Today we’d like to introduce you to Margo Kloster.
Hi Margo , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey into personal training started about 15 years ago. Once my kids were both in school, I knew I wanted something of my own. Fitness and training had always been a huge part of my life, and I constantly had people telling me, “You should be a personal trainer.” Eventually, I listened. I got certified, started my own business, and what began as something I thought I would do on the side quickly became much more.
In the beginning, my business was completely mobile. I trained clients in their homes, held group workouts in parks, and basically went wherever my clients needed me. I worked with people from every walk of life…men, women, children, athletes, older adults and people with disabilities. Some people hired me to lose weight or build muscle, while others hired me to help an aging parent become stronger and more mobile or to help someone with physical limitations improve their quality of life.
I had actually always wanted to become a physical therapist, so looking back, I think that interest was always reflected in the way I approached personal training. I’ve never looked at it as simply giving someone a workout. I love understanding how the body moves, teaching proper form and finding ways to meet people exactly where they are and help them become stronger and more capable.
COVID ended up being a major turning point in my business. When people became understandably hesitant about having someone come into their homes, I began working more out of a gym. My business grew tremendously during that transition, and I eventually became so busy that it no longer made sense to continue traveling from home to home. I transitioned fully into gym-based training, which allowed me to work with even more people and expand what I offered.
Today, I still train a wide variety of clients. men, women and athletes…with goals ranging from weight loss and general health to strength training and bodybuilding. I also provide nutritional guidance and individualized gym programs for people who want the knowledge and structure to train on their own.
Over the years, I’ve become especially passionate about working with women as they enter their 40s, 50s and beyond. There is so much misinformation about what women should be doing as they age, and I love teaching them that this is not the time to become smaller, weaker or afraid of lifting heavy weights. Building and maintaining skeletal muscle is incredibly important, and watching a woman become physically stronger often changes so much more than her body….it changes the way she sees herself.
What started 15 years ago as a side business because I loved to work out has turned into a career and a business that I’m incredibly proud of. I’ve been fortunate to grow largely through relationships, reputation and word of mouth, and I think the reason I still love it after all these years is that it never feels like I’m just helping someone exercise. I get to help people become stronger, healthier, more confident and more capable in their everyday lives—and that has always been the most rewarding part for me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Personal training began as a side business, but after my divorce, I became a single mom and it also became how I supported my family. I had to learn how to grow a business while still being present for my kids, especially with their busy sports schedules and activities.
COVID brought another major challenge. Since my business was primarily in- home training and most gyms didn’t allow independent trainers to bring in clients, I had to pivot and train outdoors for a period of time. Eventually, I was given the opportunity to work as a subcontractor at a gym, which helped transition my business into gym based training. I later found the gym I’m at today, and it has been a perfect fit.
Now, one of my biggest challenges is managing a very full client schedule while also taking care of myself. Personal training is physically demanding, so I’ve learned to condense my hours and create better balance. Ironically, finding time for my own workouts can be difficult when I spend my days helping everyone else prioritize theirs but practicing what I preach is extremely important to me.
Every stage has required me to adapt, and I think those challenges have ultimately made me a better trainer, business owner and person.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business is focused on helping people become stronger, healthier and more confident in a way that works with their real lives. I offer in-person and online personal training, FaceTime training, customized home and gym programs, nutrition guidance, weekly accountability and menopause coaching.
One thing that sets me apart is how individualized my approach is. I work with people of all ages and fitness levels and for so many different reasons. I’ve helped brides prepare for their weddings, women get their “revenge body” after divorce, clients prepare for vacations or surgeries, athletes improve their performance, and people who simply want to lose weight, build muscle or feel better in their bodies. I love having a specific goal to work toward with someone.
I’ve also become especially passionate about menopause coaching. So many women reach perimenopause or menopause and suddenly feel like they don’t recognize their own bodies. I want women to know they aren’t alone and that this stage of life doesn’t mean they have to accept feeling weaker or less confident. I help them understand the importance of strength training, building and maintaining muscle, nutrition, recovery and adapting their approach as their bodies change.
What I’m most proud of is the trust and relationships I’ve built with my clients. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach or making fitness someone’s entire life. I meet people where they are, give them the education and accountability they need, and help them create something they can actually sustain. My goal has always been bigger than changing someone’s body—I want people to feel stronger and more confident in themselves and know they’re capable of more than they thought.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Without question, my clients deserve so much of the credit for the success of my business. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have clients who have stayed with me for years—some for nearly the entire 15 years I’ve been doing this. I’ve even had the privilege of training multiple generations within the same family, including clients and their grandchildren.
My business has grown primarily through word of mouth, and to me, there is no greater compliment than someone trusting me enough to recommend me to the people they care about. Results speak for themselves, but the relationships behind those results are what mean the most to me.
When you train someone regularly, sometimes several times a week for years, you become part of each other’s lives. Every one of my clients is special to me, and while I hope I’ve made a difference in their lives, they have absolutely made a difference in mine. They’ve supported me through different chapters of my life and business, spoken highly of me when I wasn’t in the room, referred friends and family, and trusted me to help them reach their goals.
They’ve also made me a better trainer and a better person. Working with so many different personalities, ages, backgrounds and walks of life has taught me how to listen, understand people and meet them where they are.
I wouldn’t have the business I have today without my clients. Their loyalty, trust and support have been the greatest endorsement I could ever ask for, and that is something I will never take for granted.
Pricing:
- 30 mins
- 45 mins
- 60 mins
- Small group pt ~ 60 mins
- Online training and accountability
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.personaltrainingwithmargo.com
- Instagram: v.i.p_personaltraining
- Facebook: VIP Personal Training
