Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Quinn.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Anna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started in the fitness industry about six years ago! I was living in San Antonio, attending cosmetology school there, and I was working an insane amount of hours in addition to the full-time schooling (40hrs/wk) to support myself through school. One day, when I was working out at one of the local Golds Gym’s, I was approached by their hiring manager. He asked me if I was a trainer, and when I told him that I wasn’t, he seemed perplexed. He told me that I engaged with the customers more then some of his trainers did, and offered me a position and offered to pay for my training certification! I got my first (of 4) national certification for personal training, and quickly realized that the same thing I loved about cosmetology was the same thing I loved about personal training: I got to help women feel beautiful, and to leave after their time with me more encouraged, empowered, and confident!
I spent the next four years working for gyms including Golds Gym and then, Lifetime Fitness. I transferred from the Lifetime in San Antonio to the Lifetime Fitness here in Garland, so I could be closer to my family (they live Northeast of Dallas in Greenville). Shortly after that, I decided to go completely independent and started training out of a gym called the Compound in Garland. Today, I run my business mostly online through my video-guided coaching app, helping keep women who have demanding careers/family responsibilities/and hectic schedules stay accountable to their goals. I teach them how to give their own goals the same level of priority they give to their bosses/families/and others, catering their program to whatever season of their lives they are currently in. I am so unbelievably passionate about what I do and so blessed to have the opportunity to work with these women!
Great, 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?
The road to where I am today has been anything but smooth, but you won’t hear me making excuses. Every choice I’ve made, whether good or bad, has been a learning experience. Experience is a brutal teacher, but it’s also one of the best.
When I worked for gyms, I felt like I was always over-working and underpaid. I remember one pivotal moment for me that took place during a consultation I was having with a potential client. As she poured her heart out to me and told me about her recent financial struggles, I thought “I’m about to have to tell this woman (who had just told me that she was currently on food stamps) that to get the training she needs from me, she’s going to have to pay me $89/hr”… and my heart broke. On one hand, I had been on food stamps on and off over the years and so I understood her financial situation. I didn’t want to pressure her to put herself in an uncomfortable position financially. But on the other hand, I also knew with her injuries and goals, she needed one-on-one training. I was conflicted. I wished I could help her out for a price she could afford, I really wanted to work with her. And that’s when I realized that if I wanted to be able to pick my rate and help whoever, whenever, wherever, I couldn’t work for corporate; I had to fire my boss and hire myself!
I quit my job, and for the next year (which was my first year back in Dallas, 2019 begins my 3rd), I worked myself raw. I had no social life, no friends, my health was poor and I didn’t know the meaning of rest. I worked as a waitress at the Flying Saucer until l got enough clients to sustain myself, and then focused on my business. A year into that, I hired a coach (Brandon Carter) to help me build my online business and have fully switched over to that this year!
My best advice to young women just starting their journey, whatever that journey may look like, is this: don’t be afraid of hard, intense, relentless WORK. People will tell you that you work too much, people will tell you that you need to get out and need a break and need a social life, but those people don’t know the force that’s inside you! If you can stay an extra hour at the end of your workday if you can hold a crying baby all through the night until the crying stops if you can push all those limits for everyone else, it’s OKAY to push those limits for yourself. Let me tell you this: the people that get mad that you can’t go out and drink with them, or the people that are bothered when it takes you too long to respond to their texts… those people don’t understand your priorities. With any and every journey you embark on to better yourself and your future, you HAVE to make sacrifices that show you that you prioritize YOURSELF. Otherwise, you will never believe that you are truly a priority – you’ll see yourself constantly prioritizing others while you continue to live on the back burner. Turn up the heat, crank up the intensity, and put that same determination and fervor that you give to everyone else… to YOURSELF and to your future. Be bold, be brave, be uncomfortable. Every setback will teach you a lesson and will make you stronger IF YOU CHOOSE TO LET IT!
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m an online coach, and most of my clients find me through my Instagram account (@annaquinnfitness). I’m commonly referred to as “The Happiest Person Alive”, and it’s 100% true. When I started lifting weights, I was really small and I didn’t have any curves. Honestly, I just wanted a nice booty, LOL. I started doing a lot of research, and tried a bunch of the techniques I was learning on both myself and my clients (sorry, if any of my first clients are reading this… I love you but you were pretty much an experiment, LOL). My account caught attention quickly because of the progress I was making documenting my own journey, and also the progress my clients were making. I was doing what I loved: I was making myself, and other women, more CONFIDENT and more CURVY! My account grew as I built a reputation for being very authentic and open with my clientele/following. I don’t try to be sexy or seductive on Instagram, I’m just me. Anytime I’ve tried to conform to the sex appeal/image of the fitness industry, it just comes off as phony/not me/super socially awkward. I’ve built my brand based off the fact that I’m authentic, goofy, I love Jesus, and I’m ridiculously happy; I care about the people I work with and I LOVE helping women see their worth and value!
I’m known for building amazing glutes and being ridiculously happy, but if I had to pick a specialty I would say that I specialize in “creative coaching.” 90% of personal trainers have this generalized idea of what’s best for their clients; they ask “what are your goals/what are your stats” and then they say “this is best.” What sets me apart from most is really getting to know and understand my client’s goals, schedules, and mindsets on a deeper level. I understand that not ONE approach works best for everyone – it’s about finding the one approach that can pretty much run on autopilot for the woman I’m designing the program for. I have to be such an attentive coach that I can notice even the slightest decline in motivation, reassess – and adjust her program accordingly. I teach women how to get stronger mentally and physically, in whatever season they’re in. That way when the weight of the world is on their shoulders… they’re strong enough to lift it.
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
Apps that help with life:
Sleep Cycle, Waze, Google Calendar
Apps that help with work:
Trainerize (the app I do video-guided coaching through), Dropbox for organization/content, Instagram and Facebook for client engagement/sharing helpful content.
Favorite Books:
Proverbs, Ephesians and Philippians in the Bible
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
Other Resources:
I’m part of an online business mastermind led by Brandon Carter (on Instagram as @kingketo).
I work with a company called @flextexas who’s mission is to connect and motivate athletes across Texas (which was also a pivotal moment in expanding my reach through social media).
And I have countless other resources through friends/trainers/who allow me to pick their brains / learn from them. I heard it like this once: if your circle isn’t pushing you to make wise decisions outside of your comfort zone, you don’t have a circle – you have a cage!
Pricing:
- 4 Month Online Coaching Program
- Month-to-Month Online Coaching
- Weekly Payment Options Available
Contact Info:
- Website: www.annaquinnfitness.com
- Instagram: @annaquinnfitness
- Other: https://calendly.com/annaquinnfit/talk20
Image Credit:
Featured: Brianna Rowe, Daniela Flores, Anna Quinn, Lisa McCulloch, Ruby Moulin, Amanda Moore, Yesenia Sandoval
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
