Meet Genifer Cohen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Genifer Cohen. 

Hi Genifer, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am originally from New Jersey and the youngest of three. I went to school in New York at Ithaca College. I studied Sport Media there and played soccer for two years. During my time in college, I worked every job I could to get involved in the campus and off-campus community and to see what I liked and didn’t like. I worked for the baseball program in administration, for the athletics department, I worked in the laundry room, concessions, scoreboard, you name it, and really found fun in it all. Off-campus I bartended so I had some very late nights and very early mornings for athletic events, but always made time for friends. During my junior year, I landed an internship in Pennsylvania for a full-service golf marketing, events, and travel company. There, they ran Pro-Am (1 Golf Pro & 3 Amateurs) tournaments in places like Jamaica, Barbados, St. Kitts, etc., and needless to say, it was an incredible experience, learning everything from game-day operations to peripheral events for other guests not participating in golf. Although it was an incredible journey, it’s grueling work and extremely long days. In my senior year, I was recruited to work for the Yankees in their sales division but knew I wanted to start in a smaller, more close-knit environment and wanted an opportunity to learn a broader set of skills versus honing in a niche right away. I also knew that it was a long shot to ever own the Yankees but had a grand idea to own something one day. – LOL 

So, when I graduated in 2013, a few friends were moving to North Carolina, and I jumped on the train. Seven of us lived in Chapel Hill right out of college and I landed working for a business development and marketing company here in Raleigh where I learned a ton but most importantly, entrepreneurship! 

I started knocking on doors representing the largest telecommunication companies. Most days it was cool, well hot in NC haha, but I enjoyed talking to people. That work is difficult and I have gained a different level of respect for people who can do that day in and day out. I didn’t see myself as a salesperson (even though the majority of my day-to-day & way to earn income said differently). All that was a byproduct to learning how to more formally speak to people, 1 on 1 and publicly, train and develop people to make money from nothing, leadership, bookkeeping, relationship building, networking, and so much more. 

I worked for someone else, with the intent to build my own, and about 2 and a half years later, I did. I opened my company in 2016, went through all the highs and lows of business ownership, and found myself becoming somebody I couldn’t recognize. I hustled for the team but was no longer doing it for me, and knew I had to close my doors. So much good came out of my time with my business and prior, including forever friendships, experience, and one handsome boyfriend who still sticks it out with me :). 

There was a story I heard more than once during my time in business about a General who was leading his army into battle and told them to “burn the boats” which ultimately meant you can’t have a backdoor or way out if you’re going to be successful. Either we’re going to win or die but we’re facing this head-on. Eventually, something was pulling my heart in a different direction and I couldn’t be more excited to get started on my new venture. 

Right as I was building a company, I knocked on a door that ironically opened up another door for me. There I was introduced to trainer, Andrew with a company called Camp Gladiator and his wife Casey. They were so fit and energized and after hanging up my cleats with soccer I was longing to have that sense of athletic community (not fully realizing it at the time). They invited me out to a workout and when I stepped on the field, I felt an overwhelming sense that I was supposed to be there. People were high-fiving (pre-Covid days), smiling, laughing, competing, and people came in all shapes, sizes, and athletic abilities. I felt home. Because that was in 2016 and I still had something to prove, I launched my business and for the next 2 and a half years, I thought only to myself, “maybe I should be a trainer instead.” I saw my friend Bree trade in her pencil skirt and heels for sneakers and burpees and if I’m being honest, I was jealous! In 2017, I met Amy, another trainer, and I just really saw myself in her. She was leading the North Raleigh area and she became my trainer when I moved. For over a year, we talked about business and life and became really good friends. When I closed my doors, she was one of the first people I called. I asked her what I needed to do to be on the field with her, start over from scratch and build my personal training business with Camp Gladiator. Within a month and a half, I got certified in personal training, CPR, and all the criteria I needed with CG. This is all while I started a new “part-time” job while I got my feet on the ground. My friends at Diamonds Direct on Glenwood took me in and I found a little family there too. I appreciate their support so much while I worked to grow my business and if you need jewelry for any occasion, go there, they are the best! (Shameless plug haha) 

I firmly believe if you have a goal, the drive, and you are willing to ask for help, you can make things happen quickly and shift the trajectory of your life for the better. Only you can decide that. 

Now, I started training in 2018 and really was starting to get my life and health back on track and I was really finding my groove. I loved it and training people on the field was the most rewarding part of my day – and still is! Helping people believe in themselves to do hard things (like even a sit-up, pushup, or burpee) that they never thought they would be able to do is absolutely incredible. I know that it helps people translate the skills and confidence they can use in their everyday lives. Camp Gladiator’s mission is “To positively impact the physical fitness and ultimately the lives of as many people as possible” – and I could get behind that mission. I wanted more and more people to feel the joy and power of physical movement, that can be fun, every day and for that, CG will be in my heart forever. 

Unfortunately, fitness alone couldn’t get my health back to where it needed to be and I had some unavoidable health issues stemming from thyroid cancer 10 years prior in 2008. In 2020, right before the pandemic hit, I met my now dear friend Yvonne, who kicked my butt at boot camp one day. I was intrigued by how she was moving so well and frankly was a little concerned that I didn’t feel as good as she looked, even though I was the “trainer” and “younger”. We got to talking and she spent time explaining how she took control of her health own health issues too. I started to learn all about Gut Health and the importance of taking care of your body from the inside out, and from there I found Plexus. I truly believe that with the way our culture is we are not giving our body all the nutrients we need with just food and water – and although a balanced diet of carbs, fats, and protein is so incredibly important, we need to fuel the nutritional gaps with clean, plant-based supplements. So now, coupled with personal training, I sell and promote products that have not only made my world better and healthier, but I can help people avoid simply masking their health issues with mainstream medicine. I want to help educate people that it’s not about the number on the scale but how much energy they will have to play with their kids, or to be able to feel like they can get through a whole day of work without a nap, that eating is good and can be enjoyable instead of painful and empower people to take control of their life! 

I’m on a journey of helping people feel their best and I will do my best to spread happiness and kindness wherever I go! 🙂 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yeah, easy peasy… LOL, not. 

1. Moving to a different part of the country at 22 on my own(with no parents and no safety net) 
2. Good people are everywhere if you are looking for it but there are some bad eggs out there.
3. Asking for help and putting pride and ego aside.
4. Investing all of my time and money and losing it all 
5. Starting a business and failing
6. Learning new trade after failing at what I thought would be doing forever
7. Missing out on family and friends’ events 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Camp Gladiator Outdoor and Virtual boot camp for adults. Our mission is to “Positively impact the physical fitness and ultimately the lives of as many people as possible.” I am super proud of bringing all fitness levels of athletes together, ranging from 18 – 75 years old, in an encouraging and upbeat environment. Our trainers care immensely about our campers and our community is incredible. We strive to help people be better, push a little harder than they did the day before, and do it in a really fun way. 

Plexus 

Plexus is on the cutting edge of health science, with a range of products focused on every aspect of your health and happiness. We help your body get rid of the bad stuff, pave the way to better digestive health, and feed your system to benefit the body and mind. Our goal is to make products that are the highest quality non-GMO, 100% vegetarian, and gluten-free, wherever possible. I’m so proud to stand behind these products because they really work! It really works universally on such a wide range of “illnesses” from mental health to digestive health. We all come from different backgrounds and we all have different goals, but here, we want people to feel good always. 

These two companies make me feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself. They guide me to help people from all walks of life feel happy and healthy 🙂 

Please reach out if I can help you in either or both areas!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gennyco_happysoul/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geniferco/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/gennyco_happysoul

Image Credits
KatelynScottBoudoir
PlexusWorldwide