Most of our team members brought great experience in the fitness industry when they came to One on One. If you asked any of them, they would tell you how much different (all for the better) it is working at One on One. I would like to share with you my transition from being a co-owner of a personal training business to a One on One team member.
For about seven and a half years, I co-owned a personal training studio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We were not as big as One on One, but my business partner and I had a steady stream of clients and we contracted with a couple of trainers who worked independently at our facility. I worked with some really great clients – I trained many of them for the entire time I co-owned the business. I also had the opportunity to conduct lectures and work with participants of the Rice Diet Program, a nationally recognized weight loss program.
You may be asking, “Why did you leave a good situation like that and head to Pennsylvania?” It was not an easy decision to leave something you have invested so much time and effort into, but I will give you the short answer to this question. My wife was offered an instructor’s job at Penn State. With a daughter who was about to turn one, we saw this as an opportunity to spend more time together as a family. With the long hours we were both working, there just wasn’t much family time and we knew that we needed to do something about it.
Since my wife had a job lined up, I needed to find myself a job in State College. I started doing some research on the internet, and One on One stood out from the other fitness businesses. After sending a cover letter and resume to Bruce and Kym, I received an email from Bruce who seemed very interested in talking to me.
While I was excited and interested in this opportunity, I had many reservations. I had been doing things “my way” successfully for quite a while and was unsure if I would be a good fit for One on One…or any new employer. I was taught certain values and principles that are non-negotiable in my life. My previous employers had clearly not embraced these qualities. Accordingly, I was apprehensive about working for someone else.
Throughout the numerous emails and the two in-person visits to One on One, I was pleasantly surprised that they truly believed in providing excellent service to their clientele, treating each other as they would want to be treated, giving before receiving, and being true fitness professionals. I saw that “their way” and “my way” were quite similar. I know I made a good decision when I joined the team at the beginning of last year and look forward to walking my walk with One on One for years to come.