Today we’d like to introduce you to Lacee Lazoff.
Lacee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started personal training in 2014 in New York City after deciding to make a big career change. I had been working for one of the biggest retail fitness apparel companies currently since its early days in the United States and after a decade, moved to work for a fitness technology start-up.
That job ended six months in (unplanned) and I was forced to re-evaluate what I really wanted to do. Training clients had always been a dream and a side-hustle, so I decided to give it a try full time and see if I could make a viable career.
My fitness connections in NYC proved to be invaluable and I was able to build a thriving personal training business on my own within two years. I have never officially been employed by a gym and built my clientele one referral at a time.
In 2016, I began teaching group fitness in the city, along with personal training, which led me to build my own digital fitness app in 2021.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve had to tell myself many times that anything worth pursuing has ups and downs, there were certainly downs!
My NYC fitness story didn’t start with a gig that propelled me into the spotlight, the security of a brand, or overnight social media stardom. It literally began pounding the pavement, riding subways at 6 am on a Saturday (the amount of pants-less homeless men I have seen is unbelievable), and saying yes to the right opportunities.
There were so many meals on the go, times I took “baby wipe showers” after a workout to make it on time to the next thing, late nights, early mornings, stress about saving money… It wasn’t anything like I imagined it to be from the outside.
The biggest struggle for me other than the grind was figuring out career direction while continuing to pursue education and prioritize my life outside of work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a personal trainer that specializes in teaching women to use barbells, kettlebells, and their own body weight to get stronger and change their bodies in the process.
I’m most proud of my entrepreneurship, ability to stay true to myself, my strengths, and my goals in an industry that can be superficial and surface.
I’m most known for my ability to teach others stellar techniques while making weight training appealing and approachable. I have the pedigree and reps to back up what I teach.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I recognize that there were many doors that opened up to me (let’s be real) because of how I looked (young, white girl, blonde, abs). The fitness industry back when I started (and even today) was/is extremely whitewashed, especially in studios and in print.
Teaching sometimes felt like going up for a modeling gig; it’s about how you can sell your personality and look along with the knowledge you’re bringing to the table for clients. It’s a complicated industry, especially as social media, fitness media, fitness fashion, and advertising have combined into a juggernaut of superficial information vs. substance.
I have been lucky that my marketability opened doors that might not have otherwise. Aside from that, I created my own “luck” through relationships, living by my word, saying yes to meetings, and putting myself out there for opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Email: lacee@bells-up.com
- Website: www.bells-up.com
- Instagram: @laceelazoff
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BellsUp?app=desktop
Image Credits
@justdushawn Dusan Jovic. @sophiesahara Sophie Sahara, and @ivn.calderon Ivan Calderon
