Our Inspiration
One of my biggest inspirations is my grandmother, Faith Perry. She was an entrepreneur and visionary during an era where there were very few women business owners. She was a fearless risk-taker and had a true desire to help people.
She got her start in photography during World War II. My grandmother had a close friend who had a son going off to war. She asked my grandmother to take some pictures of him to console her while he was away. My grandmother got the idea to go to the military base and offer to take photographs of the GIs as they were being deployed. She would then offer to send the photos to their loved ones with a price list of how to order more. Faith Perry was an overnight hit. She offered a valuable service in a niche market and had a unique delivery system – all the elements of a successful business! After the war ended, she continued her photography with her studio, Paramount Portraits. She went on to other business ventures, including a children’s clothing store.
In 1955, she opened the Faith Perry Health Spa. Now, health clubs and spas were still a new concept in those days. She had exercise bikes, treadmills and free weight, just like health clubs today. She even experimented with “new technology” like those machines that used a vibrating belt to help you lose fat! She pioneered the use of tanning beds (yes, tanning beds in the 50s!) and saunas. She successfully operated her facility until the late 1970s.
The advertisements pictured throughout this page have given me a tremendous amount of inspiration and motivation to create 3rd Chance Fitness and Muscle Memory. I hope to inspire you just a little too. Check out our free workout routines and healthy eating tips and recipes. Inspiration is everywhere. Just look for it!
