Hidden Gems: Meet Marie Smith of Golden Hour Coaching

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Smith.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
I have always been one for movement. As a child, I participated in ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, and modern dance. I spent my summers at an overnight camp, swimming, and roaming the neighborhood with friends. In high school, I enjoyed dancing in musicals and acting in plays. College was my first introduction to formal fitness center-type exercise. After teaching school for three years and having our first two children, I received my Master of Education in Special Education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. After my fourth child was born, I decided it was time to become a group fitness instructor. I was at the gym every day anyway and had a teaching background. I figured I could teach fitness, get in my workout, and make a little money! Little did I know that this first step in 2010 was the start of a journey that would change my life for the better.

I taught kickboxing, boot camp, and abs classes for a couple of years before I decided to get my personal training certification in 2012. I am a stickler for form and keeping people safe while they exercise so it was a natural progression to begin working with clients one-on-one. I love to help people move and feel better in exercise and in life. I really feel like it is my calling to be a helper. When I don’t know enough to help someone I refer them to someone who can or I research and see what I can find out that will be helpful. I am a lifelong learner and always feel like I need to know more.

I have added specialty certifications to my toolbox including JrFit, Biomechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, USA Weightlifting, Cancer Exercise Specialist, and most recently, Health and Wellness Coaching and Life Coaching from the Health Coach Institute. I am so excited about this latest certification. I have learned so much in the program that I feel like I’ll explode if I don’t share it!!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Is any road completely smooth??? I was teaching a couple of classes at a community center and out of the blue, the fitness director called me to say that they “were going a different direction” and someone else would be taking over my classes. I was floored. He gave me no solid reason why. The members liked me and my classes; it wasn’t like my classes were empty.

I hadn’t been given a performance evaluation or anything. It really was out of the blue. As someone who has always made good grades and performed well in my job, I was upset that I was getting fired!!! However, God knew what He was doing because that struggle was the impetus for me to get my personal training certificate. Had I not been fired, I’m not sure when I would have gotten around to it. I was hired by a training company and actually continued working in the same facility where I had been teaching. At first, it was really hard to get clients. I had young kids and a time limit on the nursery, so I couldn’t just hang out in the gym all day to get exposure. Once my fifth child was born, it was like the dam broke. People would ask if I was still training clients and suddenly my schedule was filling up to the level I had been wanting!

It was wonderful to work with people one-on-one and I even took over a class (new fitness director!) and taught it up until the pandemic shut everything down. That was another struggle for me as it was for the whole world. I really felt like I was an “in-person” person and couldn’t train clients virtually. Once Covid hit, I didn’t have a choice. I started teaching a Zoom class and training clients online. It not only went better than expected, but it also went really well! I have out-of-town clients now and when my in-person clients travel, they often will schedule a virtual workout while they are gone so as not to miss it.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
This past April, I attended a retreat where I had a bit of an epiphany during a meditation. I felt a clear call to be a life coach. It was this moment that set in motion what has become Golden Hour Coaching. I probably would have stayed with my former training company (which was great!) forever had I not ventured on this new path. GHC offers both one-on-one and group Health and Life Coaching, as well as personal training. These offerings can be in person or virtual, so I can support you from anywhere. I am partnering with other professionals to put on workshops and I’ll be offering a Lunch and Learn series that will include some great information. I am also available for a free 15-minute consultation to see which of my services might be right for you.

I think I am different from other personal trainers because I have Health and Wellness Coaching and Life Coaching training. And I stand out from other coaches because I have the personal training certification also! I think the word holistic is overused nowadays, but I look at a client as a whole person. I am really proud that at 45 with five children and crazy full life, I decided to start a business- especially since owning my own business was never something I thought I wanted! It is funny that life can take some crazy turns when you are open to what God or the Universe might be calling you to do.

I am so excited to offer transformative coaching to clients!!! When people are ready to see a difference in themselves, it is important to have a coach to support them and hold them accountable so they stick with the program and follow through in a new way. That is a sure recipe for success! I have a 12 week virtual group coaching program starting the week of October 10th. This a great way to dip your toe into coaching at an affordable rate with live web calls weekly for support and accountability. Contact me for more information!

What does success mean to you?
Success has many levels in my eyes. It can mean reaching a specific big goal or it can mean checking something off your to-do list. I try to get clients to see the little wins and successes they have throughout the day. Celebrating the small stuff makes reaching the big stuff possible. If we only celebrate the big things, we may not get to celebrate much. In general, I think we are too hard on ourselves.

When a client reaches failure (they can’t lift the weight one more time) before reaching the goal number of reps, I point out that it isn’t really “failure.” It is a win that they pushed their muscles to do all they could do. That’s a good thing!!! If we celebrated ourselves the way we celebrate others, we’d all feel more successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.goldenhourcoaching.com
• Instagram: @mygoldenhourcoaching
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mygoldenhourcoaching

Image Credits
Kathy Thomas Photography, Matt Royka, and Jenny Lopez