The Story of How Iron Individual Came to be?

If you had told me years ago that I’d own a gym, I probably would have laughed. Not because I wasn’t passionate about fitness—but because my path to getting here was anything but direct.

Iron Individual  wasn’t just a business idea. 

It wasn’t about weights, workouts, or even just health. It was about purpose. It was about creating a place that I wish I had when I was younger—a place where people could feel seen, supported, and strong in every sense of the word.

Here’s how it all started.

I graduated from Wilmington College with a BA in Criminal Justice and Psychology, thinking that therapy was going to be my thing. But as time went on, I realized it wasn’t for me. I felt lost.

Around this time, I met my now-husband, Justin. He’s the one who introduced me to strength training, and it completely changed my life. I had always been active—riding horses, playing soccer, running around like a wild kid—but lifting weights gave me something different. It gave me confidence. It gave me a sense of control over my body and mind that I had never really felt before.

Even with that, I still struggled. 

Self-image, confidence, feelings of inadequacy—I knew them all too well. And while fitness helped, I still hadn’t figured out where I belonged.

So, I went back to school for Early Education. I LOVED teaching, but the school system didn’t feel like the right fit either. I bounced between jobs, industries, and ideas, feeling like nothing quite clicked.

Then… weirdly enough, COVID hit.

During the lockdown, something clicked.

I was already deep into strength training, CrossFit, powerlifting—you name it. And this little voice in my head told me, you could make a living helping others find themselves again through fitness.

At first, it felt crazy. But then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized… this was it.

I didn’t want other people to feel the way I had growing up—lost, unsure, not enough. I wanted to create a space where people could build not just strength, but confidence. I wanted to teach, to guide, to create something bigger than just a gym.

That’s where Iron Individual was born.

I got lucky—our friend Bryon already had a gym in Painesville and was looking to expand. So, we made the trip up from Columbus one Saturday, checked out the space, grabbed some dinner…

And four weeks later, we opened Iron Individual.

No safety net. No backup plan. Just a dream, a deep gut feeling, and a make-it-work-or-move-back-in-with-our-parents kind of attitude.

We quit our jobs.

We moved three hours away.

And we went all in.

What started as an idea has turned into something so much bigger than I ever imagined.

Iron Individual is more than a gym—it’s a family. It’s a place where people don’t just come to work out; they come to feel better, move better, and be surrounded by people who get it.

It’s a space where:

✅ You’re celebrated, not judged.

✅ Your struggles are understood because we’ve been there too.

✅ You’re supported by people who genuinely want to see you win.

If you’ve ever felt like fitness wasn’t for you, like you weren’t capable, or like you were stuck—I want you to know that you can do this. You’re not alone. And there’s a whole family here ready to cheer you on.

So, here we are. Four years in, and we’re just getting started.

Iron Individual is evolving—but our heart, mission, and community remain the same.

We’ve always been more than a gym. We’re a family. A place where you’re not just another face in the crowd—you’re seen, supported, and celebrated. A place where people come to move better, feel better, and become the strongest version of themselves—inside and out.

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T