We recently connected with Jossie Fillalan and have shared our conversation below.

Jossie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I have always wanted to be a business owner. However, what my drive has always been is: If I own my own business, I can help out my community as much as I want however I can! I’ve always encouraged food drives, toy drives, volunteering in any capacity where I work. So once I became a co owner and now a founder/owner, I knew that aside from providing our services, philanthropy was going to play a big part in my entrepreneurship journey.

Jossie, 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?

My name is Jossie and I am 44 years old. I am a Mom, Wife and Proud Latina Business Owner. I am originally from Puerto Rico and have lived in Orlando, FL since September of 2000. I have been in the Aerial/Pole Fitness Studio industry since 2015 but took my very first Pole Fitness class back in 2011 as a “hobby” since I was a stay at home mom and wanted a fun workout to keep me sane. I fell in love with it and have been doing Pole ever since.

I started working for an amazing studio back in 2015 as the front desk and became studio manager. We closed due to Covid in 2020. and I was devastated. Pole and the Aerial/Pole community had been part of my life for 7 plus years. This community helped me free myself and find a confidence that I had never been able to obtain on my own. Dance for me in any capacity has been my saving grace. I was lucky enough to have been given an opportunity to become Co Owner of Flo Space Orlando when we rebranded after Covid. Flo Space Orlando opened in March 2021 and my business partner decided to retire in 2023. I took over and now own my very own studio, Flutter Fitness Studio.

Flutter Fitness Studio is an inclusive, coed, latina owned space offering pole, aerial & dance classes in Orlando with focus on giving back to our Central Florida Community. My mission is to not only provide a great safe space for our students to start their aerial/pole journey, but to also have a monthly focus on giving back to an organization in some capacity.

Our intention is simple. To encourage, motivate and inspire you to believe in YOURSELF! Go Ahead, “Flutter” Yourself! Believe in your abilities, capabilities, goals, hopes & dreams! Transform, Don’t Conform.

Flutter Fitness Studio is a place for movement, self expression & self worth. Emerge from your cocoon, spread your wings and FLY. Literally and Figuratively.

We officially opened our doors on May 1st, 2023. This has been a long time coming. Something I have manifested and worked extremely hard to get. I know this is my purpose. To be in a space and a position to inspire and serve others. The best part of my job is to see my students TRANSFORM into their best authentic, confident selves. Form friendships, perform for their first time, and accomplish something they never thought they could. Nothing brings me more joy!

“Self-transformation implies what we seek: to reshape ourselves, to shift into a new person entirely.”

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My story and situation is rather unique. I will always consider myself one of the luckiest self made business owners. My story however is a prime example of “If you work hard, it DOES pay off”…

So as I said previously, I started working for a Fitness Studio in 2015 at the FRONT DESK. I say that in all caps because it was part time and a few times a week. I needed something I could do at night and still be able to be there for my kids. Something to get me out of the house. I NEVER in a million years thought that it was a career move.

I quickly became very involved and was promoted to studio manager because I treated the business as if it were my own. I absolutely LOVED being at the studio and working there. I respected the owner and had (have) such admiration for her that I knew that is who I aspired to one day be. A bad ass boss babe. I worked for the studio for close to 6 years before COVID hit.

Nearly a year later I found myself being a co-owner and business partner with Cari, the one who had hired me as Front Desk. The same woman who I WANTED to be like! It was a dream come true. Two years in she decided to close her studio owner chapter. She had been one for 10 years and was ready to move onto another passion. Que in “Side Hustle turns into something much bigger!” I dug deep and took the leap. This is it, don’t get scared now. My opportunity knocked and I answered. I now have my own studio also thanks to Cari for believing in me and passing down the torch. That part time gig I took just to “get me out of the house” turned out to be the biggest blessing in my life.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Oh my goodness. I absolutely LOVE my team. We actually have been working together for almost 7 years!! I have a very loyal team. They must like us. We must be doing something right. I am extremely lucky. We have been through 3 rebrands in the last 7 years and pretty much the entire team has stuck around for the ride! That speaks volumes.

I think that part of the reason is that it is a fun job right?! I mean, most of them have other jobs, families and our studio is their time to do something fun. For me, I try to let them be themselves. I give them freedom to teach how they want, what they want and to have fun. I try REALLY REALLY hard to show my gratitude and let them know how much I truly appreciate them. Our students also. They LOVE our instructors.

My advice is SHOW YOUR GRATITUDE! If your team does an amazing job TELL THEM! Don’t just expect it from them. Encourage them and support them so they keep showing up for your and your business. Give them a safe space to grow, to create, to nurture their craft. Your business would not thrive without your team, let them know.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.flutterfitnessstudio.com/
• Instagram: @flutterfitnessstudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flutterfitnessstudio
• Other: My Personal Insta is @polericanlife

Image Credits
Photo Credits to Cosmic Lens Imagery & Lovely in Lace Boudoir