Ashley’s passion for the fitness industry not only stems from running a successful boutique facility impacting 100s of clients a week, but from his very own fitness journey. Ashley believes the industry lacks not from having enough fitness professionals, but the effectiveness to the consumer from those professionals.
Ashley’s journey in fitness started at the age of 22 when he was just over 300 lbs in weight. With a lack of support and offers for proper guidance in his hometown, he took matters into his own hands. Implementing an audacious workout regime with an unsustainable crash diet he lost 117 lbs in just over 6 months. Over the next few years as a fireman, Ashley’s passion in fitness and helping others grew rapidly. Leaving after serving the FD only a few years, Ashley pursued his passion with no plan whatsoever. He began his fitness career out of Anytime fitness, learning how to gain exposure to potential clients, committing them as a client, and ultimately having enough business to pay bills. This hard work and tenacity gained the attention of a large facility project manager and he was hired as a personal training manager of a 26,000 sq ft facility. Over the next year Ashley grew the team to 11 personal trainers and averaged $100k per month
After only a year of managing, Ashley had the opportunity to move to Charleston to oversee training for 13 locations. Though this was no easy feat, over a 2 year time span had accomplished a stable foundation of training with 7 managers and 74 personal trainers. Although successful, Ashley missed the individual approach to training and ultimately being able to work alongside his team and clients. After just 3 years, Ashley decided to take a leap of faith and just get back to the roots of doing what he loved, working alongside trainers and working with individual clients. “I am fulfilled and satisfied when I see someone accomplish something they didn’t think they could. That is more important to me than what I’m getting paid for that session”.
Today Ashley owns and operates a boutique studio out of Mount Pleasant SC where he has a staff of 13. In just 3 short years, his team has quadrupled in size, their facility has tripled, and the DMF clientele is 92% to capacity and has the privilege to work with over 200+ clients each week. Ashley has a big vision to create and make Defining Moment Fitness something special and unique, not only for its clients but its fitness professionals.
His vision for the Association is born out of his personal ups and downs with the industry. “I feel there are a lot of capable and amazing fitness professionals out there that could impact thousands if given the right opportunity, resources, and support. That’s why I am driven, passionate, and willing to put time and effort into this association. The industry and its professionals NEED it”!