Outside the Box

Maybe it’s her age or the time in her life, but Dawn Branch’s driving force these days is thinking outside the box when it comes to her life and business. Although Dawn regularly trains clients in-home and in-gym throughout Southern Oklahoma, her fitness training business has taken her to both coasts and from New York to San Antonio, to Aspen and Cape Canaveral.

Being female in the male-dominated vocation of personal training is also outside the box for Dawn. However, this has not been a problem, as she boasts almost 50 percent male clientele—an almost unheard-of percentage, regardless of any trainer, male or female. Her down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach to healthy lifestyle is refreshing in the quick-fix mentality prevalent in the fitness industry. "Both men and women feel comfortable with me, and I am able to motivate them in different ways to make positive lifestyle changes and get the results they desire."

Although many clients generally want to lose weight or become more fit, she loves the challenge of training individuals for sports or specific projects. She has trained a competitive rock climber, pageant contestant, barrel racers, basketball-, baseball- and football-players, golfers, wrestlers, and even a few bull riders. “I love the challenges I encounter with each new client—it’s what excites me every day!”.

Dawn’s talents reach beyond the box again with motivational and informative speaking to companies both large and small, civic groups, schools and any organization that desires fitness, strength and higher productivity. She also writes a fitness and healthy lifestyle column called “Personal Best”, named after her company and personal philosophy on fitness. “I see people the way they can be on their own personal level, and I try to give that same vision to the clients to move them outside their own box and help them be their personal best.”

Dawn’s immediate and long-term goals take her outside the borders of Oklahoma to speak to companies nationwide on the positive effects of a healthy and fit workforce. Because Dawn loves to travel, she looks forward to long-term special projects alongside individuals whose vocation requires travel or touring; or with those in music, sports or entertainment industries, where travel is part of the job.