Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mahri Relin . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Mahri, thanks for joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?
Wow, getting this job and experiencing fitness for the first time was quite an experience. I had been dancing internationally in musical theater for many years, and I was ready to settle down in one place. I also wanted to look into moving into another field that still involved movement, so finding dance-fitness was a revelation.
I was first told about the Tracy Anderson studio by a friend working there who recruited me. I came to the audition that started with a cardio dance class that was already taking place, and I was blown away. The room was full of celebrities and influencers, and I jumped right in to an experience I had never had before. I had taken numerous dance and conditioning classes for my performing career, but fitness like this had never been on my radar before. I gave the class everything I had, and I nearly died! I made it through, but I broke out into a cold sweat and had put a cold towel on my face to keep myself together. The audition continued with another hour of sculpting in the method followed by conversation about my life and where I wanted to go with my career.
I remember being so intrigued by the way dance and fitness were used at that studio and really wanting to learn more about the field of fitness from that first experience. I got the job that day, and my odyssey in fitness began from there. I am so glad I got that job and started in such an intense environment. It taught me lots of ways to look at the fitness world and make my own decisions about how to design a fitness method. I wasn’t necessarily looking to start a business that day, but I am grateful that I started that journey and learned many lessons that took me in this direction.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Yes! I was asked to work with pregnant women in my first job, and our training at that time did not include lots of pregnancy guidance. I decided to get my own prenatal certification and soon realized that the fitness world as a whole (at that time) did not know a lot about pregnancy. For that reason, I decided to specialize in prenatal fitness when I started Body Conceptions, and we became the first company in the dance-fitness genre to service pregnancy. We also got a lot of our training from the world of physical therapy when we learned that this training was much more thorough than any available fitness-only certification programs.
It became clear very quickly that working with women to recover after they gave birth was very important since there was little fitness guidance available after they were cleared by their doctors. So our expertise expanded to postnatal healing, and it continued to expand when we realized that providing fitness support during the fertility journey and during perimenopause was also crucial. Women don’t receive a lot of information and guidance during those transitions, but fitness can be extremely helpful (and it can also be harmful if done incorrectly). We are obsessed with learning as much as possible and empowering women with fitness that helps them balance their hormones, use fitness as a source of healing, and gain a better connection with their bodies when they need it the most.
Our services include in-home personal training sessions that can be done alone or with friends. We also do virtual personal training, which has been a great way for people to work with us who don’t live in NYC, Denver, San Diego, and Dallas where our trainers are located. In addition to personal training, we have an On Demand video platform that includes signature workouts of a variety of lengths in addition to prenatal and postnatal exercise sections. We also have a prenatal fitness handbook for anyone wanting to learn about fitness during all three trimesters, and the handbook comes with a 25-minute prenatal workout to try the method.
Our personal sessions are entirely personalized and tailored to your needs. We want to know the music you love and how you like to move your body. We navigate whatever is going on for you and what you need that day, and you will never get the same workout twice. Our trainers are all current or former dancers who are extremely knowledgeable, warm, and supportive. And we have a whole network of specialists like pelvic floor PT’s, nutritionists, doctors, and body workers who can support you beyond the work we do. For us, offering excellent fitness, specialized information, and a village of support is the key to providing the best service for our clients.
Any advice for managing a team?
Managing and supporting a team has been a huge focus of mine. I learned early in my fitness experience that respect and empowerment were some of the most crucial factors in managing others. I had worked in environments built on shame and intimidation, and I vowed to manage my own business completely differently.
I have learned that most people want to do the best job possible, and they also want to be recognized for their unique talents. Our training method is built on improvisation so that our trainers can pivot immediately if necessary. In order to operate most effectively and creatively, you need to have confidence in your own abilities and feel strong about your choices with your clients. I learned early in my career that building this confidence in my trainers made them feel seen by me, but it also helped them create the best workouts possible. Shaming or intimidating them would have had the opposite effect.
Another crucial factor I have learned is that listening (and letting people know I am listening) is key. Even if my interests differ from those of my trainers or colleagues, making sure we are both listening to each other helps all parties feel like they have been considered in our decision-making process. I learned this skill after feeling like my own needs were not heard in other companies. I decided to prioritize legitimizing others, and this has led to a much more collaborative and cooperative environment.
Setting boundaries and very clear expectations is the final factor. I had to learn boundary-setting the hard way, but it has helped the team feel like they know what is expected of them and how to achieve their goals (and therefore our goals). We all need clear direction and clear feedback to get a sense of how to succeed, and this is true in all levels of business.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
This is such a great story. Julia Neto actually came to us as an intern fresh out of college. She was taking our classes all the time and helped us with a variety of administrative work. She auditioned to become an instructor and got hired, and I was totally blown away by her very first class. It was fun, challenging, and organic, and I knew immediately that she was an extremely special trainer.
Julia’s classes were popular – unsurprisingly! – but her growing knowledge and dedication to understanding our specialties in pre and postnatal fitness was especially impressive. She grew a roster of private training clients who raved about her warmth, attention to detail, and constant variety, and many of them continue to work with her to this day through multiple babies and several years beyond.
I felt from the beginning that Julia had a sensibility that was aligned well with mine, and she took on responsibility for the business as if it was her own. She became our NY regional manager and training director for all of our new instructors, and she was willing to give me feedback on the business on all levels. I found her amazingly willing to compromise and also stand up to me when I needed to see beyond myself, and I was extremely grateful for this.
This year, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary! As I contemplated our status as a company, I realized that I needed an energetic, trustworthy, smart, and dedicated partner based in NYC who could help me run the business from Denver. Julia was such an exciting, clear choice for this role, and I feel so lucky that she was on board. Julia is one of those partners who makes you feel excited to grow, comfortable to have her on your team, and lucky to have such a trusted confidante. I could not have asked for a better partner, and I look forward to many fun years together growing our business!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bodyconceptions.com
- Instagram: @bodyconceptions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BodyConceptions
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahri-relin-336b678/
- Twitter: @bodyconceptions
Image Credits
Chelsea Chorpenning Corey Rives Victoria Will Kathleen O’Neill