Meet Trailblazer Lisa Miller

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Miller.

Lisa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Germany. At the age of nine, I joined a swim team in my hometown and was a competitive swimmer for about four years. My mom is a swim instructor and there we had it ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ – a good old German saying. My teenage years were pretty basic. I graduated from high school and did an apprenticeship as a paralegal. Not because I wanted to, but because society did. My grandparents wished for me to study something in the medical field or become a lawyer but let me tell you this – after my three years in an attorney’s office, I was ready to move on to something else. I graduated and had something to put on my resume. Something I didn’t want to do and wasn’t passionate about – at all! I decided to go to a language college and study business English and business Spanish to kind of reset my office-experience and allow for another path to open. My swimming career was done. I never continued with boys and parties becoming a thing. I did not know what I wanted to do for the longest. So, I traveled to Australia for one year to improve my language skills and dive into another culture. All by myself. This wasn’t the first time I’ve traveled. My parents always found it important to have me learn a language in the country it’s spoken so I went to the UK and Spain for a few weeks at a time during my school breaks.

Returning from Australia, I found my way into being a flight attendant and oh man, how I loved my job. But it didn’t last long. After only six months and right before my ‘trial time’ was up a volcano in Island erupted and had a bunch of us jobless. The airline had to make major cuts and I was one of them. My little heart was broken and due to the crisis, all other airlines at the time were on a hiring freeze. I moved to the major city Frankfurt and took on 2-3 serving jobs at a time and made decent money. I lived downtown in a big apartment together with my best friends. Eventually, I got tired of weekend shifts, night shifts and serving itself although I always loved the service industry, I felt like I needed a break. I moved cities after finding a job as a Purchasing Agent in a Marketing Company and my whole schedule changed. Back to an office I go, thinking this is what society asks me to do. ‘Having something stable’ is what they described it. I wasn’t physically active that much anymore and that’s when I joined the gym for the first time. I did a bunch of home workouts for a few years and went running outside to keep me relatively fit but lifting weights was just a different feeling. Also, I took a few Boxing Lessons here and there to increase my Cardio. What a great workout!

I was very committed to the gym and lifted weights 4-5 times per week. I loved the changes in my body and wanted to know more. How is the body moving properly? What exercises affect which muscles and how can I write a proper training program whilst preventing overtraining and injury!? Out of curiosity, I enrolled in ISSA (International Sports Science Association) and obtained my Personal Trainer License in early 2016. I didn’t mind studying after my oh so boring 8-5 office job. I’ve never had intentions of working as a Personal Trainer. So, here I was with this newfound passion, stuck at my office job.

Fast forward to me meeting my ex husband. We moved in with each other, again, in another city which was closer to his job so I quit my office job. I took the opportunity to change my career path and stay away from the corporate side so I started working at a gym. I coonducted HIIT Group Fitness Classes as well as Outdoor Bootcamps. And all of a sudden, everything felt right. I love the fact that I could help people change their lives by changing their bodies and being healthy and happy.

Due to his job promotion, we got relocated to the US. After two years of being in Germany and planning on staying and potentially retiring there, it took us to Tennessee – unexpectedly. I’ve found me an Office job real quick due to years of experience. I really truly wanted to work as a trainer again. Home wasn’t happy. Our marriage took an unhealthy turn and we decided to separate.

I was on the verge of going back to Germany but I stayed, just to find another Office Job in West Nashville. It paid my bills but I wasn’t happy. I wanted to teach people how to move their bodies and reach their fitness goals. I had just fallen in love with that yet here I am, working a ‘stable’ and boring job. I was constantly keeping my eyes open and monitoring the fitness industrie which happens to be a serious deal here in the US (more serious than in Germany, Career-wise).

I was following a few fitness facilities in my area and one day, I came across an IG Story by @personalpepper, the founder of Pepper Boxing and it said ‘Trainers Wanted’. Boxing – I LOVE BOXING! I responded and said the following ‘I am a Personal Trainer and I love to box but I don’t know how to teach you how to box’ and got the response: ‘I can teach anyone that – meet me tomorrow at 6 am!’ And here I was 6 am at my first session to become a Boxing Coach. Pepper trained me for a good seven months and was in the process of opening a second Pepper Boxing location in Atlanta. Before he could finish asking me if I wanted to help start up the location where I was ALL IN. YES – GET ME OUT OF HERE! So, I quit my office job again and two days before the Atlanta location opened, I moved. I’ve found me an amazing roommate (on Craigslist – I had to add this) and supported Pepper Boxing ATL from the start.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has definitely not been easy but rewarding. I’ve never fully followed my passion due to certain limiting factors. Whether it has been ‘what society thought is best for me’ or unsupportive people in my life. Also, being in a foreign country all by myself hasn’t been easy. At the end of the day, everyone has to realize that nobody can do the work for you. You have to go to make it happen. Also, if you don’t take small risks in order to follow your path, you will most likely not fully get there. Change is beautiful and uncomfortable at the same time.

We’d love to hear more about Pepper Boxing.
Pepper Boxing is a guided workout that pairs high-energy music with elements of boxing and weighted bar exercises that promise an invigorating full-body workout. Because our layout is in a circle, our athletes will never lose sight of the instructor or their guidance. Currently, I’m teaching 4 Boxing Classes and 5 Strength Classes weekly and I’m also the Assistant Manager of the Club. We’re offering 1 on 1 Personal Training whether that is geared towards boxing or strength, that is 100% up to you, as the client. Not into boxing? No problem – I also offer small Group Training and Personal Training outside of the Studio and in the comfort of your own home, Apartment Gym or big Box Gym.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Starve all distractions and feed your focus in order to get to where you belong. Don’t let anyone bring you down!

Image Credit:
@nashvillephotographer
@areinaphotography

Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.