We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brandy Martin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brandy below.
Hi Brandy, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
I started out as a yoga instructor then, over time, I became a fitness trainer. I taught at so many different places in Denver from big box gyms, to locally owned studios. I found over time, I wanted to create a space that was different than all of these spaces that focused on a missing niche in the Denver area. That niche was beginner/intermediate and those with limitations and injuries.
With that type of niche, I knew I had to find a name representative of the vibe we would have. I knew I never wanted to have a studio called Brandy Martin Fitness. I wanted it to encompass more that just me.
I was hiking a trail in the mountains of Colorado with my husband and we were discussing possible names of the studio and I was getting very stressed and frustrated. Finally, my husband said “just relax, enjoy the hike, it will come.”
About 60 minutes later, after some silence and just relaxing, I exclaimed, “I love hiking, it just feeds my soul”.
We both stopped in our tracks and BOOM! That was it, Feed Your Soul Fitness.
SO many people, to this day, comment on the name of the studio. Whether they say they just “like it” or whether they say it drew them in to want to come check us out, it’s been a fitting name.
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 was in Corporate America for 12 years both at Home Depot and Starbucks in upper management. I left my store manager role in April 2009 at my unhealthiest and heaviest. I was not even 30, so I knew something had to change. That next summer, I choose to do a Yoga Teacher Training not knowing where all it would lead, but that I knew I loved it.
That YTT lead me to more certifications in fitness and wellness which allowed me to work with private clients as well at other studios/facilities for many years. As I worked in those places, I discovered an underserved niche and wanted to create a unique space for me to help people with fitness, nutrition and lifestyle wellness. I married by passion for fitness/wellness with my experience of management to create Feed Your Soul Fitness.
What makes us unique is that most gyms in Denver are very aggressive and competitive. These environments can be uncomfortable for people that are starting out with fitness out of shape and/or overweight. People come to us for our small groups, welcoming community, compassionate trainers as well as our signature 40 minute long classes. Our focus is strength training so our community gets stronger both physically and mentally!
We help busy, caretaking women feel better and be healthier with sustainable fitness and nutrition. So many people struggle with second guessing, not knowing what to do, staying stuck with limiting beliefs or even having a vicious cycle of extreme programs for exercising/nutrition that aren’t sustainable. We solve this issue by helping the program to fit the individual’s lifestyle; no extremes!
We will always find the perfect fit for each person that fits their goals, starting point and lifestyle. We offer group fitness classes, personal training, nutrition coaching and corporate wellness programs.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
3 things come to mind immediately: Results for my clients. Authenticity. Hiring only the best trainers.
Results: Our community focuses on getting our members results. Losing body fat. Getting stronger. Being consistent with their workouts. We have been open since 2015 and many of our members are from 2015 or 2016 and still going strong!
Authenticity: I have had SO many women in our community approach me and say how much they appreciate my authenticity. Not only am I a pretty open book, but I am also embrace my natural state of being, if you will. I’m a no frills woman and most will say it helps them feel less intimidated and more connected with. I will share all my past struggles and triumphs in order to help anyone in any situation.
Hiring the best trainers/coaches: I won’t hire just any trainer/coach. They gotta jump through hoops and be not only an outstanding human, but also be an incredible coach! This allows me to fully trust my members to be in their classes, do personal training with them or being in nutrition coaching with them. My members are in the best, most capable hands and I know we have the best staff!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Every human I know had to do some kind of pivoting for Covid. Me included.
Since 2015, Feed Your Soul Fitness only focused on in person training. When they forced us to close our doors March 17th 2020, I had to find a way to keep my members going as well as work on the continual growth of the community.
I literally locked myself in the studio for 4 days non-stop and recorded more than 30 video workouts for my members to do on demand including an entire section dedicated to nutrition including recipes. My members were able to access our “Healthy at Home Portal” by March 21st.
On March 22nd, we started live workouts on zoom that were streaming from various trainers’ homes. Our community was so grateful and jumped right in! We had 84 classes per week the week of shut down and went to 20 classes a week the first week of Virtual only classes. We have grown so much since then!
We still offer our online workouts to this day and now have clients all over the USA for exercise classes and nutrition coaching!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.feedyoursoulfitness.com
- Instagram: @fysfitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeedYourSoulFitnessNWDenver
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandymartin-feedyoursoulfitness/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FeedYourSoulFitnessDenver
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/feed-your-soul-fitness-denver