We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laura Ter Meer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laura below.

Hi Laura, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Lifting the Mood (LTM) started on a rainy afternoon during COVID lockdown. I was searching for dumbbells online so I could work out at home. They were such a hot commodity at the time and there was close to zero supply. Making matters worse, everything was either too light, too heavy, or just ‘f-ugly’. Most had overly masculine designs, and those that were more feminine were too light and just plain ugly. The subliminal message was: women aren’t strong enough & lifting is not for women.
That’s when it hit me. Why not create adjustable dumbbells that would appeal to women? Dumbbells designed for our specific needs. After a lot of iteration, patent approvals, and 4 years of hard work, we created the first adjustable dumbbells for women. Adjustable from light to heavy, soft to the touch, aesthetic, and triangular shaped to allow for stability for floor exercises.

My vision is to strengthen women’s confidence starting in fitness…

Laura, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve always harbored a strong desire to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and create something meaningful. However, I often grappled with feelings of inadequacy. It wasn’t until I began prioritizing my health, by improving my nutrition and regular exercise, that I realized the importance of self-belief and perseverance. Through resistance training, I discovered how it enhanced my physical strength and bolstered my confidence and mental well-being. This transformative experience led me to conceptualize “Lifting the Mood.”

As an enthusiastic individual, my drive is to empower us women through our product. It is important to me that our company brand reflects this commitment. Due to life’s challenges, one of which was that I had to leave Venezuela – my home country- for a better future at the age of 16, I have developed adaptability and flexibility, which allow me to easily navigate various situations.

In summary, my personal journey and my passion for empowering women have fueled my desire to create a brand and product that uplifts and inspires all of us, starting with women.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media’s portrayal of instant gratification and overnight success is NOT reality. And I think there’s value in showing how you’re building a business, showing what you’re struggling with, and even asking your followers for advice (yes – even those 10 followers), is a representation of what building a brand, a product, and a company feels like.

I carry my LTM’s (a 6 lbs weight) around New York City, from event to event, meeting to meeting. My arms are on fire! but I show my community that if you believe in yourself, you CAN make things happen, you just have to push through (or carry the weight in my case HA!).

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I guess it ties back with social media and the digital age we live in. We’re used to being ‘ghosted’ or told ‘no’ through an email, or text, or zoom call…. but we don’t do it in person any more.
That was until I jumped into this entrepreneurial journey…
But being told ‘no’ face to face when you’re pitching and pouring your heart out to strangers, or having someone flat out tell you ‘I’m not interested’ feels like a gut punch.
But you learn to let it go, and come to terms that: NO is a ‘Next Opportunity’. You learn to refine your pitch about you or your product, but most important of all: you dust yourself off, and keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://liftingthemood.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftingthemood/