The University tells its students to “dream big” and that is exactly what alumnus Tom Richard did. Richard has followed this philosophy throughout his career and went from managing several Barney’s Convenience Stores to recently opening his own fitness sales training company.

But, Richard said that his big dreams weren’t the only factor in his success, he said that it has taken hard work and originality.

“You almost think that you are going to hit if off and make it big and it’s really the opposite of that,” he said.

Richard became interested in the fitness industry when he lost 60 pounds. After working six years for JF Enterprises, the owners of Barney’s, he proposed opening a fitness center because he was inspired by his own weight loss. They liked his idea and opened 360 Fitness in Maumee where he worked as a manager. In 2004 he moved to Philadelphia where he managed a Philadelphia Gym Source store.

Gym Source COO Tom Lourenso told SNEWS ® that Richard was constantly one of the top sales people for their store and was often number one. He brought his experience back to Grand Rapids, Ohio where he opened his business Tom Richard Marketing on April 14, 2005. The business focuses not only on the fitness industry but helps a variety of businesses with their marketing and sales strategies. His company is unique in the fact that it combines working on a marketing campaign and sales training. He said that sales and marketing tie in together, but in most cases they are handled separately.

“I don’t know any companies that do both,” he said. “The two really need to work together. I think it’s more effective.” He decided to open his business because he saw a need for a better relationship between sales training and marketing in the fitness industry. He said when it comes to this area the fitness industry is about 10 years behind other industries.

“The market kind of told me there was a need, I listened to the market rather than me trying to force something on to the market.” He said that the market has been responding well to his business. He has clients all over the country from a personal training business in Manhattan to smaller local businesses and charities.

Money Tour 2005 begins June 22 in Boston. The tour consists of workshops where participants will come together to learn about sales with a focus on the customer theme. He and his employees will be stopping in cities all over the country throughout the summer and fall.

Richard contributes much of his drive to the education that he received at The University. Richard transferred from The Ohio State University to Bowling Green State University so that he could work for Barney’s full time. He said that the transfer was a turning point in his life.

“I fell in love with learning because of some of the professors that I had at BG, it empowered me to realize that I could do what ever I want to do,” he said. While Richard attended the University he stuck out to Brent Nicholson the Director of Entrepreneurship Academic Programs. Nicholson said that Richard wasn’t a typical student, he demanded a lot out of himself and his teachers.

“One had the clear idea that he would be doing something entrepreneurial and that it would be sooner rather than later, Nicholson said. “He was smart and quite mature for his age.” Nicholson said that many of the students he has stayed in contact with since graduation have begun their own businesses.

However, most alumni don’t begin their own business until much further down the road after graduation than Richard. He said that it is his hope that students and graduates will challenge, explore, engage and question just has Richard has. “Don’t be afraid to dream and go after your dreams,” he said.