‘I was always into working out. I wanted to help people. I always wanted to motivate people, but I never made that connection.’

Andrew Flores, Mineola

“I was in construction for a decade. Four hours of my day were spent commuting. Then I met my fiancée, and she asked me what I was doing with my life. She suggested that I should be a personal trainer. I was unsure because it seemed so farfetched. I was always into working out. I wanted to help people. I always wanted to motivate people, but I never made that connection.

“At the end of 2019, I became a trainer at LA Fitness. I got a promotion the week before COVID hit. I started taking clients on FaceTime just to keep their results going, and that led to taking one client in the garage when I had like half a floor. And then that just turned into putting it on Instagram and just pushing it. And now, three or four years later, here we are.

“A lot of my clients are women but, of course, I’m open to everyone. I think women are more willing to ask for help. That’s something that I try to let other men know. It’s OK to ask for help. It’s OK to not know something.

I’m teaching clients how to work out and change their mindset, but they’re also teaching me not only perspective and gratitude, but also their own experiences.

“The workouts are an example of what it looks like to make those wins step after step, and then it translates to their business, job, friendships and relationships. And they start realizing, ‘Oh, I want to do better for myself. I want to get treated better.’

“I think that everybody has a tough time giving themselves credit. This is a place where people feel comfortable and say, ‘Hey, you know what? I do look good.’ And it’s not taking away from the next person. Everybody in the gym celebrates each other.

“One thing about construction is that on my commutes, I would take notes from podcasts to pass the time. That’s where a lot of the advice that I’m able to give comes from. I knew how long it would take to grow a business, but I was still dying to get out there. I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing. And my body knew that.

“Now, I’m a gym owner. To get to the next point, I need to surround myself with other successful people. I am only four years in, but I’m hungry. I’m teaching clients how to work out and change their mindset, but they’re also teaching me not only perspective and gratitude, but also their own experiences. I’m always willing to pick up from anybody else. I think you must be willing to learn.”

Interviewed by Maggie Melito