May 18, 2021

Daily Inspiration: Meet Ashley Gibson

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Gibson.

Hi Ashley, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always been an active and energetic individual with a passion for helping others. Growing up in a military family, I lived in South Korea, Turkey, and many states throughout the United States. These experiences were the foundation of my love of people and cultures. In my adult years, I graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in Rehabilitative Science learning to help others in the realm of Substance Abuse, Behavioral Therapy, Human Services, and Gerontology. All of my practical years in school combined with my professional years working at Vasa Fitness in Operations and as a Group Fitness Instructor led me to meet some amazing people who encouraged me to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Under the guidance of my fitness manager, Maura, my Group Fitness classes expanded fast and she encouraged me to learn and teach Aqua Fitness, Cycle, HIIT, Tabata, and Studio Red Circuit Training.

From there, my students and close friends who attend would ask me for private coaching sessions varying from learning to swim to helping with mobility. After some insistence from my mentors, I took the plunge earlier this year and received my ACE Personal Training Certification which would give me the stepping stone to starting my own fitness business. I did take a few months to get everything organized by setting up social media, business cards, networking groups, and learning from other professionals in the fitness field. Now that I have been doing this for a little while, I’m so happy I did! I really feel that now I can focus on each individual and create customized workouts that suit their interests and goals. With dash.fitness, I can make a difference with my clients and change their lives. That’s what makes me happy. Making people feel better and move better while also having fun!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like any business, there are definitely ups and downs! What I have discovered in being in the fitness industry is how I have learned to be adaptable. Being an entrepreneur is very similar to fitness in ways that you have to break out of your comfort zone to achieve goals. In the last year, I adapted my business in more virtual settings to accommodate my clients to be safe during the pandemic while still achieving their fitness goals! The pandemic was particularly hard for many people, physically. With gyms being closed temporarily and equipment being scarce, I had to shift my routines to focus on apartment friendly/virtual environments. The transition turned out to be very fruitful and expanded by business out of state to others looking for the results from virtual personal training.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am here to provide fun and functional fitness. For the majority of individuals, the hardest part is getting to the gym or honestly just building a routine. That’s where I come in…. I start all my clients with a complimentary session to discuss goals, dreams, expectations, and just getting to know where they’d like to be from my program. From there, I start to curate workouts that are essential for your physical goals but also creative and fun that want to do them. I have a client who is a Gamer and to inspire her to enjoy our workouts to the fullest, I have created Dungeons & Dragons Character themed circuits related to her fitness goals! Honestly, those are some of my favorite workouts and I do them at home, too! No matter what your interests are, I like to merge those ideas with fitness. It’s not an easy endeavor because I do put a lot of time into my programs and update them accordingly to my client’s progressions. I’m always creating and learning so I can provide the best for my clients. The hardest challenge is evolving with this year and how businesses are changing including mine. My biggest adjustment was the use of virtual classes which has become the bulk of my business. I did have to go through a few platforms to figure out which worked best for viewing purposes. I have learned that I’m never going to stop learning and to listen to the advice of those who have done this before me. Best advice I received… Keep Moving Forward.

What does success mean to you?
Success is knowing you’re making a difference. Changing lives and feeling so good about the work you do and how it impacts others. Success is an evolving feeling, whether it’s in our careers, family, and social lives.

Pricing:

$75/Session 1 on 1
$100/Parent & Child Workout
$120/Couple Workout

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Tawnya McKenney, Danielle Lewitten, Brenda Bickerton, El Dantzler

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