Talk to people who see things differently and keep an open mind when it comes to new ideas.
Dale Parducci, an online and in-person fitness coach and personal trainer, founded Parducci Fitness with the goal of helping people all over the world achieve their individual health and fitness goals. Growing up in Toms River, New Jersey, Dale had a healthy interest in athletics and participated in competitive sports at just about every opportunity. Dale’s passion for sports and competition ultimately manifested itself in his current role as a fitness coach and personal trainer, a role in which he is able to help others achieve their personal fitness goals while balancing athletics, aesthetics, health, and wellness.
Dale is now based out of New York City, where he is able to work closely with his personal training and fitness coaching clients while also preparing for his own fitness competitions as well as photo shoots for health and fitness publications. Even though Parducci Fitness is based out of New York City, Dale also works with online clients as well, offering online coaching, meal planning, and personal training through his company’s digital platform. Dale utilizes an online fitness questionnaire to create fully customized nutrition and training plans for clients, thereby ensuring clients are able to achieve their personal training goals in the most optimal fashion possible.
Where did the idea for Parducci Fitness come from?
Training is one of the great passions in my life, so the idea for Parducci Fitness came from my desire to share my knowledge and expertise with others in order to help them achieve their personal fitness goals.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
My schedule changes every day, but I have a few software applications that help keep me organized so I am able to work with my online and in-person clients while still having time to do my own training each day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I’ve always been a collaborator, and some of my best ideas come from conversations with others, whether it’s in between sets or after a workout. I’ve always been willing to ask questions and exchange ideas in order to come up with something new and innovative.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Social media has made it really easy to share ideas with others, and I think the ease with which information is exchanged is a great thing for everyone, not just those in my industry.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I’m genuinely passionate about what I do, so I don’t ever look at what I am doing as “work.” I’ve built my entrepreneurial career around the things I’m most passionate about, so being productive every day is hardly difficult.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I worked in construction for a few summers, and while I actually enjoyed the work itself, I also saw how the physical demands of construction could wear on your body, especially over a long period of time.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I wish I had used a better organizational system when I first started out. It took some time to figure out how to manage my time in the most efficient way possible.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Talk to people who see things differently and keep an open mind when it comes to new ideas.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
I like anything that enhances visibility. In my field, that means participating in fitness competitions, going to photo shoots, and writing articles for fitness publications, all of which I would be doing anyway.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Like I mentioned, I had some difficulty with organization at first, which left me with little time for my own training. Thankfully, I started using an app that made time management so much easier.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I’d like to see an app capable of automatically creating a custom nutrition plan based on an individual’s personal health goals and dietary preferences.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I spent a little more than $100 on Yankees tickets for a client after he achieved several of his long-term fitness goals.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
I like the Calendly app for scheduling appointments with clients; it’s easy to use, saves time, and helps keep me organized.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
A track coach I work with gave me an old copy of Success: In Sport and In Life, by Percy Wells Cerutty. It takes about the principles of the Stoics and the Spartans and how they can be applied to achieving success in any endeavor, athletic or otherwise.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
Dexter Jackson is a legend in my eyes and has influenced my approach to fitness in so many ways.
Connect:
Pale Parducci on Instagram:
Pale Parducci on LinkedIn:
Pale Parducci on Facebook:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.