Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Watson.
Hi Marcus, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’ve always had an interest for fitness. In high school, I began to workout as a hobby that grew into a passion. I worked out consistently and loved the overall feeling I achieved. Growing up my family has always had many health-related illnesses. I wanted a way to reach them and others to make an impact in some form. I went to college and finished with a degree in Physical Education. During my time I worked in the fitness center and grew an affinity for how people moved through exercise. It was amazing to see all the different body types working out. I took my first job as a personal trainer at LA fitness in 2007 and began to study, research, and compile diverse certifications in the field of health and wellness. During my year’s training there, I gained experience from a wide array of clients of different fitness levels, age, ability, and goals. In 2014, I launched 57Fit while working full-time at a college here in MN. I would train in any spare time I had but was confined due to having a newborn child, a full-time job, and other responsibilities that didn’t allow me to take on clients. I knew I needed to make a shift if I wanted to provide service to them. I began to receive more inquires for training and had to make a decision. In 2015, I left the field of education and began training again. I started with a small group of about 2-4 and began to acquire new clients over the years. This allowed me to go full-time in 6 months and continue to build the brand. Today I have coached over more than 300 clients and continue to do so to this day. We have a strong community of people who love to come together for the purpose of feeling good, moving well, and being strong.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Making enough income to provide for my family. Personal training is never linear. Some months are good and some bad. This is based on where people are in their life and their level of commitment to their fitness.
Finding space to operate in which allows you the flexibility to come and go as you may.
Equipment for gyms can be very pricey.
Retaining clients
Creating a community of individuals who advocate for the work you do. Personal training is an unregulated field so it’s inundated with personal trainers who look the part but may not have the knowledge behind training. If you’re not showing skin or doing extreme exercises you may be overlooked by the masses of people.
Creating a lasting brand and finding a niche that is needed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about 57Fit?
57Fit is an inclusive gym. We want anyone who wants to improve their overall health and wellness regardless of who they are. I provide personal training, online coaching, and nutritional coaching. I specialize in working with the general population. I hold certifications as a personal trainer, nutrition coach, fitness nutrition coach, youth exercise specialist, and women’s fitness specialist. One thing that has attracted numerous people to me is my extensive work with women. Majority of my clientele have been women of all ages. The brand prides itself on breaking the stigma of women lifting heavy and providing a no-nonsense approach to working out while debunking myths and standards placed on women. I have been coaching for close to 14 years and am still very passionate about what I do. I stay away from body shaming, talking about weight, belittling clients, yelling, and remaining human. One of the big things in our field is trainers create a persona about themselves that they are perfect in what they do on a daily basis.
We offer semi-private training which is our biggest attraction. This is when up to four people are in the same session. Everyone has individualized workouts based on their goals and I am there every step giving guidance and correcting technique. We have created community throughout these sessions and it’s amazing to see complete strangers coming together for the common goal of health and well-being.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Melissa Taylor (fiancé) has supported me every step of the way. She has helped create content, give her business perspective, and mad sure I continue to move in a positive direction through her insight and experience.
My family has supported my decisions along the way. They cheer on and want nothing but the best.
Imani Vincent gave me the initial idea to go for my dreams before I went full-blown into training.
My clients have been pivotal over the years. Some have been with me since the inception. Through them, I have learned more about building relationships and how to work with so many people. We have built a community and they have supported me since day one.
Danny Yaegar for providing space, opportunities, and being a flexible and amazing person.
Marcus and family from True Grit Society Gym- Awesome conversations from a like-minded gym owner who has supported the business in such an amazing way.
My daughter (8) for being my biggest cheerleader.
Lastly, my mother who is responsible for the brand name and giving me a reason to pursue this all.
Pricing:
- Semi-private coaching $400-600 monthly
- Online coaching- $200 monthly
- Nutritional coaching $65 hour
- Private training $65-80 hour
Contact Info:
- Email: marcus@57fit.com
- Website: www.57fit.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/57fitfam
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/57fit
Image Credits
Samantha Chin
