A Cambria County world record powerlifter just started her own business… at age 18

Jamie Augustine (left) celebrates new member Sharon to the Natural Fit family. “She crushed her first workout!”

 

Jamie Augustine is changing the powerlifting landscape in Cambria County with her all-female gym … and she’s just getting started.

Squat. Bench. Deadlift. Picture a world record powerlifter and you are probably thinking of the guy with huge muscles who works out at your gym. But that’s not this story. Recent high school graduate Jamie Augustine holds three world records in Powerlifting, is a personal trainer and runs her own business, Natural Fit, LLC — all at age 18.

Augustine fell in love with weight training and powerlifting after playing many different sports in high school. She noted that the powerlifting scene is typically dominated by men and has a reputation for performance enhancing drugs, but she proudly shattered the ceiling by being, and doing, the opposite. She is proud to push her natural physical limits as a female lifter.

With the pressures of what to do after high school, Jamie turned her passion into her purpose and started Natural Fit, LLC. She says, “I knew I wanted this to be my career. I’ve always enjoyed being a leader. I knew I didn’t want to go with the crowd but wanted to do something different.” Her new business has allowed her to do just that. She is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certified personal trainer and offers class-based training to women in the Johnstown community.

Jamie said that her goal is to build a community of women who push and support each other as they reach fitness goals. “Many women don’t feel comfortable in their own skin. My gym is all-female and class based. If you go to any other 24/7 gym, you don’t have that.” She says that her faith in God and love for serving and helping others is the secret sauce that drives her company.

In addition to her all-female gym, Augustine is also manufacturing her own weight plates. Weight plate price-per-pound skyrocketed during the pandemic, and in an attempt to outfit her own gym, she started manufacturing concrete weights. These poured concrete weights go for $0.50 per pound, meaning you can get a complete set of 5, 10, 25, 35, and 45 plates for just $100.

Augustine said that it was scary opening her own business — but she had help getting it off the ground. She connected with Startup Alleghenies coach Blake Fleegle, who provided free business coaching and helped her to get her business set up properly. Fleegle said that he was immediately impressed by her drive. “Jamie’s combination of fitness and business smarts makes her poised to become an incredible success story for our region.”

Augustine feels incredibly blessed by the work she and Fleegle have done together. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him.” She said that other young entrepreneurs need to know that it’s ok to choose not to go to college. Her advice for those wrestling with what to do next: “Find something you are passionate about and go for it!”

Fleegle agrees. “It takes hard work and support to establish a successful business. Natural Fit, LLC is a prime example of the ‘no-limits’ attitude of Startup Alleghenies. We can and do help anyone and everyone achieve their dreams.”

Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.