Interview with Nathalie Kuffer, Founder, Wellness to You
Today, I’d like to introduce you to a very inspiring women, one with tremendous foresight and drive. Nathalie Kuffer! Nathalie is the founder of Wellness to You, an online tool that pairs individuals looking for personal training assistance with local trainers looking to work with clients in various locations.
Jason - Good afternoon Nathalie. Thanks so much for taking some time to talk with us today.
Nathalie - My pleasure! I’m honored…
Jason - Well, before we get into Wellness to You, tell our readers a little bit about yourself. How did you get involved in the fitness industry? How long ago, etc. Anything you can think of to provide our readers with a little bit of insight into the mind behind this wonderful creation.
Nathalie - I started teaching aerobics while working in Cancun. I was a secretary at an all inclusive resort and had gained a bunch of weight. One day when I showed up for a step class, I learned the instructor was sick. My boss quickly informed me that it was now my job to teach the class! I was literally thrown into teaching! A year later, when I returned home to Toronto, I got certified as an aerobics instructor. Soon thereafter, I got certified as a Personal Trainer. I immediately got a job at a large chain of gyms in Toronto. I was making $15 per hour and my client would pay the gym $50+ for my service (this was in 1998). To make matters worse, most of my clients hated going to the gym and started pestering me to train them at their house. It was a no brainer. They paid the same amount; I would go to them and save them time. I, in turn, would work less and make more.
Soon thereafter, I was sponsored by the Canadian Government and sent to business management and marketing school to help further my in home personal training business. This sponsorship also included a 2 month trip to Cameroon (Western Africa) with a non-profit organization to instruct local Fitness Instructors and Personal Trainers new fitness techniques, teach physical education classes to school children as well as conduct Health Consultations and Wellness Seminars in rural villages. A few weeks after my return to Canada, I relocated to beautiful Bermuda for a position at a leading fitness club. It was there that I met and married (ok, eloped with…) my American husband.
Jason - Wow! That’s a really neat beginning to it all! Africa to teach? Not too many get to say that! And Bermuda and a husband……not bad Nathalie! Now seriously, changing gears, let’s take a moment to allow you to better explain Wellness to You and how it came to be.
Nathalie - As an in home personal trainer, my biggest expense was advertising and marketing. Although I had no overhead costs, I could literally spend $1000 a month advertising in magazines, papers, online and/or on the radio. But that money was never well spent because whatever means I was using to advertise my services would be for a very limited time. Then I was back to square one. I felt that advertising my mobile fitness services was like finding a needle in a haystack. I could never find the most efficient and affordable way to spread the word about what I did. That’s when I thought of starting an online resource that would be a portal that consolidates all types of mobile wellness services (we currently have over 30 categories). WellnessToYou makes it easier for wellness providers to advertise their services and also makes it easier for wellness seekers to locate mobile wellness providers. It’s a win/win situation for client and provider alike. Before I knew it, I discovered that there was a slew of wellness professionals (from massage therapists to chiropractors to nutritionists) who, like me, wanted to reach a broader clientele; those who typically can’t make it to the health club or spa. The mobile wellness industry is a great niche market. And a growing one to boot!
Jason - Can you explain the process to utilizing WellnessToYou for our readers?
Nathalie - It’s super simple. Go to https://wellnesstoyou.us and choose one of three membership levels. To see the chart that explains what you get for which membership, go to: https://wellnesstoyou.us/page.cfm?id=1747. The best part is that we don’t, nor will we ever, take a cut of the providers’ earnings.
Jason - This really is a simple way to pair the client to the trainer! Amazingly simple really. Are you seeing any decreases in usage of the services at this time due to the economic situation?
Nathalie - Not that I’m aware of! I’m always a little surprised when clients renew! It just goes to show that it is a convenient and necessary commodity for people who care about their well being. When you think of the alternatives… proactive health is cheaper!
Jason - So very true, a lesson still being learned by some many, at a snail’s pace unfortunately. What about prerequisites for either clients or trainers? Are there any for either or both to use Wellness to You?
Nathalie - When Wellness Providers join our network, we get them to answer a few due diligence questions that go over the basics of their training, certification, whether or not they are insured, have a criminal record and lastly there’s a disclaimer. The biggest prerequisite is that they obviously have to be able to deliver their services to the clients’ location of choice!
As far as the clients go, they don’t have any prerequisites at this time, other than clicking on a disclaimer that allows them to search. However, this has been a bit of a tricky issue for us. Some people feel that we need to screen wellness seekers as well as wellness provider. Therefore, we are currently in the process of creating a way for us to have wellness clients sign in to identify who they are and go through a few questions in order for us to verify basic safety standards.
We feel that there is only so much we can do and will do all that we can to safely pair client and provider without making it a huge process for clients to find their potential provider. Imagine if we insisted that every company provide us an in depth clearance of anyone coming into our homes! You’d find that there would be huge wait for the simple services such as carpet installations, appliance repairs or pizza deliveries!
The WellnessToYou directory, like any other directory, requires people to do their homework, so to speak: Ask for references, testimonials, insurance and credentials. Use common sense!
Jason - You bring up a very interesting point, and I agree with you 100%. There is a fine line between what we do via the internet and the responsibility we have, as well. I certainly feel your pain. Our legal system has created an environment that makes it extremely difficult at times to help others due to the ease of filing lawsuits. Whatever happened to taking responsibility? A shame if you ask me, but anyway, onward. Do you find that clients or trainer are benefiting more, to date, from the use of Wellness to You? Who do you target most at this time?
Nathalie - Absolutely. Clients now have access to all the providers available to them within their zip code search. It is a unique directory that allows clients to shop for all types of wellness providers. The Provider, on the other hand, can put all their relevant information within their profile, including certification, specialty, social networking links, email, website, as well as testimonials, ratings as well as their business logo and professional picture. They can even upload articles they have written to be posted on our ‘provider articles’ page.
At this time, we are targeting both providers and clients equally. There is a need for both!
Jason - What’s been your biggest challenge to date with launching such a creative, new concept?
Nathalie - At first it was the classic ‘what comes first” theory: the chicken or the egg? We needed providers to make the site functional but what purpose did that have without searchers/clients? Eventually, with time, we gained both. Other than that, the other real challenge I am facing is how to work from home and separate family and business. I will be faced with this all summer long as my kids and husband (who is a school teacher) will be home all summer! They are a great distraction and sometimes make it difficult for me to work from home.
Jason - Oh boy! Time for a table at your local Starbucks for you! Reserve one for the whole summer now! Good luck! So, what’s been the most rewarding aspect of Wellness to You?
Nathalie - A few months ago, I got a phone call from a gentleman who was in his late 80′s. It was always very difficult for him to get his wellness services. He no longer drove and was very appreciative to find a site that helped him find a massage therapist; a chiropractor and a personal trainer who could all come to his home rather than him try to get to them. He brought me to tears with his testimonial!
Jason - 80 years old and he was on the internet searching for a wellness provider. That is great! And amazing! I know, for me personally, it’s so much fun for me to do what I do now; I know you must enjoy what you’ve built as well, no?
Nathalie - You bet. I am a firm believer that you must listen to your inner voice and your faith will guide your journey. That is how you find your passion. I listened to mine, and I’ve found my professional purpose. It’s a great feeling.
Jason - And isn’t it amazing how timing plays a role? You are where you are today because of that instructor being out sick one day! Nathalie thanks so much for joining us today! That was fun! We will certainly keep our readers up to date on Wellness to You and its services. Come back any time!
Nathalie – Thanks Jason. The pleasure was all mine!
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Nice interview and definitely worth reading! Wellness coaching is gaining popularity with each passing day and so are personal coaches who can offer innovative and tailored programs to their clients.
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