Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Charles Fossett-Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Charles, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform, and there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Living a life and leading a career filled with purpose matters deeply to us, so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
That’s a thought. I grew up with a passion for helping people. That was all I wanted to do. Initially, I wanted to be a counselor when I thought about attending college. That would be the best way to help someone. But then, as I got older, the passion for writing came into play; I would spend hours and hours writing short stories that my friends would read. I earned my degree in Journalism but was still working at My Gym at the Gym. I did a few Freelance jobs here and there, but nothing that would ever stick. In 2012 or 2013, I went to my first My Gym seminar, and that’s when I knew this was where I wanted to and needed to be, that My Gym was just a stepping stone for me; it would be my purpose and my end game. In 2015 I interviewed with CNN, and I thought I answered every question perfectly because this was the “Big League,” but I guess every question returned to My Gym. When they emailed back, they told me I was very passionate about where I am now, so maybe it was not time for me to leave just yet, but they would take me when I was ready. It’s been eight years, and Im still beyond happy and blessed to have this business as my calling and purpose. I’m getting to teach and interact with the future of the world. How amazing is it that I get to love a community that has blessed and loved me for so many years?
Thanks, so before we move on, you can share more about yourself.
My story isn’t much to tell; Im not the kid from the wrong side of the tracks, and im also not the rich kid from the little. I grew up in a small town up North called Fairfield. We moved around a lot, but I can come from Fairfield. Raised by a Single Mother, Debra Hunter, she is the most muscular woman alive. She raised three wild, very different boys, but we are all blessed, and she did whatever she had to do to make sure we knew we were happy and blessed. I was very active in after-school activities, which transitioned into church activities. I became a Jr. Staff member of my church back home; Parkway Community Church helped me find the meaning of who I wanted to be. Through many ups and downs, the community helped me find out that I wanted to work with children.
Flash forward, and I moved to Santa Barbara to attend SBCC (Santa Barbara Community College.) I played on the volleyball team between school Volleyball and workouts. I found the time to work three jobs. Yes, three positions. That sounds like a lot, but that is the Santa Barbara way. We chose this life. I worked two retail jobs and started working at My Gym Santa Barbara as a teacher. I’m so lucky and blessed to have started my journey with My Gym in Santa Barbara. At that time, I was just a teacher. I would end up moving back up north to finish school and be closer to home, well finishing up the BA, I worked at the Elk Grove Location, but I would return to Santa Barbara and work for the Gym, but this time not as a teacher as the director, with Jen Caesar (Former Owner) still leading the charge. 2020 Before the pandemic, I moved to Nashville and worked with Stacy Weber- London ( Owner). Through all my time at My Gym, I am lucky to have learned from two strong powerhouse women.
It was a no-brainer when I could move back and reopen the Santa Barbara location. I knew this was what I worked so hard for and to be given a chance to make my dream come true. It was a Cinderella story in the making. But also, I got to be an owner in a town where we only have a few POC owning a business and thriving. No matter where you are today, owning a business is challenging. But to say I can do this in a world where POC and Queer please are getting attacked and criticized every day, Im beyond blessed and loved because I fill the support and love from my community is such a blessing.
If you are in the Santa Barabra area, please join us for our Enrollment Event on September 6th from 9 am-1 pm; for more information, please visit our website at www.mygym.com/santabarbara
If you had to pick the three most important qualities to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Always believe in yourself in the darkest of times. That is easier said than done, though, life sometimes comes at us full speed ahead, and it’s a trainwreck waiting to happen, and sometimes that is all we can do. We can stop the impact, but what happens after the effects defines who you are. If I blew up at every person that told me I was never going to be a writer or that I wasnt going to be anything because I was black and queer, then I was letting them win; the world is full of bullies, but it also filled with the most fantastic kind-hearted humans you will ever meet. You must remember that the negative will always outweigh the positive, but you have to hold on to those joyous moments and hold them close to your heart so you always know why you are doing what you are doing. Seeing my Mother work so hard raising three boys and making sure we had food on the table, I think that is what instilled in me a hard and accurate work ethic, and that’s where it starts; I have always been passionate about everything that I have done, I have never done something “Half-ass.” It’s not in My DNA; if you are looking at something I did, you are going to get 110%, but I will also meet you with compassion and grace as well, and help you understand where I am coming from, and I hope you will do the same. We must listen, know, and thoroughly think through things with peers.
Okay, so we always ask if you would like folks to partner or collaborate before we go.
My Gym Santa Barabra is about Community; My Goal is to be able to work with families and small businesses to help support and collaborate to help not only help small businesses but help bring families together again. My Gym has always been a place where we can all relate and share moments that matter with each other and laughter and love. We can keep doing that when the collaborations this next year.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mygym.com/santabarbara
- Instagram: mygymsantabarabra
- Facebook: My Gym Santa Barbara
- Yelp: My Gym Santa Barbara
- Other: tiktok:mygymsantabarbara2022
Image Credits
All photos were taken on my iPhone. I have permission for these photos to be used
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