Our youngest client!!

Check out Puravida Fitness's youngest client! This is my daughter Alannah and I doing a short functional training session in our new space. She's a natural and probalby will follow in dad's footsteps.

Jumpstart Update-Friday is the final day.

Final Jamboree Last Saturday!!

Here's a sneak peek at some of our remaining contestants hitting it hard!

We are in the final week of Jumpstart right now it looks like the top four teams are:

(Not all points are final but we are pretty close and still have to add bonuses in)

1. Irrational Befavior 5300 pts(through 10 weeks)

2. Erik's Angels 4245 pts (through 10 weeks)

3. BFDs 3680 (through 9 weeks)

4. Bk Broilers 2925 (upated to week 7)

We will be nominating most improved(200 points and rockstar(200 points) as well as 3 honorable mentions next week so we will have everything finalized then.

Jumpstart Update -Finish Strong!!

Jumpstart ends in 2 weeks-It's time to finish strong!!

We are just over two weeks from wrapping up the first Jump Start Challenge!

Right now here are the top teams. I'm only going to post them because we have all their points up to the last week. Their final tally is still confidential until the contest is over we will then post all the points in final format.

Chad Krueger of Team Dynamite earns player of the week for losing 18 pounds and his consistency with training and eating well over the past few weeks. Currently he is preparing for a triathlon. Click on the video above to hear his interview.

Right now the top three teams are:

#1-Irrational Behavior

#2-Erik's Angels

#3-BFDs

Other teams that are close are TNT, Double Ds, Team Dynamite

There is still enough time and races out there to rack up some serious points before this thing ends. Good luck and finish strong!!

ACE Hardware Vs. Home Depot

When I was in high school I worked at mom and pop hardware store in Prior Lake, Minnesota. It was a great experience because of the atmosphere. We knew every customer on a first name basis and many times customers would stay around long after purchasing their merchandise just to shoot the breeze. The owners of the hardware store were never going to be filthy rich but they made a living and many loyal friends in the process. Most importantly they seemed happy and content with being an instrumental part of the community. I always knew this experience would be a great influence on me in the future.

Two years ago I moved to Apple Valley a suburb here in the Twin Cities area. We have both an ACE hardware and a massive Home Depot. I frequently have to go to our neighborhood ACE hardware which is a mom and pop store for various projects for my house and our rentals. I always prefer to go there because someone is always right there to help me, they are knowledgeable and the fact that they are a small business like myself. They are family owned trying to make a living helping people get things done around there homes.

Other times I have had to go to Home Depot the mammoth super center where it is nearly impossible to find someone to help you and when they do many times you get poor advice or end up with the wrong item. I don't know anyone over there on a first name basis like I do my local ACE. Even the other day, I had to go there for something because it's close to one of my rentals. It took me forever to get help and when I did the employee gave me the wrong part. I feel like the people there are just there to colect a check there is no vision or vested interest in truly serving like the smaller stores have. It's about showing up and getting paid to take up space not about building true realtionships with your customers. Which to me is the key to long term stability with your business.

The only thing in Home Depot's favor is the their prices are slightly lower. Personally I don't mind paying a little more for better service and to be treated like a VIP every time I walk in.
I also feel good about supporting the little guy at a time when Corporate America is devouring them up.

This why we have decided to offer the chance to be members at our facility. It's smaller not as fancy as Lifetime or other clubs but we will offer the mom and pop atmosphere people seldom see these days. All of our clients will be treated like family and we will create that small town mom and pop atmosphere that seems to be so lacking in many businesses these days.

Long live the little guys!!