VP of Operations Carly Lederer Lists The 6 Top Benefits of SOLDIERFIT

written by: Zanne Lamb-Hunt

Carly was born in Baltimore and moved to Mount Airy when she was two years old. “There were so many kids in my neighborhood that we had our own school bus. We spent all day climbing trees, making forts, riding our bikes into town — it was the best place ever!”

She was a cheerleader from kindergarten through high school and then she coached competition squads. Her first job was at a Mount Airy snowball stand situated in the same parking lot as Jimmie Cone Ice Cream Shop. “It was a little blue shed. It was the coolest job ever. It’s all I ever wanted to do.”

Carly was a Cavalier, attending South Carroll High School and moving on to Carroll Community College. She later transferred to Catonsville Community College where she earned a degree in Business Management.

Carly went to school at night and worked for her family’s HVAC business, Frosty, during the day. “It took me five years to get my two-year. It was horrible but I did it.”

She has a close-knit family with two younger brothers, one in Westminster and the other in DC. “We’re best friends now. I don’t go a week without talking to them.”

Growing up was another story. “We definitely did not get along.” Her parents are still residing in Mount Airy and Carly confides “they have always been my best friends.”

She has another best friend — a 95 lb. two-year-old pitbull named Gringo. In her spare time, Carly loves to be outside. “I love fishing, kayaking, hiking, building bonfires. I love baseball games, music and tattoos.”

She made the move to Frederick three years ago. “I’m loving every minute of being here. I love Frederick. I’m trying to get as involved as I can in the community.”

She adds, “I’m just finishing up a program called Leadership Frederick which I started in August. It’s helping me learn more about Frederick and the systems here and helping me get involved.”

Carly enthusiastically shares the 6 benefits of SOLDIERFIT

1. It’s far more than just a workout — it can change your life!

2. Revitalizing the American dream — by creating a culture of civil engagement, humility and unyielding optimism for the future. That’s all within the mission statement while there’s no mention at all of fitness.

“Working out is important but how working out makes you feel is far more important.”

3. Civic Engagement – SOLDIERFIT is all about community.

“Having a purpose in something keeps you more motivated that just about anything else.

4. Humility — SOLDIERFIT is all about working out with your battle buddies, helping push your partner, lifting up your battle buddy.

“Everyone knows your name. Everyone knows your kid’s name and what you did that weekend. They genuinely care what you’re going to do at the next bootcamp. They keep you motivated. They keep you accountable.”

5. Community

“Getting back to that sense of community is very, very important. It’s what makes SOLDIERFIT different.”

6. Unyielding Optimism for the Future

“Fitness is a career. It’s not a year-long contract that you sign to get a couple workouts in. It’s actually about changing your life and giving yourself a purpose.”

Carly Put SOLDIERFIT To The Test And It Led To A New Career

Living with her parents and working out a lot at a gym with a brother, two of Carly’s best friends encouraged her to go to a boot camp type gym. “I absolutely didn’t want to go.”

She explained, “I already knew how to work out. I didn’t need someone telling me how to. But, when I finally gave in, it took me five minutes in the workout to know that I absolutely had to join and I had to be a part of the company.” She started climbing the ladder.

“Within a month, I was something called a yellow hat which is an apprentice trainer. In less than a year, I became a black hat which is a paid trainer and someone who teaches boot camp classes.”

One more year down the road and Carly was the top trainer at the new Frederick facility, overseeing all of the other trainers. More advancements were in store.

“The following year, I was promoted to a position called Senior which oversees all of the tops at the location.” This was a full-time position that came along while she was still employed at the family business.

Was she ready to give up her “really great, stable, ‘cush’ job” of eleven years at Frosty where she probably could own the company one day? That’s an absolute yes.

“Making the choice to switch was almost like breaking up with your family. I had to leave the company to go to SOLDIERFIT. But, I never felt like I worked a minute in a day when I was at SOLDIERFIT so it was a very easy choice to make.”

Today, Carly is SOLDIERFIT’s Vice President of Operations!

What Makes SOLDIERFIT So Unique?

“SOLDIERFIT in general is military themed. Our boot camp classes are an idea like boot camp. Everybody works together. There’s a trainer telling you what to do but not screaming in your face like people might think when they think of military.”

“It’s very battle-buddy oriented. You work with your battle-buddy. You work with your squad.” Yes, there are pushups. Sit-ups. Running. “We flip tires! We hit them with sledge hammers. We have battle ropes.”

Carly’s Greatest Challenge Along The Way Was Time Management

She quickly admits, ” I’m horrible at time management. I can list a thousand small challenges but somehow they all stem back to that.

Getting everything done I need to; getting to all the places I need to be; seeing all the people I need to see; getting all of it done in a timely manner and not letting the work/personal life pendulum swing.”

Great Advice She’d Give Herself If She Could Go Back To The Start

“If it’s not a ‘heck, yes!’ – it’s a no…with everything. If you’re not 100% passionate about something, it changes the way you approach it.”

She adds, “You won’t be successful or you won’t be happy with something that you’ve done if it wasn’t a ‘heck, yes!’ It was partial. It’s all or nothing.”

Carly Loves Making A Difference!

“We are very lucky in the fitness industry. You see small successes every day. As a trainer, you do feel often like you’re making a difference.

You see someone do one more rep of something they couldn’t even do a month ago. You see them do 60 seconds of something without needing a break that they couldn’t get through the week before.

Those are the obvious, humbling and small experiences.”

An Awesome Role Model In The Rough!

“When I was a personal trainer, I worked a lot with high school girls. Those PT sessions were a little bit different. There was a lot of talking, a lot of venting and a lot of advice which is funny coming from an obnoxious, thirty-year-old single female.”

Carly went on, “I have a dog and rent. And, the most I have in my fridge is probably string cheese and orange juice. And, I’m awkward.”

And, then? “A couple weeks ago, I got a text message from one of them who wanted to know what path I thought she should take in the military. She wants to be in the nursing field.”

And, then again? At a National Honor Society graduation, Carly was asked what career path one of the girls should take in college. This was followed up with a phone call by the girl’s mother thanking Carly for being an awesome female role model for her daughter.

“When I thought I don’t have it together at all because orange juice in your fridge won’t get you through life. Situations like that, you think — Man, I really am making a difference.” She sure is!

Staying On Track With A Little Music

Carly relies on Google Calendar for time management. “It’s the only way I keep my whole life organized!”

She also uses Spotify. “We use it at all of our gyms. I have music all the time. In the car, at work — every artist you can think of — all the time. I couldn’t live without it.”

Conan O’Brien Delivers An Inspirational Quote

When Carly became a SOLDIERFIT employee, one of her best friends gave her a framed piece of art that stays right by her door. It has a quote by Conan O’Brien:

“If you work really hard and you are kind, amazing things will happen.”

Adds Carly, “you don’t get anything out of not helping people and not working hard, so it’s perfect.”

Is SOLDIERFIT for you?

“Heck, yes!” The workout is for all levels of fitness and emphasizes strength, cardio, endurance and core training.

Certified instructors will reshape you from head to toe by guiding and encouraging you with exciting workouts. Check it out today!

Frederick Location: 8420 Gas House Pike (240) 457-4630

For more information:
soldierfit.com
soldierfitfranchise.com (for info about franchise opportunities)
clederer@soldierfit.com (to reach Carly)
facebook.com/Soldierfit

Content Provided by Frederick Advice Givers Podcast #046: Eric Verdi Interviews Carly Lederer