Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Doyle.
Hi Molly, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My dream of becoming a physical therapist didn’t pan out once I didn’t get accepted into any of my Graduate schools that I applied to. I was heartbroken as I never saw myself as anything other than a pediatric PT. However, going to school for Exercise Science, I was required to internship in a “gym setting” my senior year. I was less than thrilled about this. Working in a fitness center just wasn’t my idea of where I wanted my career to go.
Nonetheless, I fell upon an internship of gold. It was a fitness center inside of a large corporation in downtown Minneapolis. The fitness center was open to employees of the business to use before, during, or after work. From nearly the moment I started, I was captivated. Seeing how I had the opportunity to guide people, who were hungry for a healthier lifestyle, to make changes, I was hooked. That internship showed me that there was, in fact, an opportunity for a long-lasting career in fitness, outside of a “box gym.”
I ended up working at that corporate fitness center for four years. Two of my years, I was a Health Fitness Specialist and Personal Trainer. I ran “lunch and learns” for employees, fitness programs for the campus, personal trained and taught classes day in and day out. It was amazing. After two years, I got promoted to manager.
After four years, I was itching for a change. I had started training clients and running bootcamps on the side. I created0 “Minnesota Bridal Bootcamp” and got an article written about it in Minnesota Bride Magazine. From there, the momentum of my own business picked up. That, combined with my longing for a little change, lead me to stepping away from corporate fitness and diving in fully to my own business, Molly Doyle Fitness.
My business has changed as I’ve changed throughout the last 12 years. It began with me saying “yes!” to every single opportunity, training and teaching classes around the entire metro to zeroing in on growing my business in St. Paul after becoming a mom in 2015.
I rented space at a local fitness center and built my St. Paul business from there. I had so many incredible moments within those five years; appearing on the news several times for my workouts, transforming so many lives through exercise, creating engaging and fun programs for clients, creating a virtual training membership to reach those who don’t live in Minnesota. I did this and loved this right up until the birth of my 3rd son, which just so happened to be 5 days before our entire world shut down in March of 2020.
That was a very scary time for personal trainers and gym owners. We had no idea what these shutdowns would mean for our careers. I had three sons 4 years old and under, my husband and I both owned our own businesses and the world around us was very unknown. It was time to save my business and pivot.
The summer of 2020, I trained my clients outside at a park. I measured and parking spaces were 6 feet wide, so they spread out and we got to work. Training early mornings and back home to my baby during the day. Once winter hit, it was time to pivot once again. It was then, I had to come to the realization, it was to figure this out and get creative, or shut it all down and find something else. I got creative.
I transformed our attached garage at our house into my studio. It was a labor of love but turned out beautiful, vibrant, and packed with equipment to make “at home” workouts work. I created an entire new membership offering – Mobile MDF. I wasn’t sure how it would go; training my clients live over a screen each morning just didn’t seem like my vibe. I am so happy to say it’s not only MY vibe, it’s THEIR vibe now. Not only are my clients loving rolling out of bed 5 minutes before their workout to head to their special space inside their house to train, but they love the time saver of cutting out their drive time, seeing me coach them live, having a group of others right there with them virtually, all while seeing the results they are seeking. I have not only created a workout environment that’s safe for the times we are in, but I have casted a much wider net. I train clients all over our country now. Vacations, sick kids, pandemics, distance has nothing on Mobile MDF.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have certainly been struggles, yes. Looking back on the last decade of my career, I find that the biggest challenge I face is honestly, decision making. Being the sole owner of my business with no team to bounce ideas off of or shoulders to lean on when a big decision needs to be made proves to be extremely stressful for me. Knowing that any decision I make will impact all of my members is not for the faint of heart. Luckily, I’ve got my husband, George. He is my right-hand man in, well, everything! He pushes me, supports me and believes in me and all of my wild business ventures. I truly don’t know where MDF would be without him forcing me to make some serious changes and decisions along the way.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Molly Doyle Fitness?
I am the owner of Molly Doyle Fitness. I am a mom on a mission to transform your mind, body and soul one workout at a time. My specialty is doing all of that simply, but significantly.
I created Mobile MDF in 2020. This platform offers my members live personal training sessions from anywhere in the safety and security of your home.
Through this platform; I have created a live virtual training experience that has been proven to work. For the last 12 months, I have tested the platform and programming out with my current clients. Before I go any further, I think you should take a look at just a few of the many messages I have received after their Zoom Training Sessions.
“Ok, I have to tell you – When we started training via Zoom, I was a little nervous and maybe even a little skeptical that it wouldn’t work for me. You know I thrive in the group training setting. But honestly, after a month of Mobile MDF, I am a total believer in live from your living room workouts! I am sweating my a#$ off and burning 450 calories. It’s insane! I don’t think just anyone could pull this off. It takes a really special trainer and that is you, Molly. Thank you.” Clare, Mobile MDF client.
“Molly! Seven people asked me last night if I’ve lost weight. SEVEN! I couldn’t believe it. Thank you for showing me that I can continue to make changes while I’m at home training in my basement. That was a huge roadblock for me in the past, but this membership is showing me it can be done with you.” Melissa, Mobile MDF client.
The results they are speaking of were achieved by attending only three 45- minute live virtual group personal training sessions each week. They logged on and were ready to put work in knowing I was there waiting for them on the other end of their device, and they knew they would be receiving my signature style of training that is guaranteed to work. I have perfected the exact exercise prescription and programming that is not only sustainable and realistic, but one that actually works.
If they miss a live Mobile MDF workout that day, it’s no problem – life happens. Each session is recorded and uploaded by 9am for them to grab at a later time.
My clients learn the magic behind my signature style of training, the cardio-sculpt workouts. My workouts have assisted clients in losing up to 10 pounds a month at times, decreasing their body fat and gaining lean muscle mass. They see a superior style of training that is results driven. I zero in on results and delete the distractions. All while dancing, singing and having a little fun along the way! My community of MDF clients form friendships in and out of their sessions.
As a member, they will need some minimal equipment. I can work wonders with a pair of lightweights, a pair of heavyweights, a step and a few resistance bands. Trust me.
My passion and commitment to my clients could not be stopped by the pandemic. I wanted to make this shift in my business to keep them healthy both mentally and physically.
Mobile MDF Membership:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday live sessions at 5am, 6am, and 7am. Recorded sessions posted by 8am.
Membership Cost: $167 / month, 6 month commitment or $200 / month-to-month
I will be running a “Summer Camp”. It’s called MDF Summer Camp – live virtual training sessions 3 days a week 5am, 6am, 7am from June 6th – August 26th. https://mollydoylefitness.com/summercamp/
What were you like growing up?
I am the middle girl of three sisters. I was the “social butterfly” as my parents called me. I loved being with my friends, but also loved being home with my sisters, too. While most saw me as an extrovert, and I am, I also really loved recharging at home watching all of the late ’90s ABC Family TGIF shows on Friday nights and eating our favorite midnight snack (that we all still love to this day) chips, cheese and salsa.
I was a dancer. Dance was the only sport I dedicated my time to starting in Middle School. Our team was very competitive and demanding. We practiced for 7 months out of the year. During the school week we had to wait for the Basketball team to get done practicing before we could get the gym, so our practice was from 5:30pm – 8pm and then from 8am-12pm September – February. It was my life for 6 years. My best friends were on that team and the majority of my memories from Middle School through Highschool were in the walls of the gym.
I was a good student and got good grades, but did have to work hard to get them. It didn’t all come easy to me. I always had a job in the spring and summer months starting at 15 or 16 years old. Our parents put a big emphasis on hard work. We saw them working so hard growing up, it was a no brainer that when we were old enough…we got jobs.
I feel really lucky to have loved my childhood and hometown (Faribault, MN). I have such fond memories of always eating dinner at the table together as a family of five, fighting over the computer and MSN Messenger with my sisters, prank-calling boys at my friends’ houses and learning the meaning of hard work through danceline and our many state championships. The ’90s – ’00s were so good to me!
Pricing:
- $167 / month – 6 Month Mobile MDF Membership
- $200 / month – Month-to-Month Membership
Contact Info:
- Email: mollydfitness@gmail.com
- Website: Mollydoylefitness.com/mobilemdf
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollydoylefitness/
- Facebook: Mollydoylefitness
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaXBkdl9T2SirUqVXvK5Jrg
Image Credits
Sarah Health Photography
