Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rae Dillard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rae, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

Legacy is such a loaded question, but I am happy I get a chance to answer it. I think of my legacy not only in terms of my business, but who I am and what I want people to remember about me.

I think first and foremost, when people think of me, I want them to remember how they felt when they were around me. I hope that a radiate kindness and positive energy. No matter what kind of day someone is having; I hope their day was made better by spending time with me. I believe that people are fighting unknown battles, so why compound it by being unkind. It’s so easy to just be a good person.

I want to be known as a connector and for building community. Honestly, that’s something I love about being a gym owner… creating community. I like being able to bring people together, ensuring people are enjoying themselves, making connections that might mean new friends, new business ventures, or even love!

Rae, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY

I graduated from Georgia Tech with a BS in Business Management. During this time, I was on the track team all four years where I competed in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles. A few years later, I decided to return to Tech to pursue my MBA.

After completing my MBA in 2013, I moved to Charlotte to work in Financial Services. After about a year in Charlotte and doing a little bit of everything, I found MADabolic, and I was hooked. I actually had a few gyms I was planning to try out after MAD, but I knew my gym search was over. A few months as a client, I knew I wanted to join the training staff. In December 2014, I joined the staff. In 2021 I was approached with the opportunity to purchase MADabolic here in Atlanta and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to work for the gym I love in the city I love.

I always knew that fitness was a passion of mine, but I honestly wasn’t sure how I could make a living in fitness. While in business school I started teaching group fitness classes at a big box gym and I started looking into possibly getting my personal training certification and then my CrossFit L1. However, timing just didn’t work with where I was in my life and honestly, at that time I still didn’t see how it would be a career. I think due to startup costs and not knowing where to start, gym ownership didn’t even cross my mind until I found MADabolic.

WHAT IS MADABOLIC

MADabolic is an interval-based strength training program. Everyday day is different, but we have three areas of focus we call the MAD Protocol. Each day we have five movements (exercises) that are well planned and programmed by our founders in Charlotte. We pride ourselves on being able to give you a personal training experience in a group fitness setting. Our programming is scalable for everyone, from the beginner to the professional athlete.

M.A.D Protocol:

Momentum: 2:1 work to rest ratio. An energetic fusion of Athleticism & Endurance. Expect a gradual build-in pace and intensity.

Anaerobic: 1:1 work to rest ration. An intense exhibition of Speed & Power. This is the difference between “exercising” and “training.”

Durability: 3:1 work to rest ratio. A grueling display of Strength & Stamina. Time under tension is a critical element of our programming.
WHAT SETS UP APART/WHAT AM I PROUD OF

MADabolic’s focus on strength and structure really set us apart. Strength is the base of our programming. While we are barbell free, we use heavy kettlebells and dumbbells in our training. There are so many benefits to lifting weights including getting that “toned” look (toned is really just strong and lean) to creating a strong base for life to make you a better athlete or improve you day to day life. With structure we have a 52-week calendar laid out for our clients. At MADabolic we look at our programming as a macro program (52-week cycle), meso program (12-week cycle) and then micro program (2-week cycle). This allows for different focuses withing each cycle, but also allows clients to get repetition with seeing similar movements in different ways, and allows them to see improvements with those moves (increased strength or improved technique)

Along with our focus strength and structure I am most proud that our brand continues to go against the grain when you look at fitness offerings. We strongly believe in fueling yourself appropriately for your life and workouts. We also encourage our clients to REST and not working out 6 days a week. We understand that for your body to perform optimally in life, you need recovery. That’s why we believe optimal training at MAD is 4x per week. We also don’t encourage 6-week challenges. We’d rather our clients build consistency when it comes to working out and nutrition and not lean into quick fixes that are unsustainable.

WHAT DO I WANT PEOPLE OT KNOW ABOUT ME/MY BRAND

I chose to franchise a MADabolic because I love that we are no BS, and I can be myself. From day 1 at MADabolic I’ve been able to me.

Sometimes our branding can seem intimidating, but from the second you walk into a MADabolic you are welcomed with a smile. The trainer walks you through what to expect and takes time to learn about you, your goals, and your desires. Even though you’re in a group setting, you get individualized attention and coaching. We also notice improvements. We love nothing more than to celebrate a client when they move to a new lane or start using the heavier weight in their current lane.

Me personally, I want people to know that between the yelling in class I love nothing more than to grab a drink with my clients and learn more about them and their life outside of MADabolic. I love supporting people in their goals (fitness, career, life, whatever).

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses

I have actually only purchased a business, MADabolic. The acquisition process is longer than you’d ever expect, but well worth it. I bought this business because I love and believe in the brand. I wish I could compare purchasing vs. starting from scratch, but I can only explain one side of the process, but I imagine the processes look very similar.

I was lucky that I was familiar with the brand and the owners so that made the process easier, but not easy. We started by agreeing on the terms of the purchase which honestly only took a few weeks. The real fun came when when it came to the lawyers drawing up the agreement. There was a lot of back and forth to get all the language correct. And then there’s getting all the other parties onboard like the franchisor and landlord. It was a long process and taught me a lot of patience.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Referrals are still the best source for getting new clients. People listen to people they trust for where to shop, where to eat and where to workout. So if you love a business, don’t keep it a secret, tell you friends, family, and anyone who listen!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.madabolic.com/location/Atlanta
• Instagram: raedil009 and mad_atlanta
• Facebook: Facebook.com/MADatlanta

Image Credits
Erin Thomas @queencitysweat Eley Photo @eley_photo