David Bauer:
I was a wrestler in high school and competitive kickboxer after high school, so fitness has always been part of my life.  I began working in gyms in the late 80s before personal training became mainstream.  I was a Command Fitness Coordinator in the Navy.  After getting out, I worked in a family business in management but felt the pull back towards the fitness industry.  I became a trainer and eventually a director at Delnor Community Health and Wellness Center.  After leaving there I developed a “gym on wheels”, a custom 30’ Winnebago motorhome filled with workout equipment.  I went to homes and businesses and trained people in the motorhome.

In 2004 I moved my business into a 1500 sq. ft. space in Campton Hills and eventually expanded to 3000 sq. ft.  In May of 2009 I purchased a 4000 sq. ft. facility, also in Campton Hills.

Briefly describe your business.
The goal of Integrated Fitness Solutions is to provide a variety of health and wellness solutions to a diverse population ranging from children to seniors, novices to elite athletes.  Personal training is our “bread and butter” but we also offer classes like Boot Camp and Yoga.  The unique aspect of the business is that we also offer counseling during the exercise session if that is a need of the client.  I have an advanced degree and license in counseling as well as over 20 years of personal training experience, so I am one of the few practitioners in the country to offer a complete solution using those two skills.

What size is your company? We use independent contractors for personal training and yoga.  Currently we have 4 trainers and 2 yoga instructors, plus myself.  We train about 100 sessions a week plus yoga and boot camp classes.

What is your ideal client?
Our ideal clients know they need help at some level to achieve optimal wellness, and are willing to seek out professionals who can provide a high level of service and professionalism.  And they are willing to pay for it!

What products and/or services does your business offer?
We offer one on one, small group and family personal training, Boot Camp, Yoga and Counseling

How did you originally discover the idea for your business?
I’ve always helped people get healthy.  The idea for combining the disciplines of counseling and personal training really developed while I was in graduate school.  It seemed like a natural fit.

What have been the keys to success in your eyes?
Client first, period.  I often say I bleed their blood.  During the one hour they are with me I am their best friend, closest confidant, coach, advisor and sounding board.  They are valued and they know I care.

What kind of relationship do you establish with your customers?
See above.

How do you maintain these relationships?
Like all relationships, it is about listening first, getting to know the individual as a human being, not just a billable hour.

Have you noticed any trends in your industry at the moment?
The trend in personal training is toward “old school” training methods and more Spartan types of exercises.  We have been doing functional exercises for a while, but much of what people are doing are more based on various types of work: cutting wood, carrying sacks, throwbacks to our agrarian roots.  We are also seeing variations on the way to do cardio.  There is also a big surge of “mind/body” training similar to what I am already doing.

What is the funniest story you’ve come across in your business?
A 52 year old woman with MS and other health problems had worked with me for a while.  Previously when she would go to the grocery store she needed help carrying even the smallest bag to her car.  After working with me for over a year, she went in one time and happily turned down the offer for help to carry not one, but two 40 pound bags of salt to her car.  The bag boy’s jaw hit the floor.

What is your greatest achievement?
See above.  But anytime we can help improve the quality of someone’s life is a great achievement.

Describe your business in five words or less.
We help people feel better.