Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Ells.
Jonathan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in a small town in Canada and got used to the long, cold winters. But my brain didn’t like them. At the age of 18, I started working on my health and fitness as a way to fight depression. Well, I got addicted. It became more than a way to help myself, I started helping others as well. After several years of helping friends and family, I moved to the city and started spending half of my days studying fitness. I would bartend and serve at night and study and work out during the day. I was determined to start helping others but wanted to be prepared. I finally got certified and soon found myself working at the premier gym in my city. Within three years, I was the top Personal Trainer at the gym. A year later, I got National honours. Followed by four more consecutive national nods and 3 Regional Top Trainer awards with my former company. In late 2019 I planned to make the leap on my own to rent a physical space….and then, boom! Pandemic hit. I jumped online, registered by business, hired business coaches, and created my current Personal Fitness Coaching program! I call it ‘Personal’ because unlike most Online Coaches, I take a smaller number of clients so I can give them more personal time and ample support and guidance on my 4 key pillars: Nutrition, Fitness, Mindset and Lifestyle Habits!
Alright, 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?
It’s been somewhat smooth but definitely not perfect. I’m also a person who loves challenges and doesn’t mind change. Entrepreneurship poses a lot of challenges and it’s like a rollercoaster – but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The leap from in-person training and boot camps to online personal coaching was a very tough one to make. Giving up a guaranteed income, a fantastic local reputation, and a loyal client base of people who became much more than friends was tougher than I expected.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in well-rounded (Complete!) Personal Fitness Coaching – that addresses Nutrition, Fitness, Mindset and creating Healthy Lifestyle Habits. CompleteFit Coaching is for those individuals who want not only to make changes in their health and fitness now but also to create sustainable change and lifestyle habits for the future! It’s for everyone who feels like they have lost track of their health, for everyone who is sick of quick fixes and fad diets, for everyone who feels stuck or frustrated or just wasting their time and effort on things that aren’t working.
Unlike most Online Training, this is not a slightly “tailored” workout program or diet plan dropped in your email inbox. Nope. This is fully customized Personal Coaching, where the coaching is geared directly to your life. Every detail is monitored and adjusted as we go to ensure sustainable changes AND a great learning experience. And in terms of the learning experience, being a former Trainer of Trainers, I believe setting up a baseline education with all of my clients is a must! All of my clients get daily support and time with me personally every week.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
The more hype/marketing, the more skeptical you need to be. What I discovered is that often the people with the biggest social media followings or online presence don’t always make the best mentor. I found amazing mentors that, compared to some people online, aren’t as well known. But…it set me off in a direction that I wouldn’t have ever expected before as an experienced Trainer and Coach.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.ells
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.ells
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJY3KFSpDRUGsilFGgCGsBg
Image Credits
The black and white photo is Ron Reagan Photography.
