Rising Stars: Meet Ashley Shanks of East Nashville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Shanks

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Fitness has always been the center of my life. But, it wasn’t until I was enrolled in a high school weight lifting class that I became passionate about strength training. Little did I know that this passion would transform my life and bring me to this position over 20 years later. I am incredibly grateful and blessed to be able to work in a profession that I truly love and believe in.

My professional story started as a women’s fitness instructor in 2002. After a little over two years, I went to college where I later achieved a B.S. degree in Exercise and Sports Science. Following my degree, I was a trainer and group fitness instructor in St Louis, then in Pensacola, and Atlanta before settling here in Music City’s, East Nashville. This is when I discovered Seven Minutes Fitness studio and became a member to continue my own fitness journey.

I loved working out at Seven Minutes, and was attending so often that the owner asked if I would like to work as one of their fitness coaches. Over time, my hours and responsibilities increased, and I became the studio manager about a year afterwards. Then, in February of this year, there was an opportunity to not only expand my role at the gym, but to become majority owner and operator of the business that I’ve always loved and felt passionate about. In short, I went from just working out here to owning it in three years. My journey has been a long, windy road, but incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. Despite a plethora of challenges with the transition, we continue to focus on what matters, which is providing a space for people to come together as a community and focus on their health and wellbeing.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Most good things come from adversity and having to overcome challenges. That’s where the growth and appreciation for the good stuff comes from! Seven Minutes as a company has had a lot of struggles over the past few years. Starting from opening at the beginning of a pandemic, surviving a fire, restructuring of ownership, and then the original business actually shutting down and forcing us to close our doors. Thankfully, we’ve been able to move forward with a solid foundation and continued growth both personally and professionally.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the owner/operator of a boutique fitness studio in East Nashville. I manage and oversee anything and everything related to the business. On any given day, I can be a fitness coach, janitor, or computer tech. Outside of typical ownership responsibilities, I write and coordinate all of our workout programs. Because our facility includes tv’s at every station, I also design and create all of the exercise videos. I enjoy interacting with members, and creating a community that feels like home. I am extremely passionate about dog rescue, and we regularly partner with Wags & Walks to raise funds, supplies, and create awareness about their mission.

Our studio specializes in HIIT + strength training. This combination is incredibly rare in boutique fitness studios because they usually focus on one or the other. Our unique format and the strength training equipment that is available, such as barbells and squat racks, sets us apart from typical HIIT studios. Another incredible feature of our workout is that it changes everyday, and the equipment moves as well, so the workouts are always fresh and challenging. The 49-minute workout starts every seven minutes, so we eliminate the stress of missing a workout, cancelation fees, or signing up in advance. You can simply walk-in, workout, and feel confident in knowing that you are optimizing your time and training. An extra benefit is that you always have your own space and equipment, so you never have to worry about waiting or being able to use what you need.

I am most proud of the community and family that we’ve built in such a short amount of time. From creating a Seven Minutes kickball team, to happy hours and outdoor adventures, we are a group that loves to sweat and socialize together!

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
In addition to being a fitness professional, I was also a professional firefighter/EMT for 4 years before moving to Atlanta. I was the only female in the entire department.

Pricing:

• $25 – Drop-in Class
• $99 – New Member – 1 Month Unlimited
• $169 – Unlimited Monthly Membership
• $319 – 20 Class Pack

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sevenminutes.club
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7minutesfitness
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SevenMinutesNashville
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/seven-minutes-nashville