Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Williams Iven.
Hi Amanda , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Amanda Williams Iven, and this is my story.
In 2007, I married my late husband, Mike, and together we had three children. Mike proudly served in the United States Air Force and battled PTSD until his passing in 2019. Losing him left me as a single mother navigating life with our children while carrying the weight of grief and responsibility.
In 2022, I remarried my current husband, Dane, and together we created a beautifully blended family of seven. Just as I felt I was beginning to regain control of my life, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2024.
That diagnosis changed everything.
I quickly realized I could no longer maintain the demands of my high-stress career as a Property Portfolio Manager. During my recovery, I discovered that Hobson Fitness was for sale. I saw it as more than a business opportunity—it was a chance to rebuild my life with purpose and create something meaningful for others.
That is how I became the proud owner of Alore Fitness, LLC.
The name “Alore” comes from combining the words love and adore—a phrase my family uses to express the bond we share. It represents exactly what I want this gym to be: a place built on strength, support, healing, and community.
Following my final surgery in November 2025, I returned to my own fitness and nutrition journey. Regaining that sense of control over my body and my health was life-changing. It reminded me how powerful movement, structure, and community can be during life’s hardest moments.
Now, I am dedicated to helping others facing similar battles.
I have launched programs focused on raising awareness and support for veterans, because I believe consistent access to fitness and community can be life-changing. I often think about how much a supportive gym environment could have helped my late husband as he struggled with PTSD.
My goal is for Alore Fitness to be more than just a gym—it is a place where people can heal, connect, and find strength alongside others who understand their journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When we opened Alore Fitness in November 2025, I knew building a gym from the ground up wouldn’t be simple. What I didn’t expect was just how many obstacles we’d have to push through before we could truly call this place home. But every challenge has taught me something, and every setback has only strengthened my commitment to this community.
The building we originally planned to open in was already showing serious signs of disrepair. As I looked closer at the condition it was in, I realized I had a responsibility I couldn’t ignore: I could not, in good conscience, open a gym in a space that put our members at risk. Safety isn’t something I’m willing to compromise on, even when the alternative is harder and more expensive.
So I made the decision to move Alore Fitness to a brand-new building instead — one that would actually be safe and built to last. That decision doubled our costs. Moving heavy gym equipment and machines is neither easy nor cheap, and the process tested us in ways I hadn’t fully prepared for. But looking back, I have zero regrets. The space we’re in now truly serves our community the way it deserves to be served, and that makes every ounce of stress along the way worth it.
Even with a better building, new challenges have followed. Much of our equipment is now over nine years old, and it’s starting to show its age. Machines are failing one after another, and keeping everything running safely has become a constant, ongoing effort. Every repair is a reminder of how important it is to have equipment our members can trust — and how much work it takes behind the scenes to make that happen.
Running a gym isn’t just about the workouts people see. It’s late nights fixing machines, tight budgets, and doing whatever it takes to make sure the equipment is safe and reliable for the people who walk through our doors.
These days, most of my energy goes toward two things: filling Alore Fitness with members of our community, and building a team of coaches and trainers who believe in the same mission I do. I’m not just looking for people to fill a schedule — I’m looking for coaches and trainers who genuinely want to be part of something, who care about the people they train, and who see this gym as a community rather than just a workplace.
None of this has been the easy road. But I didn’t start Alore Fitness because I was looking for easy — I started it because North Plains deserves a gym that puts people first, from the safety of the building to the quality of the equipment to the people who show up to coach and support our members every day.
We’re still growing. We’re still building. But we’re doing it the right way — and I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come.
We’ve been impressed with Alore Fitness, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Through all of it, we’ve stayed focused on what we actually came here to do: help our community get stronger, healthier, and more confident. We specialize in personal training and group classes, and we’re known for our 24/7 open gym — because life doesn’t always fit into a 9-to-5 schedule, and your training shouldn’t have to either.
We offer a range of training styles so you stay challenged and motivated, from strength-focused sessions, gentle yoga, to conditioning and mobility work. There’s enough variety and structure built into our programming to make results inevitable.
Coaching, programming, and classes are available everywhere. But not at this level. Our coaches are proven over decades. Our programming is sought out by other fitness centers. And our training philosophy integrates fitness into busy, ambitious lifestyles like yours.
What does success mean to you?
Success at Alore Fitness isn’t measured by numbers alone. It’s measured by:
A genuinely happy community that wants to be here
Members who feel stronger and more at home in their own bodies
Veterans given access to the gym through discounted or free membership, funded by our community
A gym family built through real-life connection — including Alore Fitness Adventures, our community hike held every third Saturday of the month
A business strong enough to keep growing and to support the people who run it
We believe profit and purpose aren’t in competition. Profit is what makes the purpose possible — and the purpose is why we do this at all.
Pricing:
- $60 per month for 12 months = 24/7 Open Gyme
- $45 per week for 12 months = 24/7 Open gym + unlimited classes
- Personal Training – Depends on needs
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alorefitness.com
- Instagram: alorefitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alorefitness
