Her Story
About Brittanie
Brittanie McDonald serves as a full-time personal trainer and group fitness instructor at the HealthWorks Group, working at Republic Fitness in Somerville, Massachusetts. With 19 years in the field, she began her career during college as a student athlete at Northeastern University, where she studied health sciences with a focus on exercise and nutrition and minored in psychology. McDonald specializes in functional training and mobility for runners, incorporating TRX and Olympic lifting, and she is an ACE-certified personal trainer currently pursuing her ACE cancer specialist certification. She manages 25 to 35 clients at a time, emphasizing organization, realistic goal-setting, and clear communication to help clients achieve results while fostering a supportive environment. In addition to her training work, McDonald contributes to community initiatives by fundraising for HealthWorks Community Fitness through her participation in the Boston Marathon and donates to organizations including the ASPCA, MSPCA, and Playworks.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Brittanie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I take a very realistic approach to exercise. Passion is part of it, but relaying that passion to clients and having them feel the same is key. Being goal-oriented, keeping it realistic with schedules and physical feelings, making sure clients feel heard, and differentiating between discomfort and difficulty are crucial. It's a constant back and forth of being a therapist and trainer while listening.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The cheesy one: when you love what you do, it's not really work. You don't work a day in your life. It's rare to actually like what you do, especially since personal training isn't always the most financially huge field but is more of a passion project. Work helps bring me out of a bad day.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be patient because the field ebbs and flows, and people skip the gym when life gets crazy. Always shoot to surpass your goals a little bit because something is always pulling you back. Be a good money manager since it's commission-based and numbers fluctuate month to month. Prepare for lower months by planning ahead and never get complacent.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Keeping the flow of income steady due to ebbs and flows. January is busy but June clears out, September picks up, holidays affect it. It's commission-based so you might not hit the same numbers month to month.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is the biggest thing, especially in exercise where results aren't black and white and genetics play a role. Remind people that different doesn't mean wrong or bad. Loyalty is important personally but in training it's best clients work with who suits them best. Patience is key because clients don't always know what they're doing and gyms can be intimidating.
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