We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rebecca Kelly a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca , thanks for joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

I have always loved health and wellness. I come from a background where health education was top notch and the club I worked for in South Florida was cutting edge in bringing the absolute best to their clients. I was flown to Chicago, Atlanta, Cincinnati, to all those educators who are considered the Master Trainers of their craft to learn and study. Fast forward to a move from South Florida back to our hometown in Kentucky….I found myself almost “starting over”, but with a wealth of experience and knowledge on my side. I began at a “big box gym”, there I found I could still be a coach in all the things from indoor cycling to personal training, to various group fitness classes, to Pilates Reformer specialty classes. I had my hand in many buckets and loved every second of helping others. I had figured out what worked in the industry from listening to clients, observing, asking questions, and continuing to read and study health and wellness topics. I soon ran into some roadblocks when trying to give feedback to upper management as to how to improve different departments, hands were tied, my job started to become less of a passion and more of a chore heading in to work, which I did not want to happen. I was then, unexpectedly, offered an opportunity at another exercise facility to start a Pilates reformer program from the ground up. A new level of excitement set in as this was, what I thought, the opportunity to do things right, to be entrusted with my talent to begin and grow another “arm” of a desperately needed and complimentary addition to this facility. Time proved out that things which were promised verbally along with the promises of letting me do what I was hired to do was quickly falling by the wayside. Toxicity from all angles was heavy in the air, and again, I found myself struggling to excel at what I love, due to outside parameters not matching with the goals previously discussed upon my hiring. I was becoming depressed. It was then that, in many discussions with my husband, we decided why not try this on our own. With his IT background, his small business management skills, and my exercise knowledge, it was the perfect match to open our own studio and lean on what we know. We started with deciding to do this with no business debt. We started small to see if the spark and interest would grow. It did!! Logisitics then headed our decision-making process on choosing a location, economic research comparing similar small businesses, industry comparisons, and learning from mistakes. We pressed forward. Ultimately, our motto is and remains “Do right by people.” It isn’t rocket science. It’s connecting, genuinely connecting with the people around you, the people who support you, the people who love your small business and acknowledging their role in your success, caring for their good. I don’t think we would have done anything differently, because it was those past experiences that got us here. We took what was learned from all those past experiences, and decided what we would do and not do, as to not repeat mistakes of others and listen to feedback, good and bad. Advice to others: if you are in a toxic place, or fearful of taking a risk, evaluate what it is you really want. Do you want others determining the outcome of each day for you, or do you want to determine where the day goes? It takes grit, it takes determination, it takes support from close people you trust, it takes action – make the decision, make the change, and make your mark in your field of work!!

Rebecca , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My husband and I are the owners of Vivacity Fitness, LLC A Pilates studio. We provide Pilates reformer classes to fitness enthusiasts; those looking to improve their flexibility, mobility, strength, & balance, as well as those recovering from an injury and/or surgery with Dr. approval and guidance. Pilates Reformer is a spring-based machine that provides resistance and/or assistance in various exercises and body positions. We opened our own studio almost 3 years ago. I have a 24-year background in fitness with many certifications behind my name. I started out in group fitness, then took advantage of every opportunity to learn different modalities so I could provide for a number of different types of clientele. Pilates Reformer training through Balanced Body was one of those many opportunities that blossomed into where we are today as our own small, local business. Joseph Pilates had a unique way of seeing movement and that turned into a widely growing and popular form of exercise. People come to us to move better, feel better, and live better…whether it’s to improve their golf game, keep up with grandkids, or to move without pain, practicing Pilates helps them live a better quality of life. It also connects them with a community of like-minded people, so it goes beyond just exercise. What sets us apart is how we treat others. We listen, we empathize, we take feedback and use it to improve ourselves as well as to provide clients what they want and what they need for their bodies. For example, clients request flexibility in their schedule, we provide that. Clients value connection, we provide that. Clients want knowledgeable instructors, we provide that. A mentor from my South Florida days once told me, “Know your worth.” I carry that statement with me daily. It has made an impact on how we run our business. There is a mutual respect that comes from knowing your worth and providing sound education in exercise instruction as well as making it engaging and fun. It is a special recipe, that when mixed together, propels your business to another level. We are proud of the booming growth we have had over the past 2.5 years. We started with 2 reformers, then shortly grew to 4, then 6, and now we are at 8! We started with just me as the sole instructor, and we have now grown to a team of 4! We want potential clients to know that when you practice Pilates with us, you become a part of a community that shares common interests. You are valued and you are seen. Our clients are so good, they welcome those new to us and contribute to helping them feel at home. Our clients are truly second-to-none!!

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

It is not just about teaching exercise, anyone can count reps and sets. Can you “coach”, truly coach a person, listen with empathy, be honest where you don’t know something, but reassure you will help find an answer. Can you create an “experience” that goes beyond expectations? Can you encourage? Can you confidently refer out because you have a relationship, a network of trusted healthcare professionals? Can you multi-task, can you take a situation, and instead or pre-planning, pivot where and when you need to pivot by being an excellent observer? Do you genuinely care for others or is it a “job” to you, just a paycheck to get what you want, focused on self vs focused on others? Can you build meaningful relationships? Do you have the support and encouragement of others close to you? If you are in a career that is not rewarding, define what “reward” means to you. To succeed, you have to make an impact, how you make that happen is being present with your clientele, and also being present in your community. The best referrals come from loyal clients trusting enough to bring their family and friends to you. I ask the questions above because this is what contributed to my success, many branches are at play and negotiating them takes hard work, effort, and resilience.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I touched base earlier on past employment experiences I had. There are things we can control, then there are things that are forced on us that we react to. One such experience happened to me where the environment I was working in is what I considered toxic. It was taking a career I loved and beating it down to the pulp of despair. A greedy, controlling boss, a daily dose of several co-workers who could care less to speak to you – some even projecting their misery onto you, and promises made from the top slowly melting away because the alignment of what you were sold and what was happening shifted drastically. It was then a decision had to be made, I struggled as I truly loved the clients who came to see me, relationships of trust stood in the balance, but the unknown story behind closed doors was becoming too big of a monster for me to tolerate. Practicing the “fake it til you make it” line had become my motto, unwillingly but forced on me. After a few long months of seeing nothing was going to change, nothing was going to improve, I left. I took time off to evaluate all I had been through, not just there but prior to that as well: what had I learned, what did I need to unlearn, what happens next. I knew I did not want to be in another situation I was just in ever again. I took some deep breaths and began. I got a small loan from my parents, who didn’t have much to begin with, had several “business meetings” with my husband and we went to work. We kept rolling with the next thing and the next thing, until we had our own business, it had eagles’ wings, and we started to soar!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vivacityfitness.com
• Facebook: Vivacity Fitness – A Pilates Studio