Meet Matthew Peale

We recently connected with Matthew Peale and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, thank you so much for joining us today and appreciate you talking about a sensitive topic. It’s unfortunately relevant to so many in the community as layoffs have been on the rise recently, and so we’d appreciate hearing your story and how you overcame being let go?

In October of 2022, I was promoted to the Fitness Director position at Franco’s Athletic Club in Mandeville, LA. I began my career there in January of 2015 when I moved back to the area. The department needed a boost in morale, new pricing structure for personal training, and to reduce costs. Without much guidance, I started monthly meetings for the first time to boost morale, reduced payroll and maintenance costs, revamped the training pricing, which all resulted in the department becoming profitable for the first time in years.

In the spring of 2023, a new general manager was hired to reduce costs in all departments and revamp many of the management processes. One of the costs cutting measures was reducing management payroll, and I was let go along with three other managers. Turning around a department usually results in praise and other advancement opportunities. This reward was a firing after 8 loyal years.

Soon as I walked out the door, I called my client who owns Beau Chene Country Club literally across the street. I knew they had a small fitness center, and I could train him, his wife, his sister, and brother-in-law who were all clients. He agreed and discussions began on expanding their fitness center. We developed a plan, received quotes on equipment, and got to work changing one of the indoor tennis courts into an expanded fitness area and indoor pickleball courts.

From January 2024 to January 2025, the Beau Chene Tennis and Fitness Center increased gross revenues by almost $100,000. We are on our way to improving even more and providing more programs for members than they ever had previously.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

In the early fall of 2023, I launched The Peale Appeal Podcast on all the podcasting platforms and my website, mattpeale.com. I interview guests from around the world and give tips to help people over 40 be healthier and more active. I’ve been featured on television, radio and other podcasts from around the country, and use that experience to bring to you relevant content you can use in your daily life.

Because people sit so much and develop chronic pain in their lower back, neck, and hips, I created two online programs called Stretch at Your Desk and Strengthen at Your Desk, to help you have more energy, less pain, and feel more productive in 10 minutes or less per day, right from your desk! You don’t need workout clothes or equipment to use the program a few minutes at a time, a few times per day. I guarantee you’ll feel better or your money back.

In 2020 when the pandemic struck, I knew I needed to take a jump in my business and differentiate myself from other fitness professionals. With the help of Advantage Media, I wrote The Athlete in the Game of Life to guide you on healthy aging. With nutrition tips, stretching, and strengthening techniques, you can fight the signs of aging to enjoy the hobbies and activities you like more often. Now you can also listen to it on audiobook! I narrated it to give you a personal experience and get to know my actual voice along with what I wrote about. Both are available on Amazon!

A new area I am exploring is creating corporate health and fitness workshops with the Performance Institute for Executives. In finishing my Sports Performance Coaching certification, I can help executives and professionals train like athletes to improve cognitive function, decision making, and increase profits for their companies.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Developing sales skills is the most important skill you can have. Everyone is selling a product or service, and you must know how to communicate with customers and guide them through the process. Sales skills are verbal and written communications to help you differentiate yourself from others in your industry. Good salespeople are made, not born. You can have a talent, it needs to be practiced and developed for long term success.

Persistence is a must have trait. Everyone hits walls and has adversity in their careers and family life. You cannot give up when challenges arise. Find a way over, around, under, and through the obstacles to achieve the success you desire. Enlist the aid of other experts to guide you along the way. There are multiple methods to solve problems, you have to work through it and find out what they are.

Discipline is the third skill. To be a product of my fitness product, I have to be disciplined in my own workouts and eating habits. Not drinking during the week. Reducing the number of sweets and sugary snacks I eat. Drinking plenty of water and not soft drinks to stay hydrated. It’s easy to have a couple of beers each night, some cookies, and a couple of sodas like everyone else. Staying true to my profession means saying no to these things sometimes when others are saying yes.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is the foundation of personal development. The entire industry takes nuggets of its wisdom and regurgitates it into lectures, audio recordings, and books.

I read it the first time over five years ago, and didn’t grasp all of the information in it. Since then, I have read it multiple times and listen to at least one chapter each week on audiobook. The more I listen and read, the more I understand and change my paradigm. His instructions are timeless for everyone and anyone wanting to improve their careers and lives.

Persistence and having a burning desire to achieve your goals is the opening chapters. Creating a master mind group of trusted people to guide you along the way because nobody can go it alone. These are a few of the nuggets that I use daily in working out the plans for my future endeavors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mattpeale.com
• Instagram: mattpealeces
• Facebook: Athlete in the Game of Life
• Linkedin: Matthew Peale
• Twitter: MattPeale
• Other: The Peale Appeal Podcast