KIRSTY GODSO
“ Be proud to be uniquely you, own your passions, don’t hide your personality. Who says it’s weird? Do you love it? Great – keep going, we’re not here to be normal, how boring would that be?
Learn, learn and keep learning.
”
The Energy Dealer
You know those people you feel like you know really well, but somehow have never met? That’s me with Kirsty. Through our careers we have worked together on a good few projects with her role as a Nike Master Trainer, and mine on the Nike Brand team in Beaverton. We catch up on the phone and email regularly, but our schedules never allowed us to meet up.
Each and every time I have been blown away by her work ethic, attitude and the energy she would give to me and anyone she works with. One of the things I love about people with this enthusiasm and energy is that they have so many layers. As you’ll read here, it’s easy to look at her Instagram and see a personal trainer, but once you talk to her you quickly realize here is one of the sharpest minds in the space. Kirsty created a new accessible way of training and gave up her steady career to chase the dream. Now she’s moving into building out multiple businesses all whilst focusing on her own energy. We caught up for a sunshine drenched chat from her apartment in New York for one of the most enjoyable one hour conversations I’ve had this year.
Jonathan: What do you do now?
Kirsty: I’m mostly known for being a Nike Master Trainer which involves anything from leading large scale global Nike events, programming on our Nike Training Club app and appearing in various video and photo shoots amongst many other things. But what I really describe myself as is an Energy Dealer. I run two of my own businesses - Made Of, a premium whey protein company, and Pyrogirls, a workout collective focused on movement as a tool for community and change. I consult for many brands across various industries and whatever the project is, my goal is to use wellness and movement as a tool to serve the other areas of your life to be the best that you can be.
Did you study?
Yes! I really love learning and this is something I am so passionate about. I did a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in marketing and finance in Auckland, New Zealand. My time at university was more focused around the gym and working rather than partying and that was the time in my life where I started to realize how much, beyond my tomboy years and high school sports, fitness and sport meant to me, it was everything. When I graduated I first worked in media then quickly transitioned to a fitness company working in brand marketing. It was during that time that I got certified on the side to become a trainer, more so out of curiosity
to better the marketing work I was doing than intent to work in a gym or ever teach a class. I still always wanted to be behind the scenes and change the narrative of health and wellness. Naturally my energy and vision for the projects I worked on was best executed myself, so by the age of 23 I became front facing for my first fitness program that I was also running the brand marketing, teacher training and global campaigns for. Whilst quite a change from my projected marketing or finance career, the first order of business for anyone is always our health and wellness. So naturally I combined my passions to land where I am today in the business of bodies. I have been a fan of Nike for as long as I can remember. I recall being a shoe snob from such an early age my parents couldn’t understand how I was already so fussy at 3 years old haha. Working for Nike and coming from New Zealand seemed like an ambitious goal but I’ve always believed in hard work and discipline, and that if you really want something you will work for it. It was serendipitous the way the Nike job came about. I had actually applied for a marketing job straight out of university but there was nothing available in NZ or Australia. They ended up finding me through fitness when I was teaching a high intensity class at my local gym as a side hustle. I’ve made many tough decisions throughout my career to continue following my dream including personal and professional heartbreaks, but the life long lessons and experiences have been so worth it. From New Zealand to New York City, from being the Nike Master Trainer in the Pacific territory of emerging markets, to leading North America is something I never would have thought of. But for me it’s not about the titles. It’s about the work itself, the people, the family you build along the way and all the learnings you acquire. The university of life really is the greatest university we will ever go to.
When was that moment where you thought, holy shit this is what I do?
In 2015 we did the NTC World Tour, visiting 13 major cities. I lead 11 of them in front of crowds of 5,000 people at each stop. Sydney, Mexico, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Sweden everywhere. We saw the world. The energy was intoxicating and in many countries we were communicating through the global language of movement rather than words. But this was also one of the first times I saw first hand that sport for women around the world was not an equal opportunity and it was such an awakening for me and made me realize with even more depth how important the work of wellness for all women
is. Since then it has been a huge passion and focus of mine to not only encourage and inspire women to go after their dreams, their workouts, their everything, but to help put in place systems and support for young women, especially to ensure they keep having the opportunity to move their body given we know how impactful this is on every other area of their lives. I could not imagine my life or the woman I would be today without the obsessive amount of sport and movement in my early years, and I want to pass that opportunity and enthusiasm on to the next generations, everywhere.
What would you tell your teenage self ?
Worry less about what others say and more what you say to yourself. The words and thoughts you have become the architec- ture of the reality you are in. Many things you are shy about are probably your greatest asset. Be proud to be uniquely you, own your passions, don’t hide your personality. Who says it’s weird? Do you love it? Great – keep going, we’re not here to be normal, how boring would that be. Learn, learn and keep learning. It is such a luxury and there is so much that we will never know so don’t stop. Don’t let anyone dim your light, that’s one of the most precious things you have, hold it close, blast it wide. I bet you are more beautiful than you dare to imagine when you are being unapolo- getically you. Life is a relay not a competition. Respect and love other people. Take time to understand them and their differences and see how you can grow together.
What would you suggest for people who want to follow your path into this industry?
Do your homework, get a degree, learn to understand people, listen more than you talk. There is a yes in every no. Learn how to say no to find your YES. Believe in yourself! If you don’t, how can you expect others to. Never stop believing.
If you would like to hear more from Kirsty here is a great podcast by Friend of a Friend or this one from Nike “Trained, by Ryan Flaherty”
