Business Name: Applied Fitness Solutions
In operation since: Feb 2015
Owner: Devin Tarrant
Owner Bio: After graduating in 2010, Devin was one of the founding team members of AFS’ original Ann Arbor location. Devin was instrumental in the development of the business as it grew each year. He excelled as a Fitness Practitioner for five years before partnering with founder Michael Stack to open AFS Plymouth. Devin now spends his time developing his team of practitioners and administrative staff, but he can still be spotted in the AFS lobby zooming around on a hoverboard from time to time. Devin’s greatest achievement thus far: Creating a culture of authenticity that enables his staff (and clients alike) to be themselves 100% of the time and truly enjoy their time spent together.
What’s your favorite thing about living and working in Plymouth?
From day one there’s been no shortage of friendly faces or fun events in Plymouth. It’s very refreshing to live and work in a community where you feel accepted right away. I’ve only been in Plymouth for one year, but I can’t make a trip through town without running into new friends. That’s a blessing that I cannot ignore.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
The People. This may sound cliché but I get to “work” with all of my friends on a daily basis. Having the chance to own a business within the community I reside is a wonderful gift. It’s motivating to help members of the community lead a healthier lifestyle and have the chance to become friends in the process. I know many (hopefully all) of my client relations will evolve into a lasting friendship. I cannot think of a more motivating opportunity than to help your friends live a healthier, happier life!
Aside from your business, what other involvement do you have in the community?
I recently joined our local Kiwanis Club of Colonial Plymouth. It has been a wonderful experience so far; so many great people. The club is involved in a lot of admirable causes around the community and I am glad my schedule has calmed down so I can begin contributing more. AFS also has a really cool charity initiative that we just launched in the fall. When a new client signs up with us they pay $50 for an orientation meeting with their trainer for goal setting, measurements, etc.. We challenge the client to set a target for how many classes they’ll attend in their first month.. If they hit the goal, we donate their $50 orientation fee to a local charity that they’ve chosen. It’s a great way to get new clients fired up and keeps us steadily contributing to charities we care about.
Click here for info on AFS’ Charity Challenge.
We get a lot of questions about your facility, what exactly do you guys do?
Funny you should ask, we hear a lot of peoples’ inferences when they first come in.. I’ve gotten: Exercise equipment store, physical therapy, athlete training, you name it. People just get a little thrown off by the name. The truth is we’re a hybrid gym. We combine group exercise classes with the all important behind the scenes guidance of a degreed and certified fitness coach. Competitively, this allows us to provide our clients with the structure and accountability of hiring a personal trainer but with significantly less cost and surprisingly more interaction and guidance. Our only obstacle is that since it’s a new concept, people don’t get it at first. Once they’re here for a week or so they understand the value. That’s why we live on referrals, once you get a few good people in the system they grow it for you. We’ve gone from 0 clients to 800 in just over a year!
Most people know they should “eat better” and “exercise” but, with all of the conflicting information surrounding diet and exercise today, a lot of people have decision paralysis; they simply don’t know where to start. AFS provides the structure, accountability, knowledge, support, and workouts of a personal trainer for about $3/day.
Anything else you’d like to say to the readers of this article?
First, thank you to everyone who has been so welcoming to the AFS team this year. It has been our pleasure getting to know the Plymouth community.
Second, if you are thinking about making a positive change in your life, don’t wait! This does not limit you to health and fitness, it can be anything. The longer you wait, the less likely you will be to take action. All you need is a little belief in yourself.
Lastly, I’ll get a little philosophical on you 😉
As hard is it may be to grasp, most events in our lives do not lead directly to outcomes. We create our own outcomes. Events + Perceptions = Outcomes. Change your perceptions and you can change your life. I remind myself and my clients of this every day!
Questions?
Email Devin:
Devin@appliedfitnstg.wpenginepowered.com