We were lucky to catch up with Candy De Bord Hoke recently and have shared our conversation below.
Candy, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I would say from overcoming a lot of difficulties in my childhood, into my young adult life. I didn’t always have this mindset, but I did always want to choose to see the better side of any bad situation. My parents were both alcoholics, who died in their 50’s…and yes it was from alcohol, but really it was the mindset they both had about life. They always thought they were suffering, which then brought on more suffering. At some point I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and my situation and choose to see the positive in almost anything. I had a sister that passed away when I was 12 and of course it was devastating…but 6 or 7 years later I was able to look at that time and recognize that the event made me take a different path and not follow her footsteps and now I am where I am today because of it. It’s situations like that, that I have been able to climb out of the suffering and find growth. Life is a lesson, and I alway have to recognize that lesson so that I can grow stronger to move forward.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and Level 1 Animal Flow Instructor. In 2020 I was working at Golds Gym DTLA when COVID hit and everything shutdown. At that time I had a Sprinter Van that my husband and I had used for camping/motorcycle trips. I actually even lived in that van for 6 months alone while we moved from NC to CA. Anyway…when everything shutdown I asked my husband who does metal fabrication if he could build a rack so that we could make the van a mobile gym so we could workout. Once he did that and we started working out at the park, I started having people ask for business cards. I built my website and took on a few clients who were comfortable training outdoors at the park and my business took off! I always knew I wanted to go out on my own one day, but I didn’t know how it would happen. I trained out of my van for 3 years at Elysian Park in LA until May 2023. This year we had a lot of rain, so my training became mostly virtual. I was not happy about it, but knew paying rent in LA for a studio would be insane…until my husband called a spot in our neighborhood that was for lease. It is owned by a lovely man named Ed and he is super into supporting start ups and helping people out. He believed in my potential and let me sign a lease with him and I now have my own FITNESS STUDIO! It’s walking distance from my home, and I just can’t believe it happened. I feel so grateful, and happy to be able to touch more people lives with my training. Please come check out my Neon Green 80’s vibe Studio in Echo Park, Los Angeles CA. I offer 1 on 1 training, Group Training, Virtual training, Virtual Classes, Nutritional coaching, and absolutely love Corrective exercise. If you have old injuries, or just do not move well I will help you work on the trouble areas to get you moving well so then you can step up your training!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe one of the key qualities that helped my business was the ability to make something out of nothing….or to make the best of what I had at the time. When I started my business with the van I only had 3 kettlebells to start with and bands. I started doing group classes and had to be super creative with the movements to hit all muscle groups. I couldn’t let the feeling of not having enough get in my way. I took this same thought process with me, once I moved into the studio. I took everything from the van and put it in my gym without the gym looking anything like I envisioned. Overtime I added more and more just like I did with the van and it’s so close to being my dream. You have to start somewhere, and you can’t wait for things to be perfect. The other areas of knowledge I took with me is learning as much as I could on movement and I still continue studying this to this day. You can never know it all, and it’s important to continue education. I didn’t have machines to train people, I only had movement patterns. I really elevated my skills with the Corrective Exercise program I did and it helped me with clients that could not move well, or had old injuries get the best workout without pain. Last but not least…have fun! It’s so important to bring that positive energy and experience for your clients! They are looking to train, but they are also looking for a break from life to work on themselves and have an hour of positivity. You must create a positive experience for clients to look forward to the appointment, not dread.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. This power has really changed by entire perspective on life, because it helped me separate my thoughts on life and what IS. We all have doubts and can not be so nice to ourselves…which then creates moods, etc… I have been able to catch myself and use my senses to face what is the reality in front of me versus my thoughts. If I am in a mood I can tell myself that I’m outside with sun shining, plants, birds, and my dog are around me and nothing negative is actually happening in present time. I can catch that I was just thinking of something which is typically the past or the future I have no accepted and it’s creating my unhappiness. Now I have my power back and can enjoy my life and bring joy to myself and others. It’s such an incredible book. I highly recommend! The book has so many nuggets to carry with you, but here are 2 of my favorites. I could honestly read this book over and over.
” Do you truly know what is positive and what is negative? Do you have the total picture? There have been many people for whom limitation, failure, loss, illness, or pain in whatever form turned out to be their greatest teacher. It taught them to let go of false self-images and superficial ego-dictated goals and desires. It gave them depth, humility, and compassion. It made them more real. ”
” Seen from a higher perspective, conditions are always positive. To be more precise: they are neither positive nor negative. They are as they are. And when you live in complete acceptance of what is-which is the only sane way to live- there is no “good” or “bad” in your life anymore. There is only higher good- which includes the “bad”. ”
My life has had many struggles and as time passes on I have found myself so incredibly grateful for them. I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am today without those paths.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bodybycandyfitness.com
- Instagram: Bodybycandyfitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Body-by-Candy-Fitness-100039128450640/
Image Credits
Photographer is Meredith Devine.
