We recently connected with PJ Olsen and have shared our conversation below.
PJ, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?
As a baby boomer who graduated in 1981 (yes…that was 42 years ago!), although structured internships had started to emerge by that time, they were not promoted by the academic advisors at my alma mater. I don’t even recall knowing that those opportunities even existed back then!
I vividly remember the moment when I first learned about internships. It was after I had already completed my college education, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy for the students who were just beginning their academic journey. How lucky they were to have this valuable resource available to them from the start!
But just because I wasn’t offered that opportunity while I was in school, that hasn’t kept me from inquiring about and accepting unpaid internships as an adult — and on more than one occasion! Although my initial reaction to working without pay has never exactly made me want to jump for joy — and to my parents, it’s felt like a questionable life decision — I truly believed that it could lead to full-time employment or at least open doors to exciting career prospects.
I’ll never forget the first time I inquired about being an unpaid intern — at the age of 26, and already having a resume that included restaurant management as well as radio station programming experience in Dallas! I had moved back home to St. Paul MN and was trying to get an interview at one particular radio station in their music department in hopes of continuing along the career path that I had started back in Texas.
Every other week, without fail, I called the Program Director at that one particular radio station to inquire about any job positions coming available for which I could interview. This went on for about 4-5 months! Then one day the Program Director, having become tired of my persistent and still enthusiastic phone calls, finally explained that they had a policy of promoting from within — and typically from their vast pool of college interns. That meant that external candidates like myself were unlikely to be hired. :(
Without hesitation, I suggested that I was willing to start as an unpaid intern just so I could get my foot in the door! Caught off guard, since this was not a normal response and definitely not one that he was expecting, the Program Director hesitatingly agreed to my offer. That internship launched the continuation of my radio career, as I was offered a paid part-time position there within just a few months. From that point moving forward, they held true to their word of promoting from within. I received one promotion after another until I became their full-time Music Director — something that I had dreamt about for years!!
In my 50s, I took advantage of another amazing internship opportunity that led to my current career path. But that’s a story for another day! So what’s my advice to others? Don’t hold back! Go ahead and apply for those internships that pique your interest. Show them that age is no barrier to enthusiasm and dedication. It just might provide the challenge that allows you to discover your true potential and pave your own unique path toward fulfillment!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My backstory:
I’ve always loved physical activity, especially anything that requires a lot of movement. I played softball, volleyball, and tennis while in junior high and high school. I fell in love with running when I was in college trying to manage stress and keep off the “freshman 15”, regularly attended aerobics classes in my 20s, and finally added strength training to the mix when I was 31 due to a diagnosis of osteopenia. My diagnosis of osteopenia came following a year of a daily low dosage of Prednisone (a type of corticosteroid) to combat inflammation caused by Crohn’s Disease.
Fast forward to age 50, having been a runner for 30+ years with 20 years of strength training under my belt, injuries started to become a regular occurrence. As a result of years of sitting behind my computer screen and working in a sedentary business environment, my body felt the toll and I no longer could do all the things I wanted to do because my body hurt everywhere!
In my desperate search to find a way to remain active but keep from reinjuring myself in the gym, I stumbled upon a Master Kettlebell Instructor who taught kettlebell classes here in Nashville. That began my journey and love affair with those round pieces of iron! At the age of 52, I become certified as a Kettlebell Instructor.
While attending classes at the kettlebell gym, I was introduced to the Original Strength™ movement system and realized then how the body can heal itself and remain injury-free when we learn how our bodies are designed to move! (In a nutshell, Original Strength is a movement system that resets and strengthens the nervous system which then unlocks mobility and restores good movement to the body.)
I knew then that I wanted to start my own wellness business and help folks in the 50+ age group restore lost mobility and strength so they could reclaim the active lifestyle they had always enjoyed! I felt confident that I could provide others with a shortcut to regaining their former fitness level without them having to spend all their time and money seeing various wellness practitioners and buying health gadgets as I had!
At age 56, after spending 30 years working in the music industry, I followed my heart’s calling, made a huge career shift, and became a movement and physical wellness specialist for the 50+ crowd in order to help our aging population regain strength, remove physical limitations, and restore their confidence.
The problems I solve for clients, and what sets me apart:
As the owner of Restorative Strength, LLC, I am a movement specialist and I help the 50+ crowd to overcome current physical limitations, regain their confidence, and restore and maintain their strength and mobility for the long term. I empower clients by teaching them simple tools and techniques that strengthen their bodies, brain, and nervous system. They are able to quickly reduce stiffness and pain, reclaim lost mobility and strength, and get back to leading their normal active life!
I like to think that I’m not just any fitness specialist. I consider myself to be a facilitator on the client’s path to rediscovering the joy of movement and the freedom that comes with renewed strength! ;) With my background in Original Strength™ and other specialized fitness and mobility modalities (including 500+ hours of Yoga Wellness), I’m able to create customized plans that meet each client’s unique needs. By teaching simple, effective movements and functional strength skills, I help mature adults improve their balance, reduce the risk of injury, improve their ability to perform daily activities, and enhance their overall mental and physical wellness.
My typical client is an ambitious, active person between the ages of 50-70 who is finding it more challenging these days, due to stiffness and/or pain, to participate in their favorite physical activities (such as golf, tennis, gardening, hiking, etc.), maintain high-performance levels on the job, or keep up with the grandchildren. They are determined to reclaim their active lifestyle, age gracefully, and return to a thriving life! It’s an honor to be part of their journey to wellness!
Types of services I provide:
* I offer customized private and semi-private training packages — both virtually (via Zoom) and in-person (for Nashville folks).
* I have a membership where I offer ongoing live group movement classes on Zoom. Total Body Reset: Simple Moves To Improve Balance And Mobility meets online for 25 minutes, 3 times a week. (A 72-hour replay is made available as well.)
* I created a 4-module online course, Movement For EveryBODY: Jumpstart to Reclaiming Your Mobility At Any Age, that walks folks through simple, safe movements that, when practiced regularly and consistently, will help them to feel better physically and mentally, move better, get stronger, and regain their confidence! It’s currently on sale for $59.99 (almost 40% off)! More information can be found here: https://osi-online.com/movementforeverybody/
* Team Wellness Workshops are another offering for those companies/groups interested in improving productivity and reducing stress amongst their team, or who might simply want to encourage more enthusiasm among members! I help promote a healthy lifestyle by empowering their team members with the knowledge and tools to inspire positive change in their lives!
What I’m most proud of:
What I’m most proud of is how I have taken on some clients with really challenging issues and that after 2-3 months of working together, they feel like they’ve gotten their life back and that they can return to doing just about anything they want without fear of getting hurt again! I’ve had former clients give me a shout-out years later expressing gratitude about how I helped them reclaim their livelihoods!
What I want potential clients/followers/fans to know:
My specialty is in working with Baby Boomers and Seniors, folks recovering from injury or surgery, joint replacement prehab and rehab, and adults living with Parkinson’s Disease. I especially love to provide help to caregivers since they are in need of care themselves! Any time I can help someone maintain their independence for longer and age in place, it’s a good feeling!
However, I’ve also helped numerous GenX clients return to running, lifting weights at the gym, mountain biking, and even playing competitive disc golf or tennis — and be able to do so without reinjuring themselves or experiencing the pain that once threatened to curtail their favorite activities!
Clients feel that I have a lot of awareness of how people carry themselves and how they move and that I often discover/uncover issues that their medical practitioners have missed. I’m known for being positive, patient, encouraging, and supportive. It’s been commented on how it’s obvious that I care about my clients and want to help them make long-lasting improvements to their overall health and well-being!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I realized within a couple of years of launching my business that just having the passion and skills needed for this type of work wasn’t going to be enough to see me through the difficult times that come with solo entrepreneurship! Making things even more challenging in those early years of my business was the fact that my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and was placed in memory care. At the same time, my dad, who had been her caregiver, moved to assisted living in the same senior facility — which forever changed the family dynamics as well as my own lifestyle, leaving less time and energy to work on my new business.
The books and resources that I was drawn to fall in the personal growth category! Here are some of my favorites that have helped me navigate the ups and downs of business and life:
* Mike Dooley’s Infinite Possibilities: The Art of Living Your Dreams
* Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Habits
* Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich
* Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
* Nick Ortner’s The Tapping Solution for Manifesting Your Greatest Self
My daily routine includes opening The Secret Daily Teachings app in the morning as well as The Tapping Solution app several times a day and consuming whatever goodness they have to offer to keep me moving forward each day!
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
I like to tell people that I’ve had four distinct careers so far, and they all start with the letter ‘R’: 1) Restaurants; 2) Radio; 3) Record Labels; and now 4) Restoration! :)
I’d honestly say that, if I could go back, I would choose them all over again! Every profession I was involved in, and the people I encountered along the way, taught me something new and different. I’ve been able to take so many of the skills that I learned along the way and apply them to each subsequent career path. I would not be the person and entrepreneur that I am today without all of those experiences! 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://restorativestrength.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pjolsen_rs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restorativestrength
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/p-j-olsen/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUkyoCeMhT-fV6lkOiX9aA
Image Credits
Jen Creed Creative