Exploring Life & Business with JP Purkey of Perpetual Movement Fitness

Today we’d like to introduce you to JP Purkey.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I mean, wow, when I really think about it, it’s a lot. I originally studied athletic training at Indiana University. It was my passion. Being on the sidelines, doing rehab, and diagnosing injuries was exactly what I wanted. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I was good at it. Back then, you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t going to be the head athletic trainer somewhere. However, after graduation I actually decided to spend a year in Bologna, Italy as an au pair. That was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Nothing makes you figure your stuff out and gain confidence than going to a country where you don’t speak the language or have any friends or family. It did help me figure out what I wanted in life – travel, experience different cultures, and not take life too seriously.

When I got back from Italy, I started looking for a job as an athletic trainer. Unfortunately, I think my abroad hindered my resume. Then a good friend of mine, Steve Ferrah, encouraged me to check out the gym he was working at in Chicago. I was like, ugh, I don’t want to be a personal trainer. My ego told me that wasn’t what I was supposed to do. I’m glad Steve pushed me though. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have gotten into personal training. I ended up working there for about three years and then decided to go out on my own. I started Perpetual Movement Fitness, a mobile personal training service. It was time well spent at the gym. It taught me a lot. I had a great mentor and manager, Cassie Chandler, who not only helped me gain confidence but taught me the business side of training. There were also managers that taught me what I didn’t want to do. All of those lessons helped form me into the trainer I am today, as well as Perpetual Movement Fitness.

I’ve since moved from Chicago, IL to Boulder, CO. I continued my business model and it’s been great. The clients I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had have been amazing.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
That’s a hard question to answer. Can I say it’s been great with a few potholes? From a business standpoint, I’ve generally had a steady stream of work that and clients I enjoy. Now, when my alarm goes off at 4:30 am, I may say something different.

I think what has been tough is learning how to run a business. I used to say, “I studied the body, not business”. In the beginning, I was just kind of taking a guess. After a while, I started to figure out that I do need to get more serious and invest myself into my business. A lot of my friends, clients, my partner Patrick, and parents, Jon and Sherry, both of whom own their own businesses, have guided me. One of the biggest struggles I had was setting my own prices. I didn’t know how to quantify myself and I didn’t want to charge so much that people would just laugh. To be honest, I hate when trainers charge an arm and a leg just because they can. After several years, I not only figured out my worth, but I have the confidence in myself to deliver a quality program.

I’d say the other thing that I’ve struggled with is comparing myself to others. Not even other trainers, but friends. I would see them getting promotions, working for big companies, and just more at ease. There are times I used to think, “My life would be so much easier…”. But in the end, that’s not what I want to do. I enjoy every aspect of my work now. From keeping my own books, marketing, meeting potential new clients, and even doing my monthly projections.

We’ve been impressed with Perpetual Movement Fitness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Perpetual Movement Fitness was created with the thought that movement is endless, always changing, and so are people. The goal with any client is to help them move well and keep them moving. As a personal trainer, I believe the basics are the basics for a reason. I’m not a trainer for someone who wants a six-pack or to compete in a physique competition. I use my education and clinical skills from athletic training to get people out of pain, increase their range of motion, and prevent future injuries. Once a client feels better and gains more confidence with their own movement, then the fun begins.

In a typical session, we of course do a workout. But I also engage with my clients. My number one requirement when working with someone is communication. So we talk about anything and everything, myself included! We can talk about trashy reality TV, gossip about drama, or just talk about our weekend. Fitness doesn’t have to be torture. So sharing and listening is the easiest way for someone to feel comfortable. After awhile they won’t dread showing up as much.

There are a couple of things I’m most proud of. The first is when someone tells me they just feel so much better and can do things that they haven’t been able to. Like wearing a bathing suit or wearing an old pair of jeans. Just today, I had a client text me telling me she was able to put on a pair of pants that she hasn’t been able to wear in over a year. How awesome is that?! But I’ve also worked with an individual with bilateral hip replacements who only wanted to get on the ground and play with her grandkids. I may or may not have teared up when she texted me about the first time she was able to do that without help. Another client recently told me he is out of atrial fibrillation after a few months of training. I mean come on, how can I not appreciate and celebrate these people? I just tell them what to do and they do all the work.

The biggest thing I want people to know about me and Perpetual Movement Fitness is that I don’t expect you to train 6 days a week for an hour or two at a time. When you get a personal trainer, it’s a partnership. It’s my job to help navigate and find what is going to work for YOU. I’m not here to bark orders or break you down. I just want you to feel better and walk with confidence.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think risk-taking is necessary. Now, how big of a risk it is relevant to what you want. In that sense, I’d say I’m a risk taker.

Since 2017, when PMF was created, the biggest risk I took was moving to Boulder, CO. I knew no one here. I mean literally no one. A majority of my Chicago clients decided they were going to convert to virtual training which helped. However, it wasn’t going to be enough. So when I got here, there wasn’t any marketing strategy I didn’t try. Facebook and Instagram ads, social media (which I did not enjoy), and even leaving business cards randomly throughout Boulder. I would even monitor different community Facebook groups for people asking for recommendations. Whatever it took, I was going to do it. It all paid off as I’ve seen a 25% growth each year and expect to surpass every metric I set this year. It’s been amazing. So was the risk worth it? No question it was.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.perpetualmovementfitness.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perpetualmovementfit/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerpetualMovementFit