Two years ago today, Tenacity Performance Training opened its doors for business for the very first time. Please allow me to reflect on the journey which brought me and Tenacity to this point in time. It’s been a culmination of several years of preparation and many years of dreaming. Ever since I graduated from college in 1998, I had dreamed of owning my own personal training business. It was my passion to show others the many benefits of becoming and staying physically active throughout their lives and eventually owning my own fitness business was going to be the way I would express that passion. Throughout much of my career, though, I allowed fear of the unknown to discourage me from stepping out and realizing my dream. I would tell myself, “I’m not yet a good enough trainer,” and “I can’t afford to sacrifice a steady paycheck,” and (my favorite) “What happens if I fail?” The fear of failure paralyzed me.
In 2010, I was able to battle through the head trash and begin to seriously look into what it would take to be a business owner, to be an entrepreneur. Around this same time, an opportunity to purchase an existing personal training business fell into my lap. I couldn’t believe how close I was going to be to achieving my goal of being a fitness business owner. Unfortunately, after a year of due diligence, the deal to purchase the business fell through and I was back to square one, but this time I also had no job. I sent out my resume in search of a job, but I quickly stopped because I knew in my heart I wanted to own my own business and take control of my career. In August 2011, I decided I was going to start my own business from the ground up. I called a meeting of my potential investors, my mom and dad and my mother- and father-in-law. I gave a 30-40 minute Power Point presentation of why they should give me a significant amount of their hard-earned retirement money to start my own business. With a little bit of discussion, they agreed to give me their money and their blessing. Over the next 2 months I worked diligently to organize everything I needed in order to get my business going.
By November 1, 2011, preparation work for the future location of Tenacity Performance Training was underway to get ready for the opening date on November 14th. Around this time my father-in-law became seriously ill. Sadly, he passed away 1 month later. He never saw the product of his investment. Not a day passes when I wish he was alive to see what became of his faith in me. I hope you’re proud dad.
There have been so many people who have played an integral role in Tenacity reaching its 2nd birthday. Many thanks go to my parents and my mother- and father-in-law for their financial and moral support. Since I began this journey, my wife, Marilen, has worked hard to support our family as I work to grow Tenacity. Along with mourning her father’s passing just after Tenacity’s doors opened, Marilen has had to sacrifice a lot in order for me to live my dream. Marilen, thank you for your support. I know I haven’t made things easy for us, but without your support, there would be no Tenacity. I thank my friends and family for their support, especially those who became clients and brought life to my otherwise quiet studio during the early months of business. And most of all, a heartfelt and sincere thanks to all of my past and present clients. Without you, Tenacity would never have made it this far and the future outlook would not be as good. Thanks, again, and God bless!