Show notes
Mel Grauds never thought she was a gym person.She avoided gym class, did not grow up athletic, and spent years believing fitness simply was not for her. Then she became a personal trainer.In 2020, after burning out as a registered nurse, Mel walked away from a stable healthcare career in the middle of a pandemic and started what would eventually become Melrose Training. She had no clients, no following, no formal business training, and initially kept the decision almost entirely to herself.Six years later, Melrose has grown into a trusted women’s strength-training brand with a team of trainers and a wait list.In this conversation, Mel and I talk about reinvention, two very different experiences of burnout, the financial reality of building a business from zero, why she chose slow and sustainable growth over viral success, and what it took to let go of control as the company expanded.We also talk about the less visible sacrifices of entrepreneurship, including delaying motherhood, navigating serious pregnancy complications, and learning what it means to build a business that can survive without you at the center of everything.At its core, this is a conversation about becoming someone you once believed you were not.Because sometimes reinvention does not begin with confidence.Sometimes it begins with taking one small step before you feel ready.CHAPTERS:[00:00] From nursing to fitness founder[02:02] I was never a gym person[04:47] Loving nursing, but burning out[07:42] When working out became too much[10:51] Discovering strength training[14:26] Leaving nursing during the pandemic[17:47] The financial reality of starting a business[20:09] The first “real” client[21:24] Building confidence through cringe[23:58] When success created a new problem[27:10] Letting go of control and building a team[28:53] What entrepreneurship looks like behind the scenes[29:55] Why Mel never chased viral growth[31:48] Motherhood, pregnancy complications, and business[34:16] What nursing taught her about being a founder[35:49] Nurse burnout vs. founder burnout[37:12] The sacrifice women founders rarely talk about[39:23] What women should know about getting strong[40:28] The power of slow build[41:25] Reinventing yourself before you feel ready[42:46] Everything is figure-out-able[43:56] Where to findMelCONNECT WITH MEL:Website: https://melrosetraining.caInstagram: @melrosetraining @melgraudsCONNECT WITH THE SHOW:Website: https://1800goaldigger.comInstagram: @1800goaldiggerVoice messages and stories: [email protected]If this episode resonated with you, send it to one woman who needs to hear it. That is how this show grows.@1800goaldigger, sharing the emotional truth underneath the glamour and celebration of success and growth.