Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nicky Perry, Founder of Nicky Perry Fitness, located in Oceanside, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a fitness trainer who specializes in building peaches (glutes). I even trademarked the slogan "Pancakes to Peaches"! I also have a specialization in Corrective Exercise. So my clients are generally women who want to build their booties, but I also have male and female clients looking to address the postural issues, muscle imbalances, and the aches and pains that come from sitting for work for 8 + hours a day.
Tell us about yourself
I have struggled with my weight on and off since I was a teenager. It was a nonstop cycle of yo-yo dieting and purging with excessive cardio. In my 30s, I was introduced to weight training and the world of fitness competing, and I was finally able to achieve the body of my dreams. However, this raised the bar on what I considered to be my ideal body type and added another dimension to my eating disorder and body dysmorphia.
I decided to become a personal trainer and nutrition coach and educate myself on the science behind diet and exercise. Finally, I was able to achieve a body that was part of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. I understand the self-image struggles many people secretly battle with. I understand not feeling comfortable in your own skin. And I understand feeling too self-conscious to walk into a gym to work out. So, my goal as a personal trainer is to introduce weight training and an understanding of macronutrients and nutrition to my clients so they can finally feel empowered, confident and be able to achieve their fitness goals in a way that can be maintained.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My greatest accomplishment as a trainer has to be the fact that I have built my business through word-of-mouth referrals rather than advertising and that I have worked with many of my clients over a long duration of time. My goal has always been to create a community of people who can always access me as a resource for their health and fitness goals and questions.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
My biggest challenge to this day is to find a work-life balance. When you work for yourself and are in the service industry, you have to capitalize on the busy times because, inevitably, there will also be slow times. Also, I think what sets me apart as a trainer is the individualized attention I give to each of my clients. I put in a lot of work outside of my sessions, planning customized workouts and doing research on each client's specific needs and how to address them. All this means that my time "off the clock" can be pretty limited sometimes.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Identify a skill that you uniquely possess that gives back to people. That is your business idea and will assure that the money will follow.
- Lead with service. People will support a business they can sense genuinely has their best interest at heart. Maya Angelou said it best when she said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Create a community. People love to feel a sense of belonging, so find a way to connect your clients or customers together as a family.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.nickyperryfitness.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickybikini/
Yelp: https://bit.ly/3yuH03e
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickyaghaipour/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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