DANA ATHLETICS TURNS 10

Earlier this year, DANA Athletics celebrated 10 years, and honestly, it still feels surreal to say that out loud. Ten years of growth, challenges, lessons, and building something that started from simply following my passion.

A lot of people don’t know the full story, so I wanted to share a little bit about the journey.

Before DANA Athletics, I spent 8 years working at 24 Hour Fitness. I started as a personal trainer and worked my way up over the years, becoming a Master Trainer, Group X Instructor, and eventually a Fitness Manager. I learned so much during that time, and I’ll always be grateful for the experience because it really shaped me into the coach and leader; I am today.

But somewhere along the way, I realized something important: I didn’t want to keep climbing the corporate ladder. What I truly loved was the connection side of fitness, working one-on-one with people, helping them build confidence, get stronger, and improve their lives in a real and personal way.

So, I took a leap of faith.

I left the corporate world and decided to bet on myself by starting DANA Athletics.

At first, it definitely wasn’t glamorous. I bounced around between different gyms trying to figure things out, build clientele, and create a vision that felt right. Eventually, I found a home at OM Movement, where everything really started to come together. We partnered up and helped build a strength facility that became more than just a gym; it became a community.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the team we’ve built there. We’ve created an environment where trainers challenge and motivate each other while also genuinely caring about helping clients reach their goals. There’s healthy competition, but there’s also so much support, education, and passion behind what we do.

And the fact that we’re still here after COVID honestly feels like a blessing in itself. Those years tested so many small businesses, but we kept showing up, adapting, and investing back into ourselves and our space. We continue to improve our facility, continue our education, and most importantly, continue building real relationships with the people who trust us with their health and fitness journeys.

As the business continued to grow, I also expanded into online training, which has opened doors I never imagined. Now I get to work with people not only across the country, but all over the world. That part still blows my mind sometimes.

Looking back, I’m just incredibly grateful. Grateful for every client who trusted me, every lesson learned, every risk taken, and every person who’s been part of this journey over the last 10 years.

What started as a passion turned into a purpose, and I truly can’t wait to see what the next chapter looks like.