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

Heather, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

The idea for Geeknasium, my fitness business, came to me when I was working hard on something else. If you know my story, you’d think that my business *just makes sense* but it took a few years to get there myself.

The story is: I became a fitness professional because I wanted to help people feel seen, heard, and less alone. As a young adult, when I first started working out, I had a really negative relationship with fitness. It felt like a punishment for what my body looked like. Then one day, I started trying an at-home workout program that helped me feel a little more comfortable in my body, but most importantly, it made me feel strong.

At the same time, I had discovered the Marvel superhero She-Hulk. A woman who was learning how to deal with being giant and green after a freak accident. I felt I related to her because I didn’t feel like I fit in. She-Hulk inspired me because she embraced what made her different, she saw it as a strength, and that helped me feel more empowered in myself.

I then started channeling her in my workouts. Suddenly, I was no longer in a place of punishment but one of PLAY. Working out felt like my time to channel my inner She-Hulk and I actually started to enjoy it and I was having fun!

After this, I decided to become a fitness instructor because I wanted to help people feel more empowered in fitness! You’d think that was when my business idea came in, but it took about 3 years into my fitness career before I put two and two together!

I was hard at work on a podcast called “Love Your Bodd” where I interviewed artists, activists, and athletes about their body image. I was building a solid platform but I was feeling a pull for something more hands on, working with clients. I thought about how I got started in my career in the first place: my love for She-Hulk and how she changed my relationship with fitness. I thought, “what if I could help do the same for other comic book fans?” And thus, the idea for Geeknasium was born!

I wanted to create an online video platform for workouts that were themed in pop culture and fandom. The first thing I needed to figure out was the HOW. I was in a Facebook Group for young entrepreneurs and it seemed like EVERYONE was using Facebook (it was 2019). So, I decided to create a private FB Group and upload the videos directly to that platform.

When it came to filming my workouts, I didn’t do anything fancy. I filmed them on my phone either at my apartment or in the gyms where I taught group exercise. I had no fancy mic setup or anything, I just STARTED. I would theme the workouts based on characters or environments from pop culture and fandom and sometimes I even dressed on theme!

In 2020, my business BOOMED because everyone was stuck at home. I was using social media to promote, I did giveaways, I dressed in cosplay to attract attention, it was awesome! Eventually, a platform called Arketa reached out to me to see if I would be interested in hosting my Geeknasium workouts on their website. It was a lot more professional than a Facebook group, especially because some people don’t have Facebook. I checked them out, and the woman I spoke to was really cool, the platform was inexpensive and easy to use, and it felt like an easy decision.

Since 2022, I’ve hosted my platform on Arketa and I love it. I also started to integrate live classes and live events, I began speaking on panels at conventions telling my story and allowing others to share theirs, AND I take Geeknasium all over the country!

My business is still very young and still has lots of room to grow but I am really proud of that tiny idea becoming something that changes lives.

Heather, 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?

The biggest thing for me with Geeknasium is building an inclusive community where people can finally feel like they “fit in” in fitness. The fitness industry gives you this idea about what a “fit” person should look like, how they should behave, etc… when in reality “fit” comes in all shapes and sizes. I want people to feel safe, seen, and less alone. Exercise isn’t one size fits all and if I can help people have fun while doing it, then I’ve truly reached my goal.

I like that Geeknasium is an online platform where people can try the workouts at their own pace, browse based on their favorite fandoms or on the types of workouts they want to do. There is so much variety that it’s hard to get bored, it’s like a Netflix for fitness!

The workouts are also accessible to multiple fitness levels. When I film, I keep a “base” in mind and give options to modify if someone needs that, or to amplify to make it harder. That way the workouts are challenging, no matter your fitness level. I am working on making it more accessible to all abilities, but I don’t have the proper education for that just yet – however, it is a goal of mine!

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

There is a lot that I’ve had to unlearn being a fitness business owner.

First, is the concept that I know everything or I know what is best for the client. Sometimes, clients know their body better than me and as long as they aren’t going to injure themselves, they should have autonomy. This goes especially for pregnant, plus sized, or differently abled clients.

Second, is what health actually is and looks like. When I first started my career, I felt pressured to look a certain way to be considered “successful,” and I fell into a pattern of unhealthy behaviors. I was over-exercising and I was under-eating and it was definitely affecting my every day life. So I was losing weight and being praised for how I looked, when I was actually incredibly unwell. When I started to get back to normal, I gained weight but my mind, body, and soul were much happier. I still get people who judge me as a fitness professional because I am not thin, but I know that it doesn’t matter.

I also had to learn that before/after photos can be harmful. I give my clients the autonomy to track progress however they want but I personally recommend keeping aesthetics out of it. The way I recommend tracking progress is by increasing the amount of time in a workout, how many reps you can do, or how many days you exercise. This way, it’s something a little more within your control. Usually, when people post before/after pictures, they are demonized and tearing down the person in the before and praising the person inn the after. Both versions of you are worthy.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I honestly think my reputation as a fitness professional has come from the help from other fitness professionals. I am a fan of collaboration over competition and I truly think that helped me find my place in the industry. The more people you know, the larger your network, the more opportunities. I say, lead with kindness and curiosity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heather-boddy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherboddy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/482957442471972
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherboddy/

Image Credits

@jizquuierdophoto_cosplay , @it.is.cosplay