Meet Kimberly Stolk

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Stolk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance has been crucial as an entrepreneur, business owner, and mother. The first three years of starting my business there was no balance at all, just go, go, go! The chaos of being a business owner, personal trainer, meal prepping for clients, janitor and maintenance of the building, and then leaving to be a mom to two children with school pick up and drop off, homework, cooking, cleaning, laundry…. All surrounded by an ever changing schedule, was absolutely exhausting and overwhelming, but completely worth it!!! Luckily my partner helped me in anyway he could, to keep me in some kind of balance and take some stress off my shoulders, having that support kept me going. During those first three years I never took a day off except for two holidays a year. I was there no matter what, but because of that dedication, I had a successful business that was thriving in the green and growing every year, which is so hard for a brand new business to do. My fourth year I took my first vacation with my amazing partner that helped me so much and was well deserved, to celebrate our accomplishments. Then just three months later I was able to take the kids on a trip as well, creating family balance, they deserved it just as much as we did, they were there with me every step of the way doing homework and eating dinner in the gym until I was done, and dealing with the crazy chaotic work schedule. Having time to recharge and burn off stress by taking beach walks, having family time, just watching a movie with my partner or working out, was so important throughout this whole process; to bring balance to my life and not bringing the stress to my body and mind, nor to my family at home. Gaining balance between work and life has been quite the journey, and what a difference it makes mentally and physically. I can not stress enough on how important it is to take care of yourself, no matter what you do to get that. We only have one body, so treat it right!!

What should our readers know about your business?
I am very proud of where I started to where I am now and the future ahead.. Not happy with the career I was in, my partner helped guide me to a career I loved and what I went to school for in the first place. Receiving my Personal Training certification through ISSA was the first step to an amazing career journey. My first year ever as a trainer, in a big box gym, in the midst of the 2020 Covid-19 chaos was where I knew I loved what I was doing as a trainer, but not for who I was doing it for. I decided to leave in 2021 and starting Revolutionized Fitness LLC May 2021 and leasing a building for a personal training studio January 2022. I absolutely love what I do and wanted to be more accommodating to my clients than the big box gym’s that only concentrated on how much I could make money for them, while paying little and overcharging clients. I started out in my garage, just training a few clients and getting the whole process of starting a business done, from figuring out the business name, to forming an LLC with my partner, to drawling and drafting a logo, to getting a business account… and on and on. I had no idea how much went into starting your own business would be. It was not easy by any means, but was the best decision ever made. Getting my first building was so exciting!!! Little did I know how much work and money it would be to make it into the fitness studio we imagined and wanted. My partner and I were in that gym night and day, painting, changing colors and painting again, changing out fixtures, installing a new toilet, finding the right equipment and then installing the new HEAVY equipment… we were there a whole month getting it right, and so proud of how it turned out. Then the real fun began!! Being a mother of two and the chaos of scheduling, schooling, mothering, household life and chores, and then adding on being a business owner of a personal training studio that fully relies solely on YOU to be successful, was extremely hard and stressful. Learning how to delegate and organize priorities was something I had to learn quickly! I also had to learn how to ask for help, which was not easy for me to do. Luckily, I have an amazing partner that helped me every step of the way with anything I needed and my sister helped me with the kids whenever my chaotic schedule would change last minute.. It’s been a huge learning experience on business, delegating, and maintaining life balance, but has been worth every up and down, struggle, and chaos I am very good at what I do, this is exactly what I was meant to do and be. I give my clients anything and everything they need to be successful in all ways of life. I do this by keeping my knowledge up and advance with new materials on health, fitness, and nutrition, to give my clients the capability to achieve a healthy knowledgeable lifestyle. I believe that is where I stand out from others and I’m able to retain my clients for years on in. I give them training programs for their body and their needs, I track body weight, fat, and muscle mass to make any changes needed to progress, I make meal prep, snacks, and juicing for clients, I offer two HIIT classes a week for anyone to join, I an reliable and never miss a session and flexible with their daily schedules so they stay consistent as well, I’m always giving knowledge on all aspects of life, and can be contacted anytime for any questions or concerns they may have on health, nutrition, or anything I can help with. I create a lifestyle they want and need. I am their trainer, therapist, PT, nutritionist, and mentor, creating a lifelong experience they will carry on throughout their lives, now that’s something to be proud of!!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things to do is be out in nature on the beautiful California coast!!! There are so many amazing beaches to visit, but one of my favorites is walking the Venice to Santa Monica walking path. Hearing the waves crash, the smell of the ocean, and the sun hitting my face, there’s nothing better. That is definitely my number one place to bring a friend, there is always something to see or watch with creative artists along the path, tons of restaurants and activities to do. For a restaurant 26 Beach is the place to go with delicious food and great atmosphere, very cute and unique.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner deserves all the credit of pushing me to a great future!! He is the one who encouraged me to follow my dream and the journey of where I am now. I wouldn’t be a successful business woman without his constant support, encouragement, and knowledge during this whole process. I could never thank him enough!! Also thanks to my family for the support and encouragement throughout this whole journey. I read all types of books and listen to audiobooks throughout this process to help keep my mind on track. Some of my favorite ones are “the most powerful woman in the room is you’ by Lydia Fenet, “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, “Whatever it takes: Master the habits to transform your business, relationships, and life” by Brandon Bornancin, and “The power of your subconscious mind” by Joseph Murphy. These books and so many others helped keep my mind strong and in power of my daily crazy life.

Website: https://revolutionized.issacertifiedtrainer.com

Instagram: @revolutionizedfitness21