Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Danielle Spangler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

I have been in the fitness industry for over 30 years. When I opened my own Pilates studio almost 5 years ago, my goal was to create something of a unique environment uncommon for boutique fitness studios. I recognized that Pilates studios might feel intimidating to new clients and wanted everyone to feel welcomed, connected, and involved, so I created a laid-back vibe at the studio which has a very different feel to a standard Pilates studio. Another goal of mine was to nurture a community within the studio and we did this by getting involved with the town in which my studio resides. We participate in a number of events in our town, we host classes that benefit specific non-profits like a dog rescue in town and the school district and we try and offer workshops and classes beyond fitness that are informational and helpful. Lastly, I really wanted to pay more attention to women’s health. Before I opened my studio, I created a fitness program specifically for pregnant women and new mothers called “COREmomfitness”. This program helps women during and after their pregnancies engage in beneficial exercises and movements designed to help them have a healthier pregnancy, easier delivery, and faster postpartum recovery. We are now offering fitness classes for menopausal women. I want to break down barriers in the fitness industry and cater more to women’s fitness.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started in the fitness industry in 1992 while in college studying special education at the University of North Texas. As part of my curriculum, I had to take some health electives in the kinesiology department. Around the same time I was asked if I would like to teach group exercise classes at a small gym in my college town. I went and got certified and began teaching classes to my peers. I fell in love with fitness and quickly saw the benefits of exercise in my own body as well as enjoying what I was learning from the health electives so I decided to switch gears and change my major to Kinesiology. At that time, it was a major mostly PE teachers had, and having a career in the fitness industry was not very common. I went on to teach at multiple fitness facilities including two universities. I enjoyed my industry so much that I then pursued my master’s degree in exercise physiology. My career in fitness took me to the Caribbean and Mexico where I taught exercise classes for an all-inclusive resort and eventually landed me in Los Angeles. I then was hired to work as a private trainer for the very prestigious Sports Club/LA. In graduate school, I had focused on prenatal and postpartum fitness so Sports Club/LA gave me an opportunity to become their prenatal and postpartum master trainer on staff. I trained hundreds of women at this facility and learned so much hands-on and research to best serve this population. Through this process, I was recognized as an expert in my field and recruited by the National Academy of Sports Medicine to create a prenatal and postpartum fitness continuing education course for other fitness professionals. I myself also became a mother and learned firsthand the physical and mental requirements and tolls of being pregnant, birth and recovery. After having three children of my own and teaching fitness classes for other moms, I realized my mission in life was to be an advocate for women in this phase of life and help them feel supported through movement. In 2017 I trademarked the title of my business COREmom which stands for “Corrective Obstetrical Related Exercise”. I have taught this class with different titles since becoming a mother in 2002 and I have presented on this topic and written more courses for fitness professionals so they can learn how to treat this clientele. When I opened my pilates studio “Beach Life Fitness Boutique” in 2019 I intended to bring this program to the studio and help pregnant women and new mothers as much as possible, and its been very rewarding for the clients (because nothing exists as an “in-studio” fitness program for this population!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I love this question. We all went through the biggest pivot of our time collectively as humans when Covid hit in 2020. My studio was only one year in business when we were shut down. Reflecting on how fast everything happened I still don’t know how I jumped into “pivot” mode so fast but it was essential for the future of my studio! First, we did everything we could to create online workouts and content and keep engaging with our members and second, I took advantage of the fact that we had an outdoor space to use along with portable equipment which made our outdoor classes a success. we were also lucky in the fact that we live in southern California so for almost two years our classes were held outside, and the weather was relatively temperate and nice. As a business owner resilience, creativity and the ability to pivot when something isn’t working is crucial to your survival.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Earlier I mentioned ways that I created a unique, nurturing, and welcoming environment and another thing that I believe to be vital to our success in attracting new clients is that I collaborate with many other women-owned businesses. The way I do this is I found other like-minded locally owned female businesses and created a referral network organically. Currently, I have 10 other female-owned businesses that operate out of my studio from businesses that rent offices inside my studio to those who rent to host different types of classes I feel will be well received by our clients. I also collaborate outside of the studio with other women-owned businesses for special events. It’s great because we help promote one another and refer to each other’s business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beachlifefitnessboutique.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/beachlifefitnessboutique
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/beachlifefitnessboutique
• Linkedin: Danielle Spangler
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beach-life-fitness-boutique-redondo-beach

Image Credits
Danette Mitchel