…at Anytime Fitness HQ
I get asked this question a lot, so it’s high time I put the story down in one place. It’s a story about how social media and authentic content helped shape a career — and how a small decision in college led to an unexpected opportunity with Anytime Fitness.
The story begins in my sophomore year at the University of Minnesota. I had just joined the nearby Anytime Fitness and was taking a New Media and Culture course that explored social platforms and their future impact. The professor encouraged us to follow brands and role models on Twitter, so I followed Anytime Fitness. At that point I didn’t yet have an official Fit Foodie Finds presence on Facebook, and my social accounts were modest at best.
Not long after, Anytime Fitness asked a simple question on Twitter: “What’s your favorite breakfast?” I replied with my go-to: oatmeal. A short time later I received a direct message from Anytime Fitness. They asked for my email and told me they enjoyed my blog — and that they liked that I was local to the Twin Cities and attended the U of M. To my surprise, they invited me to contribute recipe content to Anytime Health and offered compensation for my recipe creation and photography. Being paid to develop recipes and photograph them was something I hadn’t imagined back then.
It turned out the Anytime Fitness headquarters is in Hastings, Minnesota — only about 30 miles south of Minneapolis — which was an added coincidence. After roughly a year of contributing recipes and working on content for Anytime, I received an invitation to their Annual Conference. I was flown to Washington, DC, and during the conference I was honored with an inspiration award for my healthy living blog in front of more than a thousand people connected to the brand. I was given a trophy and even wore a “2 Inspire” ribbon on my name tag. That recognition was a pivotal moment — a mix of surprise, validation, and excitement.
The conference is also where I truly connected with the Anytime Fitness community. I met founders, owners, trainers, and managers and saw firsthand the passion behind the brand. That experience made it clear to me that I wanted to work there after graduation. I began asking about internship opportunities, and the Social Media Director, Andy, along with Amanda, the blog content manager, welcomed me into their circle.
During my internship I spent time in the executive office and had the chance to work closely with leadership. Those conversations and experiences solidified my decision to pursue a role with the company. I interned for about five months and, after a few interviews, accepted a full-time position. My first job title was Social Media/Online Communications Specialist — a role that combined content strategy, community engagement, and communications. I enjoyed the social media and marketing aspects and found it rewarding to blend creative work with strategic outreach. My responsibilities have evolved over time, and the role I hold now is different from that first position. I’ve also shared a new page on my site that describes what my role is like at Anytime Fitness for anyone curious about a career in social media and health-focused communications.
I share this story to illustrate the power of social media and the importance of an authentic online presence. Opportunities can emerge from small interactions, and you never know who might be watching or what doors a thoughtful post, recipe, or photo might open. That’s why I believe everything you publish should come from the heart. I try to be the same person online as I am in real life — honest, curious, and passionate about healthy living.
On a final, personal note: as I wrote this I was in the car heading to New Berlin, WI, connected to the internet via a Verizon hotspot on my Android. Little moments like that — the ability to work and stay connected on the go — make this kind of career possible.