Today we’d like to introduce you to Anita Kelly-Serrano.
Hi Anita, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
When I was a teenager in the 1980s, I had a wonderful Cocker Spaniel named Sasha. At three years old, Sasha became debilitated due to a spinal injury. She underwent emergency spinal surgery and couldn’t walk for many months. My family and I worked together to rehabilitate her, eventually getting her back on her feet. Little did I know, this experience would spark my passion for helping others in the world of physical therapy.
I went to college for business administration, where I met a roommate whose family worked in healthcare. She was becoming an occupational therapist, and her interest in the field inspired me to pursue a career in physical therapy after completing my undergraduate degree. I’ve always had a passion for helping both people and animals, and with my athletic background, physical therapy felt like the perfect path. So, I left my home state of Missouri and moved to Florida with no job but a clear desire to pursue this career. Years later, I graduated from a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program and began my 27-year journey as a PTA.
During my career, I had the privilege of working with countless patients and their families, guiding them through their struggles with injuries and illnesses. It was incredibly rewarding to watch them improve and regain their strength.
However, I often saw that when patients were discharged from physical therapy, many felt they weren’t ready to stop and wanted to continue their progress. Unfortunately, there were limited resources available to them. This inspired me to become a certified personal trainer, allowing me to support people in a wellness capacity after their physical therapy ended.
I started looking for ways to use my years of experience as a PTA and personal trainer to help more people in my community on their wellness journeys. I noticed a lack of resources, especially for women dealing with postpartum recovery and menopause, two crucial stages that were often overlooked. During this time, I discovered the Ageless Fitness franchise. While it was originally designed for seniors, it welcomed people of all ages, giving me a platform to use my skills and bridge the gap between physical therapy, healthcare, and wellness.
In addition to fitness, I decided to offer Stretch Therapy, as well as Red Light and Salt Therapy, for their therapeutic and recovery benefits. This combination of services allows me to help both men and women achieve their wellness goals while addressing the unique needs of different stages of life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, the road has certainly not been smooth. No matter how much research, planning, and promotion we put into the business, there are always unexpected challenges for a business owner.
It took me a year and a half to find a property to lease in my preferred area, with many false starts and lease negotiations falling through. Once we finally secured a lease, navigating the necessary construction and city paperwork to open the business came with its own set of difficulties.
When we were finally ready to open, the world was hit by a global Microsoft internet outage due to a failed update, which impacted many businesses, including ours. As we began to gain momentum, our area in Florida was struck by two devastating hurricanes, bringing everything to a halt.
No matter how much you prepare, life will always throw unexpected curveballs that challenge both your business and your passion. But overcoming these hurdles has only strengthened my resolve to provide valuable services to the community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
What inspired you to create a space like Ageless Fitness, and how does it impact your clients’ lives?
Opening an Ageless Fitness franchise was born from a desire to bridge the gap between physical therapy and fitness, providing ongoing support for clients as they work toward long-term health goals. Throughout my 27-year career as a licensed physical therapist assistant, I often saw patients discharged from physical therapy who still needed guidance to continue improving. Many wanted to regain strength, improve mobility, or rebuild their confidence to stay active and healthy. I realized there was a lack of specialized, supportive environments where people could take that next step safely and effectively.
At Ageless Fitness, we serve clients in various stages of life, offering specialized services like Menopause Fitness Coaching, Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise, and Senior Fitness. We also have programs like Stretch Therapy to improve flexibility, reduce pain, and enhance athletic performance. Our Red Light and Salt Therapy Vitality Booth offers an innovative approach to respiratory and skin health, bringing benefits to clients with sinus congestion, asthma, COPD, and skin conditions that include improving fine lines and wrinkles, acne, psoriasis and eczema.
Our mission is to create a space where people feel empowered to pursue wellness at their own pace, with compassionate support and expertise guiding them every step of the way. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch our clients achieve milestones that might have felt impossible to them, whether that’s improving joint health, recovering from childbirth, or finding relief from chronic conditions. Ageless Fitness embodies the spirit of holistic wellness, bringing hope, strength and improved health to every client we work with.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I owe much of my success to a wonderful network of supporters. My parents instilled in me a passion for business and entrepreneurship and encouraged a lifelong love of learning. From my mom, I inherited a positive outlook, which has helped me stay resilient even when life throws curveballs.
I’m also grateful to have colleagues whose enthusiasm and positive energy have supported me through each step of this journey. Local physicians have shown incredible support, eagerly awaiting my opening for months and showing enthusiasm for the services we offer. I would also like to thank Emmanuel Verduzco and Julie Pollard, the co-founders of Ageless Fitness, for their unwavering support and guidance. Their dedication to the franchise and passion for helping others have been truly inspiring and invaluable as I worked to bring this vision to life.
My greatest supporter, however, is my husband. He’s lived through all the highs and lows of this dream, from assembling equipment to troubleshooting technical issues like our website and digital ads. Assembling the 600-pound Red Light & Salt Therapy Vitality Booth was no small feat, and he took on this challenge with dedication and patience.
Having this incredible support network has made all the difference, and I’m deeply appreciative of everyone who has played a role in our success.
Pricing:
- $25 New Client Session for Red Light & Salt Therapy Vitality Booth
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.agelessfitnessorlando.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agelessfitnessorlando
- Facebook: Ageless Fitness Orlando
