We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tavia Rodgers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tavia, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

When I completed my certification I got my first client through word of mouth from my family and friends. They knew I was hardworking, passionate, and could assist in providing the wanted results to anyone who could meet me half way by putting in the work. I posted my certificate on all of my social media platforms and received an influx of interest from people who were looking for someone who could motivate and help them reach their desired fitness goals. I was a little nervous at first but anxious to start something so empowering and even life-changing.

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc, what type of products/services/creative works you provide, what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of?

My name is Tavia Rodgers. I am a native of Memphis, TN. I am a former Mississippi collegiate athlete who turned my passion into fitness and health. I am an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of an Athletic Apparel line called Fitsique Athletix. My desire is to provide comfortable work out apparel to fit all physiques. My mission is to assist and educate all who wish to reach their desired body goals and achieve a happy and well-balanced lifestyle that will minimize the risk of future health-related issues.

Most problems I solve with clients is keeping them committed and motivated. Keeping clients motivated is one of the most underrated challenges of personal training. Clients look to trainers to inspire them and lead the way. Dealing with struggling clients takes a great deal of patience and perseverance. It is important to positively push them and cheer them on when they don’t believe in themselves.

What separates me from others is my passion for what I do. Most people look to a personal training for guidance and inspiration. Aside from my knowledge of fitness, my ability to encourage and influence my clients is what makes me successful. The fitness industry is constantly growing. My education did not stop once I received my certification. I am constantly learning to best serve my clients

What makes me most proud of what I do is seeing the excitement on my client’s faces when they successfully reach the goals they’ve set for themselves. As a personal trainer, spending most of my time helping someone improve their physical well-being is most rewarding. You’re making a positive difference in someone’s life.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been both social media and the results of my current clients. When people see how much weight a client has loss or toned they’ve gotten, their biggest question is HOW. Social media spreads information faster than any other media and advertisement and marketing is so important when owning a business. The marketing strategies I use with my apparel line are campaign sales where customers get a discounted percentage off of certain items or even “buy x get y.” (For example if you buy a sweatshirt you get a free resistance band.) I’ve also been involved in pop up shops meeting other business owners, passing out business cards and networking with the public. When it comes to growing my clientele I try to post at least 4-5 videos on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to get my followers engaged and possibly interested in personal training. I also post before and after pictures of my clients along their journey to show people that you can start at any time no matter what shape, height, or size you are. There is no discrimination when it comes to fitness, You just have to be willing to put in the work to get the results you want.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

When a business is first launched, the main goal is to establish your brand and start growing. I am actually still building my social media audience. Unfortunately, this does not happen overnight. It is a process that can be very stressful but requires hard work, dedication, and patience. It is important to know your target audience or specific people you want to reach through social media. These people are most likely interested in your content, products, or services. I have found it helpful that posting reels and using popular music and hashtags is a way to grow your audience. Sometimes it can be discouraging when you don’t get the amount of views you were hoping for, but I’ve learned not to give up and keep posting. It’s not always about quantity, whether 10,000 views or just one, someone is always watching and sometimes that one person can make a lifechanging difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.fitsiqueathletix.com
• Instagram: fitsiqueathletix
• Facebook: fitsiqueathletix
• Other: TikTok – fitsiqueathletix_

Image Credits
Jerrious Farley – photographer Models: Kayla Bolden Sherita Chapman-Hudson Jasmine Lever Christine Martin Wood Marquisha Moore Group photo: Glute Camp Event