We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Grace Bex a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Grace, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?
One of the biggest missteps Corporate America makes in the fitness industry is treating wellness like a factory—pushing out cookie-cutter programs and chasing numbers rather than real impact. Big box gyms often operate on volume. You’re either a barcode at check-in or a subscription that gets counted in monthly revenue, not a person with a story, a struggle, or specific needs. The focus tends to be on selling memberships, not building relationships. And for many women, that lack of connection is the exact reason they fall off their fitness journey in the first place.
At Gracefully Fit, we flipped that script. We’re a boutique-style, private training facility intentionally built for women—not just in name, but in purpose. We don’t see our clients as numbers on a spreadsheet. We see them as women with lived experiences, personal goals, and unique challenges. We’ve had clients come through our doors who’ve spent years in those larger gyms and felt invisible—like they didn’t belong or couldn’t keep up. And when they find us, they often say, “This is the first time I’ve ever felt like someone actually listened.”
That’s because we’re not in this to churn out memberships. We’re here to cultivate community. Everything about Gracefully Fit—from the way we structure our classes to how we celebrate small wins—is rooted in intentionality. Our growth isn’t fueled by aggressive marketing tactics or generic promotions; it’s fueled by word-of-mouth, trust, and real transformation. The money follows, yes—but only because the mission is solid.
What sets us apart isn’t just that we’re smaller. It’s that we’re personal. Every woman who walks through our doors is seen, heard, and valued. And that’s something Corporate America still doesn’t quite understand: community creates results, not the other way around.
Grace, 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?
Gracefully Fit, LLC is Fayetteville’s first women-only boutique gym—an intentional and private training sanctuary launched by Grace Bex, a certified personal trainer, military spouse, and passionate advocate for women’s wellness
After starting her fitness journey in 2017—training mostly military spouses from her garage and even running a gym in Germany—Grace felt called to address a glaring gap in her community. She saw that Fayetteville’s numerous gyms weren’t designed to make women feel truly safe, heard, and empowered
➤ Our Services
Located at 234 Westwood Shopping Center, Fayetteville NC and opening its doors in May 2025
Gracefully Fit provides:
Small‑group personal training, Zumba, ballet fitness, yoga, bootcamp, Yoga/pilates Fusion, Nutrition plans and more
Revive Lounge with cold plunge, infrared sauna, and compression recovery
On-site childcare, via partnership with Imagination Station right next door, so moms can work out, recharge, or enjoy personal time
Transparent pricing, with membership tiers from $89 to $189/month plus class-packs and drop-ins. An Intro offer of 2 weeks of unlimited classes for $49
➤ Problems We Solve & What Sets Us Apart
No more feeling invisible
Women walk away from large gyms feeling unnoticed. At Gracefully Fit, clients often say: “The fact that you’re a private gym for women drew me in but the community and the atmosphere of care and commitment to your clients kept me” Everything here is intentional—not mass-produced.
Holistic wellness for real women
Grace brings personal experience: endometriosis, PCOS, postpartum depression, a hysterectomy, and the challenges of hormone-conscious postpartum fitness
. This empathy guides all coaching—“no sugar coating, just real talk” . And her team of trainers brings a wealth of knowledge from their years in the field.
Built by community
The 83-capacity gym was built in just 41 days with help from her husband, military community, clients—even volunteers . That community-built foundation reflects our mission: connection before commerce.
Supportive sisterhood
Membership includes access to a private Facebook group and community events, making the gym more than workouts—it’s a tribe .
➤ Client Impact
Clients describe life-changing results:
“Grace showed me how to make healthy long‑lasting lifestyle changes… Even on my off days when I had low self‑esteem she was there cheering me on.” — Hannah
begracefullyfit.com
These stories reflect the real transformation: not only in fitness goals but in confidence, consistency, and connection.
➤ What We’re Most Proud Of
Empowerment over enrollment.
Creating a safe haven: A women-only environment where fitness and sisterhood go hand-in-hand
Bringing full circle care: Childcare, recovery amenities, honest coaching, and genuine community support
✅ What We Want You to Know
Gracefully Fit is built on authenticity—not gimmicks or sales funnels, but empathy, intention, and experience.
We’re a privately curated, appointment-based community that honors each woman’s journey.
The investment in you is transparent and purposeful, with pricing and services that reflect real care and support.
Our proudest success? Women who used to feel overlooked in big gyms now thrive in an environment where they feel seen, heard, and unstoppable.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
I started my fitness journey in 2017 as a new military spouse with a newborn. Battling postpartum depression, endometriosis, and PCOS, I turned to workouts as both therapy and community. What began as a personal outlet quickly evolved: other moms in my circle—also military families—started reaching out. They saw the positive changes I was making and asked, “Can you help me, too?”
What was intended to be a side gig grew organically. I got ACSM-certified, designed postpartum-safe programs, and began training fellow moms—mostly military spouses—in my garage. It was never a calculated business plan; it was simply answering a need I deeply understood and had lived myself .
🔑 Key Milestones
Home Gym Launch
What started informally took shape when I formally began offering personal training from my home. Word spread, and soon I had a waitlist—something I never anticipated .
International Move & German Gym
While stationed overseas in Germany, I didn’t pause—I opened a gym there. That experience solidified my belief: with the right support, small communities can thrive even far from “home”
.
Fayetteville Relocation (2023)
Returning to the U.S., we moved to Fayetteville when my husband was stationed at Fort Liberty. My waitlist had grown too large, and I recognized a void: there were no women-only gyms offering intentional, intimate coaching in the area .
Boutique Gym Build-Out
With community support—from clients, friends, military network—I converted a storefront into Fayetteville’s first private women’s fitness studio. In just a few weeks, the space came together thoughtfully and intentionally .
Grand Opening – May 17, 2025
Ribbon cutting, demo classes, sauna & cold plunge, offering a holistic wellness space beyond workouts. I designed Gracefully Fit as a sanctuary where women feel guided and empowered .
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One of the most defining chapters of my journey—and a true testament to resilience—was during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, I was running my gym overseas in Germany. I poured everything into that space, and when the world shut down, I was forced to close its doors. It was heartbreaking. I had built something meaningful, only to have it all paused indefinitely.
Shortly after, our family received orders to relocate back to the U.S.—to Fort Bragg, NC. While it felt like a door had closed, I didn’t yet realize that God was already preparing the next one to open.
When we arrived in Fayetteville, after thinking I would just settle into training from my garage gym again. I noticed a gap in the market here. I began dreaming of opening a new space. But it didn’t come easily. I fought for 115 days to secure the building we’re in now. From negotiation setbacks to zoning hurdles, it felt like an uphill battle. But I stayed the course, holding tight to the conviction that if God brought me to it, He’d bring me through it. Once we finally got access to the space, the transformation was nothing short of divine—we built out the entire studio in just 41 days.
That number wasn’t lost on me. In scripture, the number 40 often symbolizes testing, trial, and preparation—from the 40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2) to the 40 years the Israelites wandered the desert. And then came day 41—a new beginning, breakthrough, and promise fulfilled. To me, those 115 days were my wilderness, but God used that season to refine my vision, deepen my faith, and stretch my resilience.
I didn’t build this gym alone. My husband, our community, even clients and friends helped paint walls and lay floors. It’s a physical space, yes—but it’s also a monument to perseverance, obedience, and divine timing.
Resilience isn’t just about pushing through hard things—it’s about trusting the process, even when it doesn’t make sense, and remaining faithful when the outcome is still unseen. Gracefully Fit stands today because I refused to give up… and because God never gave up on me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.begracefullyfit.com
- Instagram: gracefullyfitllc
- Facebook: gracefullyfitllc
- Other: Mindbody – Gracefully Fit LLC
Image Credits
Personal Photo & Photo Outside of building: Team Flo Photography