We recently connected with Annie Truax-Dunn and have shared our conversation below.

Annie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Signing a lease on a new space for communal gatherings during the height of a pandemic!

When I initially purchased our business from Hayley, the individual who first started Balance, it was Jan 2019 and there was only one year left on the current lease. I figured it was a very low-risk venture – if I found, after the course of a year, that the business wasn’t sustainable or that owning a studio simply wasn’t for me, we had an “out” so to speak. However, this wasn’t the case – by fall of 2019 things were really starting to click and I was able to quit my full-time job and go “all in” at the studio. We extended our lease thru the end of 2020, held an epic anniversary open house in January, and a few months later the pandemic threw everything for a loop…

It was known we’d only be able to renew in our current space thru the end of 2020 because of plans for development in downtown Beaufort. So here we were, in the midst of a global pandemic with our physical location closed (though the studio very much remained “open” by offering classes outside and online), looking at commercial spaces to potentially create a new studio home.

At this point we had a *very* clear out – a global pandemic AND our building was about to be demolished – yet, I just felt in my gut there would come a point where people would NEED our studio. They would need the stress relief of moving their body, they’d be burnt out from exercising in their living rooms and they would crave human connection and community. We took a chance, found a new space and spent the holidays of 2020 converting a former alternations shop into a barre/yoga studio with plans to open in early ’21. I’ve never felt crazier but I’m so glad we didn’t throw in the towel!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Annie Truax-Dunn and I am a lover of movement – I believe deeply in it’s ability to heal, incite clarity, and build community in a really beautiful, powerful way. For me, fitness is about so much more than toning your muscles or a number on the scale– it truly is therapeutic and I have been extremely blessed to rely on exercise as an outlet and a healthy way to process the stress/anxiety/grief as a result of the sudden loss of my parents in my early twenties.

Prior to the loss of my Mom (2012) and my Dad (2015) I was an avid exerciser and “dabbled” in a bit of everything – running, spin, small group training, etc. I had the opportunity to work at one of the first boutique fitness studios to open in my hometown of Baltimore, MD and experience first-hand the power of community – this was shortly after my Mom passed away after an all-too-brief battle with stage IV lung cancer, and the ability to show up for myself in the dark cycle room, clip into the bike with candles lit and music blaring allowed me to quiet my thoughts and just focus on moving forward. The studio rallied around me, hosting a fundraising ride to support cancer research, and I was able to connect with others sharing a passion for a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Around this time I was introduced to my first barre class and I was immediately hooked – I loved that class was led to the beat of the music, your heart rate got up without having to do higher-impact exercises, and you left feeling uplifted because of the focus on mind-body connection (similar to yoga). Unlike other classes I’d tried, I could tell this wasn’t “just a phase” – I always looked forward to going to barre because I felt completely worked but also calm, and it wasn’t something I got bored of – so, I went on to get certified to teach in 2014 because I wanted to share my passion for others.

In February of 2015 my father suffered a stroke and simply never woke up. At the time I was working long hours in marketing/PR and started to question how I was spending time that was starting to feel more and more precious. This is where yoga became a quiet space for me to put down devices and get back in my body, out of my thoughts. I felt very uplifted by the yoga community of a local studio I’d begun teaching barre at, and decided to pursue my 200RYT yoga training in 2016, around the same time that I began doing freelance marketing/PR work for a national nonprofit dedicated to changing the future of lung cancer outcomes. Everything started to “click” – I was able to spend more time in studios taking & teaching classes and use my work ethic to contribute to a cause very close to my heart – I ended up joining the nonprofit full-time in 2017 and helped launch an annual “yogathon” to raise $$ for lung cancer research.

In July of 2018 my husband accepted a new job that moved us to Beaufort, SC – a small coastal town outside of Savannah, but not before first googling to make sure there was a studio I’d be able to teach at! Lo and behold there was a small studio located in downtown Beaufort – when we visited the area prior to Ryan accepting the job, I went in for class and introduced myself to the owner and she insisted if we ended up moving that I must teach for her. We moved, I began teaching while continuing to work remotely for the nonprofit, and once more experienced the power of community – I went from not knowing a soul in town to having a group of women to work out with, refer things like a hair stylist or dentist, etc. Within a few months, the owner of the studio shared with me that she was considering selling the business – would I be interested?! Having been so welcomed into the community and realizing the potential for growth with the town growing rapidly, I jumped at the opportunity.

Balance Barre + Fitness (previously Balance Boutique Fitness) has evolved over the past few years – as many businesses have throughout the pandemic – and we now focus on offering barre, Vinyasa yoga and fun fusion classes tailored to all ages and fitness levels. We also offer a small assortment of athleisure + accessories to support an active lifestyle and partner with other local businesses to host unique events intended to keep folks active and connect our community beyond the four walls of the studio.

I like to believe what makes us unique is that we keep fitness FUN – we don’t take ourselves seriously (aside from of course keeping clients safe with a focus on proper form + alignment) and we are very welcoming and body positive. All are welcome in our space and we work hard to offer plenty of options so each student is able to work to their own ability, wherever they are on their fitness journey. We are always offering new forms of movement, introducing new props or taking our practice “off campus” to keep things exciting and our long-time students feeling challenged.

I am MOST proud of our team, our resiliency, and our commitment to keeping our students moving and prioritizing their physical and mental well-being throughout the pandemic. It’s not been an easy road but I am so grateful to wake up each day and share the joy of movement with others.

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

Yes, our original studio space was on the smaller side – pre-pandemic we had no problem squeezing students together mat to mat, but it became very clear, especially being located in a top retirement town and catering to a more mature demographic, we could not host classes inside, in person.

Upon closing the studio we immediately turned to hosting class virtually via Facebook but found the experience was not great. Barre in particular depends on the music and we needed better audio to keep students following along at home “on beat” and moving as one. Enter: Zoom classes! Our instructors rose to the occasion and began teaching daily livestream classes. We even dropped props off at our monthly members’ homes to use while the physical location was temporarily closed.

The physical studio ended up staying closed from March 16th – mid November (minus a brief reopening in the summer, followed by another uptick) and we were fortunate to remain “in business” thanks to the ability to hold outdoor classes almost year-round. And, thanks to the patience, grace, and continued support of our amazing community!

In July of 2020 BBF On Demand, our virtual streaming library with classes available 24/7 on Vimeo OTT, was born and this turned into an additional revenue stream that continues to exist today. Now, thanks to technology, people beyond Beaufort – including clients who have since moved away – are able to logon and take classes recorded by LOCAL instructors they know and trust right here in Beaufort!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In reflecting back on these last few years I often compare our studio to”The Little Engine That Could.” We’ve experienced all kinds of setbacks but we simply refused to quit, and I attribute much of this to the resiliency built from experiencing significant loss. Recognizing that movement has provided a release and a supportive community for me to work thru my own trauma, I felt very responsible for helping others to prioritize their physical and mental health throughout the pandemic and beyond.

The past few years have not been easy – owning a business is not for the faint of heart – but when I find myself feeling overwhelmed, I know it’s time to practice what I preach and go for a walk or find my way to my yoga mat.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.balancebarreandfitness.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/balancebarreandfitness
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/balancebarreandfitness
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annetruax/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/balance-barre-fitness-beaufort
• Other: BBF On Demand (Vimeo channel): https://bbfondemand.vhx.tv/ Google My Business: https://g.page/r/CatN6DqoRetoEAE

Image Credits
Paul Nurnberg, Elle Michele Photography and Geneva Baxley