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

Hi Julia, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Taking risks I believe comes very easily to me. It has always been a part of my personality in a way. I want to focus on this topic to hopefully inspire someone to step outside of their comfort zone and trust their intuition. Even though I personally love taking risks, that doesn’t mean it’s always an easy decision. Let’s dive in…

I studied acting in college at one of the top universities in the country. Because of its elite status, I was (and so was my family) convinced that I would be on the road to making this a full time career. With years of schooling and auditioning, I was investing so much physical and emotional effort towards a consistent career in the field I deeply admired. A huge reason I loved acting was because I could reach mass amounts of people and tell stories that hopefully could shift their perspective in life. Looking and experiencing small moments of growth is what I personally live for, so to make someone else feel that “aha” moment was beyond fulfilling.

While I was living in NYC, auditioning, booking small roles here and there, but mostly auditioning (thats a huge part of the career of acting that not many people talk about) I just so happened to be forced into taking a SoulCycle class by one of my good friends. Very long story short, I immediately fell in love with what was happening in the space. Not only was I moving my body and challenging it physically, the company itself clearly trained their instructors to help inspire riders to have that “aha” moment I cared so deeply about. It was about so much more than the workout, and that’s what sparked my “Risk Door” to peak open. She pops open every couple of years.

Actors most likely have side jobs while auditioning whenever they can, and I could not think of a more perfect side job. I have to be honest, throughout all of this beautiful discovery of physical and mental transformation, my boyfriend at the time was living in Austin, Texas. Here I was living the “dream” of an actor – living in NYC, working, auditioning, and now having a consistent workout routine. But, as all the love stories go, I couldn’t see myself without him (btw I very much am without him and have a nice giggle thinking back at that time of my early 20s).

So the “Risk Door” swung fully open and I had a choice to make – leave NYC, which also means leaving in the beginning stages of my acting career, my friends, my family, and the entire life I have built so far OR move to Austin, Texas, where I would know no one but my boyfriend, have no job, no family, no idea what career path I could transition to with a BFA in Acting…

I did everything you could think of – a pros and cons list, talked to the people I trusted the most, tried to find my answer in a google search. At the end of the day, the only person that could decide was me. Filtering through everyone’s opinions was helpful to an extent, but mostly held me back from really listening to myself and to my intuition.

“How does one listen to intuition?” It is easy. You know the answer already. It is a “yes” universe, so there are always opportunities to be given in exactly what it is that you want. So I asked myself, “Well, what do I want?”

I wanted to be a SoulCycle Instructor.

I wanted to be with my boyfriend.

I wanted to find a love and purpose outside of acting.

I wanted to save money and afford housing/living expenses.

I wanted to be in nature.

I wanted a stronger community.

…I wanted to move to Austin, Texas. So I did.

I’ve been here 5 years now. Within this time, I have become one of the top coaches at SoulCycle DATX, I broke up with my boyfriend and found another (that’s a story for another time). I fell in love with yoga so much to the point where I also became a yoga instructor at Equinox and YTX. I moved into my own place surrounded by nature, without needing to have 4 roommates, and am saving money for my future. I have never been happier, I have never been more successful, I have built and am a part of such an incredible community where I can do what it is that I love the most – inspire humans to have their “aha” moments.

Open your “Risk Door.” Pack your bags and move to wherever it is you want to move. Make your life happen the way you want it to. You have all the power to do so.

Julia, 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?

Hi I’m Julia!

I’m a SoulCycle instructor, Equinox Yoga Instructor, YTX Yoga instructor, micro influencer, and a great time. Being in the fitness industry in so many different facets has been such an incredible opportunity to connect to the community I am surrounded by. SoulCycle is a place where I can let my inner child run wild. We dance on bikes that go nowhere in a dark room lit by candles for 45 minutes. We listen to our favorite music and scream sing at the top of our lungs, all while working out and nourishing our minds and bodies. Yoga is similar to an extent. With my public classes, I love leading Power Yoga sequences, even some with weights where we push ourselves physically in a heated room in order to expand mentally. I am also lucky enough to have one-on-one clients where I can work and play with someone’s goals and anatomy to help them find their unique practice. With all of that being said, I am also there for my clients emotionally and spiritually. With self growth and self love being vital to my own well being, I am able to extend what it is that has worked for me to my clients as well. Movement affects every single inch of your day-to-day life, so I make sure to express the importance of showing up for ourselves in the space we are practicing in. There is a direct correlation to how we show up for ourselves in our waking life.

Being able to adapt to my surroundings is one of my biggest strengths as a coach. Being able to have understanding and empathy makes my work even more impactful. I am always learning so much about myself through other people. It is truly a gift that my career is what it is.

A goal of mine is to be able to create a personal platform that pulls from everything that I am a part of and make my own legacy.

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

This question is super important to me. Being in the fitness industry means there is a lot of responsibility on my end, such as having the knowledge/ training in order to make sure 1) I know what I’m talking about and can back it up (this takes hours and years of studying and practice), and 2) being able to make sure people are safe, whether that’s a one-on-one client in a yoga practice, or in a room full of 65-200 people in a public class. However, something that is just as important in this field is connection.

How do you authentically connect with someone or multiple people in a truthful way so that you can create the space for them to feel comfortable enough to show up 100% for themselves?

It all starts with you. It is necessary to do the self work and have the self reflection in your own life to hold yourself accountable. When you are in front of your clients, you utilize the work that you have done for yourself and step into a selfless role in becoming their biggest cheerleader. You are a cheerleader that has been through the trial and error within their own spiritual and physical journey to have something authentic to stand in when leading others.

If there are any aspiring fitness trainers reading this, step one is to do the self work. Know your values and worth, learn about the importance of letting go of your ego, learn how to be as vulnerable with yourself as possible. I guarantee you will see your clients open up in a way they haven’t before.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

We all have to start from somewhere. Coming from the life I built in NYC to a SoulCycle studio in a completely different state meant that I knew no one. I was faced with this challenge: how do I build a following? How do I maintain a following not only in line with my energy, but a dedicated following?

When I talk to other humans that are just starting in the industry, the most consistent complaint I hear is that there aren’t enough people coming to their classes. I honestly think this can relate to many people starting new things in their life. It’s very raw and vulnerable to start something new when you can compare your journey to someone else’s story. It can feel really defeating. For the first ~6 months at anywhere I taught, I had no more than 6 people in my class.

Here I was, knowing I had something special and unique to offer, but people didn’t want to see it or care to give me a chance (this was the story that I was telling myself). That easily can lead to a spiral, and it did for me. Good old imposter syndrome. Questioning my talent and training, questioning my purpose, “Am I meant to be here?” “Did I make a mistake moving here and switching careers?” On top of it all, I don’t just work at any old fitness gym. I work for boutique high-end fitness companies with clients who have a lot of opinions. I was really hard on myself and felt like quitting many times until I finally surrendered to the process. What is meant to be will be. Instead of trying to PLEASE everyone walking into the door by assuming what it is that they want and need, I am just going to be unapologetically myself.

The moment I did that, the moment I was consistent, the moment that I fell into this pattern of surrender and resilience – that was when I found the success I had been dreaming of. Now, 4 years later, the majority of my classes are full of consistent and dedicated clients that are aligned with what I have to offer.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @juliataylorveronesi
• Youtube: Julia Taylor TV

Image Credits
Ron Dressel, Kelsey Applebaum