Coach Jake
A bit about you?
I have 2 sons Rocco (3.5) and Luca (4 months). I’ve been a trainer since way back in 2009 when PEPT (my first baby) was born. I spent about 12 years growing PEPT to 13 gyms across Australia and even 1 in India (long story). Ultimately I made a lot of mistakes (as you do when trying to take over the world in your 20’s) and it didn’t work out.
From that time building gyms, hiring, certifying and training literally hundreds of trainers and working with thousands of clients I learnt a lot of lessons which we now apply right here in PEPT Narangba where we’re on a mission to build the best gym in the world - literally. I love nothing more than coming into the gym every day and working with our team - never in all my years doing this have I ever worked with a better crew. Nowhere else I’d rather be!
Why did you become a trainer?
I kind of fell into it, although looking back it seems like an obvious choice (at the time being a PT wasn’t really much of a career path). I was at Uni studying exercise and sports nutrition after my dreams of playing in the AFL didn’t work out. One day we got an email saying we could use our prior learning to fast track a PT certificate and get qualified in 2 days (which is crazy). I figured I could work in an air conditioned gym while finishing my degree which had to be better than sweating it out in the sporting goods warehouse I was working at. Plus I was always helping my footy mates out in the gym etc anyway so I figured I’d be decent at it. So I called my dad up, he loaned me the money and a couple of weeks later I was a PT!
At first I was driving all over Brisbane training friends and family for $20 before / after work, in breaks from uni etc etc and that’s how I cut my teeth and built the skill of training people.
Something unique / interesting about you?
I grew up in the central QLD towns of Dysart and then Yeppoon. I moved to Brisbane the day I finished year 12 to chase my AFL dream and did a traineeship with AFL QLD going around to schools etc teaching kids how to play footy. It’s there that I first started to really get good and confident with working with large groups of people.
Bonus interesting things - I’ve been to India at least a dozen times (we opened a gym there and ran a tonne of trainings for coaches all over the country. My partner Fernanda is Mexican and I’m learning Spanish (very slowly).
What do you love about PEPT?
Without a doubt it’s the culture we’ve created. This all starts with the team. A great bunch of individuals but an even better team. It’s rare that you will find a workplace where not only does everyone get along really well but that’s also high performing and constantly trying to get better. This flows on to how we’re able to create a great environment for our members.
What advice would you give someone who’s thinking about getting started?
It’s normal to be a bit nervous, that’s what change feels like. Rather than focusing on the challenges that are in front of you when making changes ask yourself a couple of questions.
What kind of person do I want to be?
At the end of my life will I wish I made these changes now?
How will making these changes positively effect me and the people around me?
