How Sarah Siertle Bridges Inclusivity and Strength in Her Coaching Business

When Sarah Siertle started her coaching business to help others get stronger and feel better in their bodies, she didn’t have the traditional fitness background many trainers and fitness coaches have. Sarah admits she wasn’t ever particularly active, was intimidated by gyms, and really only started her journey with strength training for herself to become a better dancer.

And in a way, that kinda makes her the perfect person to go to for a judgment-free, beginner-friendly approach to build habits to help you move your body and start building strength.

Sarah’s business, at its core, focuses on beginner-level, functional strength for all bodies — any age, any gender, any size. As Sarah’s grown her business, it’s been important to her to make others feel welcome and accepted. For beginners, she says, “I teach from the very beginning, so I’m not throwing random gym lingo at you expecting you to understand or making you do exercises you haven’t learned yet.”

This was important for Sarah because she’s seen firsthand how the fitness industry is notoriously intimidating, and she saw a gap she could fill to “[help] people live their best lives.” Her mission is wanting others “to get strong so they can go out and do all the cool things they want to do and feel more capable,” and for her coaching business “to be a place where people feel like they’re accepted for who they are and where they’re at in their strength journeys.”

Here’s more about what Sarah shared with us about why she started her business:

What inspired you to start your coaching business?

SS: The fitness industry has not historically been a kind and welcoming place. The culture can be judgmental, shaming, and really intense, which has turned a LOT of people off of fitness over decades. I want to show people there’s a way to exercise that is kinder and more accepting. I want to show people what fitness can look like when it’s from a place of self-compassion and body trust. I want to show people that exercising can feel good instead of a chore that stresses them out.

One of the biggest holes I fill right now is making beginner-level strength information more accessible. There is a fundamental lack of fitness information aimed at beginners. I’ve heard SO many stories of people getting hurt during workouts and in fitness classes because they were pushed to do things they didn’t know how to do and weren’t given further instruction. I’ve also heard many stories about people getting bullied into workouts they didn’t want because they didn’t know what to do instead. I want to give people the information they need to make informed decisions about how they want to move their bodies.

Ultimately, I want people to feel capable and strong instead of breakable. No one benefits when people stop moving because they’re worried about tweaking their back or twisting their ankle for the third time this year. I’ve heard people in their 20s and 30s talk about how creaky their joints feel and how tired they are all the time- this is exactly what strength training helps with! I don’t want people to hold back from living their lives because they don’t feel confident in how they move, which is why my messaging is about living life in full color instead of black and white.

What are you most proud of so far and where do you see your business in the future?

SS: I led a session at the Body Positive Fitness Alliance’s 2024 Summit! I had been a member for a couple years and it was exciting to attend in Philadelphia and see fitness professionals in person that I’d only ever met or followed online.

My big vision is to help as many people as possible start strength training. I want everyone to get strong, find a way for fitness to be a long-term part of their life, and have a fitness community they love!

Why do you do your coaching work?

SS: I started strength training because I wanted to be a better dancer! I was never an active person and was always intimidated by gyms. A couple brief stints of trying to jog were the extent of my fitness experience. I started swing dancing in college and naturally as I wanted to reach a higher skill level I needed more endurance, strength, and body awareness. I never intended to actually lift weights until I accidentally booked a weightlifting class at my gym… but then I was hooked! I loved how lifting weights made me feel- more confident, empowered, and more. I loved being able to lift things and do what I couldn’t before. I started my business because I wanted to help other people feel like that too.

Although I intended to start coaching sooner, I finally finished my group fitness instructor and personal trainer certifications during Covid lockdown because I was bored and looking for something to occupy my time!

One of my core beliefs is that movement, exercise, and specifically strength training is for everyone! No matter your size or how you move, there is a way for you to strength train and get stronger. It might look a little different for each person, but that’s the beauty of us all being different and moving in different ways!

I also believe fitness should be more accessible- people should be able to get the resources they need and have a safe space for exercising. The goal of my blog is to make beginner fitness information more readily available so people can make decisions about their training instead of having to listen to a random trainer at their gym who doesn’t know anything about them or their goals.

Strength training benefits everyone! As we as a society are getting more sedentary, it’s increasingly important for people to create space for strength in their lives. Studies have shown all the benefits like heart, brain, and bone health, the impact on mental health, and more, but I also want to get the message out that strength training can add so much to your life! Building a better relationship with exercise is so worth it because the ripple effects are massive.

I want as many people as possible to know what it’s like to feel strong and to be able to do all the things they want to do in life.

What is the best business advice you’ve received and what advice would you give to another business owner?

SS: The best advice I’ve gotten is that you have two main jobs in your business: 1) serving your clients, and 2) marketing your business. If what’s on your to-do list isn’t fulfilling one of those two things, it’s probably not important right now.

I sometimes have “shiny object syndrome” and fall down the rabbit hole of working on projects that aren’t really going to make a huge impact on my business (at least in the present). This advice really helps me focus in and prioritize the important tasks that will help my business grow. The rest can wait for pockets of free time!

For advice I’d give to another business owner: I have a background in graphic design, and I recommend that all business owners who create content should learn the basics of design! Implementing design principles in your graphics, photos, and videos can make your content cooler to look at, yes, but it also helps people pay attention and absorb more of what you’re saying. People are more likely to skip a hard-to-read graphic than one that has space and contrast.

Book every business owner should read: Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

Your go-to podcast: Wanting in Public by Xanthe Appleyard and Kaitlyn Kessler (on Apple or Spotify)

Most unhinged thing you’ve done in the name of business: Oh man, some of the things I’ve done on camera in the name of social media content! Jumping jacks in a corn maze?

Fun fact: I’ve been teaching swing dance (30s and 40s dancing) since 2012 and have danced in different countries around the world!