Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Valerie Dickson M.Ed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Valerie, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
Self-Care is very important in the health and fitness industry or any person who has multiple jobs. I work in educational full-time and have 3 part-time jobs as a fitness instructor at various fitness facilities. Some of the things I like to do for self-care are:
Therapist, swimming, yoga, ice skating, journaling, reading, staycations or vacations, spa days, and spending time with friends and family.
This past year I have lost 2 family members, and I have had to work extra hard to ensure that I am taking care of myself due to the stress of losing a loved one.
Self-care keeps my stress levels down and ensures that my body is balanced. If I feel overwhelmed then I take time away or step away. Knowing the signs of when you feel physically or mentally stressed can assist you on when you need to take self-care.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My passion for teaching health and fitness was inspired by my own personal mistakes to teach preventive measurements to youth. After building several fitness programs throughout several school districts: Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Lamar CISD, and Alief ISD, I officially launched Fierce Fit Factory during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fierce Fit Factory aims to create a variety of exercise modifications that are fun, high energy, and engaging to fitness members. Currently, I am competing for Ms. Health and Fitness and have been onboarded with Memorial Hermann Hospital systems. This will get me closer to my goal, to assist with bariatric weight loss patients.
I am trying to build my own fitness studio so I can expand my fitness business online, providing training opportunities for instructors, and expand my group fitness programs internationally.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Networking with other fitness professionals, staying up to date with fitness trends, taking various fitness classes and receiving different certifications, and defining what success is for your company.
Over the years my ideas have changed directions slightly, and so I have to adjust my goals based on circunstancies. Success for me will be able to control my own schedule and will be able to eventually do fitness as a full-time profession.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
One of the biggest challenges is the start up process. I am currently in the networking stages. There is a lot of competition and since the pandemic, online fitness and nutrition programs have become easier for people to access. Making yourself stand out from the competition is very difficult.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fiercefitfactory.com/
- Instagram: Fierce_Fit_Factory
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063903019810
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-dickson-b132b314/
- Youtube: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC7diFqZlcYdmesA-KGNTM3Q?feature=share
Image Credits
Phillips 66 Communications LA Fitness Communications
