Today we’d like to introduce you to Hope Williams-Bowie.
Hi Hope, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Yes I can! Way back in the early 2000s I worked full-time in Accounting/Finance. Because traffic was so bad in the evenings, I would take Group Fitness classes at the gym around the corner from my job until traffic died down. There was this one Boot Camp class that I loved because the instructor was amazing! One day I went to that class and a Sub was there who wasn’t familiar with the class at all, read from a piece of paper the entire time and never attempted to make eye contact with us. I was thinking to myself “Dang, I know what to do better than this Sub and I’m not even teaching the class”.
A few months later there was a sign posted in the group Fitness room advertising that they needed more Instructors. Not knowing anything about being a Fitness Instructor or a Fitness Professional I signed up for the Training because a challenge is something I’ve never been afraid of. Plus I was already at the gym every evening so why not get paid to be there?. It was a multiple weekend “Instructor Boot Camp.” where they taught us how to teach to any group of people no matter the format and lead effectively from the front. It was equal parts humbling and hard. Looking back I’m really thankful for that experience.
Six weeks after that Boot Camp I taught my very first class in June 2006. I was subbing a kickboxing class for a very popular instructor. I was excited, super nervous and of course over-prepared. When it was time for class to start, no one was there! I was devastated. Then 10 minutes later a few people began to trickle in. Despite a nerve-wracking, delayed start, the energy in that room hooked me instantly. That was the day I fell in love with group fitness.
Over the next decade, I balanced my Corporate career with my passion for Fitness, teaching thousands of classes, personal training people in my free time and earning over 30 Certifications. When my Corporate role was eliminated in 2017, I didn’t see a setback—I saw a sign to take a leap of faith into full-time Fitness. This allowed me to finally pursue a huge dream: to become a Master Trainer for a major fitness brand. I also started my own virtual and in-person Personal Training business at the end of 2017 that carried me through the Pandemic.
Today I am a Master Fitness Trainer and Presenter for Les Mills, a global fitness company that creates pre-choreographed workouts for gyms and consumers at home. I am also a Sponsored Athlete with adidas.
I chalk my longevity in this industry to always being a student no matter how great I might be at something. Longevity in the Fitness industry really comes from refusing to believe you have learned it all!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life outside of Fitness will throw multiple curveballs at you, but resilience is everything! In 2025 I was involved in 2 major car accidents in a 10 month span where I suffered injuries and had to take time off to heal. Before those accidents, I was hitting a professional peak. Those accidents obliterated my momentum. It’s taken close to a year to get back to where I was professionally and even physically before the car accidents.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a Fitness Professional my obsession is helping you reconnect with your inner athlete to build lasting strength and savage resilience. I am a Master Motivator, an Educator (“What’s the benefit for you if you do xyz?”), and a relentless Hope Dealer. I do not accept mediocrity, and I have the absolute audacity to believe that anyone who steps into my classes or trainings will be transformed. If you are in my class, you will adopt a growth mindset that commands explosive physical change. Together, we don’t just chase goals; we hunt them down and achieve them.
Currently I teach multiple classes a week at gyms in the Dallas Metro area that range from Strength, Kickboxing and training for HYROX races. For Les Mills I train other Instructors to teach formats such as Les Mills BODYPUMP at their gyms. I do travel quite a bit to teach Masterclasses and hold Education Sessions for Instructors at gyms that have Les Mills Classes.
I also take part in larger Fitness events. A few years ago I traveled to Los Angeles to take part in a Global BODYPUMP Masterclass in front of 2,200 people—by far the most people I’ve ever been in front of!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
When it comes to Mentorship find someone who wants to truly wants to see you succeed. Someone who uplifts you but can also respectfully give constructive feedback. I’ve learned the hard way that there are “Mentors” out there that truly don’t want the best for you. If the red flags are going up about someone, don’t ignore them.
As for Networking, the Fitness universe in Dallas is vast, and there are events happening daily (some even free!) throughout the Metroplex! Many of these events can be found on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. Try not to limit yourself to the people, places and formats you’re most comfortable with. My husband teases me all the time that I know everybody because I love to work out at different gyms, take classes from different trainers and go to fitness events all over town.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @hope2bfit
