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

Linda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

2 things one from a more general industry level of fitness is this we train for the whole person – yes we are a physical form of fitness but my belief is that you are a whole person and the physicality of that one person involves so many other aspects such as mental wellness and emotional support – a person has to feel safe and supported to succeed – even in physical goals in health

the second is very specific to our little corner of the fitness world – lets talk pole dancing and aerial arts – esp in regards to pole dancing there is a very common factor of wanting to feel sexy and confident – we definitely dont shy away from it but what we do different is we don’t lead with it –
there is a general mentality that females need to be sexy – we start with you inherently already are –
it’s the mental work and emotional scars that make us believe we aren’t and that somehow we need to be taught it – truly it’s more about being comfortable in your own skin and body, appreciating your own beauty and body, and what it can do and how powerful you are as a woman. something i always say is confidence is developed not given – when it’s given it can be taken away, when you create it you own it – no one can take that from you

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

although i have been a lover of moving my whole life i didn’t start pole until my early 30’s – what sparked my interest was a fluke video my brother sent me of a girl doing the most ridiculous strength conditioning, little did i know it was the infamous Oona K one of the OG pole dancers. when i kept looking it up to find what it was all that kept coming up was “pole dancing” and i shut my computer – fast forward 3 years i started the research again and still all i came up with was “pole dancing” except now the videos that were popping up had 1-3 results of females not in heels and at that point i was like oh maybe i just learn it and then i can do what i want with it stylistically. I took 1 – 1hour class and immediately stayed for the second class after and was hooked –
it was everything i ever wanted smashed into one practice – it was movement based it had freedom of form it was athletic, it was challenging in every aspect mind body and soul, it was freedom to move however i wanted.

as i went through my own practice there was a specific moment where i knew everything changed – i know the exact moment
i started dancing for myself – not for anyone not for competition, not for formal grace and standards, not for validation or trying to get someone’s attention, for me -and i remember when the music stopped i snapped out of it and looked around the entire class was staring at me and i was startled myself – i didn’t think i could move like that i didn’t think my body remembered any of that, and i felt like me for the first time in a long time, free and strong and full of life

lol the emotional hit i took after that is a different story but basically i did a deep dive of what was going on internally and started to study how i was changing – how this little past time and fun activity started to challenge the way i though of myself and my relationship to the world – as a female there are some hard questions we don’t ask oursleves – heck i’m gonna say as a human

it’s a refecltion of yourself – your worth and your values – what you feel shameful of what you feel inadequate about –
this is how i developed the heart of the business – diving into the idea of how do you unlock this, what aspects do i want to tap into and what do i want them to draw power from

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

wow honestly i love allllllll of these but i’m going to use this one bc as a female entrepreneur i think this is one topic i want everyone to hear

my first location and business startup was me, 2 maxed out credit cards, and my moms credit card.

there was a whoooole lot of crying
there was a whooooole lot of i think i need to stop and i’m crazy moments

i cashed out my 401k to gain additional capital bc of horror stories of an ex husband but

i did it – and here is what i’m going to say

just do it – don’t think, do
–. thinking is the killer of your momentum and confidence, it’s logical and in order for you to make your dream on impossible possible you cant work with logic
thinking is brain and we are taught to be careful and make sense – this is about feel, if you know it in your gut just do

There is always money – females don’t get funded not because they cant but because we don’t speak up, we don’t pitch, we are raised to be ballers and owners, we are raised to be polite, sexy, and to speak when spoken to – get funded, to pitch, take out a loan, find where the boys are meeting VC, even easier TALK to people, the right people will step up and either fund you or get you in touch with people to get you money

but this is the last point which is the complete opposite of that i just talked about – you dont need as much as you think –
do it, less perfect with less capital just start –
a business can succeed by being less than perfect but it can not succeed without ever starting

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

omg so many omg so many
i have had my own ass handed to me to many times by myself!

the biggest thing i had to unlearn was that this
everything that i ever doubted in myself was created by me
every fear every insecurity – was me –
i told myself that story so much it became my truth

first and foremost – i had to battle the word “sexy” i literally spent months waking around in a daze bc i froze every time i heard it – it took forever for me to unwind my issues with it and imagine owning a pole dancing studio and flinching every time you heard the word “SEXY”
it was my sister – she was the sexy one and i was not
as a female you are sexy or smart – not both
smart girls don’t behave that way
sexy girls are lusted after, no respected
and now i crew screw that i want it all, i’ll be it all and i expect it all

i had to unlearn my issues with money – that was huge one
you cant ask for success and than have your own hang ups with money – points to slef!

the truth is this – you can change the course of your life in any given moment – you just have to chose to

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