Jess, 32, is YOUR Personal Training’s PT of the month. Here, Jess explains how she decided to quit her full time job as a Duty Manager at Simply Gym in Llansamlet, Wales, to become one of YOUR PT’s super star PTs.
Jess says: “I’ve always been passionate about health and fitness, and as a child I was the Welsh and British Champion for swimming and lifesaving. Seven years ago I became Duty Manager at Simply Gym. I loved my job and really enjoyed talking to all the customers. I qualified as a PT four years ago, but never felt it was the right time to leave my stable, salaried job.
“However, during the lockdowns I had the chance to rethink, and the time to be able to offer some outside bootcamps and online training plans for friends. I really loved it. The satisfaction from training people is so immediate and it was great to be able to provide a service whilst the gyms were shut. When the lockdowns were over I returned to my old job. However, my role had changed, it wasn’t as enjoyable as before and certainly not as rewarding as the personal training. I came to the conclusion that I now wanted to do my own thing. The pandemic changed my outlook, and although scary, it felt like the right time to officially become a full time PT.”
Jess joined the YOUR PT team and is now going from strength to strength. She says: “I’ve been working as a YOUR PT trainer now for a year, and I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner.
“It is fantastic to be able to run my PT business from the same gym where I had previously worked, as I already knew the facilities and the customers really well. This was a great comfort and I was so pleased that so many familiar faces turned to me for PT training.
“I’m so much more ambitious than I used to be – and I’m committed to making my PT business the best it can be. I’m really busy with my in person and online clients and I’m loving it. I want to expand my operation and might think about taking on more online clients, as this utilises my time more effectively.
“I love to see my clients’ bodies transform and the impact this has, not only on my clients’ physical shape, but on their mental health too. They really blossom, smashing their goals – I’m always so proud of them.
“The one thing I have learnt over the last year is to have the confidence to make time for myself and schedule down time. I look after my clients wellbeing, but it’s important that I am mindful of my own.
“Even though I was experienced within the leisure industry, it was great to still have the support of the YOUR PT team, especially my regional manager. I would speak to him a lot – just asking for advice or his thoughts on something. It’s comforting to know there is someone there for you, that has your back.”