I’m Jess Bottesch, owner and co-founder of Empower. In 2005 my best friend, Ronda Williams, and I bemoaned how bleak the fitness industry was.  At that time, the industry was dominated by big-box gyms that lacked personalization (which translates into a lack of safety and effectiveness) and had a business model wherein they sold thousands of memberships with the hope that only about 30% of those members would actually show up.

So, we decided to do something about it, and we dreamed up Empower.  We envisioned something different—a diverse, open, and welcoming culture where everyone could feel safe, comfortable, and supported on their fitness journey, where we’d have programs tailored specifically to their needs and goals.  With our backgrounds in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training we knew that we could serve and inspire people to be healthier and feel better by giving folks realistic ways to make permanent, healthful changes.

From the start, Ronda and I focused on building a community where clients felt more like family. We weren’t afraid to hire people who were smarter than us, which helped us create an experienced and talented team. We held ourselves to high standards, ensuring our studio was always clean, bright, and comfortable, and we’ve always taken an integrative approach, knowing that if clients only take care of themselves in our studio, we’re not doing enough to help them.  At Empower we established a ThinkFUN, Get Fit, Eat Well, Sleep Well philosophy that encourages our clients and team members to take care of themselves 24 hours a day.

In 2021, Ronda made a courageous career change, and I took over as the sole owner of Empower. Yes, that means I took the reins during a challenging time, following the Covid shutdowns. But with the help of our dedicated team of trainers, led by our training manager Blaine Warren—who has been with Empower since 2012—we have not only recovered but thrived, and all of us at Empower come to work each day with gratitude for what we’ve built and continue to foster. 

Today, Empower is at its best. We remain committed to growing and improving, ensuring that we provide the highest quality of personal fitness services to all of our clients, fitness newcomers and devotees alike. We have a lot to offer our clients, and they have a lot to offer us.  This is incredibly rewarding work.  At Empower we get to do what we love, and our clients get to see results, knowing that we’re by their sides as they work to take care of themselves in the fun, supportive, friendly environment that we strive to create each and every day.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Here’s to many more years of living stronger, healthier, and happier. Together.