Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Pascente.
Danielle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up as a multi-sport athlete and played a variety of sports through the years, so I think fitness is just something that I’ve always been passionate about. After sustaining an injury in college though, I knew my athletic career was over. I had to get creative and figure out what I really wanted to do and how to move on without sports being a part of my daily life. I found a career I’m so passionate about as a personal trainer/health & wellness expert. Fast forward ten years, and I’m still doing it! I now have online training programs called the Kick-Ass Training Guides. My goal was to be able to reach more people than just those I train in Los Angeles. I’m creating workouts for people to do on the go, with little to no equipment. The workouts are tough but so convenient! And who doesn’t like feeling like a total badass when they workout? I’m always on the go and traveling so I needed something I could do from hotel gyms or outdoor parks, etc. My goal is to just continue sharing my health/wellness journey and inspire people to move their bodies!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Haha, OH NO! Far from smooth. I think in any career you’ll hit bumps or obstacles you have to overcome. In order to keep this concise, I won’t go into every small detail. But one big piece of advice I would give to anyone is stay grounded and stay in your own lane. There is SO much consuming being done now. We scroll through Instagram, we see peoples stories, and other entrepreneurs doing their thing. We are constantly in this comparison trap, and I think it’s just good to remember YOU ARE UNIQUE. You bring something to the table that no one else has. So, the one thing that has made me successful is I’ve always stayed in my lane. Anytime my brain wants to wander and start comparing – I just come back to my roots. Who am I? What do I have to offer? Where do I come from? What are my morals? What are my beliefs? This helps me to just shut it off and laser focus on the empire I’m trying to build! I always keep my head down and just create. I spent too much time in my early 20’s wishing I could be like this person or that person. When you take matters into your own hands and just BECOME that person and create the things you’ve always wanted to – that’s when things will take off.
Business wise, I think one of my biggest challenges is being able to stand out in an oversaturated market. The biggest lesson and how I’ve grown most is by using my authentic voice. I finally figured out that connecting with my audience was key. And the easiest way to do that is by just being myself and sharing the journey (ups, downs, etc.). I stopped caring about what others thought and just went with it. It’s always rewarding to see how people have transformed using the programs or just read an Instagram post that really resonated with them. There’s nothing better than receiving a message that I’ve had a positive impact on someone.
Back to the point though, for anyone starting a journey – whether it’s fitness, growing a business, or making a scary decision – STICK WITH IT. Be consistent. Be humble, stay focused on your end goal. And don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back along the way.
What should we know about the Creator of the Kick-Ass Training Guides? What do people know you as best? What is your most proud moment career wise? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m the creator of the Kick-Ass Training Guides which is an online fitness platform where women can go to get workouts, training guides, and support from an awesome community!
Most people would know me as the burpee queen. HAHA JK but I love HIIT and specialize in that type of training.
I’ve been a sports model and fitness expert for over ten years so I think some would recognize me from different sports ads or fitness videos on PopSugar, BeFit, other online training platforms.
I think there have been a ton of really proud moments in my career, so it’s hard to pick just one – but I definitely think launching my own online training programs was a big high five for me! When I was a sports model, people constantly said to me “Wow it must be so cool or oh my gosh you are doing such big things.” And though I definitely agree with that, NOTHING compares to the pride that comes from running your own business.
I think just the fact that I’m myself sets me apart from others in this particular industry. I share my entire life on Instagram (lol, no really – I don’t hold back). And I just create a community where everyone is on an equal playing field! I never want anyone to come to my page and think I’m inaccessible, unattainable, or fake. That’s just NOT what I’m about, and I think in a market like fitness – unfortunately – you do get a lot of that. I try to make everyone feel welcome and hopefully inspire people to share vulnerably/authentically and MOVE THEIR BODIES! I don’t discriminate against anyone workout. Although I’m an advocate for my own programs, I’m just happy when people exercise. My main goal is getting people to be active. So I give away a lot of free content and help people out individually if they shoot me a DM. Not in my own words, but apparently it’s rare to find a trainer that is as accessible as I am on Instagram. So I guess that is my superpower. That is what sets me apart. 🙂
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
My mom. Hands down. She single-handedly raised my sister, brother, and I after losing our father in a tragic accident. I’ll never know how she did it. But I do know that she’s my superwoman!! And I know it’s cliche to say “my mom,” but I just cannot fathom losing my husband with three kids to raise. She’s incredible in so many ways and though we’ve had our ups and downs as a family – each of us kids turned out really great (LOL, ok I’m biased) but my family of warriors is my INSPIRATION every damn day.
When it comes to business inspiration – definitely Katrina and Karena at ToneItUp. I think the empire they’ve built and the community they’ve built is truly incredible.
Pricing:
- $79.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.daniellepascente.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/daniellepascente
- Other: www.daniellepascente.com/programs
Image Credit:
Maggie Zulovic, Nick Isabella, Michael Dwornik, Matt Hall
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
