With many servicemembers exiting the military from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), it should come as no surprise that some decide to stay in the area and try their hand at opening a business. It's also no surprise that many of those who do, delve into the fitness industry after witnessing its importance to health and well-being. Melissa Seipel, veteran and owner of Impact Fitness in Olympia, is precisely one of those people.

"My military background is an integral part of my foundation," said Seipel, who served four years in the U.S. Coast Guard during the 1980s. "It got me where I am today."

Seipel has worked in the fitness industry since she opened Impact Fitness -- a personal training and group training studio specializing in restorative movement -- in April 2011. Since then, she's worked as a massage therapist, a personal trainer and a restorative exercise and functional movement specialist in the facility.

"We focus a lot on movement," she said. "We offer kettlebell training, functional training, strength training and restorative movement ... There's a lot of variability."

While servicemembers and veterans don't make up the majority of Seipel's clientele, they do play an important role in keeping her connected to her military roots.

"We work with veterans, especially disabled veterans, and cancer survivors," Seipel said.  "My experience in the military gave me the understanding that there's no task beneath me. It gave me a sense of confidence and made me realize I could make a change in people's lives."

That realization, coupled with a strong background in business and the legal industry, is what drove her to open her own business.  

"I worked in the legal field for 22 years (after exiting the military) and was exposed to a lot of business," she said, "so it was a natural progression for me to open up my own business. I'd been a personal trainer since 2008 -- working at local gyms and 24-hour Fitness -- when I realized my clients were more than just a number on a sheet. I decided I wanted to open up a studio."

Impact Fitness was born. It's located in Olympia rather than California, where Seipel is originally from, because the family settled in Olympia in 1993 after Seipel's husband was stationed at JBLM. Of their five children, her son, Robert, is also a servicemember. He serves as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army Reserves.

"Each day, a little bit more of my dream is revealed," Seipel said. "I have a lot of autonomy in how I choose to deliver my services, but the bottom line is the quality of service I provide. I feel that no matter who walks through my door, I'm responsible for making sure they receive the highest quality (service)."

Impact Fitness, group training schedule available online, 1025 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Suite 2E, Olympia, 360.464.4559, impactfitnessllc.com