Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Heller Chu.
Hi Michael, 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.
After a 15-year career in the United Nations, I went back to school for evolutionary anthropology. I was pretty intent on doing something in that field, probably academia or something research-oriented. Somewhere along the way, I got this entrepreneurial bug that I just couldn’t shake. So, I finished my studies in the UK and moved to San Diego. I decided on California because I was still freezing from a year in England and wanted to thaw out a little feel some sunshine on my face.
My first serious entrepreneurial endeavor involved designing sustainable cleaning tools for the home. I had the realization that everything used to clean the home involves some sort of plastic or rubber or other synthetic, so I started to develop some alternatives. It was a blast and felt very creative, but then Covid struck, and supply chains froze, etc., you know the story. It became pretty tough to move forward, so I reoriented.
In the meantime, I had gotten certified as a personal trainer and was doing some part-time training at a private studio in San Diego. The gym (Werk Fitness) was exclusively for personal trainers and their clients. So, there were no crowds, no gym bros, just people focused on getting fit with their personal trainers. I loved that model for so many reasons. First, it provided independent personal trainers with a place where they could train their clients however they wanted, charge what they felt they were worth, and keep all of it. This is in contrast to chain gyms that take a huge slice of a trainer’s profits so that they’re left with hardly anything. And second, it provided clients with a great training experience. They get to be in an environment where everyone is focused on the same goal, rather than the commercial gym experience where they have to wait for a piece of equipment because someone is taking selfies for Instagram.
It struck me that this would be a great business for me to replicate. So, I moved to Dallas, a city that I’ve known and loved for decades (my parents moved here from New York in the late 90’s). Dallas has always been really good to me. Every time I’ve come here good things have happened, and there’s this great entrepreneurial spirit here. People are focused on business and on helping other to succeed, which I really love.
So, I came in early 2022 to set up my own private gym for personal trainers. I found a couple really great locations in the Design District, but both of them fell through for one reason or another. In the meantime, I really fell in love with the Design District. It’s such a unique area and is perfect for gyms because the warehouses are easily converted into fitness spaces. I finally found my current location and couldn’t be happier. We opened in March of this year, and things have been going great. I’ve got an amazing group of trainers here, and their clients love the space.
I’ve had so much fun working with trainers to build their businesses and be successful entrepreneurs. It’s a great relationship, and of course, I wouldn’t be successful without them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole way. Nor has it been unmanageable chaos. As I mentioned, I had two potential locations fall through. The second place that didn’t materialize was kind of deflating because we had been working on securing it for the better part of 6 months. So, it felt like a lot of time wasted. But we wound up in a great space, and I’m thankful for where we’ve landed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sequoia Training Club?
Sequoia is a fitness facility designed exclusively for personal trainers and their clients. We provide our trainers with 24/7 access, high-end equipment, and a really thoughtful aesthetic. We also provide business development support to personal trainers that want to become independent but don’t yet have many clients. It gives us tremendous satisfaction to help trainers to become their own bosses and keep the lion’s share of the money they make rather than fork it over to commercial gyms.
We’ve also put a lot of time and effort into creating a great environment that works for everyone, from serious athletes to senior citizens and everything in between. We have trainers and clients from all walks of life, different persuasions, and with different backgrounds.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
With respect to networking, I find that organic relationship-building is the best approach. I talk to as many people as possible about their businesses and find that they usually want to hear about mine in return. When you’re genuinely interested in others, they’re more likely to take an interest in you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stcgyms.com
- Instagram: @sequoiatrainingclub
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhellerchu
