Meet Marie Neuhaus | Owner & Founder, Haus AF Fitness

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marie Neuhaus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marie, for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

My brand, Haus AF Fitness, was built out of my love of fitness & thinking of my body as my house (AKA: Haus). When I was in my 20’s, I partied hard, ate crap & smoked a pack of cigarettes every couple of days. When I decided to pursue the Marines, I literally, overnight, changed everything. I stopped drinking alcohol & smoking, started running & lifting weights, stopped eating crap, started eating REAL food & started drinking water. I lost 30 pounds in three months. Definitely not the weight loss method that I recommend for my clients but at the time I had no choice if I wanted to be selected for Officer Candidates School (OCS). I was selected & on day three, while running the physical fitness test, I dropped from heat stroke. It wasn’t particularly hot that day so I attribute it to my body not being ready. I almost died that day. I’m so very thankful that I’m here to tell this story. The next year, I decided to pursue OCS again but this time, I took it slower. I was selected again, returned & was Commissioned. I did amazing things with my body that I didn’t think was possible. This is why I wanted to pursue a career in fitness & show people that even when you make small changes, over time, those small changes lead to BIG change. And that’s worth working for.

I am Haus AF Fitness, I love to make fitness fun & I love my clients. They know how much I support them from the first time we meet during a free strategy session where we discuss goals, health history, likes, dislikes, etc. I get to know each prospective client. It’s important to me that we have a chemistry so that my clients enjoy fitness training & enjoy getting fit with me. When prospective clients decide to train with me, one-on-one, each client gets programming that I create specifically for them based on their individual goals. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fitness. Sure, on my Instagram or Facebook pages, you see me showing 3 exercises for this or 5 moves to build that but that’s to help people who need a little inspiration. I aspire to be a Fitness Influencer so I have to cater to the masses in that arena. But when I’m able to hone in on one person at a time, that’s when customization is key. Everyone needs that customization but not everyone can afford a Certified Personal Trainer so that’s where social media can help.

Over the years, it sounds like you’ve had numerous jobs, not just in fitness. Tell us a little about that journey & where you see your business headed.

It took a long time for me to start my fitness business, mainly because it took me a long time to decide to leave my corporate job. Before the Marines, I worked in restaurant & retail management & also sold radio advertising. After I got out of the Marines, I found myself working my way up at a large bank & every year I’d put off opening my Personal Training certification book. Until at the end of 2019, I decided it was time. I was about to turn 40 & though I was good at my corporate job, I didn’t get much satisfaction out of it. I took the leap, left Corporate America & haven’t looked back since. I had huge goals for my business (I still do) but early last year, I found out I was pregnant & that changed the plans I had. I always say though, that everything happens for a reason. Once I knew I was pregnant, I enrolled in Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist & Core Confidence Certification programs to not only gain the knowledge for my future mama clients but also to better prepare myself for pregnancy, labor & delivery.

I’ve really only just begun. My story is still writing itself. I’m super proud of the clients I’ve earned (90% are online clients) & even the ones who found me & didn’t hire me. I’m excited for the new clients I’ve yet to earn & the offerings I have in the works. Developing my online presence is a huge goal of mine & one I’m chipping away at day-by-day. I’m always so proud when I learn something new about Instagram or Facebook, for example, that I figured out on my own. YAY! I celebrate every single win. Even the small ones.

We’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I never think of myself as a risk-taker. I always think of risk-takers as more adventurous than me, people who have absolutely nothing to lose, those who have such guts that no matter the outcome, they’d choose the risk again. But I actually think I am a risk-taker. Fourteen years ago, I took the risk of being selected as a Marine Corps Officer & I was. I quit my job, moved across the country & gave up my whole life as I knew it to be a Marine. This part of my life is what instilled in me the passion I have for health & fitness today. Almost three years ago, I took the risk of starting my own fitness business & I did. I left a solid corporate career, making six figures with stability…but I knew it was the right decision. For the past 10+ years, I’ve dreamed about making a positive impact on peoples’ lives, one person at a time & I’m doing it! The risk paid off. It’s not about me. It never is. It’s about the people I can help & I want to show as many people as possible that they can do amazing things with their bodies.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, I love this question! After picking my best friend up from the airport on Friday, we’d drop her things off at an Airbnb in Deep Ellum then go to King Spa Dallas & enjoy some pampering. We’d hit up a few of the saunas, swim in the indoor pool & also get a full body massage (seriously the best!). Once we have our fill (& once we’re ready to hit the town), we’d head over to Trinity Groves & do some restaurant hopping. The restaurants change so we’d just have a bite & a drink at each stop (my fave way to enjoy Trinity Groves, anyway). Saturday we’d start our day with yoga in Deep Ellum (there are pop-up classes that happen in parking lots) & do brunch at Harlowe MXM. We’d also do some walking around in Klyde Warren Park. If we’re up for a night out, Deep Ellum has so many fun restaurants that I know we’d find something…maybe even a speakeasy (it’s our favorite kind of fun). Sunday we’d do dim sum at Kirin Court & then she’d be headed home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve always been successful, no matter what, in my parents’ eyes. They’ve been my rock. From when I was small they would tell me that my best was always good enough & they always made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to. This shoutout is dedicated to my awesome parents (AKA: My BFFs).

Website: https://www.hausaffitness.com/

Instagram: @hausaffitness

Linkedin: Marie Neuhaus

Facebook: Haus AF Fitness

Youtube: Haus AF Fitness