The why + How

Boutique fitness changes lives, and humans need movement to thrive if not survive. But how did we get here? Believe it or not, the seeds of boutique fitness were planted early in the 20th century when patriarchy deemed it unladylike for women to sweat in public, and so a couple of courageous women pioneered change. Fast-forward a century and finally, women have umpteen spaces and modalities where we get to own and empower our bodies and minds.

Spearheaded by women, all-gendered fitness has generated a niche market and source of perceived prosperity. In simple terms, boutique fitness studios are really cool and because no one wants FOMO, people like you dive in head-first with money, time, and energy. If only it were that easy to be profitable and sustainable!

After the initial investment, i.e., your money, time, and energy, the key driver of success is the experience in your studio space. My mission is to make the most of your investments in order to amplify and optimize the effects of your studio on your community. But why do I care about you and your studio? Because a boutique fitness studio changed my life with joy, and everyone deserves joy.

My goal is for every boutique fitness studio to thrive in its respective community, regardless of discipline, modality, or clientele.

All it takes is for you to notice an opportunity for growth, change, or straight up improvement. Consider to what degree these concepts are influencing operations at your studio:

  • Lead generation

  • Conversion and retention

  • Pricing

  • Hiring and personnel dynamics

  • SOPs, or lack thereof

  • Performance assessment and feedback

  • Client experiences

From here, I will rely on the bedrocks of my approach: Mission + Vision, Emotional Affect, and Accountability + Expectations. Read more into the goods below.

 

  • Picture this: You hand your car key fob to your buddy and tell them to get into your car and drive, and also you forbid questions. Then you wave bye-bye as they pull out of your driveway. Said buddy is probably going to be confused if not concerned. What if it’s a trick? A riddle? They suddenly realize they are supposed to be reading your mind, and now they panic because they can’t figure out how to do that. Ope, just blew a red light.

    The situation would be entirely different were you to first make sure they are confident about driving your car, and provide them a destination, timeline, and purpose for being put at the wheel. In essence, your staff will have certainty and confidence on what to do for you if you clearly state reasonable goals and objectives.

  • “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language”—so said renowned writer and teacher Dale Carnegie. And to piggyback on that eloquence, you’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

    Know what makes your people smile, beginning with your staff and extending to your clientele. When emotions get the best of your people, offer your respect and support. Be compassionate, empathetic, and sincere.

  • Your mission and vision demand accountability, and that is not limited to assessing your staff’s performance. Remember that this venture is your investment, so success is your responsibility.

    When I was teaching high school German, I adopted my classroom rules from second language acquisition expert Ben Slavic. Those tenets are germane to studio team synergy:

    1) Listen with the intent to understand.

    2) One person speaks and all others listen.

    3) Support the flow of language.

    4) Do your 50%.

    5) Synchronize your actions with my words.

    6) Nothing on desks unless told otherwise.