Wellness Built Together | Jason Alexiou

They moved 15 bikes into a chapel, opened the doors, taped out spacing, and kept a community training when the world shut down. That story is just the start of my conversation with Jason Alexio, a coach and leader who helped shape the wellness program at Palmetto Bluff and now serves as Director of Sports Management at Colleton River Club.

We talk about what it really takes to build a modern private club wellness program: relationships that earn trust, programming that respects recovery, and a clear shift from “fitness classes” to a true wellness experience. Jason shares what he learned while juggling personal training, group cycling, and member needs during rapid change, plus why education matters as much as effort. If you care about sustainable health, you’ll hear practical ideas around sleep, nutrition, training structure, and why “one step at a time” beats going all-in for 30 days and burning out.

We also zoom out on the industry trends we’re seeing right now: wellness usage rising alongside golf, recovery services like infrared and red light therapy becoming real infrastructure, and fitness directors evolving into multi-layered leaders who touch recreation and even food and beverage. We close with a definition of wellness that goes beyond the gym and a reminder to lead with “we,” not “me.”

If you enjoy thoughtful conversations on active lifestyle, wellness coaching, and leadership, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome Back To Palmetto Bluff

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Are you ready to live an active lifestyle? Welcome to Behind the Bluff, where we believe every moment of your life is an opportunity to pursue wellness on your terms. I'm your host, Jeff Ford, and today's guest is someone many Palmetto Bluff members know well. Jason Alexio spent years helping members improve their health and performance through personal training, cycling, and wellness coaching. He was the leader of the wellness program here at Palmetto Bluff. He was also a key teammate during my first years at Palmetto Bluff, helping to support and implement many of the changes that shape the wellness program that you see today. We spent countless hours together, coaching members, leading classes, moving things, planning events, and working to create a better experience for our community. Since then, Jason has continued to grow professionally and now serves as the director of sports management at Collaton River Club. In this conversation, we're going to look back on his journey, the memories and relationships that he built along the way, and the lessons he's learned from a career dedicated to helping people thrive.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Jason, welcome to the show. Boy, it feels so good to be here, man. I remember this room where there was nothing. There was nothing. I remember when we first ordered those panels and we're gonna like, how are we gonna do this, man?

SPEAKER_01 1:36

I remember you and I for at least two hours pasting these panels to the wall so that we could actually someday have a podcast. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

So this is very nice to be here and see this. Like, this is this is real. It's happening, man. I'm right here, right across from you.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Yeah, I couldn't be more blessed to have gotten you over here today to see the new Pummet of Love Club Fitness Center, some of the changes that you helped instill. I mean, you should showed me the ropes to this amazing property and this program, and just so grateful that we can sit down and talk more.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Full circle, man.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

Full circle. Well, Jason, before we get into where you are today, let's go back to when we first started working together. And there's a few people out there, Palmetto Bluff's a growing community. They may not know you as well as many of our members do. Tell us a bit about your background and what first brought you to Palmetto Bluff.

Jason’s Path Into Club Wellness

SPEAKER_00 2:29

I've been in the private club industry since 2015. My first club was uh in Hampton Lake, which is down the street from here. And oddly enough, uh Megan Harris, who's still probably teaching, still here, she's like, Jason, can you can you sub this spin class on a Friday? I was like, Yeah, let's do it. So that was in 2018. Um, and in 2018, I taught my first spin class here in Palmetto Bluff, and I fell in love with the property, man. I mean, this was just a very entertaining property, new beginnings. Moreland has just opened. Basically, it started with just teaching a class. Um, and I started here my journey after you know 2018 is when I fully got on board. I do have a bachelor's in kinesiology, and that's what I obviously was able to do, but leaning more into management, that's something I had to learn.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Yeah, yeah, it's fun. We we both started as personal trainers, and and now we get to sit and oversee teams. It's it's really special to see things evolve like that.

Reinventing Fitness During COVID

SPEAKER_01 3:30

Yes. Now, during COVID times here at Palmetto Bluff, I remember you were like the cycling guru. You got people active during a difficult time where the nation was struggling.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yeah, tell us about that time. What an interesting time. So back then, actually, uh, when we when COVID first happened, uh Montage was running the property. Uh, so they were doing the management uh of the whole property, including fitness. So we had to reinvent the wheel. Obviously, no classes indoors, you have to go outside. So, what we did was well, you know, a chapel's not really a gym, is it? Right? So we we grabbed 15 bikes and we threw them in the chapel uh right across from Montage, and we opened the doors because there was a lot of doors. We taped it six feet apart and we started doing classes in the chapel. We did that for a couple months until you know things got more lax, but it was very entertaining. Uh, but at the same time, that's when a lot of members realized how health, wellness, fitness has to be a bigger part of their life, which is great because it led us to this place where you're at right now.

SPEAKER_01 4:32

It sounds like during that time, wellness as part of Palmetto Bluff started to become more focused for the members, meaning we want this, we know this is good for us. It's it's time to get more involved.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Yeah, no, a hundred percent. And uh after that uh COVID time, since the a lot of members did come into our classes, uh, Montage started the well-living initiative. So that brought in more of the the dining room reservation, the dining room experience changed with more healthier options for the membership. So that was very interesting to how it kind of changed everything around the property.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

During those old days, did resort guests and members take the same classes? What was the setup like?

SPEAKER_00 5:14

So we our member classes were only for members, but there was the hotel does have a gym, and the gym itself does have somebody there that teaches classes, so it was separated.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

Um and during your your years, if I'm understanding correctly, you staffed the classes for the hotel as well as staffing for the club.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Correct. So I had to do both. Um, actually, when I first started, it was just a part-time role, and then uh getting into more of the aggressive programming, the the general man, the manager at the time, general manager, was like, Man, I think we need somebody there to be here full time. So that's why I took that opportunity to be here full-time.

SPEAKER_01 5:51

You spent a significant part of your career here at Palmetto Buff. And besides helping members during the pandemic time, I brought that up because so many members to this day are like, man, Jason was so there for us during that period. I'm wondering, what are a few other other favorite memories and experiences before you and I had the opportunity to work

Relationships That Made The Job

SPEAKER_01 6:14

together? Like, give me the stuff that that makes you smile.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

I create a lot of great relationships, but most importantly, I created a lot of uh coaches. A lot of the members here were my leadership coaches and kind of like navigate through life. I bought my first house when I lived here, when I first started here, and it's like they're telling me you have to do this, you have to do that on the closing costs and furniture and this and that. So honestly, man, like it was just connection with humans. Uh, and these members gave it all.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

I always found early on that you're just a guy who knows how to connect with people. And it it even reminds me of we were touring the PBC FC this morning, uh Palmetto Bluff Club Fitness Center. And Ron came up, one of our members, and he was just so excited to see you. So it sounds like the connections that you made with with members are the biggest experiences that that stay with you.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Absolutely, absolutely, because they they did recognize that we didn't really have anything, and me being the first fitness and wellness employee full-time, besides me, there was nobody else. Yeah, they they kind of saw this like, okay, there's something going on, so we have to treat them with respect because what we want is more programming, and it's kind of has to be we have to coexist somehow. So it opened up the discussion of like, let me help you so you can help us.

unknown 7:26

Yeah.

Fixing Gaps With Better Programming

SPEAKER_01 7:27

When I arrived at Putmetal Bluff, the wellness program was in a different place than it is today. What do you remember about that period and the opportunities that you and I saw to improve the member experience?

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Being here as a only full-time employee, uh we had a lot of gaps on the schedule. So let's just say when you came on board, you got me pumped up and seeing the vision of this place and what we're trying to do here. So increasing the class usage and the participation to raise the member experience in general, it's something kind of like I saw the writing on the wall, right? So I saw a lot of lack of programming, but when you came here, we talked, we sat in this specific room for hours and talked and talked and talked, and we talked about the mission about this place and and the fitness uh portion of it. So a lot of things that changed and and kind of what we did together was just increase the programming. Uh, it did really resonate with me that this is not just fitness, man. This is wellness, this is a whole experience. Members come here because they they really enjoy the whole package.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

Yeah, it's fun to think of those days because I remember Jason, Gemily, many members now, and myself, we we all sat down and we talked about well, what do we want the vision to be of the Palmetabluff Wellness Program? What do we want the mission to be? And what are the values that are going to guide us, right? Absolutely. You know, everyone deserves to feel connected and actively participate in life on their terms. Like we came up with that, bro. Yeah, so no, that's so cool to know.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

That's that's good. Looking back at it, I mean, it's just that's like wow, you know, like it was a true team that was trying to do something. Yeah, and this is what's going on. There's a podcast room, there's four different places to work out, 75 plus classes a week. You know, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Yeah, yeah. We've been given a lot of resources now to expand the program. And even with that, you were so helpful in innovating of like instead of us choosing classes based off when an instructor was able to teach, yes, I really felt like we were in such alignment that we wanted the right classes on the right days at the right times, regardless of the instructor.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

Yeah. And because we saw group training together as in you're here to work out for the week. So you can't be doing full body workout every single day. And so we're like, well, let's let's just manipulate the schedule based on what we want versus availability, and you know, we'll figure it out, we'll we'll hire people and yeah, we'll do it right.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

Yeah, no point to fry people day after day with the same movements, and that was one of the big changes that I remember us making together, and then uh lots of facility transitions, just our different thoughts around that. Personal training was huge here. Yeah, you had a slew of at least you were managing the program, and you were training at least 15, 20 people a week when I first got here. Tell me more about your personal training days at Pull Metabol.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Uh a lot of hours, uh, 15, 20 hours, sometimes more, based on how busy it was. Um, back then it was probably like 1,100 members. So we still have quite a few members participating. What you know, what lacked is a lot of the group class programming uh participation. But on the personal training side, a lot of interested members are getting the health right. A lot of the trainer or a lot of the members wanted more of the golf specific stuff. So I was very busy. Obviously, that was not really the right place to be when you're talking about a whole programming aspect of it, but it was very entertaining to be able to do both and being here, you know, 60 plus hours a week because that was intense, but it was great. It's grateful for the moments.

SPEAKER_01 11:03

Yeah, you had a lot on your plate, man. And I just, you know, always remember how you show up with people, your interest in them, your your energy level always stays the same, and it's it has been very impressive to me to this day.

Humility And The Shift To Leadership

SPEAKER_01 11:16

We start off this episode explaining that we've spent a ton of time together. I'm wondering when you think back to those years, I know we have some some highs and some lows, what's a moment or a memory with you and I that that really stands out? No, that's a good question.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

Honestly, man, I mean, I talked to you a few months ago when I did uh when I showed up for the team meeting. Um for me, learning how to be humble, man, that's the biggest thing that I've the biggest moment that I see is like I'm grateful for it for our friendship to be able to learn that and apply it to my daily life. Because the truth of the matter is I didn't know everything, right? And being humble enough to listen to uh a new person coming in with a mission vision that we all agreed upon, but I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's happening? So, but like honestly, man, like that's just helped me a lot in my career. Uh, being humble, and that's the biggest thing I'm always gonna take away and be like, Jeff, humble. Yep, that's it. That's him. That's I learned that from him. Uh, and being able to, you know, you said as we started as trainers, and then you're transitioning into like a management role, a leadership role, that's a whole different story, right? You're going from a one-on-one interaction to like, hey, you're I'm gonna speak into a group environment, but being able to instill culture and being able to effectively communicate that and then push it towards the mission, regardless of your personal beliefs of where you want to go, that's huge. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

Well, I appreciate that reflection, Jason. It's you know, why I think each of us are humbled every day in our roles. Well, absolutely. Yeah, there's always something going on, something that we can learn and do better. And man, I I know that we would not be where we are today with without you. And so it's just fun to reflect back on um all of those moments, some that we we may not share in this episode. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

unknown 13:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

Uh another thing I've always appreciated about you is your willingness to embrace change and and put members first. As we work to reshape the wellness program, what do you think were some of the biggest changes that positively impact members outside of the group fitness? Tell me in in detail what you think some of the things members began to gravitate towards.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

Yeah, absolutely. So, I mean, yeah, we did touch base on group fitness, but like I think it started a movement, right? Of overall fitness, it's not just fitness, it's wellness. So you're talking about the nutrition aspect, the education aspect, the the aspect to be able to train smart and and fit and efficiently. So I think what happened is with that is we educated members, right? Of it's not just fitness, man. It's not eating an apple day and then you know, doing some push-ups and squats. It's more than that. It's a it's a way of life. And I mean, the whole property does reflect that now, right? I mean, look at the palm out of love, right? Correct, right? It's active lifestyle.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Correct. It's interesting you put it in that context of education and beyond fitness because private clubs for a long period of time have been extremely golf focused.

Why Clubs Are Moving Beyond Golf

SPEAKER_01 14:23

Why do you think that was the case for private clubs? And how do you see fitness and well wellness evolving in the private club industry?

SPEAKER_00 14:33

Yeah, no, that's a great question because I see it right now. Um, we actually had we just did our uh annual meeting uh a couple weeks ago, and it looks like we our department increased by 10% usage-wise versus golf, that it was three percent. So I'm seeing golf is great, and of course it does attract members, right? That's why you're here for it. But like ultimately, if you can't move well, or if you can't breathe right, or if you can't stand up and not hurt, right? What's the whole point of going out on the course and getting frustrated? So I think nowadays members do recognize there's more value than just like, oh, I'm just gonna go on the golf course. You gotta do a whole thing, it's a whole mentality where working out, stretching, breathing, getting educated, eating the right way, sleeping enough. It's just like a whole picture, man. Like, and that what happened is it just members realized I need to do more than just play golf.

SPEAKER_01 15:28

Yeah, and if I want to play golf well for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years for taking care of myself is is just as big of a priority. Correct. Yeah, that's incredible that you're seeing the same thing at Collaton River Club. I know you got all the directors together in this local area, which was a huge initiative. I know we found a ton of value in that first meeting together. What else are you seeing with wellness and private clubs?

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Yeah. Uh, I'm seeing the evolution of a so-called fitness director moving, tapping into more of the food and beverage route. Like we just finished, we just finished a tour of the new place. You have smoothies and uh food and beverage component. That's very important because guess what goes well with fitness? Also, nutrition, right? So I see the fitness directors evolving in more than just hey, he's your fitness guy. So it is this transition from fitness to wellness, correct, correct. So um and being able to manipulate and being able to manipulate that and create more opportunities for the members to live a healthier life is very important, right? So when you have you're offering the fitness side, then you're offering the wellness side. What else do you need? I'm also seeing that the fitness director himself is evolving into more a multi-layered operational leader, right? So because you're managing fitness, I'm managing aqua or you're doing uh also restaurant.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

You do recreation as well at Collaton. So pickleball and tennis is also under your so that's a whole different animal, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:56

So you're talking about a sport that tennis is mostly one-on-one interaction, and then pickleball, it's mostly doubles, but like a fitness director is involving into that position of managing everything sports, fitness, recreation, wellness, and a food and beverage component.

SPEAKER_01 17:15

So many different components to the role of fitness director, and the wellness director is is almost the better title now.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

A hundred percent. It doesn't give it justice just to call it a fitness director, honestly. Like we should be rethinking about that title.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

I I couldn't agree more. Tell me more about recovery services and what

Recovery Tools Members Actually Use

SPEAKER_01 17:35

you're seeing. I hear all the time infrared saunas, cold plunges. Yeah. Where do you see that in in our industry going?

SPEAKER_00 17:42

Yeah, no, that's uh a great question that it started first with the podcasters, right? And it started with the with that movement, but there's more and more research suggesting that it's it's it's a better recovery, or there are great recovery tools for your body. And currently we see it at clubs like you know, I'm I'm about to put two red light therapy uh panels in the uh changing room in our both of the lockers, both meant women and men. Uh, for the cryo or compression sleeve, those are the tools that we use pretty much. You guys have the Norma technique. We do, yeah, we do. So we use that a lot. A lot of members do, you know, after playing 18 holes on the golf course, they would come after to our fitness facility and use like the wellness spa uh section of it. Section, exactly. So uh members are getting educated that uh using those treatments they'll make you feel better the next day and being able to go out and play golf again.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

I was super curious to ask you about that because we're we're seeing that here. We're seeing across the board, you know, you're you're very well versed in staying educated in the in the industry that recovery methods are now actually being treated uh and seriously, that this is something that that we will need in infrastructure.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Yeah, it's another pillar.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

You worked with so many members one-on-one.

The Simple Plan For Consistency

SPEAKER_01 19:00

What did those experience uh experiences teach you about helping people improve their health and stay consistent? So, Jason, I'd love for you to speak to our listeners. What are the the tools that are gonna help them stay healthy and consistent in their their walk with wellness?

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Honestly, I think with the with the age nowadays of getting all this information all at once can be overwhelming, right? So, like uh I think finding resources that you can apply a little bit at a time does help, like sleeping, for example. Let's start with that. Start sleeping a little bit better, and we can talk about more of the recovery and how you're gonna feel the next day. Uh then you start the conversation about uh the uh the what are you eating, right? On a daily basis, and then we can talk a little bit about what are your workouts like. So I think more about the what I would say is being able to communicate to the members or your clients that let's take one approach at a time versus throwing the kitchen sink at it because it's overwhelming, man. Like, you gotta sleep better, you gotta eat better, you gotta if you do it all at once, the the member is gonna quit within 30 days. So my approach was always like, okay, let's let's add this this this month. Let's see how this does to your body, what it does, how do you feel? And then we can move to the next step. Pretty simple.

SPEAKER_01 20:12

One step at a time. Don't jump headfirst into the cold plunge without making sure that you you almost get the simple things down first, is what I'm hearing. Exactly. And then just layer it on. Exactly it. I wasn't gonna do this, but I'd love to go rapid fire on you for a moment. Oh boy. I want you to put the trainer hat on.

SPEAKER_00 20:32

Oh boy.

SPEAKER_01 20:34

What was your favorite class that you taught here at Palmetto Bluff?

SPEAKER_00 20:39

PB Strong. Uh, okay, so let me just elaborate a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

This is rapid fire, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 20:46

No, PB Strong. So uh the fact that we are including multiple big movements, uh, using multiple muscles all at once versus doing a random circuit class that has all cardio or or anything like that, and then also us programming it, right? That's the other thing we did together was we started programming and say like Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we do PB Strong, but the focus is on upper body or lower body or whole body. So that gave the members a little bit of a break to their muscles to be able to recover. But like that's that's a it's almost like small group training, but you're including circuit training into the small group training. So it was it was um it was a great class for everybody, it was a benefit for everybody, regardless of what sport you're playing, but at the same time, the programming was just right.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

PB Strong had intention behind it. I hear you. What was your favorite part about teaching cycling?

SPEAKER_00 21:41

I knew you were gonna ask that question. Honestly, man, I love music. So uh being able to be creative with the music and kind of come up with like crazy music that I would listen to when I would go to an EDM festival. Like, EDM, that's you, man. You got that vibe. That's me. So like doing that and like waiting. For a reaction, what are they gonna say about this EDM song and just kind of looking at everybody working harder and harder and harder? I'm like, okay, I guess it resonates with them. So being able to teach that I can play whatever music I want, and honestly, man, like, think about it. You're just teaching a class and you're listening to music, like you're riding a bike for 15 miles.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

Pretty special experience to be getting paid by.

SPEAKER_00 22:21

Yeah, and all you're doing is like, hey, I'm gonna listen to 55 minutes of songs. That's it. Whatever you songs you want as an instructor, even better.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Cycling is a special experience. And you know, it's so funny. I never taught a cycling class until you left. And then I was on there quite a few times filling in and getting our uh instructor team uh up to taking over a little bit more. Um yeah, the bike. It's good stuff. Yeah. If I were to pull all the members of Palmetto Buff Club who know you, I'll give you two or three words. Okay. How would they describe you?

SPEAKER_00 23:00

Genuine and open-minded.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Yeah. I mean, a lot of members know a lot of things about me, like almost too much. So and that's you know, of course, you're you're falling into that trap as somebody who does services one-on-one. So, but yeah, and then open-minded, uh, being able to explore different ideas. I mean, we talked about being open-minded, being able to adapt to different cultures and and and new programming and kind of new beginnings, all the different interests and yeah, just listening.

SPEAKER_01 23:34

Exactly. Listen, taking the feedback, seeing how we can get better. It's what what great leaders do, right? Yes. Favorite strength move. You can only choose one strength movement.

SPEAKER_00 23:43

What movement do you choose? Deadlift. Let's go hammies. Uh, deadlift. Uh, I love deadlift. I'm good at deadlift. Obviously, I would choose something that I'm good at. So I love deadlifts. What's the max deadlift that you've ever done? 565. Yeah. So yeah. Uh I've torn my hamstring twice, uh, my right and my left once, but it was uh two years after that when I was able to do 565. So good times.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

Least favorite movement that you won't program for yourself, and you'll rarely program it for a member.

SPEAKER_00 24:14

Turkish getups.

unknown 24:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

Okay, so it least favorite movement, yes. And then also even coaching it too. But like, can you imagine trying to coach a Turkish getup? It is not easy to coach a Turkish movement. Yeah, it's like, okay, one step at a time, let's do this first. Yeah. Anyways.

SPEAKER_01 24:31

If there was one thing that everyone out there listening today should get consistent with from a wellness perspective, what would that habit be?

SPEAKER_00 24:43

Obviously, you touched based on consistency, which is very important. Um, getting 30 minutes of of some type of workout a day, man. Like either it's cardio or strength or circuit. 30 minutes. That's all it takes. That's all. Just do 30 minutes, do something. Um, the rest, we can figure it out down the road. 30 minutes. Give me 30 minutes. That's all. I appreciate your flexibility with the rapid fire round, Jason.

Patience Across Generations At Work

SPEAKER_01 25:09

Well, your role has changed. Many of the lessons from those years still apply today. What's one lesson you've learned about people, coaching, or wellness that has stayed with you throughout your career?

SPEAKER_00 25:20

Being patient has been very important for me. Um, as we're going into the world where you know the new generation is is in the workforce, it's been very, very interesting to be able to find the bridge to communicate with them. Being patient would be the first thing to practice with that generation. So I would say being patient.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

Well, we're getting to the end of our time together. We ask the same question as we wrap up every episode. What does wellness mean to you?

SPEAKER_00 25:57

So honestly, wellness means creating an environment where people can thrive physically, mentally, socially, and of course emotionally.

SPEAKER_01 26:06

Thanks, Jason. Appreciate you, brother.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Yeah, man. Nice to be here. I love the new space. Uh for the listeners. You have pictures anywhere, man?

SPEAKER_01 26:16

Of the new space? Yeah. I need to get them out. Yeah, I know I know our marketing is going to be putting some up on the main social media page, but uh, you know, I've just been so busy full folding towels and moving machines. And yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, no, we we definitely want to get the pictures out so people can see them and and just see you know what we've developed to match the needs of what we believe our members needed the most, you know, with that class setting and a much bigger strength room for self-use workouts. So yeah, we'll be getting those out soon.

SPEAKER_00 26:50

That's awesome, brother. Uh, by the way, I'm gonna do a huge shout out in the our director club's uh email about the new facility. So hopefully you get some more directors around the area to get see the new place. It's an inspiration because I know some of the clubs are going through uh renovation projects right now as we speak.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

So yeah, it seems like fitness industry, private clubs, right?

SPEAKER_00 27:10

Booming, baby. We're more important than ever, baby.

SPEAKER_01 27:14

That's right. Well, uh appreciate our time together. And listeners, you can hang out with me for a few more minutes and get some healthy momentum for the rest of your week.

Gratitude And The We Mindset

SPEAKER_01 27:37

As we wrap up today's episode, there was one word that kept standing out to me throughout my conversation with Jason. We. He kept saying, We did this, we built that, and we learned this together. And honestly, that meant a lot to me. When you're in leadership, there are seasons where you're moving so fast that you don't always realize the impact you're having on the people around you. But hearing Jason tell these stories today reminded me that some of the most meaningful things we accomplish are never accomplished alone. To hear that he learned humility through our work together and programming, PB strong, the mention there. I think back to those early days at Palmetto Bluff, Primal Fit wasn't even a class. I remember very specific early morning. Jason came in, he had a class at seven, but he was there at six to help me load up my car to get all of the equipment to the basketball courts. And this wasn't just one occasion. We were moving equipment from building to building all the time. We had a lot of transitions with cardio machines, the setup of the Moreland Fitness Center, how we wanted the Moreland studio to feel and look. We'd load up Jason's truck and make another trip day after day. We were figuring out things together as we went. We were introducing new expectations to our teammates and helping existing teammates understand the culture that we wanted to create. And that was probably the hardest part. You know, put moving things and transporting heavy equipment to the side, grooming a new culture together was a huge undertaking. And none of it's glamorous, or none of it was glamorous. And that's important to remember. Some of the biggest improvements in life aren't glamorous. Some of the biggest changes and most impactful systems and programs are a result of people doing unglamorous work together. It was early mornings, long days, it was just a lot of hard work. And through it all, Jason was someone I could lean on, someone I relied on. He's one of the hardest working people I know, the kind of teammate who doesn't ask, is this my job? He asks, What do we need to do? And I always felt so supported by him. When teams ask, what do we need to do? That's what leads to their success. They replace me with we. Because the truth is, the best experiences, the strongest cultures, and the most meaningful accomplishments are almost always built shoulder to shoulder with other people. So here's your healthy momentum for this week. Think about something in your life that you're proud of. Maybe it's your family, your career, your health journey, or a project that you've accomplished. Now ask yourself who helped me build this? And have I taken the time to let them know? Gratitude has a way of strengthening relationships. And relationships are often the foundation of everything worthwhile that we create. Dr. Michael and Brown and I just talked about that. So don't wait years until later to tell someone they mattered. Send the text, make the call, say thank you. And maybe, just maybe, you'll remind someone that what you built together mattered more than either of you realized in the moment. That is a wrap on this week's conversation. I want to thank you for taking the time to join today and remember to actively participate in life in your terms.