Play New: Jennifer Lau

Athlete. Nike Trainer. Advocate. Jennifer Lau is a leader in the fitness community in Toronto, fighting for a space for women in the weight room. Born and raised in Toronto, Jenn is the co-founder of The Real Toronto, a community empowering diverse woman in the health and fitness industries. Jenn also leads a coalition working to Save Health and Wellness, a platform that collaborates with local and national governments to provide COVID relief for the struggling industry.

Jenn’s journey in fitness was an unexpected one. Jenn attended university with a plan to study business, and later pivoted to fashion. She turned her passion for health and fitness into her day job, and started personal training. A proud Chinese-Canadian, Jenn recalls her parents not quite understanding the career course change. “5 years ago, my mom was still telling me to find a full-time job with benefits. I was like… Mom I own a business.” Suffice it to say, after seeing their daughter appear on billboards and in the news, they understood her vision. Today, Jenn’s mom can be seen in the front row of every event, seminar, or experience cheering on her powerhouse daughter.

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Starting out in the industry, Jenn recalls that there were few women in the profession that looked like her. In the years since, she’s found her strength in a male-dominated field and made a name for herself by creating community and opportunity for women just like her. While many athletes point to their competitive spirit for their success, Jenn, spoken like a trainer, believes it’s about a commitment to building one another up.

Jenn’s POV on personal training is about cultivating more than just physical fitness and a stronger body. Instead, it’s about helping her clients grow into a more fulfilling life mentally, physically, and beyond. “It’s an honor to be along for their journey.” She says.

And we’ll, we couldn’t put it better ourselves.

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