I want to ask for your vote for Best Personal Trainer for the Best of 417 Magazine. Since most of you have not had a chance to know and work with me one on one this request might seem a bit unfair. I hope my blog, Facebook posts and Instagram photos have given you a good idea of who I am and what I do but I understand if you have questions. While I would love to sit down with each one of you and talk about what I do in order to win your vote, I don’t have enough hours in the day (or week) to accomplish this. Instead we can do a “virtual” interview. I have provided answers below to standard job interview questions. Image you and I are in my office (or yours) sipping green tea and chatting as you review my answers.
- Tell me about yourself (and your fitness philosophy).
I am a natural introvert who came to fitness late in life. I was the fat kid in class and a bookworm who was often teased. It wasn’t until about age 24 that I started to get it together and get in the gym. I know what it’s like to take those first scary steps. That’s why I try to create a safe and non-intimidating environment for women to start (or restart) their fitness journey. My mission is to empower them with fitness and give them a solid foundation upon which to build a fitness journey that will last a lifetime. I want to help them become strong, inside and out. - What did you do before this (or why did you leave your last job)?
I worked for one of the biggest banks in the country for over 15 years. One day in 2009 I got a call from my manager that started with “You still have a job but…”. I don’t know how many people were given severance that day but it felt like we lost half of our team. We lost a lot of valuable people with more experience than I who certainly enjoyed their job more than I did. I had serious survivor’s guilt. It made me examine my life and what I was doing with it. Thrive Personal Fitness was born that year with me training part time while I still held a full time job. Starting out in the worst year the fitness industry has ever seen gave me no place to but up. In 2011 I was able to quit my banking job and pursue my fitness passion full time. - What experience do you have with (people my age, people my size, people with heart conditions, etc.)?
I have worked with all ages, shapes and sizes. I have worked with clients who are post heart attack, have type 1 and type 2 diabetes and post gastric bypass. I don’t turn anyone away because they are “hopeless”. No one is beyond hope if the desire is there. Every client is treated as an individual. If anything concerns me, we will turn to your doctor for guidelines. If there is something I don’t know, I’ll tell you. If I think you need a physical therapist and a sports specific coach, I will tell you. I want you to be happy. This is about your journey, not mine. - Tell me about your strengths?
I’ve been there. I get what it’s like to not feel comfortable in your own skin. What you see is also what you get. I am the only personal trainer at Thrive Personal Fitness. While it does limit the amount of clients I can see, I get to know my clients better. It allows me to spend more time per client reviewing food logs, planning homework or providing support outside of the gym. - What’s your favorite movie?
I used to ask this of perspective bank tellers because it can tell you a lot about someone? Can I have two? The Breakfast Club and Never Been Kissed. - What questions do you have for me?
Where do YOU see yourself in five years? Are you in charge of your destiny or are you letting someone or something else define your journey?
I hope this interview helped me make my case for your vote. If you do have a question you want to ask then please do! Tell me what’s missing if I haven’t convinced you yet that I am the best in 417? Leave it in the comments or email me at ask@thrivepersonalfitness.com. I want to win your respect, your trust and your vote. I am an open book. Ask away and nominate me in the Best of 417!
- Follow this link https://www.417mag.com/Best-of-417-2015/
- Click the Services Tab
- Under Best Personal Trainer, put in Pamela Hernandez, Thrive Personal Fitness
This is just round one by the way. If I am lucky enough to make it the second round, you can interview me again.
Thank you!
