NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For many personal trainers, fitness wasn’t always part of the plan. Some stumble into the industry through their own transformation stories, while others discover a passion for coaching later in life.
For Sarah Schumacher, however, the path was clear from the beginning.
“I knew pretty early on that I wanted to be in the fitness space,” Schumacher said. “I didn’t know what part of the fitness space it would be, but I knew that’s where I wanted to be.”
That certainty led her to pursue a degree in Exercise Science in her home state of Minnesota. What she didn’t know at the time was that the road ahead would eventually bring her to Nashville, challenge her in unexpected ways, and ultimately help her build a thriving career centered on helping others gain confidence both inside and outside the gym.
Like many transplants who now call Music City home, Schumacher’s move wasn’t part of a carefully crafted master plan.
After several years working in the fitness industry in Minnesota, she was ready for a change of scenery. Nashville wasn’t initially at the top of her list, but a temporary visit quickly turned into something much bigger.
Within her first week in town, her relationship ended unexpectedly, leaving her with a life-altering decision.
“I had to decide if I was going to move back home or stay here,” she said. “I only had a couple of weeks to figure everything out.”
Rather than returning to Minnesota, Schumacher chose to stay.
Looking back, she credits two things that helped her navigate one of the most difficult transitions of her life: faith and therapy.
“The biggest thing was my faith,” she said. “I really leaned on God and trusted that even though it felt uncomfortable, there was a bigger plan.”
She also sought professional support immediately after the breakup.
“Therapy was huge,” Schumacher said. “Sometimes you need someone completely outside of the situation to help you process what you’re going through.”
Five years later, she’s still in Nashville and has built both a life and career she once wasn’t sure were possible.
While Schumacher always knew she wanted to work in fitness, entrepreneurship wasn’t initially part of the vision.
“I never thought owning my own business was even a possibility,” she said.
After graduating college in 2019, she began working at Anytime Fitness, where she gained experience coaching a wide variety of clients. Unlike many trainers who specialize early, Schumacher found herself working with people from all walks of life.
The experience would become one of the most valuable foundations of her career.
At one point, she was simultaneously training beginners who had never stepped foot in a gym, athletes preparing for competition, older adults, and even individuals with physical disabilities.
“I had to learn how to adapt very quickly,” she said.
The variety of clients helped shape her coaching philosophy and gave her confidence that she could effectively work with almost anyone.
During the pandemic, Schumacher also explored online coaching, building a remote training business that allowed her to continue helping clients despite changing circumstances.
Eventually, she found herself craving the connection that comes with in-person coaching.
That desire led her to Nashville’s fitness community, first at Music City Muscle and later to Next Level Fitness, where she currently trains clients and continues to grow her business.
In an industry often dominated by before-and-after photos, rigid programs and social media perfection, Schumacher believes her greatest strength isn’t necessarily her expertise.
It’s her authenticity.
“I lead training with my personality,” she said.
Schumacher describes herself as goofy, relatable and unapologetically human. All qualities she believes helps clients feel comfortable from day one.
“I don’t try to come across as someone who knows everything,” she said. “I want people to know I’m just another person trying to find balance too.”
That honesty resonates with clients who may feel intimidated by traditional fitness environments.
“I’ll tell clients that I eat McDonald’s sometimes,” she laughed. “I’m trying to find balance just like everyone else.”
Rather than focusing solely on physical results, Schumacher prioritizes building trust and meeting people where they are.
“I try to meet people where they’re at instead of where they want to be or where I expect them to be.”
While Schumacher has worked with nearly every type of client imaginable, from athletes to amputees to individuals beginning their fitness journey for the first time. She admits she has a special place in her heart for helping women.
“The clientele I love working with are women who are looking for confidence,” she said.
For Schumacher, fitness is about much more than changing appearance.
It’s about helping women develop a healthier relationship with themselves and discovering confidence throughout the process.
She believes that confidence isn’t something that magically appears after reaching a goal weight or achieving a certain physique.
Instead, it’s built through consistency, growth and learning what the body is capable of accomplishing.
One of the biggest lessons Schumacher has learned throughout her career is that motivation alone isn’t enough.
Accountability, she says, is often the missing piece.
For her own fitness routine, she regularly changes things up to stay engaged. Whether it’s joining group classes, exploring new training styles, taking on a running challenge or trying activities like climbing, she knows variety helps keep her motivated.
But she also understands the power of commitment.
“If people have accountability, they’re much more likely to stick with something and actually see results,” she said.
When people invest in themselves, whether through personal training, classes or a structured program, they’re often more likely to follow through.
That accountability becomes a catalyst for long-term success.
Today, Schumacher trains clients at Next Level Fitness, a gym she describes as unlike any environment she’s experienced before.
While competition among trainers can sometimes create tension within fitness facilities, she says the culture at Next Level is built around collaboration.
“We’re a huge family,” she said.
Trainers routinely support one another, share resources and even help cover sessions for each other’s clients when needed.
“It’s never felt like competition,” Schumacher explained.
That spirit extends beyond the coaching staff and into the client experience.
“If you join as a client, you’re part of the family,” she said.
Schumacher believes that sense of belonging helps create an environment where clients feel supported not only by their own trainer but by an entire community working toward similar goals.
Schumacher understands that personal training is often viewed as a luxury.
However, she believes guidance, accountability and education should be available to people from all backgrounds.
That’s why she works with prospective clients to find solutions that fit their needs whenever possible.
“If finances are the biggest challenge, I want to have that conversation and see what we can make work,” she said.
For her, fitness isn’t about exclusivity.
It’s about helping people take the first step toward becoming healthier, stronger and more confident versions of themselves.
Five years after arriving in Nashville with uncertainty about what the future would hold, Schumacher has built a career doing exactly what she always hoped she would.
The journey wasn’t easy, but it reinforced the values that continue to guide her coaching today: faith, authenticity, community and compassion.
For those considering starting their own fitness journey, her advice is simple.
Take the first step.
And don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way.
Because sometimes the biggest transformations happen when someone simply believes in you before you fully believe in yourself.
Give her a follow on Instagram and start working alongside her today.
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