“WiNGs (Women’s Network Group) is a haven for women entrepreneurs to show up in all phases of their business and personal development, willing to learn where they can let their truth shine and be celebrated for their own unique model of success.” http://www.wngs.org/
At Callaway Group Real Estate we are proud to support women entrepreneurs.
We’d like to feature Tonya Mecum, owner of Total Movement Fitness, for our first post on our blog series about WiNGs.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tonya Mecum, owner of Total Movement Fitness, hasn’t always had a career in the fitness industry. For 14 years, Tonya worked in the high tech industry focusing mostly on software sales. Like most people, she decided to pursue a stable career with high earning potential first and follow her passion second. Understanding that software sales wasn’t her passion, she returned to her roots and started her own personal training business in 2010.
Growing up, Tonya recalled being “super active [with] a lot of energy. [Because of this Tonya’s] parents put [her] into sports.” Fitness was the ultimate outlet for Tonya claiming she was most happy when she was active. She also soon discovered her love for helping others; “I trained my mum and basketball friends. It’s always been in me” she says.
When it came to starting her own business, Tonya decided to take the road less traveled. Instead of starting in a big box gym, building a clientele, and transferring to her own gym, Tonya started with in home personal training. She explains “personal training is a very personal relationship, so it’s important to build those connections.” She always “wanted to create and maintain a very safe and supportive environment” for her clients.
She decided to get involved with WiNGs in order to expand her business. Tonya wanted to find a networking group that was supportive of her goals and a group of women that lift each other up. Making connections is the biggest piece and she found that in WiNGs. Tonya loves the group because the women involved are “all there for the right reasons and passionate about what they do.”
The biggest struggle Tonya has faced owning her personal training business is consistency and emotion. She explains that “people are very emotional about their health. Whether they feel unworthy of feeling good, feel like participating in personal training is too much money to spend on themselves, or so unhealthy that they don’t know where to begin” that’s where Tonya’s job steps in. Women are often embarrassed to succeed and Tonya works to get women over that hurdle.
The most rewarding aspect of Tonya’s job is “the joy that she sees on a client’s face when they hit a goal. Whether it be a weight loss goal, personal record, or even getting a compliment from their spouse, knowing that [she] had a hand in helping them see that they are capable of succeeding warms [her] heart.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We’d like to thank Tonya for letting us interview her about her business and experience with WiNGS. Stay tuned for our next post in our new blog series!
Interested in joining WiNGS? Send them an email to ask about joining this awesome community of women: membership@wngs.org
