Antonio Somma Jr.

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Antonio Somma Jr. Originally from Cranford, NJ. Currently based in Morris Plains, NJ.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now?

I moved to Morris County about 15 years ago and instantly fell in love with the area. My favorite part of living here is the sense of community. Whether it’s through work, softball leagues, or my social life, I’ve always felt welcomed and included.

I’ve been fortunate to meet so many great people since moving here, and many of those relationships have turned into lifelong friendships. For me, that’s what makes Morris County feel like home. It’s not just the place; it’s the people and the connections I’ve built along the way.

Tell us a little bit more about what your company does and how it started? How does it help your customers?

I’ve always loved training. I played football and lacrosse in high school and continued playing lacrosse at Kean University, so training has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. But for me, training was always about more than just getting stronger or being in better shape. It gave me confidence, both on and off the field.

That’s a big part of why I started All-American Fitness. I wanted to create a place where I could help other people experience that same feeling. We provide personal and semi-private training designed around each individual’s goals, whether they’re looking to get stronger, lose weight, improve their athletic performance, or simply feel better and more confident in their everyday lives.

What means the most to me is seeing what happens beyond the gym. When someone starts believing in themselves because of what they’ve accomplished through training, that confidence often carries over into every other part of their life. That’s ultimately what I want All-American Fitness to provide, not just better fitness, but a stronger sense of confidence and belief in yourself.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

Just do it. If you keep waiting for the “perfect” time, it will never come. There will always be another reason to wait: more money, more experience, better timing, or one more thing you think you need to figure out.

If you’re passionate about what you’re doing and willing to work hard, take the leap. You won’t have all the answers on day one, and that’s okay. You’ll figure things out as you go, learn from your mistakes, and continue to improve.

I’ve learned that you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. You just need to be willing to start.

What was one feedback from a happy customer/client that you won't forget about?

One of my first athletes was a young man named Sam, and he’s become my personal Michael Jordan story.

Sam was cut from his high school baseball team. At that point, he had a choice: he could give up, or he could decide to put in the work. Sam chose the work.

That offseason, he hired me as his strength and conditioning coach and also worked with a hitting coach. He came back the following season and made the team. But he didn’t stop there. By his senior year, he had become a team captain and eventually earned the opportunity to play baseball in college.

I’ll never forget the moment I found out he had committed to play in college. I honestly teared up. And even now, I still get choked up when I tell his story because I’m so proud of him.

What makes Sam’s story so meaningful to me is that I didn’t give him the talent or the opportunity. He made the decision to keep working when it would have been easier to quit. I was just fortunate enough to be part of the journey.

That’s the kind of impact I want to have throughout my career. I want to create as many “Sams” as I can. People who may have been told they weren’t good enough, but decided to bet on themselves, put in the work, and see what they’re capable of.

Where do you see your company in the future?

My first goal is to expand All-American Fitness into a larger facility that gives us the space and resources to continue serving our members while reaching even more people in the community.

Long term, I’d love to see All-American Fitness grow into multiple locations. But for me, growth isn’t just about having more facilities. I want to maintain the culture and personal connection that have made the business successful in the first place. No matter how much we grow, I want every member to feel like they’re part of a community and that their coach genuinely cares about their progress.

Ultimately, I want to build All-American Fitness into a brand that can impact a lot of people while staying true to the values that got us started.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about the fitness industry is that the gym can be an intimidating place, especially if you’re new to training or don’t feel like you’re in great shape yet. From my experience, it couldn’t be further from the truth.

One of my favorite things about the gym is watching strangers become friends and seeing members encourage and support one another. We’re all there for the same reason: to become better versions of ourselves. It’s amazing to see someone come in feeling nervous or unsure of themselves and eventually become part of the community.

Some of our members have even developed friendships that extend well beyond the gym. Seeing those relationships form is one of the most rewarding parts of what we’ve built. To me, that’s what a great gym should be: a place where people feel welcomed, supported, and motivated to become better together.

What has been one of your biggest struggle building your business and how did you deal with it?

Starting any business is tough, but for me, one of the biggest challenges was going from being a trainer with a full book of clients to starting over and having to build a business from the ground up.

I was fortunate that some of my clients followed me, and I’ll always be grateful for that support. But I quickly realized that having a successful career as a trainer and running a successful business are two very different things. Having a full schedule isn’t enough to keep a business afloat; you have to learn how to consistently bring new people through the door.

One of the biggest learning experiences for me was figuring out how to market a business, not just myself. I had to learn about branding, advertising, sales, customer retention, and all the other things that come with being a business owner.

It was definitely a challenge, but it forced me to grow. I had to become more than just a coach; I had to become an entrepreneur. Looking back, those challenges taught me some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned as a business owner.

What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

My favorite music artist growing up was Breaking Benjamin, and my favorite athlete was Todd Zeile.

Todd Zeile might not be the first name people would expect, but I always admired him because he was a true utility player for the Mets. He was willing to play wherever the team needed him. He didn’t care as much about where he was in the lineup or what his individual statistics looked like; his focus was on helping the team win.

Every athlete loves looking at their own stats, and there’s nothing wrong with being proud of your individual accomplishments. But I always believed that personal statistics don’t mean much if your team is losing. The team comes first.

That’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my life, both as an athlete and now as a coach and business owner. I’ve always wanted to be the person who does whatever is needed to help the team succeed.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

My family.

I’m a first-generation Italian American, and I’m incredibly proud of that. Both of my parents were entrepreneurs and, to me, they were the definition of the American Dream. They came to this country, built a life for our family, and showed me from a very young age what hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance look like.

Growing up, I learned that you can accomplish just about anything if you’re willing to work for it. Being one of five kids also taught me a lot. Competition became second nature because I was always playing sports and competing with my older siblings. And when you’re the younger kid playing with the older ones, you learn to toughen up pretty quickly.

A lot of who I am today, my work ethic, competitiveness, and desire to keep pushing myself, comes from my family. So any success I’ve had, I owe a huge part of it to the example they set for me.

And of course, I have to give a special shoutout to my wife, Julie. She’s been incredibly supportive of me, my career, and all the time and energy that goes into building All-American Fitness. Having someone in your corner who believes in you makes a huge difference, and I’m very lucky to have her by my side.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

Readers can learn more about me and All-American Fitness at All-AmericanFitness.com. You can also follow us on Instagram, where we share workouts, training tips, member success stories, and a look at the community we’ve built at the gym.

I’d love for people to check us out, whether they’re looking to start their fitness journey, improve their athletic performance, or simply become a stronger and healthier version of themselves.

IG: All_AmericanFitness