Back in September, I joined a new gym and I didn’t realize at the time how much it would impact the way I think about my work.
Since 2023, my routine had mostly been barre, Pilates, and yoga, with the occasional strength-training session mixed in. I hadn’t taken a high-intensity workout class since mid-2022. Then, after getting engaged, I started spending more time in my fiancé’s town and needed to find a gym fast.
I checked out a few places, but nothing clicked. No spark.
Then I found my current gym.
The first class was free, and “overwhelming” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Four months in, it’s still hands down the hardest workout I’ve ever done. I was wildly out of my comfort zone—terrified, but also strangely drawn in.
After that first class, the instructor (now one of my all-time favorites) checked in with me and even went out of her way to create a custom, discounted membership for my first month. A week later, I was still feeling out of my element. Three weeks in? I was sold—and rushing to become an unlimited member.
As incredible as the workouts are, what keeps me coming back isn’t just the physical challenge. It’s their consistency in how they treat people.
From day one, every single staff member greets me by name. And if you know me, you know Dahv or Dahvin is not exactly common. Yet it felt like everyone already knew me. Instructors make a point to connect before and after class, take song requests, celebrate milestones, and even reach out outside of class via text or Messenger.
It’s phenomenal.
Sure, there are hundreds of gyms that could probably give me a comparable workout. But what keeps me showing up multiple times a week, signing up for special classes, and buying merch is how consistently they invest in the client relationship.
Which naturally got me thinking about what I do for a living.
Yes, I’m a marketer—but realistically, only about 10% of my job is heads-down execution. The other 90%? People.
Clients. Teammates. C-suite. Prospects. Happy clients. Frustrated clients. Clients at risk of churning.
After 4+ years in account management, I know how black and white it can feel: a client is either content or at risk. I’ve seen clients leave—and come back. Sometimes it’s budget. Sometimes it’s new leadership. And sometimes, you step in when the relationship has already been fractured long before you arrived.
In those moments, all you can really do is show up, be consistent, tend to their needs, and hope trust can be rebuilt. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t.
That’s why experiences like this gym hit home for me. They remind me why I got into marketing in the first place.
I love data, attribution, and talking shop—but at the end of the day, I’m in it for my clients. Even the ones I had to say goodbye to. Because without those experiences, I wouldn’t be half the person I am today—inside or outside the gym.
Also – if you’re looking for probably one of the best workouts, be sure to check out SPENGA!