getting
her kicks
Wendy Hood, 41
Cumming, Georgia
Mom of Tyler, 17; Tori, 15; and Taryn, 8
➜ Milestone Getting a black belt and
realizing she could teach martial arts
➜ driving force Wendy loved her ca-
reer managing Nordstrom department
stores but felt her priorities shifting.
“All of a sudden, I really wanted to
spend time with my youngest daugh-
ter before she started kindergarten,
and carpool my older kids to soccer,”
she says. After turning down two pro-
motions that involved travel and long
hours, Wendy left Nordstrom in January
2005 to be a stay-at-home mom.
➜ The right moves Wendy had stud-
ied martial arts on and off but now had
motive and opportunity to pursue her
black belt. She and Glo Winters, a class-
mate and fellow church parishioner,
talked of teaming up to teach the sport
someday. Their call to action came in
May 2005, when their pastor men-
tioned “health” in a sermon. Wendy
jotted the word vertically, adding let-
ters to form the phrase “Helping Ev-
eryone Achieve Life Through Healthy
Habits.” Glo added the word “Kick”
and the idea for My H.E.A.L. T.H. Kick
was born. They got certified as personal
trainers and taught martial arts to
church members in their homes, with
the goal of opening a full-service fit-
ness-nutrition center. Wendy asked
friends for referrals and networked at
thejoyofconnecting.com, a community
for female entrepreneurs. Her husband,
Dennis, a former minor league baseball
player who runs batting clinics, secured
space in his building and got Atlanta
Brave Tom Glavine to appear at the
grand opening of the H.E.A.L. T.H. Kick
center on February 1, 2007. More than
250 people showed up, despite the
snow. “I was so pumped, just knowing
we were providing a place to get
healthy and strong,” Wendy says.
➜ Change of life My H.E.A.L. T.H. Kick
is now more than a business. “It’s my
ministry,” says Wendy. “I’ve always
been good at listening. Now I’m using
that gift to help others overcome personal challenges,” she says. Recently
Glo left to pursue other interests, so
Wendy runs the place solo, working
around her children’s schedules. She
acknowledges that success doesn’t
come overnight. “Like I tell my clients,
you can’t expect instant gratification,”
she says. “Whether it’s getting fit or
running a business, things take time,
but you can get there step by step.”
l
“The best thing it has
is what it doesn’t have?
©2009 P&G
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