Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Lawson.
Hi Kayla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thriver’s mission is to redefine fitness for all abilities by providing more accessible fitness opportunities to individuals with disabilities.
As a previous special educator, I saw firsthand the lack of accessibility to programs for people with special needs within the fitness community. While teaching a self-contained early childhood class, I was frustrated when my students would attend their general education PE class, only to be grouped in a corner and given a ball to throw around while the rest of the class participated in whole group games and activities. This was only one instance of the lack of accessibility to fitness that prompted the motivation to start Thriver.
I wanted to help lead the change and start bridging the gap to fitness by providing individualized personal training and fitness groups specifically tailored to fit each athlete’s needs. As a trainer and a coach who is also in the CrossFit realm, I knew that I wanted to include an aspect of functional fitness within each client’s program. Programs are client driven based on specific goals, needs, motivations, and etc!
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?
I began training my first client through Thriver during the summer of 2019. Nine months later, we were transitioning all of our training online due to Covid-19.
Like countless other businesses, I worried that this might be the end of Thriver. Among many other issues brought through the pandemic, as a relatively new company whose business model focused on face-to-face interaction, this period of time proved to be an interesting challenge.
Thankfully, we were able to use it as an opportunity to grow, implementing virtual training options, and our amazing athletes and parents stuck with me as we endured the learning curve that was virtual training.
As in-person training began to normalize, Thriver continued to offer virtual options for athletes who needed a bit more flexibility in their training plan. At Thriver, we want to make fitness as accessible as possible to each and every one of our athletes. Our goal is to provide services that continue to allow all of our athletes to find success in their fitness.
We’ve been impressed with Thriver, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Thriver is a personal training and fitness small business that provides individual and group fitness instruction to people with special needs.
Individual instruction is tailored to each client’s specific needs, abilities, strengths, areas of improvement, likes, and dislikes. After an initial intake meeting, I create an individualized plan that we work through each week. Clients range in age, goals, and abilities. For some, our sessions look like strength and core work with dedicated time to learn how to ride a bike or swing at the local park. For others, our sessions are mostly seated with the goal of core and trunk stability and developing basic movement patterns. Some clients are using a barbell and learning how to do a pull-ups, others are balancing and learning how to jump rope. Everything is tailored to the client – music choice, session duration, warm-up preference, built-in breaks – the list goes on. My goal is for each client to have fun, make progress, and leave our sessions with a smile on their face.
Group sessions are less about meeting individual goals and more about providing a community aspect to exercise. We meet at a local park and complete bodyweight workouts while playing brain games throughout the session. The community aspect of fitness drives motivation and the desire to come back each week.
Through Thriver, I’ve also had the opportunity to provide PE instruction at some of the schools within the Special Schools Coalition of Houston.
The success of Thriver is built on establishing solid relationships within our community of athletes and their families. As a special education teacher, one of the most important lessons I learned was to begin the year by establishing rapport with both my student and their family. Show up, listen, and advocate. Let the student’s family know that you are on their side, you are there to help and support however you can. This is one of the pieces of teaching I wanted to ensure transferred over to the Thriver business model.
Each intake phone call is handled with care and the individualization of our program begins there. From that point on, my goal is to make sure every parent I interact with knows their child is in good hands. Exercise is more than just an activity to stay healthy. It is an opportunity for social interaction, it is a chance to establish life-long healthy habits, and in our case, it is one-on-one time to continue building relationships.
Many of Thriver’s new athletes come out of recommendations from current or previous clients, be it through word of mouth, posts on parent groups, or information passed down through teachers at the athlete’s school. Our drive to build these relationships has in turn prompted parents to share us with others! We are so grateful for our athletes and their families, and we strive to continue creating a community where our athletes can grow!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Reach out to others in the same field, then keep reaching out.
When I first started Thriver, I contacted schools, doctor’s offices, therapists, and others within the community. Some of the contacts didn’t work out, but so many of them did. Networking within the community allowed me to develop relationships with different groups so that we could work together to offer services and expand our reach!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thriverfit.com
- Instagram: @thriverfit
- Facebook: thriverfit
