IFKYK...especially if you're an OG member of TGCF.

 

ok, but seriously, did you sing the title of this story to the tune of 'ghetto superstar'?! *immediately sings the title of this story to the tune of 'ghetto superstar'...*

 

ok, back to business... you're here for OUR STORY - here it goes!

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after working at an office job for 11+ years, pouring myself "part time" into a gym that was chaotic and no longer fulfilling and feeling like i so desperately had SOMETHING unique to share, i started quitting. 

 

first i quit the gym and founded TGCF in april of 2021. at the time, it was only evening group classes via zoom in my basement that i had transformed into a mini studio. i even got a ring light. just like the influencers. ​

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then i quit my day job in august of 2021. and this wasn't because my classes were doing SO well that i knew it would work. in fact, i had no idea if it would work (i still don't, if im honest). it was because i felt a knowing (cue the woo woo) deep down that i had to do this. i had to try. i had a passion for helping people move and find confidence in themselves and i needed to share that. and if you know me, i am far from a risk taker so this was pretty major. and terrifying. and exhilarating. and exciting. and the scariest thing i have ever done. but also the best. 

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i gave 4 weeks notice to my job and spent that time building my personal training schedule up in my free time. i bought a ton of new equipment on facebook marketplace and continued to upgrade my basement into a functioning studio that others would actually want to workout in. on my last day at my job, i had locked in 7 clients to start the following week. 

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for the next 5 months i learned how to train people. i gathered feedback. i took continuing education courses. i worked with a business coach. i built my schedule. i began honing my programming style (which will never end). i worked with a graphic designer and got a logo. i ordered and sold merch. i filmed about 700+ demo videos for my exercise library on the app i used to program. i learned how to budget my time and energy (still working on that!). i tried anything i wanted to in terms of offerings or sales...i kept what worked and moved on from what didn't. i learned the ever growing amount of hats i would wear as a business owner. i got to know my clients and learned how to read their energy. i worked on clarifying my mission and vision. i constantly revisited why i was doing what i was doing. i earned a FULL schedule and waiting list....

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and then my condo association told me i was no longer allowed to run my business out of my home - i had 30 days to find an alternative space. womp womp womp. 

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this was stressful, devastating, and difficult news BUT it was a push. it was the next step. just not on the timeline i had envisioned. so the search was on!

 

i hired a realtor immediately. after falling in love with a space on the winooski circle, 7 weeks into negotiations, the entire deal fell apart and i was back at square 1. hindsight is 20/20, as they say and turns out the perfect space in the south end was waiting for me (PS. this is an extremely overly simplified version of those 7 weeks. it was hell. i cried a lot. i questioned everything. i thought it was over).

 

i applied for the space on the ground level (ie the basement - full circle moment!) in the maltex building on pine street. we moved in on april 9th and we've been training our little hearts out every day since!

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it's been an absolute whirlwind so far but i can't imagine it any other way. i am in love with the fact that my 'job' is to help people find their strength every day - i mean, how frickin cool is that!? i am honored to work with the coolest humans that have all genuinely become friends and family. 

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my mission has been to create a space that felt safe, welcoming, and inclusive - somewhere you look forward to spending time in. i knew if i could successfully offer this, a family would be built. 

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if you made it to the end, cheers. im a rambler.

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thank you for being here, 

xoxo hilary

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ps. the name TAKE GOOD CARE FITNESS originates from my therapist's sign off in the majority of our meetings. we had many many conversations about TGCF before it was TGCF...she would always say, 'take good care' when we were done. i loved that - if we take good care of ourselves and each other, we'll feel good for our whole lives. 

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