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

Brit , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

This story starts with the woman who gave me everything, is my everything, and continues to be my inspiration to do what I do professionally. To set the stage, it’s Buffalo, NY 2011, a time when no school in the city was hiring educators . My mom, a sharp as a tact, recent graduate with her masters in education, couldn’t get hired to teach anywhere. She had the degree, the drive, the passion, she even had, and continues to have, that cool factor about her that kids and teens would appreciate in her field. With that said, when she wasn’t able to get a job, she carved her own path, creating a small, boutique spinning studio in the city of Buffalo. It was the first of it’s kind. It was also her first business ever and a huge roll of the dice. She was her only financial backing so if this didn’t work out she had nothing to fall back on.

She opened her business, Bikeorbar, in March 2012. Before I even realized what was happening (in my memory it happened so fast) I was on the lead spin bike and instructing classes. I had never taught a spin class or even considered it before she opened this studio. I just knew what needed to be done and got up there. The first year of that business was convincing people to pay for spin classes, because many had it free through their gyms. Eventually, the studio starting picking up, and was successful for almost a decade, until a tragic fire took us out of the business.

I’m grateful for the opportunity she gave me, I do feel like I fell into this, but I also feel like it’s my calling. There’s no one I’d rather work for than my mother.

Brit , 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?

As explained previously, I got started by kind of being thrown on the lead instructor bike back in 2012. I have acquired numerous group fitness certifications since 2012. Currently, I teach indoor cycling, Pilates/Barre, Power Yoga, Twerkout classes, Strength/Circuit training, and everything in-between. Group fitness is my passion and in my opinion, no other workouts compare. I support all forms of whatever version of fitness works for people, but for me personally, I never enjoy going to the gym alone, and I hated virtual classes from home. There’s something about an instructor pushing you, and the other group fitness participants holding you accountable that really creates fitness gold.

I think with the current status of business in the world, we’re seeing less and less small businesses like what we at Rock it Cycle and Fitness have created. There’s a certain “heart” and care that small business has over these big companies and franchises. That “heart” is what I think sets us apart. I’m at my business every day, you’re not dealing with a middle man, my hands are in every facet of this business. There’s a personal touch you get from a small business, that I don’t feel from some of the large, corporate places.

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

I think just being in the day-to-day of your business and playing every role is the biggest learning experience you can give yourself. Training can never give you that real life experience.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

It took me a long time to figure out how to run a team. I’ve had no formal training in it, so I’ve learned as I’ve went along. I’m by no mean perfect at it, but I think if you take the time to really listen to your team, instead of always asking things of them, you’ll learn a lot.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rockitcycle.com
• Instagram: @britannialeo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bikeorbarrockitstudio
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rock-it-cycle-and-fitness-tampa-bay