We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chinyere Sam. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chinyere below.
Chinyere , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
When I was a little girl growing up in Guyana, my mother had a garden in the backyard and every evenings after school, and Saturday mornings she had me and my three other siblings work in the garden. As the garden flourished, we reaped a lot of vegetables and because my mom didn’t make much from her job as a Nurse, she would send me and my brother to the market/supermarket to sell some of vegetables to earn extra income. We grew up eating very healthily from the foods we planted. At that young age my siblings and I were all active in sports and did a lot of outdoor activities. Therefore, growing, preparing and eating healthy meals along with being involved in sports became a way of life for me. It’s the life that I grew up on and has stuck with me now for decades. Because of that I wanted people to live a fit and healthy lifestyle that would help to prevent them from sicknesses and ailments.
Chinyere , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have been a dedicated competitive athlete for over 17 years. At the tender age of 8, I began competing with elementary and high school track and field teams in Guyana. At age 15, I moved with my family to Barbados and continued to excel in high school track and field. After graduating, I migrated to the United States to attend Ricks college. Upon graduation, I attended Utah Valley University and became a leading track athlete.
I’m a Certified Aerobics Instructor & Personal Trainer (www.bodybychinyere.com) with endorsements for Step Aerobics, Kickboxing Aerobics and Group Exercise by the International Fitness Association (IFA). I am also certified in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) & AED (Automated External Defibrillators). I am also the Dance Instructor of Dancehall Fit-Get Your Sexy Back (www.dancehallfit.com)
A professional trainer for 10 years in New York City, I trained clients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and the Westchester area. I moved to Tampa in 2017 and continued to provide fitness training services to clients in Tampa, Florida. I later broadened my clientele by offering One-On-One Training, Boot-Camps/Group Sessions, at studio locations, online, in the privacy of the client’s home, in the gym, or in the natural environment. Different types of exercises are incorporated into the fitness training such as Aerobics, Strength/Core training, Resistance training, Weight lifting/Muscle building, Fat-burning/Toning, Calisthenics, Boxing & Stretching. My clientele are from many different professions and backgrounds, many of whom are overweight, underweight or of normal weight and may be suffering from illnesses or joint ailments such as Obesity, Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease, Cancer, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Arthritis, Back Pain/Injury, or Knee and Hip Injury, to name a few.
In 2019 I experienced a deeply challenging personal trial. After surviving a broken relationship, I found myself alone, supporting two toddler sons, shockingly homeless and forced to live in my fitness studio. I fought and conquered depression by dancing to spirited, invigorating native, cultural Caribbean music taught by my family and friends when I was a teen. I was able to relieve stress, lift my spirits and experience joy again. Caribbean dance and music reinforced my love of life, self-identity, and purpose. After receiving Dancehall, Reggae, Soca and Calypso music from my DJ friend Dondy, I danced daily. Increasing numbers of friends began to join me. They were inspired, sweating, and having more fun than they had in years! Dance was inevitably added to my fitness program; female clients loved it! It was fun – a lighter challenge to complement fitness goals.
DANCEHALL FIT- Get Your Sexy Back” was born in the Fall of 2019 at my studio and attracted many who wanted to burn calories and keep fit while having fun! Because of Covid, clients began to request in-home training in 2020 and online classes were offered. My goal has always been to inspire the love of lifetime practices of health, exercise, dance, and nutrition. “DANCEHALL FIT- Get Your Sexy Back” is beautifully designed to enrich a global audience, both online and in person.
Dance Fit Get Your Sexy Back is a Caribbean Dance Fitness workout that incorporates a mix of dance moves played to Dancehall, Reggae, Soca & Calypso music & beats. When the music hits, you wouldn’t want to stop!!! This class uplifts your spirit, makes you sweat, feel uninhibited, sexy and energized!! You will have Fun, Fun and more fun!!
Dancehall Fit has serviced/services different Businesses and Non Profit Organizations such Wellcare, Aetna, Dedicated Senior Medical Center, IMA Medical Group, Palm Medical, VIP Cares, The Black Heritage Festival Tampa Bay Walk/Run, Dress For Success Tampa Bay Power Walk, United Negro College Fund Walk/Run, MacDill Airforce Base, National Association of Black Military Women, Female R US, and much more. The company has also been booked for future events.
OUR MISSION
Dancehall Fit Get Your Sexy Back’s mission is to inspire and motivate people to fight depression, loneliness, stress and lack of Self Confidence where they can lift their spirits, feel sexy, energized, invigorated and happy & lively again by working out to Caribbean music.
OUR VISION
The vision of Dancehall Fit Get Your Sexy Back is to create a global brand by offering the company’s Caribbean dance fitness workouts both online and in person as an alternative to gym exercises. This would enable people to live a healthier lifestyle physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Dancehall Fit Get Yor Sexy Back is a fresh, new, and exciting Dance Fitness workout originated in Tampa and currently there are no other places to my knowledge that has this type of exercise program.
I’m most proud of the fact that although I was homeless with two toddlers and faced many difficult times I never give up on my goals and dreams. Dancehall Fit blesses many lives by helping people stay active, rebuild self-esteem, self-confidence, and fight loneliness and depression. The vision of Dancehall Fit Get Your Sexy Back is to become a Global Brand!
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
When I first founded Dancehall Fit Get Your Sexy Back in 2019 I didn’t have any capital. I offered the class and my friends/clients showed up and was paying $20 per class. In 2020 when Covid hit I started online training and was charging $60 for 8 sessions a month. In 2021 I didn’t offer the class, I just focused on my fitness training. In 2022 I was offered a grant of $15,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for underserved businesses. I was also granted free business mentorship by the Supplier and Minority Program to help elevate my business. With that money and mentorship I was able to have a website created, print flyers, banners and advertise my business. With that advertisement, insurance companies, medial clinics, businesses and non-profits started using our services and our business began to grow from there.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I have been a competitive athlete for over 17 years, that means I never give up easily! When I was a Senior in college I started a Modeling/Talent Agency and represented Models and Actors of different ethnic backgrounds and different parts of the world. After graduating from college I moved to NYC to expand my business. But my move there was very difficult because I didn’t have much income to even survive more so to start a new Talent Agency from scratch. In order to survive I I relied on my athletic background and became certified as a Fitness Trainer. The Local Development Corporation of East New York (LDCENY) helped me to make and print flyers. I then started passing it out to people, on cars, supermarkets, apartment complexes, businesses, events etc. I got calls requesting my services as a trainer and my fitness training business grew from there. I was taking the train and bus to all my appointments as I didn’t have a car then. I later bought a car which made my business a lot easier. Now 0ver 15 years as a Fitness Trainer I must say I was quite resilient in building a business from nothing during very hard times!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dancehallfit.com, www.bodybychinyere.com
- Instagram: @dancehall_fit and @body.by.chinyere
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dancehallfit, https://www.facebook.com/BodyByChinyere
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinyeresam/
- Youtube: www.bodybychinyerevideos.com
Image Credits
Cover photo taken by David Garza