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

Julie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made?

One of the worst investments I made as a business owner was early in my career, when I purchased multiple franchise territories in the modeling and talent industry through a company called Talent Options Group.

At the time, it appeared to be a strong opportunity. The company had significant marketing behind it, and there was industry buzz surrounding the business. I believed in the concept and invested heavily—purchasing multiple territories and building out operations.

Unfortunately, the company later filed for bankruptcy, which left franchise owners like myself with significant financial losses. We lost both the franchise fees and the capital invested into launching and operating our locations.

Like many others involved, I explored legal options, but there was ultimately no financial recovery.

Looking back, the experience was difficult, but it taught me one of the most important lessons in business: the importance of due diligence. Today, I am far more intentional about who I partner with, how deals are structured, and ensuring I fully understand the financial foundation behind any opportunity.

That experience ultimately shaped the entrepreneur I am today. It pushed me to rebuild from the ground up and focus on creating businesses that I fully control and believe in.

Julie, 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’m a self-made entrepreneur based in Texas, currently the owner of multiple businesses in the fitness and aesthetics industries. My journey into entrepreneurship didn’t come from a traditional path—it came from rebuilding after failure and refusing to give up on the vision I had for my life.

Early in my career, I experienced a major setback when a franchise investment I was involved in collapsed and ultimately ended in bankruptcy. It was a painful lesson and financially devastating at the time, but it also forced me to start over and rethink everything about how I wanted to build businesses in the future. That experience shaped the entrepreneur I am today.

In 2012, I started my aesthetics business with only $500, focusing on skincare and helping clients feel confident in their own skin. Over time, I grew it into a successful six-figure business specializing in corrective skincare, advanced facials, lash extensions, and results-driven treatments that focus on enhancing natural beauty rather than overdoing cosmetic procedures.

Years later, I expanded into the fitness industry and opened The Iron Plate Gym, a strength-focused gym built around community, hard work, and a no-nonsense training culture. What started as a test location eventually grew into multiple gym locations, and I’m currently developing a much larger concept called The Dominion Powerhouse Gym, designed to bring a next-level training facility and recovery experience to our area.

Across all of my businesses, the common thread is helping people become stronger—physically and personally. Whether it’s helping a skincare client regain confidence in their skin or giving someone a place to transform their body and mindset in the gym, I love being part of people’s transformation journeys.

What sets me apart is that everything I’ve built has been done from the ground up. I didn’t come from money, I didn’t have investors early on, and I didn’t follow a traditional roadmap. I learned through experience, persistence, and a willingness to keep going even when things didn’t work out the first time.

What I’m most proud of is that after losing everything once, I rebuilt and created businesses that now support a community of clients, members, and people working toward becoming the best version of themselves.

At the heart of my brand is a simple belief: failure doesn’t define you—what you build after it does.

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

One of the biggest tests of resilience in my journey came after a business investment early in my career collapsed. I had invested heavily into several franchise territories that I believed were going to be a major opportunity in the modeling and talent industry. Unfortunately, the company ultimately filed for bankruptcy and the entire operation shut down, leaving franchise owners like myself with nothing. I lost a significant amount of money and had to face the reality that everything I had worked toward in that venture was gone.

For a while, it felt like starting completely over. But instead of letting that experience define me, I decided it would teach me. I went back to the drawing board and focused on building something I could control myself.

Not long after, I started my aesthetics business with just $500 and a small treatment room. I worked long hours, reinvested everything back into the business, and slowly began rebuilding. Over time, that small startup grew into a successful six-figure aesthetics practice.

Years later, I took another leap and opened my first gym. What began as a single location eventually expanded into multiple gyms and a growing fitness community.

Looking back, that early loss turned out to be one of the most important moments in my career. It forced me to become more strategic, more cautious with partnerships, and more determined to build businesses that were truly my own.

Resilience isn’t about avoiding failure—it’s about refusing to stay down when it happens.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots in my business journey happened when I decided to expand from the aesthetics industry into the fitness world.

For years, I had been building my aesthetics business, focusing on skincare and helping clients feel confident in their appearance. The business was growing and doing well, but I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for fitness. I saw an opportunity to create something different in my community—a gym focused on serious training, strong community, and a culture of hard work.

Opening my first gym was a huge pivot because it meant stepping into an entirely different industry. There were new systems to learn, new challenges, and a completely different business model. Not long after opening, the pandemic hit, which created another unexpected challenge for the fitness industry.

Instead of backing down, I focused on adapting and strengthening the community around the gym. That pivot ultimately led to growth, and today I own multiple gym locations with plans to expand even further.

That experience reinforced something I’ve learned many times as an entrepreneur: sometimes the biggest opportunities come from being willing to step outside your comfort zone and pivot when the path changes.