We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Gibson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashley, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always been an active and energetic individual with a passion for helping others. I graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in Rehabilitative Science learning to help others in the realm of Substance Abuse, Behavioral Therapy, Human Services, and Gerontology. All of my practical years in school combined with my professional years working at Vasa Fitness in Operations and as a Group Fitness Instructor led me to meet some amazing people who encouraged me to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Under the guidance of my fitness manager, Maura, my Group Fitness classes expanded fast and she encouraged me to learn and teach Aqua Fitness, Cycle, HIIT, Tabata, and Studio Red Circuit Training. From there my students and close friends who attend would ask me for private coaching sessions varying from learning to swim to helping with mobility. After some insistence from my mentors, I took the plunge earlier this year and received my ACE Personal Training Certification which would give me the stepping stone to starting my own fitness business. I did take a few months to get everything organized by setting up social media, business cards, networking groups, and learning from other professionals in the fitness field. Now that I have been doing this for a little while, I’m so happy I did! I really feel that now I can focus on each individual and create customized workouts that suit their interests and goals. With dash.fitness, I can make a difference with my clients and change their lives. That’s what makes me happy. Making people feel better and move better while also having fun!
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am here to provide fun and functional fitness. For the majority of individuals the hardest part is getting to the gym or honestly just building a routine. That’s where I come in…. I start all my clients with a complimentary session to discuss goals, dreams, expectations, and just getting to know where they’d like to be from my program. From there I start to curate workouts that are essential for your physical goals but also creative and fun that want to do them. I have a client who is a Gamer and to inspire her to enjoy our workouts to the fullest I have created Dungeons & Dragons Character themed circuits related to her fitness goals! Honestly those are some of my favorite workouts and I do them at home, too! No matter what your interests are, I like to merge those ideas with fitness. It’s not an easy endeavor because I do put a lot of time into my programs and update them accordingly to my clients progressions. I’m always creating and learning so I can provide the best for my clients. The hardest challenge is evolving with this year and how businesses are changing including mine. My biggest adjustment was the use of virtual classes which has become the bulk of my business. I did have to go through a few platforms to figure out which worked best for viewing purposes. I have learned that I’m never going to stop learning and to listen to the advice of those who have done this before me. Best advice I received… Keep Moving Forward.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Red Rocks Amphitheater to accomplish your daily steps. Bear Creek Lake Park to Paddleboard, Kayak, and try your hand at Archery. Waterton Canyon for a 12 Mile hike with Mountain Goats included. MyFitFoods in DTC is my go-to for fresh and healthy meals. On a Thursday night you may catch me hitting up Voodoo Donuts for a Grape Ape. For a cool night out 1UP Arcade Bar is so fun! DAE GEE and Bonchon Chicken are definitely my favorites!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to thank Tawnya McKenney, Brenda Bickerton, Maura Campbell, Shirley, my parents, Bill Gibson and Jin Kim, my little sister, Courtney Gibson for mentoring and pushing me to make this dream a reality. My original fitness students: El Dantzler, Anna Behling, Laura Walter, Leslie Murray, and Alyssa Ulrich for learning and growing with me! The boys: Nick, Wyatt, Drake, Matt, Eric, Kevin, and Rob. Thanks for the support and being good friends. Thank you ALL for always Inspiring me and Encouraging me, because without all of you dash.fitness wouldn’t be the same.
Website: https://www.thumbtack.com/co/denver/personal-trainers/dashfitness/service/401635274776985608?service_pk=401635274776985608&project_pk=399970130609102856&lp_request_pk=402636793586450434&zip_code=80214&keyword_pk=367799063816675332&click_origin=pro%20list%2Fclick%20pro%20avatar&sourcePage=&sourceEvent=&utm_source=cma-google&utm_campaign=s-t-1664689605-59670161890-321162491167-aud-496084142097%3Akwd-301400290465-e&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwuD7BRDBARIsAK_5YhX2lS4VLTpLHtGF2qJB3v285LjZ0ptEUXB_13DY6TdjRBploo0FXE8aAjquEALw_wcB
Instagram: dash.fitness
Image Credits
Tawnya McKenney Brenda Bickerton Danielle Lewitinn El Dantzler Anna Behling Laura Walter Leslie Murray Alyssa Ulrich