Alex Kelly, the founder of Blueprint, has turned his passion for fitness into a unique business that is helping people make meaningful changes.
What is Blueprint Personal Training?
Blueprint Personal Training is a specialized fitness facility in Fargo that offers personal training, small group training, and nutrition coaching.
The Journey to Blueprint
Before venturing into the fitness business, Kelly worked in sales and real estate. He worked at Midco, where he learned valuable skills in lead generation and building pipelines. However, the real estate world didn’t provide the structured, team-oriented environment he desired. That realization led him to pursue something he was truly passionate about—fitness and coaching.
Kelly, who has been a lacrosse coach in Moorhead for seven years, decided to take the leap. In August of the year prior to Blueprint’s opening, he left real estate and went full-time into research and planning for his business. By March, the gym was ready to open its doors.
The Blueprint Approach
Unlike many corporate gyms that focus on accessibility and high membership volume, Blueprint prioritizes a personalized, high-quality training experience. The gym is designed exclusively for personal training and offers a private and structured environment that differentiates it from the competition.
To do this, Kelly has invested in top-tier trainers and provided a space where they can thrive. While large franchise gyms often employ trainers with minimal certifications and high turnover rates, Blueprint sought professionals who were dedicated to making personal training a long-term career.
“I wanted to create a way for my trainers to keep doing what they love while still earning a manager-level salary,” Kelly said.
Building The Team
Kelly assembled a team of three full-time, salaried trainers, each bringing a unique set of skills and qualifications. His right-hand man, Peter, previously managed an Anytime Fitness and holds multiple certifications. Ben, another trainer, earned a kinesiology degree from UND and holds certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The third trainer, Malik, was carefully selected for his passion, experience, and client-centric approach.
