Today I’m talking with Summer Bronson, a personal trainer here in Arizona. She owns her own personal training business, Summertime Fitness. She’s originally from South Dakota but has lived here for two years and has had her personal business for over a year now. Summer is a dream chaser and in the prime of her life. She knows how to make her own fun and doesn’t rely on anyone else for her happiness.
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Summer says, “Women need to empower women and we do that for each other. We’re both in the middle of our lives and we’re more inspired than ever.” It’s crucial that people realize that things don’t have to slow down for you as you get older.
Before Summer got to this point she grew up as a kid playing a variety of sports. She eventually ran track in college and knew by her sophomore year of high school that she wanted to be a trainer and have her own gym for training athletes. She got her Exercise Science degree from Dakota State University but she knew she wanted to strive for more in her life.
She manifested living somewhere warm and having her own training business. She says she had a wakeup call and realized that as the closer she got to thirty, if she didn’t try to have her own business now she’d never try. After seeing fitness influencers online and people living elsewhere working out in wonderful weather and realizing her routine in South Dakota was eat, work, sleep, and workout she wanted something different.
Not only did she want to get out of her small town, but she went through a divorce that helped push her to choose to reinvent herself. She got married to her college boyfriend because she says in the midwest it’s common to get married at a young age. When you grow up seeing that happen around you, you might ignore what you think you want for your life and just do what the “norm” is.
Summer says she felt like she was being held back from her true potential and she felt stuck and complacent with her life. She also reminds us that something difficult like a divorce doesn’t have to define you. It doesn’t mean your life is over. She says now she’s on her own and independent and what’s important to her now is finding someone that will love that about her.
Finding Your Path
Summer says that you have to ask yourself, “what’s the worst that would happen?” She found her passion and knew what she wanted to do for work and it doesn’t even feel like work. The leap from leaving her job in Arizona into her own business is an interesting one. After college Summer worked for a few years at a gym that had a lot of hospital referrals and also everyday members. She eventually was hired at a prestigious club and it felt like an amazing opportunity after a few struggles. She was able to make great connections at the new job.
Summer says, “I realized all the work I was putting in wasn’t going to me, it was going to a company. Even when I’m giving my all I made half of what I felt I should. I wanted something that was my own. It wasn’t just a numbers game for me. It’s more about what a person wants.” The foundation of her personal training business is to make clients feel comfortable to build a personal connection with them. The right thing is to put the customer first.
After a year, she was tired of her boss being a bully. Being in the fitness industry she felt that the boss was harassing her for being a woman and being from the Midwest.She felt uncomfortable, and normally brushing it off would work but seeing other woman experience it and their concerns not being addressed, she was done.
Her promise to herself was the next step was to go independent and start her own thing.
The ideal client for Summer is anyone and everyone, younger to older. From athletes and injured people trying to rehabilitate . Summer likes to be versatile with her training instead of specializing. She says, “I get a lot of positive referrals and I believe that if you do a good job and you’re there for a good relationship they’ll want to send whoever they can to you. They can’t help but talk about what you’re doing for them.”
It’s not easy doing something on your own but you just need to find like minded people to help you succeed.
Some of Summer’s short term goals are to create a website, buy more fitness equipment and to rent out a space she can use. Long term her dream is to run her own gym. She likes that she has the flexibility to travel and train clients where she can, but she also wants to have kids in her thirties and get established in Arizona.
Advice For Others
In a time where people want to pivot after the pandemic and start a new way to make money, Summer’s advice is:
1- Research opportunities
2- Educate yourself about your passion
3- Allow yourself to be uncomfortable
It will take time and you can’t give up, let something define you in life or keep pushing forward. You might not be motivated every day but you have to keep working every day. Never wanting to stop growing and know that nothing is ever permanent for you.
Keeping a Positive Attitude
Summer says that faith has gotten her through all aspects of her life. Also, it’s important to connect with family that aren’t nearby anymore and to stay in touch with friends. Lastly, unplug and go out in nature to get fresh air.
Summer’s advice for her younger self: don’t take criticism so harshly. Don’t be hard on yourself. Your failures don’t define you- the dreams and passions that you have for yourself is worth it.
Find Summer
Instagram: summertimefitness24_
Facebook: Summertime Fitness
