We recently connected with Casey Vanac and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Casey, thanks for joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

Our mantra at The Sweat Box is “Come as you are”. It is a top priority that every single person that steps foot into my studio feels this the moment they walk through our doors. The fitness industry can be really really scary and intimidating. We’re not about this. My trainers aren’t going to work you so hard that you’re throwing up. We’re not going to tell you that you need to lose weight, or make you step on a scale every week. We actually don’t even have a scale inside our studio! Every single instructor is educated in celebrating every body and fitness level in their classes. I wholeheartedly believe that we need to love ourselves through the journey of becoming the best version of ourself. I had a personal training client tell me she had a panic attack in the parking lot before she walked in, and she was having a really rough day. We spent the beginning of our session meditating, stretching, and talking about all the great things about her, until she was ready to work out. I’m not going to bully you into joining our studio because you need to lose weight. We’re not going to make you sign a ridiculous contract or put your rankings on a board. Our members are all different sizes, shapes, ages, and fitness levels. We celebrate every BODY exactly where they are!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I own a group fitness studio in Mentor Ohio! I have been in the industry for 9 years, and have owned my own business for almost 2 years. I opened a group fitness studio rockstars of all ages and sizes to come and feel like they belong from the moment they walk in the door. We celebrate all fitness levels, and every body. We offer spin, barre, pilates, yoga, Poundfit, and Zumba classes. We have 9 fully certified instructors that are knowledgeable in offering a badass workout for everyone, including any modifications that are needed. The Sweat Box isn’t like most gyms, there is no contract or sign up fee. And best part- first class is free!

How did you build your audience on social media?

Before I became a business owner, I was a fitness instructor at various gyms. To keep everyone informed with my class schedule I made a Facebook group called “Casey’s Pound Posse”. This was a great space to post pictures and videos from class and build a community. A few years later Covid happened, and it shut down all gyms and studios. I decided to take my classes virtual, which grew this group 3 times the size. During a time where the world was scary, we all leaned in on this group and each other. I had members from all over the country! When I opened The Sweat Box, I already had a following of 500+ people. I really believe word of mouth is the best form of advertisement. We post real photos and videos from class and really showcase our motto of “Come as you are!”

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

We have a Facebook group for members. This is awesome to connect with each other, talk about what they loved from class, share their favorite workouts, and have a family. All of my members have my personal cell phone number, and call and text me all the time- I LOVE IT! We foster brand loyalty by not locking in members. Come to your first free class, if you love it- a drop in is only $10, if you want more bang for your buck, we offer a month of unlimited classes for only $70. If at any point you need to pause your membership, there is no penalty. No one is locked into a contract. I’ve learned this really gives members the freedom to come back after their life slows down!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thesweatbox440.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesweatbox44060
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesweatbox44060
• Other: We are also on the Mindbody app!