Community Highlights: Meet Reid Kawakami of Season Ready Fitness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Reid Kawakami.

Hi Reid, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started as a life long athlete and got into working out from sports. As the competition in high school became more intense, I wanted to lift weights to become stronger and bigger. This turned into a life long passion that followed me through college and ultimately for my entire life. Once I graduated from college, I did a few different jobs but started to personal train on the side. I worked as a manager for a commercial gym for couple years, and decided to open up my own business/gym. After a few years of that, I moved to another city and have worked as a private trainer ever since. I did part time work as a physical therapist assistant and an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have always been struggles. In my last interview, I mentioned how I once didn’t have enough money for rent, so for a short period of time I was sleeping in my car. But most recently, in 2020 the fitness industry was completely disrupted from the pandemic. Our gym was effectively closed for about 6-8 months. I lost over half my clientele overnight. Some of my clients moved to other states/cities, others just dropped off. I had few options to keep my business running. I did online training for most of that year. Once things were starting to open again, vaccinations rolled out, and some of the restrictions were lifted I began to see clients mainly outside and with limited equipment options. I made it work. Since then, things have recovered and I believe the fitness industry is stronger than ever. (No pun intended) A lot of people had seen how much being healthy was important and decided to make it a priority.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work with clients that have any fitness goal or needs. Everyone should be prioritizing their health and working to become stronger, and better, physically and mentally. I train clients one on one or in groups, in a gym setting or at home. My experience in bodybuilding, strength and conditioning, physical therapy, and healthcare makes me valuable because I combine the knowledge of every aspect of health/fitness that I have learned. Over the last 15 years I have trained hundreds of clients from every walk of life and demographic, so I use that to inform my profession. I do my best to be as personal as possible and cater to client needs in their own way. Listening to what clients want and forming a solid relationship with them is how I have always run my business. I always want my clients to be successful, and my hope is that I can leave them with something that changes their lives permanently.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Look for the professionals that other professionals recommend. If someone stands out, it is generally because they have a good reputation and have been doing it for a long time. Nowadays, social media is so prominent but it doesn’t really show how great someone is at their job in real life. Talking to clients/customers is always a safe bet and using your own intuition to figure out if someone is genuine. For myself, I always become inspired by those who are doing positive things for the fitness industry and put people first. The best professionals in their field will have a combination of academic knowledge and anecdotal knowledge. Not one or the other.

Pricing:

• $110-private session (minimum 8/mo)
• $185-home visit (within 10 miles)
• $270-3 month online program

Contact Info:

• Website: https://seasonreadyfitness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reid_the_real
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reid-kawakami-345b0a48

Image Credits
David Chan