Meet Maki Riddington | Gym Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maki Riddington and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maki, what principle do you value most?
One of the most important things I’ve done for my business is to create a clear vision on how I wanted to conduct myself.

I did this by identifying what my top five Core Values are. These values have led me in how I make decisions in my business, who I want to attract as clients, and how it will direct how I engage with my coaches and clients everyday.

They are:
1. Faith
2. Integrity
3. Loyalty
4. Compassion
5. Hard work

The most important one to me is Integrity.

To me, Integrity is defined as doing what you say you’re going to do even when there’s no one there to see you doing it. It means owning up to your mistakes and remaining accountable.

Integrity in my business holds me to a standard that reminds me to be honest in everything I do. I follow through on my commitments, treat everyone with respect, and I am considerate of my clients needs and compassionate to their challenges..

This doesn’t just serve my business, but it sustains me, as a business owner, a community member, and a person. At the end of the day, I know that I’ve conducted myself with integrity.

What should our readers know about your business?
When I first started out, I just wanted to help people get into better shape physically. Then as I grew in my business and matured I realized that what I really wanted was to build a community: a safe space where everyone felt accepted, encouraged, respected, and connected to others around them. A place I could live out my values and impact those who had made the commitment to better themselves physically and mentally.

I am aware that there is still lots of work and growth ahead of me. But reflecting on where I’m at now, I can honestly say that building my business into what it is today required a great deal of sacrifice; I invested my money, and many, many hours of hard work. But I made a commitment to myself and my community, and I am proud and grateful for what has come of it. And I truly believe fitness is something that has the power to transform lives.

Some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way are:

– Find someone who believes in you, who knows that whatever you want to do, you can accomplish it. Don’t let life snuff out your flame.
– Pace yourself. The road to achievement is long and winding.
– You will fail. But with failure comes growth.
– Ask for help, and align yourself with people who share similar values.
– Building a business is not about the final product, but the process. Enjoy it and be nimble and responsive to change.

I want my brand to be known for its commitment to uphold a standard of excellence. I was raised by parents who modelled what hard work looks like. And they achieved that by supporting each other strongly, and sharing in each other’s successes and failures. I want the same for my business. I want everyone who passes through the doors of Maki Performance Training to understand that the main key components to achieving your fitness goals are hard work and community connections. Together we are stronger.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I suppose this is dependent on the season. Here, in no particular order, is what I’d do to show them a good time in Vancouver:

– Pack some snacks and drinks and rent a boat for the afternoon to take a tour around Vancouver.
– Go to Saltspring Island and spend the day exploring
– Spend a night in Whistler and either go skiing/snowboarding or just walk around and take in all the beauty of the great outdoors.
– Go to the Victor at the Parq Hotel and enjoy a good steak dinner. And maybe hit up the casino afterwards.
– Rent bikes for the afternoon and do a tour of all the micro breweries around the downtown core. Maybe ride around the sea wall as well.
– And, if I wanted to make them sweat a bit I would take them for a “leisurely” hike up the Grouse Grind.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife Catherine Riddington for her unwavering support through the good, and bad times. Together as a team we built Maki Performance Training. To my parents for always being there to help me in my time of need. And to my coaches for believing in my vision and supporting the growth of Maki Performance Training.

Website: www.makiperformance.com

Instagram: @makiriddington

Facebook: Facebook.com/makiperformance