Today we’d like to introduce you to Shuntunna Henry.
Shuntunna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It all started years ago as a young eager kid in Decatur, GA at the South Dekalb YMCA where I grew up active and exposed to racquetball, basketball, swimming, aerobic classes, and weight training. I remember walking about a mile, walking thru the graveyard as a short cut to get to the YMCA. So, this was inadvertently embedded in my genetic code to help others overcome obstacles through fitness. Fast forward to the later part of my college years, and one can pinpoint the beginning of S-Flex Fitness cultivating inside as I pursued my B.A from the University of Arkansas Little Rock in Health Science. My senior yr, I was player, coach for an intramural basketball team and coincidentally, we made it to the championship game. Unfortunately we lost, but we made it. And I coached these guys, hmmmm I like this. Who else can I train.
Then I started training, students, family members, and myself. I graduated in 2012, moved back to Georgia, back to Arkansas, and landed in Clearwater, Fl in 2014 as a sales professional at Lokey Nissan, I walked off the lot and tried to get a job at LA Fitness Clearwater as a personal trainer with my B.A and wasn’t able to, even though I had experience training and coaching, I needed a personal training certification. But, I did get the job as the sales associate. By Friday, I quit that gig, I walked back on the car lot determined to sell some cars to pay for this $499 personal training certification. A few months later, I’m living in Tampa, FL with my then girlfriend and now wife because I quit my job at Crown Kia to just to what I loved and pursue full-time personal training clients and certified as a personal training from ISSA International Sports Science Association. A couple of weeks working door to door for ADT, and I came across a recently purchased box gym converting into a larger than normal anytime fitness, so I walked in introduced myself and gave them a resume and the hired me as a trainer. I tried to juggle both jobs until I could build my clientele to survive solely on training. I worked there for a little over a month, closed a couple of training package deals and had about 2 to 3 clients but I couldn’t commit to the gig without a base pay since I used to a different lifestyle as a car salesperson.
So, I hopped back on a car lot, this time I went big. I went with the biggest baddest car slang Brandon Honda and they had everything. I was making money and it was all fun but I didn’t love what I was doing. I loved the money and comfortable living but I didn’t love my job like I love training. So, I came across the best gym in the world, owned at the time by a Kick Ass Wrestler Kevin Donofrio aka Cyborg and he gave me an awesome opportunity to work at his gym. I was the head personal trainer, well the only personal trainer for the company but he did have a very interesting independent contractor female trainer lady who’s name I can’t recall because she may have only spoken to me a handful of times because she was consistently booked. I mean clients on time like clockwork, and her training style was very scientific and unique. So, I learned I great deal, working for his company. I was initially set up with a base pay, floor hours, learning and cleaning. I eventually build my clientele up to 15 clients, I was booked and still had the base pay pumping. OMG this is the trainer life. I’m loving it. Then he sells the most awesome gym on earth. Base pay went away as agreed upon and I wasn’t sure if I would mesh well with the new owners so, as runners do. We run. Right back onto the car lot. Working for Brandon, Hyundai. Bounced around a few dealerships, continued to train clients on the side and decided to go back to coaching private bball since the apt we moved to had an indoor gym with basketball ct.
Next thing you know, I’m in Hawaii selling cars at Aloha Kia on the big island, working at Aloha Fitness, Coaching private basketball clients married with another kid. OMG, I want to move back to the mainland. I remembered a place that I visited in Mansfield, TX called Lifetime Fitness when I said what I thought was goodbyes to my family before leaving for Hawaii. So, I devised a plan. I was supposed to work at that awesome gym called Lifetime Fitness and I used that motivation to move from Hawaii to Texas. Like a good runner running his last race, I ran over to Family Toyota in Arlington, TX sold some Toyota’s to make some money from the expensive double move. I landed that job as a personal trainer at Lifetime. and it was awesome. At the same time, I was working at Fitness Connection as a trainer and I was loving life. Learning and getting back in shape. I worked at both gyms for about a year and unfortunately I was terminated at lifetime. But, this time I told myself I wasn’t going to rely on the car business as a scapegoat, I was going to train people. I am a trainer and this is what I do. Luckily, I remembered an audition for Orange Theory that was in my email, so I reached out, auditioned and was coaching at Mansfield, Tx Orange Theory. Coincidentally, throughout all of this S-Flex Fitness is continued to be developed. Training private clients, developing workouts, And now because of my experience I am now ready for my private facility. S-Flex Fitness located in Grand Prairie, TX
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Getting fired from lifetime was a major blow to my psyche, but I learned a lot from the company on how to group train clients and how to think more managerial from a business perspective. But, for the most part it has been a smooth road. I have had the luxury of working for the top fitness companies ever and I loved it. I am so glad I decided to pursue this path. My slogan is Overcome All Obstacles. and I live by this.
S-Flex Fitness – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am the owner and creator of S-Flex Fitness LLC, located in Grand Prairie, Texas. I have dedicated my life to helping others overcome all obstacles through fitness. I graduated from the University of Little Rock Arkansas with a B.A in Health Science. I am an elite trainer, certified through ISSA, with certifications in personal training, fitness nutrition, and Strength & Conditioning Level II. I have been helping clients reach and crush their fitness goals through discipline training, sound nutrition, & genuine motivation. My motto is 1 push, 1 pull, 1 step at a time and overcome all obstacles. What sets me apart from others, is my experience, but more so the good experiences that I have with those I have trained. I honestly think they know I will push them to the limits to help them reach their goals. Not in a drill sgt kind of way but kinda.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is a desired outcome. In order for me to become more successful in my craft, is to step out of the box and umbrella of major companies and Flex my fitness swag. S-Flex is my marker, it is created and growing. I have a small amount of clients that have trained with me in my garage for a few years outside of the big box gyms and they are reaching goals. So, my criteria is growth. To become more successful S-Flex Fitness is going to grow and overcome all obstacles.
Pricing:
- Private 1 on 1 Personal Training $50 per Session
- Private 1 on 1 Basketball Training $35 per session
- 1 Week Meal Plan $75
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sflexfitness.com
- Phone: 727-600-7796
- Email: sflexfitness@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sflexfitnessllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFlexFitness/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sflexfitness
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.
