And So It Begins…

As of January 31st of this year, I am a small business owner! ADK Boxing is now officially a business and no longer just a side hustle. Throw in your favorite cliche here, but when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade - or if you’re over 21 a celebratory libation made with lemons. Sometimes unexpected changes are just the thing you need to step out of that comfort zone and decide that the best career you can make is the one you make for yourself - even if your new boss is a jerk sometimes (just ask his wife).

ADK Boxing has been around for a while, just not as a true business entity. The idea of creating a business out of my passion for boxing and being a trainer has been rolling around in my noggin for quite some time but I always told myself, “you’re too busy,” or “there’s too much to do at work,” or “ugh, that’s too hard.” Those were all excuses though. Really what it boiled down to was a lack of confidence on my part. I mean, what do I know about running a business? I know how to train, I know boxing and I have a Master’s degree in Fitness and Wellness Leadership, but I can barely add and subtract without taking my shoes off.

It turns out that while I don’t know a heck of a lot about running a business, I knew more than I thought and as any good business owner, leader, or supervisor does they go for help from people who are smarter than they are. So, big thanks to my lovely bride Aleacia and my friend Matt (@adkmtnrunning on Instagram) for not looking at me like I was (am) insane for wanting to do this; and lending their expertise and wisdom.

So, what got me to take that first step?

Since that fateful change in my working life, I took a hard look at what I have been doing in my career and where I want to be. The two, I found, were not exactly playing nice together. So, with my bag of lemons firmly in hand I went looking for recipes.

Luck, it seems took some interest in what I would make as well. Since I stopped the 9 - 5, I have three new personal training clients, and I have secured a boxing fitness gig over at Whiteface Lodge in addition to the Boxing fitness and Skills classes at SLove Health Club. With the growing interest in what I want to do, it seemed a good time to take that leap. Getting the hearty “Go for it!” from family friends certainly helped too.

Every new thing starts with a single step and that was me yesterday, driving almost an hour away to the Franklin County Courthouse and filing the paperwork to create ADK Boxing as an official business.

And so it began….