We recently connected with Stacey Kohl and have shared our conversation below.

Stacey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

My life changed when I decided to become a personal trainer. I was in the best shape of my life at the age of 50 and my friends and family kept telling me to start training people professionally. I was working out with my friends for fun at the gym for a while and never considered doing it as a profession. The idea of studying or taking a test, especially on muscles, bones, or anything to do with biology scared me to death. The risk of failing would be so embarrassing. I tossed the idea around for about a year when I started asking questions to some trainers at my local gym about certifications, timelines, which ones I should look into and then discussed it with my husband. I made the decision to get my certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) CPT, Certified Personal Trainer. Just saying it was overwhelming for me. I was an Interior Designer, Muralist, Artist and a Mom. I took the Rat test in Biology 3 times in Middle School Biology before I passed it. Math was my subject, not the human body! This is a big risk, what if I fail? I would be mortified & embarrassed, I would have to explain to everyone I couldn’t do it. I decided to give myself a 3 month timeline and take the test right before my youngest child came home from sleep away camp. We took several trips that summer and I studied on the plane, in the car, and wherever I could. We even got a new kitten that sat on me while I studied. At the age of 54 I passed my test and I think I was the most proud of myself I had ever been for taking the risk.

Stacey, 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?

I am the founder of Chic Physique Personal Training Studio. The concept came to me after realizing that some clients want more privacy & do not wish to join a gym. I am a Certified Personal Trainer through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), certified Women’s Fitness Specialist, TRX certified, and have studied Corrective Exercise. My focus is women over 40, but I train all ages. My goal is to correct muscle imbalances from repetitive movements and help people coming back from injuries. After I assess my clients I create a customized plan that is personal to each client’s needs and goals. I have been a lifelong resident of Jacksonville and have lived in Saint Johns Florida for 24 years. I have been married for 33 years and have 3 children. I realized after having my last child at the age of 42 and being 100 pounds overweight that something drastic needed to be done to get healthy. I have faced many challenges in the last couple of years that have made me more determined to rehab and help women that are going through menopause. Helping older women regain their strength, lose that menopause weight, and help with rehabilitation is something that I can relate to and my clients appreciate knowing that they are not alone in this struggle. I think what sets our studio apart from others is the personal service, the trainers are relatable, and we have experience with the issues most of our clients come to us with. Discovering weightlifting, working out with a trainer, and healthy eating has changed my life and I want to help others achieve their goals and change their life.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I am a small business and I want to stay small so my advertising budget is tiny. The most effective way to grow my clientele is actually 3 ways: The first is word of mouth or reputation. When I started I had a few clients that I was already training and they came to the studio with me. Through them and their positive reviews and word of mouth my clientele grew.
The second is location. I opened my studio in our office building that we owned. I was lucky enough that we had a space that fit my criteria at the time and the rent was in my budget. The office building is on a main road, so my sign would be seen and I could advertise on our kiosk sign out front at certain times of the month.
The third is my website. I have gotten quite a few clients from people googling personal trainers near me. When my website was down for a few months, there was definitely a decrease in inquiries.

Can you open up about how you managed the initial funding?

I decided when I was putting my Training Studio together I was not going to go into debt, so I set a very strict budget. I sat down with my husband and we set an amount for the business, and I knew I would be buying a lot of used equipment. I bought quite a bit from someone who buys equipment from gyms that close. This saved me a lot of money. I shopped deals and thrift stores. As my business grew I bought more equipment. I still add pieces and replace items. We aren’t fancy or sleek, but we have everything you need for a great workout, from speed boxing to a smith machine to free weights, To this day I only buy equipment as needed and only if there is money in the budget for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chicphysiquepersonaltraining.com
• Instagram: @chicphysiquepersonaltraining
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChicPhysiquePersonalTraining

Image Credits
Stacey Kohl