It's my job to help health clubs implement Kettlebells into their facilities. That includes demonstrating the value, providing the equipment, training the trainers and going into the club to get the program up and running. We've trained over 3,000 personal trainers to date.

EDUCATION | BS in Secondary English Education (7-12) and an MS in Teaching, Curriculum and Development from the University of Rochester. I am a certified Pilates instructor under Romana Krysanowska and worked with Keli Kane at the Kane School of Core Integration. I'm also certified as a personal trainer through ACE, have a USAW Club Coach certification, and have a black belt in iaido (Japanese traditional art of drawing and resheating the sword).

HOW TO GET STARTED | My research skills as a former writer and editor have been very handy. I'm constantly reading every trade journal I can get my hands on. My advice for anyone is to subscribe to the trade journals in your industry and read all the industry blogs. I've learned so much by reading about people who've been where I am and have done what I want to do. Honestly, if you're not doing the research, you're flying blind. In the book "Tribes" Seth Godin talks about how passionate entrepreneurs have so many tools available to them on the Internet to create their own tribes and build their businesses faster. I agree, but also believe that nothing can substitute for face to face interaction to sell people on your ideas. Pandora.com is a great example...the founder tours around the country hosting meet-ups to generate excitement about his company.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | A love for the product and a love for movement - you don't have to look like a body-builder. As a fitness sales professional, you also have to have a thick skin for handling rejection and when people rip off your programs.

how I got started | I was a health and fitness editor for the now defunct woof.com when I first came across the kettlebell. I just couldn't shake the feeling that it could be the next big thing in fitness. There was only one guy in the entire country at that point who was doing it - and I happened to know him. I pitched a marketing plan to him and his business partner to go after the "fern and mirror" crowd (referring to the gym-going crowd) and was turned down soundly. They wanted to go a different direction...so I went out on my own with their blessing. I remember taking the kettlebells in my backpack from gym to gym to meet with personal training managers and convince them to buy into the program. A lot of them kicked me to the curb, but some showed at least tentative interest. I kept building the business from there.

why this job?| It's rewarding to be a part of an industry where there is so much going on. Especially now when physical fitness is really becoming a priority with healthcare companies and even the government - because they see how it can reduce costs. When I was a personal trainer, I loved working with clients on a personal level. But now I'm able to affect more people than I ever could as a trainer by educating other trainers about how to use kettlebells with their clients.

why I love this job!| I'm constantly surrounded by incredibly talented people who are excited about what kettlebells have to offer. I love when my instructors add to my ideas and take the program to a whole new level. Sometimes when I follow-up with gym owners or personal training managers after the training they'll tell me more trainers are interested and ask when we're coming back. That feels pretty good. And, as a fellow entrepreneur, I also love that I'm able to help small gym owners make more money.

my typical day| I used to spend time on administrative activities, but in order to grow the company I had to get out of my own way and hire some help. Now I concentrate on making sales calls, marketing, and following-up after teacher trainings. For example, we conducted training last weekend in Minnesota, California, and New York and it's up to me to call the Exercise Managers and ask how it went, what the next steps are, and keep the momentum going. I still cold call, too...cold calling is definitely not dead. My main responsibilities are to ensure the product/educational offerings are as good as they can be, that we're doing the best we can to put out more course offerings, that we maintain high standards from our lead instructors and assistant instructors, and that our customers (gym owners and the class participants) are happy and feel that they got a great experience with the training.

what they are | Kettlebells aren't patentable, so it can seem like everyone in the industry is trying to undercut each other. We've distinguished ourselves with our education programs and we're the best in the industry because of it. Since there's less patent protection, intellectual property is everything. It can also be challenging to convince a manager or gym owner who's been offering the same programs for years to open his mind and try something new.

all about growth | Generally people don't go into the fitness industry to get rich. It's difficult to make high six-figures, but it's a very ideological and rewarding career. It's also a very competitive industry, with increasing regulation and third party accreditations, so people who aren't as serious about it are getting weeded out. People who really love what they do, love the industry, and who are constantly reading and learning will definitely find a place in the industry and will have loyal clients. The cream rises to top in this industry because it's very personal.

my website| http://kettlebellconcepts.com/