Today we’d like to introduce you to Darci Daniel.
Darci, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started personal training in Detroit in 2014 because I’d fell in love with fitness, working out and transforming my own body. People started coming to me for advice and wanting me to help them with their fitness journey as well. So, I started off training my friends and family, and people were actually getting results! I realized that I could really help people not only lose weight but to live an overall healthier life. At the time, I had a career as a mortgage underwriter, so I had to train around my 9-5, and even though I enjoyed it… It was draining and exhausting most days.
I eventually stopped, and by 2017 I found myself in LA with a similar 9-5 feeling empty and lost. I appreciated my career, but it wasn’t fulfilling… never had been. By 2018 I decided that I was going to try online training and bootcamps on Saturdays. I also wanted get my certification to gain more knowledge and really be able to help my clients. It was a slow start… the online training was very different, and only my few friends showed up to my bootcamps.
But, I kept working on it and studying for my certification, by Oct 2018 I lost my job. I was devastated. I kept working on my online training and got a few clients in LA. But by March 2019 I was in Houston… with no job, no clients, starting completely OVER. I was fortunate enough to meet an amazing group of trainers at the facility I train at now. The owner really took me under his wing and started helping me grow my business and meet new people. I take personal clients there a few days a week, and I also do group sessions there 3x per week. I also have personalized online training programs as well as quarterly online challenges.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
So many struggles! The biggest one was losing my job… My plan was to try to work my 9-5 and grow my business around it, to eventually be able to walk away from corporate… when I was ready to… on my own time.
But, it didn’t play out that way. I was super down and depressed for months. I’ve been working since I was 17, I’d never not had a job and I’d never LOST a job. It affected my confidence, self-worth and made me think less of myself. I remember asking GOD to remove all of the distractions from my life so I could focus on trying to pursue my passion… I figured He’d remove people and situations… but my job? My salary? my benefits? My livelihood?? It was a hard blow and hard to recover from.
It’s still hard because I’m still in my first year of my actual business… going from an employee to an entrepreneur is very hard. It takes a whole different mindset and skillset that you don’t even know that you DON’T have. I’ve come a long way… especially the short time I’ve been in Houston, but I still face a lot of struggles.
Please tell us about G.O.A.L.S. by Darci.
G.O.A.L.S. stands for Get Out and Live Strong in EVERY way, mentally, physically and emotionally… we have to be strong for ourselves and for one another. I pride myself on helping people reach THEIR specific goals… rather its losing weight, gaining muscle/weight, or just learning how to live healthier. No matter where they are in their journey, I meet them there and we take off. Always starting with the basics and foundation. Making sure our form is good, making sure we know what to eat and what NOT to eat.
I also like to equip my clients with knowledge so they know the WHY and HOW. Why we train like this, why we need to eat like this, and how to maximize results. I also make sure I know what each of my clients struggles with the MOST so we can focus on creating better habits in that area.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would have never stopped training in the first place. I would have got my cert back in 2014… and I wouldn’t have put training on the back burner for my 9-5. Even though it was hard, and I was tired I would have just kept going, kept learning, and kept trying… I know that I would be a lot further along in my business and personal growth… so it would have been worth it.
Pricing:
- Unlimited group classes Mon-Fri (7 classes a week) $120 per month
- Personal training sessions $30 each
- FREE Saturdays and 10am and 11am.
Contact Info:
- Address: 19120 FM 529 Unit E Cypress, TX
- Phone: 313-469-3032
- Email: goalsbydarci@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goalsbydarci_/
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