Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaron Williams.
Hi Jaron, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Part of how I got into training has to do with my love of movement: sports, exercise, and dance were all big parts of my life. But more important was I always had a desire to help people in some way. I heard many times growing up that “helping people” isn’t a real career; you can’t just walk down the street looking for good deeds to do, as much as that sort of thing had an appeal for me.
So personal training wasn’t on my radar at all. I actually studied literature and zoology for a while until I happened to get a job offer at a personal training school from a close friend. I decided to accept the job, and that’s what opened my eyes to the personal training career path, and I knew within a few months that it was something I could do. In less than a year I completed my certifications, left the job, and started my own training practice, and here I am 13 years later still loving it.
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?
I was lucky in having a smoother start than is typical for most trainers. The gym I started in didn’t want to hire a trainer, but they wanted an independent contractor to refer members to, and I had some mentorship from the only other trainer working there at the time. I’m very lucky to have had that kind of support starting out.
But it’s definitely not always the smoothest road. Sometimes the seasonality of the year can make your business feel slow or overwhelmingly busy, and the COVID lockdowns were a scary time for any business owner.
What I like about my profession, however, is that it’s really what I make it. I can expand my offerings, try new business practices, or take time off when I need to. It’s all up to me to navigate the challenges and do what’s best to get to my next goal. It’s just like working out in that way.
As you know, we’re big fans of Jaron Williams Personal Training. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m an empathetic personal trainer with specializations in strength and conditioning and corrective exercise. What that means for my clients is I make exercising as fun and safe as possible, and I’m invested in getting to know them first as people. There are many external factors that influence someone’s success in meeting their fitness goals, so if I can understand the context of their daily lives, I can help them in the gym that much better.
What makes me the most proud is when a client tells me either “I shaved 3 seconds off my swim time” or “My back pain is gone and I don’t have to see the chiropractor anymore.” Anything like that truly makes my day, and that’s what I want to see for people.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like best about our city is the hidden gems, whether they’re neat book shops or interesting people to learn from, you can find something special if you look for it.
Another thing I appreciate but also dislike at times is the small-town feeling; some days it’s wonderful to be greeted by name at your regular coffee shop, but other times you feel the need to escape to another place to keep a wide perspective.
Pricing:
- 1 session – $110
- 6 sessions – $570
- 12 sessions – $1080
- 1 month of online coaching – $350
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaronwilliamsfitness.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/trainwithjaron
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/trainwithjaron
