Walk Yourself to Fitness with FitWalk Fitness

Every local business has a story worth sharing with the community. This series is as much about supporting companies as it is about celebrating the places and faces that make our community special.

Our spotlight today is on Tracey Gerety of FitWalk Fitness.

Business: FITWALK_Fitness
Owners: Tracey Gerety
Website: www.traceygerety.com
Address: We meet at the Bronxville Pond on the Tuckahoe side
Contact_Info: 914 498-8722; fitwalk@traceygerety.com

How did you come up with the name?
FitWalk is an outdoor traveling bootcamp. The name fits the business. The base of the workout is walking, but it encompasses an entire mind and body workout with healthy acclimates to help our clients get fit and live healthy.

Why choose that location? Why start a business in this town?
The bronx river path is an ideal location for the traveling bootcamp. The natural surroundings, paved clear path and fatalistic energy of nature and activity make it an ideal place. The bronxville pond is .8 of a mile making it an ideal workout with all the stops along the benches to add in strength training and team work.

Briefly, what business are you in?
Fitness

What’s the most difficult moment or challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?
At one point I expanded the business too quicky, adding in overhead and extra trainers before I had a clear marketing and business plan. My overhead and extra trainers became too costly and I had to scale down in order to make a better business plan. Now we are thriving, adding new clients and training trainers in our method so we can grow as one company.

Were there any challenges that made you second guess your decision to be an entrepreneur?
Yes, When I take on too much. Its challenging as a business owner to hold all the hats, Marketer, sales person, web designer, technician PR person and owner. But I never plan on quitting, once you are and entrepreneur its in your blood and the ideas keep flowing.

What’s been your favorite moment or proudest achievement since opening?
Helping others and seeing them reach thier goals. Watching people change their lives for the better.

What’s the most innovative idea your employees or customers have had that you put into practice?
Every class I learn something from my clients. How to switch modes, add partner work or up the intensity to help them keep pushing.

How do you deal with difficult customers?
I have been very fortunate to have minimal difficult clients. I only had one client ask for a refund and I happily gave it to her. If the program is not right for you, then you shouldn’t be a part of it. My business is about helping people live happy lives, so if they don’t come in happy they will definitely leave feeling better and that’s all I can ask. :-)

How does your business give back or get involved in the community?
We just implemented the “FitWalk to Help” program, where each month we offer a class to a local charity in NEED. Last month we raised money for the westchester food bank. Next month will be another local charity.

The plan behind this series at Patch is to shine the spotlight on all our favorite local businesses, and to learn a little about the ones we may not know that well.

This is as much about supporting local businesses as it is about celebrating the places and faces that make our community special.

Click here to get to a simple form where local business owners can answer a few quick questions to be part of this ongoing feature.