Small Business Spotlight- JD Christie of Summit Fitness in Belleair Bluffs, FL

10 years ago, life was just about as good as it gets for JD Christie. He had just bought his first home, married the love of his life, and was doing what he loved as the lead personal trainer at a private fitness studio in Belleair Bluffs. But then, in his own words, he was “hit with some pretty devastating news.”

A text message appeared on his phone from the owner of the private gym he worked at one Saturday afternoon. “Hey JD, I’m sorry to be sending this news to you via text message. But as of Monday, the gym will be closed permanently. Again, I’m sorry for the bad timing and delivery of this bad news. Best of luck to you and I hope that everything works out.” For most folks, losing a job with no notice, shortly after buying a home and getting married, would be a recipe for disaster. There were bills to pay, a new marriage to nurture, and now an uncertain future...

A look at How it All Began

Before diving into what happened next, it’s important to understand more about JD's  past and what drove him to his next steps. 15 years ago, he started out as a personal trainer after a successful career with the U.S. Marines from 2003-2007. Competitive by nature, he also plays in professional beach volleyball tournaments and has participated in Crossfit challenges over the years. Needless to say, a career in the fitness industry seemed like a natural choice for him after he left the military. His first personal training job was at a large local gym chain. In his own words, he says, “I quickly found out that kind of environment is not conducive to providing a truly personalized fitness experience.” He noticed his clients often became discouraged during their training sessions. He says clients felt “too exposed” with other gym members watching them struggle during workouts, on top of having to work around the crowds on busier days. “It was hard to get clients to relax and enjoy their workouts, because they were so concerned about everything going on around them.”

JD quickly realized that working as a trainer at a big gym wasn’t the right fit for him and took a job as a personal trainer at a smaller, private fitness studio in Belleair Bluffs called “Fitness Together.” He quickly fell in love with the concept of training people in a private suite and says he was able to develop much more meaningful relationships with his clients. His clients were less distracted, more successful with their fitness goals, and more confident when it came to trying new things. JD loved his new career choice and everything he’d wanted was falling into place.

Saying Farewell to the Comfort Zone

Come 2012, which was just 5 years into his personal training career at a private studio, JD  received the now infamous text message that would forever change his life. The former Marine was admittedly more scared than he’d ever been while facing so much uncertainty about his future. Reflecting on his past military training, he quickly realized he could either let this tragedy define him or take control of the situation, no matter how intense it felt. He spent the next few days making calls, consulting with his wife, Amanda, and asked for the advice of close friends and family. Finally, deciding to make a move that would not only be risky, but require him to completely step out of his comfort zone, he bought the business that had just failed.

In a matter of days, JD  went from having a steady job doing what he loved, to becoming the owner of a small business that was already struggling. He would rely on his wife, his faith, and his own grit and determination to transform a failing business into the thriving personal training career he’s created today. He credits his wife, Amanda, as being his #1 source of support during the toughest times.

If you frequent the Belleair Bluffs area, you probably saw his Fitness Together franchise, located in the plaza on West Bay Drive. Over the years, JD has grown his business to hundreds of personal training clients. When asked about how he transformed a failing business into the thriving one he operates today, he says, “I built a lot of great relationships with other business owners all over the country that were in the same industry as me. We shared resources, experience, and lessons learned with each other, so I was able to learn a lot about owning and operating a successful fitness studio over the years.” Under JD's leadership, the business continued to grow and thrive over the years. 

Then came the COVID-19 Pandemic, creating a new obstacle for the entire fitness industry as gyms around the country were forced to close. JD says, “As a business owner, you have to embrace the fact that every day presents a new challenge to overcome. However, the largest obstacle we’ve had to overcome was the COVID-19  Pandemic.” During the Pandemic, gyms were one of the very first businesses to get shut down. Even after gyms were allowed to re-open, they were considered unsafe and avoided by most people, well after restrictions had been lifted. JD says they overcame the health crisis by leveraging the fact that they were a private gym studio with no crowds or people coming and going as they please. Operating an 'appointment-only' business model allowed them to assure clients their studio was clean and sanitary so they could feel comfortable and safe coming back to the gym.

Taking it to the Next Level with the Creation of SUMMIT Exclusive Fitness Club

After a decade of successfully operating a brand that wasn’t his own, JD wanted to take what he’d built to the next level. As someone who’s had to embrace uncertainty over the years, he and his wife decided to step even further out of their comfort zone by leaving the franchise model to create their own boutique gym brand, Summit Exclusive Fitness Club.

While leaving a franchise that provided them with many resources over the years was intimidating to say the least, both JD and his wife were certain the change was the right decision. No stranger to taking risks, he was certain that the move would offer them new opportunities for growth and success in their business. After waiting over a year for the new business location to be completed, Summit Exclusive Fitness Club finally opened the doors to their new space in January of 2023. The new space is a bigger, more modern facility in the newly renovated former fire station, located at 682 Indian Rocks Rd in Belleair Bluffs. He says the new location is not only bigger and better, but offers more visibility from Indian Rocks Road and is also in closer proximity to the City of Belleair, where a good amount of his clients live. JD, with his wife and their 2 children, also live just a few minutes from the new location, making them feel much more connected to the community that has supported them all these years.

Since creating their new brand, JD's wife, Amanda, has left her full time marketing career to become a principal in the company as well. Often found at the front desk, she calls herself the Director of Lasting Impressions and has spearheaded the marketing efforts for their newest venture. Summit Fitness will continue to operate as an “appointment only” business model at their new location. In terms of what makes them stand out in the fitness world, JD says Summit is a gym, but not any ordinary gym. They pride themselves on being a boutique personal training facility that offers clients 3 separate, fully equipped workout suites, along with customized workout routines, meal plans, and even extra workouts that can be completed outside of the studio. Every client has a program custom-tailored to their fitness goals and individual needs.

Asked if he would do anything differently when looking back at his career in the fitness industry, JD says, “A business is only as strong as the people who run it. Looking back at the earlier days of my career, I did not put enough effort into the trainers who worked for me and we did not grow as fast as we could have. If I were to do it all over again, I would have put in double the effort and resources into my staff.”

As far as giving advice to other entrepreneurial individuals that are interested in becoming their own boss, JD has this advice to offer, “Don’t be afraid of taking risks, but make sure that it’s something you’re passionate about. Make sure that you’re ready to dedicate a lot of your time and effort into it. Owning a business can be very rewarding and lucrative, but only if you’re willing to put in the time and effort it takes.”

For more information on the services offered by Summit Exclusive Fitness Club, CLICK HERE or call them directly at 727-586-7680.