Clients and friends,
Now that AFS Plymouth is up and running and I’ve had some time to exhale, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped me in this process. First I’d like to thank all of the clients I’ve worked with in the past 5 years as a Fitness Practitioner at AFS. I came to Ann Arbor knowing no one, but it didn’t take long for the AFS Ann Arbor clients to make me feel like part of the family. The relationships I built there mean a great deal to me and I hope all of my A2 clients (ANY A2 clients for that matter) come visit from time to time! Special thanks to Greg and Linda Lucot, Emily and Tim Piniatoglou, and Dayna and Matt Mager. They worked alongside me grouting tile, laying and scrubbing floors, and kept me awake as we rushed to get the Plymouth facility open as quickly as possible. They asked for nothing in return and I’ll never forget that.
Second, I’d like to recognize my co-workers from AFS Ann Arbor. EVERY SINGLE AFS employee contributed in some way. There was blood, sweat, tears, laughter, fatigue, and everything in between. The sense of unity I felt working beside my friends was truly unbelievable and it truly demonstrated the value of teamwork that we emphasize each and every day. We would not be the company we are today without this type of teamwork and I couldn’t be more proud, or grateful, to have had ALL of you by my side.
Thank you to my business partners Mike Stack, Mark Lechard, and their families. They dedicated anything and everything they could to get us up and running without cutting corners or sacrificing quality of service. This endeavor would have been only a dream without the knowledge, resources, and support they provided every day.
Also, a special thanks to my entire family. I do not know how to describe the overwhelming support I have received from my family. My mom and dad (who spent several nights in hotels just to work 15+hour shifts with me), my sister (who spent her Christmas day prepping floors), and my godfather (who drove across the state just to help put office furniture together). I am so blessed to have them in my life and would have found myself questioning, “Is this place ever going to open?” if it were not for them.
Finally, I want to recognize the hard work of my Plymouth clients. Many of them pre-enrolled for Plymouth and have been food logging and getting client management for the past couple of months. SEVERAL assessments this week (in our first week of operations in Plymouth) have already been outstanding! The validation I get out of seeing my clients’ faces when they see their great results is something I’ve been missing for the past several months when my role switched from Practitioner to Project Manager. I was actually asked the other day by the reporter for the Plymouth newspaper: “What Motivates You?” Without hesitation I thought of those clients, I thought of how fulfilling it is to have a hand in changing someone’s life. That alone motivates me. That’s what kept me going even when I was hanging from the rafters pulling electrical cables, sweeping floors, and cutting tile. The light at the end of the tunnel was that when it was all finished I’d get to have that feeling again. So thank you to my clients for giving me that opportunity, and for trusting in me.
This is not goodbye by any means to those of you in Ann Arbor who will not be attending our Plymouth facility! This is simply a “Thank you” for everything you’ve done for me, for AFS, and for yourself. Too many times the little things go unnoticed. When I look back and think about it, it’s little things that shape our lives. I will always remember my years at AFS Ann Arbor and you have all contributed to our first opportunity at expansion. I assure you the love, sweat, and hard work have not gone unnoticed.
If you have any family or friends in the greater Plymouth area, feel free to come teach them the ropes in WLS class any time free of charge. It’s time to buckle down and do what we do best.
With appreciation,
Devin