tennis player all of my life. However, as a first generation Asian American, it was never something that my parents would ever consider an acceptable career path. Doctor, lawyer, CEO YES- fitness instructor- NO WAY. So I did as many high achieving Asians and got straight A’s got into a good college and set my sights on climbing the corporate ladder immediately after graduation. The first job I landed was with a big pharmaceutical company and I felt that it was my first step to being “successful”. Company car, expense account, great benefits, 401k, great salary, My parents were proud and I should have been happy, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t put my finger on why, except that fact that it just wasn’t fulfilling. But how do you leave a career that you are doing well at with all the perks on just a ‘feeling’ that it just wasn’t right. My answer was given to me by the universe when my then husband was transferred to Singapore for work and I become pregnant with my son. What I thought would be a short term leave of absence turned permanent. After I had my baby and while I was living in Singapore, I went back to working out and I had the luxury as so many women do in Asia of having a nanny to help watch my infant son for a couple of hours so I could go to the gym. Upon returning to the states when my son was just under 2 years old, I no longer had the help. Yet I still needed and wanted to workout. I I realized how much there was a need for women with young children to be able to work out without having to leave their kids behind or have to hire a babysitter. So I decided to solve this problem myself. When my son napped I got my NASM personal training certification and then started offering classes to other local moms where they could bring their children in their strollers, get a workout and still keep an eye on their kids. Back then I never considered it a full fledged company. It was more of a side hustle that I enjoyed, gave me purpose and made me a little money. Plus I got to stay active and be with my son. Little did I know it was the start of something so much bigger. Fast forward to 2016, my son is 16 years old and I am 41. My former husband was laid off and asked me to go back to work. He threw out suggestions like retail or going back to pharmaceuticals and I knew those were jobs that I could do, but my stomach turned just at the thought of either. Instead I threw myself into the fitness. I decided to get my NASM nutrition certification and began to teach group classes. Mind you, I am a 41 year old in a 25 year old world. But I did it and surprisingly I was good at it, good enough in fact to get hired by the biggest fitness franchise companies in the world Xponential to be an online instructor for their digital brand Xplus. It was all a whirlwind. Through my experience of being onscreen I put together a series of online courses including the MCFIT Method 21 Day Program and my current MCFIT Midlife Academy. Today Michele Canon Fitness and Nutrition is a thriving 6 figure that included in person and online coaching as well as a line of whey protein powder.
It was over a 16 year process to get to where I am now, and the first step I had to take was to listen to my gut and follow my passion, which can mean leaving something safe and secure. The main challenges I faced was thinking everything had to be perfect in order for me to start. I thought I had to have the website, the perfect logo and the following, which often caused me to delay and procrastinate. I realized that I had to accept that good enough and done is better than striving to be perfect and incomplete. My advice for anyone looking to get into the fitness and wellness industry is know in your heart that this is your passion, do your best to find your niche, and start in your own community. Coach your friends, your family, earn their trust and things will grow. Word of mouth has been my best form of advertising and still is.
Michele, 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?
I help women 35+ achieve lasting fat loss and lean muscle growth through my strength and nutrition programs. Michele Canon Fitness & Nutrition offers everything from online programs, in person strength training and a line of delicious clean protein powder. It is a one stop shop for everything a woman needs to help her navigate the crucial elements of exercise and nutrition in midlife. My offerings are :
1. The Strong not Skinny 5 Day Reset. A 5 day program back by science that will give your metabolism a boost, reset your bad habits and aid with weight loss while still preserving lean muscle.
2. The MCFIT Midlife Academy. An 8 week course designed to help women ages 35+ to learn the reasons behind midlife weight gain, anxiety, hot flashes, etc. And offer sustainable strategies in nutrition, exercise and wellness to help her achieve her best body composition and thrive in her 40s, 50s and beyond. The best part is this is a group course where women will connect with other like minded peers and share their experiences.
3. MCFIT Natural Whey Protein Powder. I developed my own line of delicious, clean, non-GMO, chemical free protein powder to help support the protein needs of women (& men). Each serving has a generous 24grams of bioavailable protein. It comes in 23 flavors Creamy Vanilla and Decadent Chocolate.
4. One on one coaching.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
I don’t think people care as much about your certifications than your story and relatability. You can have all the letters behind your name and a six pack but if they can’t relate to you, they won’t trust you. I have had the same struggles as many of my clients from trying to lose the baby weight, balancing motherhood, career and exercise and now figuring out the right diet for my ever changing hormones in midlife. I don’t ever claim to be perfect, I am human and I am passionate about my clients and what I do and I believe when that comes across to them, it makes them believe what I have to offer and themselves.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Growing up a collegiate athlete, I had the mentality of go hard or go home; no pain no gain. I realize that pushing through pain or just going hard all the time comes at a big price. In my early days of coaching I would push my clients hard during workouts and often do challenges with point systems that rewarded them for going as hard as they could. I even had women doing sprints at 11pm down their driveways so they could achieve the winning score for the day. Now, I would never do that. It isn’t always about going hard. I tell my clients that their recovery and well being is more important.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.michelecanonfit.com
- Instagram: @michele_canon_fit