Girl on Fire: Genny “I continually make myself do things that are scary”

Genny Chippendale is a bad ass woman. She is the proud mamma of two and also the co- owner of the amazing Iron Heart Gym where she shares duties with her husband Richard . She is an inspiring fitness instructor, and an encouraging personal trainer. I am thrilled to share this interview with you, and so thankful to Genny for sharing her story with me. I finished this interview feeling very motivated and inspired. I hope you do too.

 Morning routines:

Genny wakes up early in the morning before anybody else in the house. “I don’t like feeling rushed. Even when I worked at 6:00 am, I always [took a moment] for my quiet time and silence.” She tells me she likes to enjoy her coffee comfortably on her couch, where she will reflect on the day ahead. After those precious 20 minutes to herself, the real morning routine starts…

What gives you energy through out the day?

“Momentum. Once I am up and going I don’t get tired”

I am constantly amazed on how much energy Genny exhibits. A happy, soft, and contagious energy that really makes you think you should be drinking whatever she is having. But she is not drinking anything. Believe me, I’ve asked her. At her fitness classes, Genny pushes you, hard. But you can also see she is pushing herself too, and there you are, all of you, pushing together through the pain of that god damn squat.

What is one thing in the past that helped you recover/heal from an especially low or dark time in your life?

“Just being patient. Letting myself feel upset and understand that it will pass. You can’t rush feeling better, time is the only thing that is going to really help. You have to be ok with it. Accept and know that you are going to be ok.”

Do you have a quote or thought you live by?

“You are here to model possibility”, by Robin Sharma.   “I feel that doing what I do, I have to keep everything together, in a good way. You can be busy, [have a] family, life or whatever it is, but you still have to do your best. If I do my best [at class] other people can realize they can also do their best.”

How did you become a personal trainer?

“I never thought I would be a personal trainer, ever. I was very un-athletic. I had a gym membership I never used! And then….when I had Kyan he presented some health issues as a baby. We went through a lot trying to diagnose and figure out what was going on with him. I didn’t leave the house, do anything or go anywhere. That consumed me for a number of years, but when he was about 3 years old and started to walk, I realized things were going to be ok.

“Then…. I was involved in a car accident. After doing physiotherapy for my back, I was put into an active program where they assigned a personal trainer. It was the worst experience I have ever had. The workouts were so ineffective and the experience with the trainer was awful. She wasn’t understanding of me, my lifestyle, or my story. She was very unsympathetic and didn’t understand that the people [under treatment] are in a very vulnerable position and you should make them feel better. I knew that the whole experience could have been so much better. After the treatment was over, I started to play around with exercises and developed my own program. I felt a lot better… I eventually discovered kettle bells and [got] my certifications. Then the lessons started and I discovered how much value my classes had for people”.

Iron’s Heart logo is – “Forge your strength”. What does it mean to you?

“Forge your strength mentally and physically. I believe one leads to the other.

It can be different for everybody, but I do believe when people take care of themselves physically it leads to better mental health. [At the gym] you can sweat out your stress, and then when you are done, you can have a few laughs and connect with other people”

How do you forge your strength ?

Every time I have to teach a class I feel scared and nervous. Every time, every single class. And this is great practice because when I am done, I feel more confident. I continually make myself do things that are scary, and of course, my client’s success makes me have goose bumps! I built my strength with others”

“When you exercise you take control, and when you achieve one thing, you ask yourself what else can I do?”

Business

How did you create your business?

After getting her certifications and becoming a personal trainer and a kettlebell teacher, Genny worked for several different gyms. It was at this time that she was able to shape and discover her teaching style. Most importantly, these experiences allowed her to identify the flaws that she wanted to modify in the fitness industry.

“The idea of buying a gym was never in our minds.” This changed when the opportunity to buy the gym she worked at presented itself. She knew she did not want to work anywhere else, and she also knew this would be a good entrepreneurial adventure. So, what’s a girl to do? Well, the one thing she truly believes in of course. In this case, Genny knew this was the right thing to do. Now she just needed to convince her husband, Richard, to believe in the idea as much as she did. After some initial hesitation, Richard became her partner in crime. Genny was thrilled, as she knew the two of them would be a strong business couple.

“ I was 1,000% [sure] we would be fine. This will work. I wouldn’t even consider that the idea wouldn’t work. I am so headstrong like that. I had my blinders on and I just went for it”

What is one piece of advice that you would give to women out there that want to create their own business?

“It is so hard when you are creating your own business or your own brand to constantly pay attention to what everyone else is doing or saying. There are always going to be people who are doing better, worse, the same and this will drive you crazy. Keep your eyes trained on where you want to go, the things you want to do, produce, and accomplish. Choose what you are good at, and then get really good at it. Specialize, get a niche and get your tunnel vision. Comparison will eat you alive. There is somebody for everybody. If you are good, you will always have enough clients, and if you can’t help them, refer them. Always be nice.”

Last book you read?

It must have been some work related book. Fitness related book…..

Favorite dish?

So lame, but I love salads, any type. And Key lime pie!

What advice would you will give to your 30 (ish) year-old self?

“It’s kinda cliché, but follow your instincts. For sure.”