Sometimes you don’t go out and get a job, it can actually reach out and get you.

That’s what happened to Tamara McClellan, owner of the Gold’s Gym in Bellingham. In 1996 McClellan was excited to hear about the opening of the Gold’s Gym facility on Iowa Street. She signed up as a member and began working out. She told a few friends, who also signed up. Soon the general manager realized she was doing as well recruiting people as his sales staff, so he decided to hire her. The problem was, McClellan wasn’t sure she wanted it.

“I already had a job, so I didn’t think I was interested in applying,” McClellan said.

It turned out that she didn’t need to apply, because they had already offered her a position. She decided to try it out with limited hours and soon realized she had found her ultimate job. Within three years she was promoted to general manager and two years ago purchased the Bellingham facility, which has 26,000 square feet of space and is open 24 hours a day for its 3,800 active members.

She is one of the few women to own a business in an industry dominated by male owners.

I bring her up in this column because of the good fortune she had in finding her ultimate job. I’ve talked to a lot of people about their jobs, whether it’s owning a business or starting at an entry level position, and can usually tell what sort of commitment they have to that position. It wasn’t something I could spot right away with McClellan; she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to talk to me; her assistant manager, Pat Grant, thought she had a great story to tell and convinced her to chat.

Once she started talking about her gym, though, she had that steely-eyed look that people get when they are passionate about what they are doing. Tiger Woods has that look on the golf course. Baseball pitchers have that look when they are in a jam on the mound and are determined to get out of it.

“This has never felt like a job to me,” McClellan said. “I have a love for fitness and at a young age I knew wanted something more, like owning a business. I’m just glad I could do both.”

As many have learned, becoming a business owner is a different feeling from being a general manager, even though both jobs involve the overall running of a company.

McClellan feels the financial responsibility more as an owner, but she’s able to channel that stress into opportunities. Even though the economy is slowing across the country, she said her numbers are up year-over-year by increasing corporate memberships. More companies are learning that physically fit employees are a benefit and are signing up at a time when one might be tempted to pull back on extra expenses.

“I think being proactive right now is better in the long run for a business,” she said, noting that they recently opened a shake bar, serving protein drinks to members as well as others on Iowa Street.

McClellan’s experience as a business owner is a nice reminder to me about finding something that is the ultimate experience. It doesn’t have to be in a job, but that’s where we all spend a good portion of our day, so it’s an important area to consider.