Today we’d like to introduce you to David Rodriguez.
Hi David, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m David Rodriguez. I was born and raised in Kansas City. I currently live in the Waldo neighborhood with my husband Brandon and our two dogs Peaches and Zelda. I’m the owner/founder of Full Circle Fitness in Kansas City, KS. I’m also a group fitness instructor and am licensed to teach Strong Nation and Circl Mobility.
A big part of my journey started back in high school. Like many of the clients I work with today, I didn’t have the confidence or knowledge to know what to do while in the gym. I had joined a gym due to being overweight and finding out I had asthma. I decided to meet with a personal trainer and little did I know that first meeting would turn into me working with him for over two years. My body transformed and I fell in love with health and fitness. This led to me wanting to become a fitness coach myself. Fast forward, I graduated from high school and decide to attend WellSpring School of Allied Health in Kansas City, MO to become a personal trainer. I finished the program in 2010.
From here, I started training clients on my own to gain additional experience so I’d have that under my belt when applying for my first personal trainer position. Throughout the time that followed, I worked for bigger box gyms, community centers and small, locally owned businesses. During all of this, I still stayed in contact with the personal trainer I hired back when I was in high school. I learned he eventually left the gym he was at and had started his own business. Down the line I had applied twice for a position with his business and was turned down. We both knew, with me being a newer coach, that I still had some growth to do and finding who I was as a fitness coach. I continued to hustle and work towards perfecting my craft even more. After more time had passed, I applied for a third time and that’s when he said yes to me joining his personal training team. I was so excited! Knowing that I started as his personal training client to now being a part of his training staff, I felt so proud! I continued working hard and loving where I was at in my career. I knew without a doubt I was where I needed to be!
Fast forward, Covid hit and Scott, the owner, finds out he has ALS. This was very hard news to get from him. Scott meant so much to me. A lot started to change behind the scenes with the business and I stepped up as gym manager to help with the day to day of it all. He did sadly pass away in December 2022. After some negotiations with his wife, I purchased the business in 2023.
From there, my goal and mission was to run the business in Scott’s honor while still providing the best service for our clientele. Some time passed and I decided it was time to truly make the business my own. We had still been doing business as BodySmith Personal Training and after a lot of thinking, I came up with the business name Full Circle Fitness. This name truly summed up my journey coming full circle. To be a personal training client, then a personal trainer myself and now owner of a fitness coaching business was wild to think about. I’m truly thankful for all that Scott Smith gave to me that led to me getting to this point in my life and helping me find my career that I truly love.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say this journey hasn’t been the smoothest. Even though I took over ownership of an already established business, I’ve still had to learn how to keep it going. I didn’t get to have any talks with the last owner on what he was doing that was working or not working. I’ve had to learn as I go. However, I am someone that works hard and it helps that I truly love what I do.
As you know, we’re big fans of Full Circle Fitness . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Full Circle Fitness, formerly BodySmith Personal Training, is a health and fitness business in Kansas City, KS. We specialize in fitness coaching for busy professionals over 30 who are new (or returning) to fitness that want to lose weight, get stronger, and finally feel confident in the gym – without crash diets or quick fixes. Together, we build a lifestyle that lasts.
We specialize in 1-to-1 personal training services that are held at the 1901 Fitness Co-Op space that we work out of. We also offer online coaching and nutrition coaching services.
With our mentorship style of coaching, we help you with your fitness and lifestyle habits to reach sustainable results. The first session is always free.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There are definitely many people that deserve credit!!
Scott Smith is the person that I really owe a lot to. He was the one that was my personal trainer when I was in high school and why I wanted to be a personal trainer myself. Scott is who I told first that I wanted to be a personal trainer myself and he encouraged me to go for it if this is what I truly wanted to do. He is who offered me this amazing opportunity to be a personal trainer with his business, which in turn (bitter sweet) led to me being the new owner and rebranding to what is now Full Circle Fitness.
The many clients that we have trained and still train till this day. Without our clients, we wouldn’t be here today. As a small, local business, it means so much! We truly care and want our clients to win and hit their goals!
The amazing friends and family that have encouraged me to continue striving for what I want.
My amazing husband Brandon that believes in me and listens to my complaining at times when the business side is hard. But he listens and encourages me to keep going because he knows that Full Circle Fitness means so much to me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullcirclefitnesskc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/169hGmKt9n/
- Other: [email protected]
