Short-term pain for long-term gain is a phrase that gets passed around in many contexts. It is an especially relevant motto to those who are in the fitness business.

Olivia Wehmeyer, owner and personal trainer at Driven Fit Nut, knows the importance of pain for gain and is putting that perspective to use in her personal life and in her service to her clients.

Wehmeyer has lived in Fredericksburg since her childhood. She and her husband operated a business on Main Street for many years. Then circumstances, often difficult ones, guided Wehmeyer on her journey into gym ownership.

“My husband and I had a granite store and we had to file bankruptcy in about mid 2019,” said Wehmeyer. “And about that time, he got diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma. And at that point, we decided we needed to push the button and file bankruptcy.”

As a youth, Wehmeyer struggled with her own weight and body image. As an adult, personal health has become a big part of her life.

“In 2020 he (Wehmeyer’s husband) started with chemo,” Wehmeyer said. “(We were) going through the bankruptcy proceedings and then figuring out where we were going to make money now.

“I had always been into fitness in my own journey, but I was always so busy that I couldn’t pursue that.”

At that point, Wehmeyer began working toward getting her certification as a fitness personal trainer. She launched a mobile personal training business, driving to her clients’ homes to provide her expertise in the comfort of their own space.

“In 2021, through connections, I was blessed with my first little location, a personal training studio,” said Wehmeyer, who found a small space on the west side of Fredericksburg.

“We came up with (the name) Driven Fitness because at that time I was a mobile trainer.”

As her business continued to grow, Wehmeyer was receiving a lot of requests from her clients to start a group class. However, her space was not conducive to a large class.

Somebody then told Wehmeyer about the new complex under construction at Highway 290 West Business Park.

“At the time it was just a slab,” said Wehmeyer. With some consideration and research, she decided to invest in the full space with faith that the business would grow.

With a large workout area and a few interested clients, Wehmeyer realized that she didn’t have any equipment to fill the gym.

“I was prepared to move into the space, but I didn’t have any equipment,” said Wehmeyer. “Tony (Klein) at Arrowhead (bank) had faith in me and loaned me the money to get some stuff. There was a gym in Austin that had closed.”

Wehmeyer was able to purchase the equipment that she needed from the Austin gym, and had enough money left over to take care of some other business needs.

“Everything started growing really really fast,” said Wehmeyer. “And then Shannon came to me asking if I was hiring.”

Shannon Mistr is a licensed fitness trainer who had spent several years back and forth between a career in education and athletic training.

Wehmeyer and Mistr did a job interview during a long walk.

“We just totally clicked when we started walking. I thought, this is going to work,” said Mistr.

Now doing business as Driven Fit Nut, Wehmeyer and Mistr are operating their individual personal training services at the gym, while also providing an open-gym membership to customers who just want the space to exercise on their own time.

With a growing business and the ability to do what she loved for a living, much was going well for Wehmeyer when difficulty arose again.

“We had a hiccup at the end of July,” said Wehmeyer. “My husband took his life.”

Wehmeyer’s husband, Kalyn, had been an integral part of the launching and growth of Driven Fit Nut.

“He’s the reason this gym is the way it is because he installed everything,” said Wehmeyer.

During the month of August, Wehmeyer took the time to slow down and do what she needed from the loss.

Despite the sorrow and pain, Wehmeyer has a driving passion to use her experience and knowledge to serve the community where she lives.

“I want to help the community more,” said Wehmeyer. “Yes, with fitness and nutrition, but I think there’s also a need for going into meditation and quiet time. We live in such a busy world that we need to have that time to breathe.”

During the class workouts Wehmeyer likes to end the session with a time of quiet reflection, often on gratitude. Aware of the difficulties of life and loss, both Wehmeyer and Mistr are inspired to improve the lives of their clients, and to connect with them in meaningful ways.

“We want people to feel welcome,” said Wehmeyer. “People are intimidated when they go to the gym. We want people to feel like they can come here and walk out feeling better than when they came in.”

Wehmeyer continues to work with an open mind toward the future. Both she and Mistr are pushing their clients to better health while making lifelong friendships in the process.

“I really felt like God was just putting these things before me and it’s just what I was supposed to do,” said Wehmeyer about the journey she has taken. “And it was all falling into place.”

Driven Fit Nut will be hosting a “Back to the 80s” grand opening party this Saturday, Oct. 8 from 12-4 p.m. They are located at 1500 U.S. 290 West in Fredericksburg.