Today we’d like to introduce you to Renah Jones.
Hi Renah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I left a dream job with the St. Louis Blues thirteen years ago to change careers and work for myself as a personal trainer and started Dragonfly Fitness & Training. Never in my life would I have thought that I would own a gym. I was not athletic growing up. But I picked up some things along the way and realized that strength training gave me a lot of confidence and I wanted to share that.
And I knew it was going to be hard…I just didn’t know exactly how hard it would be. All of my years in marketing and events served me well though as a business owner. And I worked really hard over the years to earn some of the best certifications (in my opinion!). My first year I offered park workouts and in-home training, and then I opened up a space on Hampton Ave. Two years later I doubled that space and then a few years later I moved just down the street to where I am now.
I worked 60-80 hours a week for many years. I burned out several times. I loved it. I hated it. I was consumed with it. And the only thing that kept me going sometimes was the members. There would be days I would be ready to quit and someone would send me an email or tell me about what a difference Dragonfly had made for them, and I was reassured that I was where I needed to be – struggle and all.
After eight long years lol I eventually figured out a better way to run my business. I’ll say the pandemic, while it was hard, forced a positive life and business change for me. I stopped saying yes to everything. I focused on what was working. Kept it simple. I dropped the “hustle” mindset and started working smarter. I focused on how to best help, without running myself or team into the ground.
This allowed for more time to pursue other things I love, like helping shelter dogs! And I have done everything from walking dogs to planning events to photography to currently serving as the Board President of CARE STL. That has become a big part of my life and I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend my time doing all the things I love. I even opened Doozle’s Den next to the gym this year, a play space created specifically for reactive dogs and inspired by my CARE STL pup Doozle.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a business owner has presented a lot of challenges. Money challenges. Time challenges. Energy challenges. People challenges. There were many times I was not making money, working a lot of hours, was super stressed out, giving everything to everyone else and not really taking care of myself. All of that caught up with me eventually and I knew I had to do something different. I kept learning and trying and eventually figured it out.
There is a quote on the wall at the gym. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” I always try to remember that. I am grateful for the struggles because they taught me better ways.
As you know, we’re big fans of Dragonfly Fitness & Training & Doozle’s Den. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Dragonfly Fitness & Training is a women’s small group training studio focusing on strength training. When I started, my goal was to create a welcoming and comfortable environment that gave women the opportunity to try new things and push themselves without worrying about what anyone else thinks. I wanted a space where all women interested in strength training felt welcome, regardless of age or ability. A space where women who may have once been intimidated or afraid of lifting a barbell, deadlifting a heavy weight, or hanging from the bar are now celebrating these accomplishments! And I am really proud to say we are doing that 100%! We have an awesome team of coaches and a special community of members, another thing I am most proud of. Our members support one another and they support me and all of my charitable efforts through the gym. And we have members who have been with us for years. In fact, we have almost 20 members who have been with us for 10+ years! That blows my mind sometimes.
No one was surprised when I announced that I was turning the space next door to the gym (which we were using some for training) into a space for dogs. So on one side we have fitness for humans and on the other we have fitness for dogs. I could not love it more.
Doozle’s Den is a private play and agility space where you can exercise and bond with your dog. It includes fitness conditioning and agility equipment, as well as enrichment activities. The space can be rented for 30 or 45 minutes for up to two dogs living in the same household. Doozle’s Den is great for all dogs, but especially for reactive or shy dogs who struggle around people, dogs or being in busy places. It’s a safe space for those pups and I am grateful for the pet parents who have trusted me and felt comfortable bringing their dogs here. And bonus – I get to host shelter pups here too and it’s amazing to see them let loose and have fun away from the shelter! I always hope someone sees the videos I share and decides to foster or adopt.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
This was a hard question to answer. A lot of things matter, but when it comes to life itself – I really thrive on a mission and purpose. To be fueled by passion, a little craziness too, to use your talents to give back and make life better for all of us – two & four-legged. That matters a lot to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dft-stl.com and www.doozlesden.com
- Instagram: @dragonflyfitnesstraining and @doozlesden
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/dragonflyfitnessstl and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573680729100
