Today we’d like to introduce you to Kai Kelly.
Kai, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My personal training career began in Orange County, California in 2008, after leaving a job in property management. I realized I needed to connect with others on a more significant level while helping them to improve their lives. From a young age, my family made health and wellness a priority, which fostered a deep love of physical fitness.
In 2007 I was working out consistently, at times excessively, but struggling to make any considerable changes to my body. I hired a well-known trainer at a gym in Newport Beach. He opened me up to the world of exercise programming, quickly recognizing inherent qualities within me that would lead to a flourishing Personal Training career. Fitness By Kai was born soon after. Within two years, my business expanded to include multiple trainers, which gave me the opportunity to mentor and educate them, as I was. These experiences lead to the opening of my private gym and yoga studio in Irvine, CA in 2015.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Entrepreneurship is a road full of trial and error. I have experienced personal struggles of fear, self-doubt, anxiety and body image issues. I am grateful for the obstacles I have overcome because they made me the person and trainer I am today. The internal and external work I have done has enabled me to master numerous techniques to truly inspire and motivate each of my clients in unique ways.
In 2018 I moved back home to Dallas and had to restart my business from the ground up. In the beginning, I waited tables at a local restaurant on the side to make ends meet. Thankfully, I had built an online presence that consisted of great reviews from my dedicated clients, so my personal training schedule was fully booked within a year. I found a multifaceted gym to call home in North Dallas; Extreme Studio Performance. I also train the executive staff of an Oil and Gas Company at their corporate facility each week.
When Covid-19 hit, the fear of uncertainty was immense and required me to pivot my services through the chaos, as every business did. However, it forced me to try something new by offering online services. In April 2020, a former client approached me with a fitness app idea. Through our collaboration, you can now find the “HIIT Fit” fitness app at the google play store!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My services include personal, small group, and corporate training for the North Dallas area. I create fun and effective exercises to meet each of my client’s goals, specializing in Mobility and Corrective Exercise. My clients range from 18 to 86 years of age, requiring me to use a variety of methods depending on their needs and limitations. Becoming more than just a personal trainer, my role transforms into a friend, confidant and workout partner throughout their journey. This lifestyle allows me to do what I absolutely love each day, teaching others to be active and overcome injuries.
The proudest achievements of my career: Top three trainer (Orange County) – four years, Top studio (Orange County) – two years, Two Newport Beach Magazine features, Hotworx Female Virtual Trainer winner -2019-2020.
Do you feel like our city is a good place for businesses like yours? If someone was just starting out, would you recommend them starting out here? If not, what can our city do to improve?
The Dallas market is less saturated with experienced trainers as compared to Orange County. There is a growing demand for knowledgeable and experienced trainers, which makes this a great place to launch a personal training business. I would recommend getting certified in as many fitness disciplines as possible and always continue to educate yourself. Learn how to market yourself locally and network with other businesses. It has been a fulfilling and life-changing experience rebuilding a business I love in the city I was born!
Pricing:
- In Studio Personal Training – $80
- In Home Personal Training – $100
- Small Group/ Corporate Training – $125
Contact Info:
- Address: 4435 McEwen Road, Dallas 75244
- Website: https://thekaikollective.com
- Phone: 949-287-1413
- Email: fitnessbykai@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitness.bykai
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaiKellyTexasTrainer
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fitness-by-kai-dallas-7
Image Credit:
Doug Depker
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
