We were lucky to catch up with Sammy Medina recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sammy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.
My journey into a career as a Personal Trainer began after my time as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach at Young Harris College. After earning my Bachelor’s in Exercise Science, I landed my dream job as a head strength coach. While I loved the role, I eventually realized the financial compensation wasn’t sufficient. Around that time, my wife, Crystal Gossman, was also seeking to advance her career as a Makeup Artist, and we had our sights set on NYC.
One day, Crystal was on a photoshoot working with a model, Lauren Walsh, who also happened to be a group class instructor at Drive 495—one of the top private personal training gyms in NYC. During the shoot, they talked about their significant others’ careers, and Lauren mentioned that Drive 495 offered paid internship opportunities that could potentially lead to a position afterward. I reached out right away and applied to work under Owner Don Saladino and Head of Training Chris Wicus. My experience as a basketball coach, teacher’s aide in gross anatomy and histology labs, and strength coach with collegiate and professional athletes helped me secure the internship.
Leaving North Georgia and my salaried position for NYC was a big decision, especially since the internship offered only $1,000 a month (pre-tax) for three months. After some thought, I took the leap. I flew to NYC, and for the first month, we couch-hopped with friends until we found a place. My goal was simple: to become the best coach possible by learning from my mentors and the high-achieving clients Drive 495 attracted, including celebrities, Wall Street executives, hedge fund managers, and creative producers.
During my time at Drive 495, I was fortunate to gain invaluable insights and training from top professionals in fitness and exercise science. As my internship was nearing its end, I received an offer for a role in Corporate Fitness at Unilever. I met with Don and Chris to openly discuss my options. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to stay at Drive, working there from 2018 until 2020.
When the pandemic hit, I was fortunate to have built a strong community and client base, which allowed me to take the next step: creating my own personal training business, Medina Strength.
Sammy, 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?
My name is Sammy Medina. I’m just a kid from Brooklyn, trying to live life to the fullest and help as many people as I can along the way. Since middle school, I’ve known I wanted to work in the health field to help others feel and be better, both physically and mentally.
After graduating college, I started as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach, focusing solely on athletes. Over time, my journey evolved to personal training, where I now work with people from all walks of life. I offer 1-on-1, small group, large group, and virtual sessions for athletes, pre/postnatal clients, and individuals with muscular disorders like Parkinson’s. My goal is to help clients unlock their physical potential so they can fully enjoy life with their families and friends.
Building a trusting relationship with clients and meeting them where they are is essential to me. I’m especially proud when clients realize how strength training enhances their daily lives, from moving furniture to climbing stairs or traveling comfortably. My approach emphasizes hard work, consistency, and a personalized program over punishing routines and chasing the latest fitness trends. This way, clients can enjoy their favorite foods guilt-free and experience long-lasting, positive change.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
The most important qualities to have in this profession, hands down are communication and compassion. 99% of your clientele wont care about how much you know until they know how much you care! Make sure you can translate your knowledge to its most basic form.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
In order to get my dream job as a Collegiate Strength Coach I had to get my degree in Exercise and Sports Science. Now as a personal trainer, as much as I loved having that education, having a business degree would have suited me more and taught me more on how to start a business and the steps it takes to keep it running and successful. In this field you will have an ever rotating client base, some will train for a month while others will stay with you for 1o years plus.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Medinastrength.com
- Instagram: Sammymedina13
- Linkedin: Sammy Medina
