We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalie Joseph a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Natalie, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Success means something different to everyone. For me, I have truly dissected the meaning so I can embrace it fully. I have to start off by explaining that my role model as a kid was my dad— He was a brilliant nuclear physicist who developed hundreds of patents and built several companies based on his inventions. He also traveled the world for business. I saw him as successful. But, I also saw how stressed he was; Though he worked hard he also played hard. He dealt with lawsuits and extreme ups and downs financially— a multi-millionaire and was depleted and then a multi-millionaire again. This happened a few times actually. So, what I have learned is that success is a matter of character and one’s own sense of fulfillment. It really doesn’t have much to do with what material things you possess. Fancy cars and houses were fun, but that was never the point and it isn’t the point for me. My father wanted to help the world with his inventions. He wanted to improve the world. Just the same, I want what I do and how I do it to better the world. If I can do that then I am successful. In order to do that, I have to be willing to stand out and speak up even in the face of adversity. In my industry, I see an insane amount of potholes and outdated approaches to fitness and health and sometimes people are resistant to learning new information. I find that if a potential client is ready to embark on the journey that my team and I facilitate then it happens in a beautiful way. There are more than enough people in this world and I am not so self-inflated to think that every single one of them will want to do things my way. However, my success up til this point is due to a few basic things. One, I am always doing my best to be my most authentic self with clients as with my team. I operate with respect and care for the beautiful humans around me. Second, I have systems in place that help organize all our clients information, systems to onboard new clients, systems for how we organize our studio floor, etc. Having a reason for all that we do and being organized with all of it is like having a well-oiled machine that can last forever. In order to be successful, I feel it absolutely necessary to CARE about the business and its mission. I find it disheartening when I hear of people getting into businesses they care nothing about. Our world needs people with compassion; Yet, I understand that the financial reward for certain businesses may not be enough to support a life these days. So, financial success is also vitally important to overall success. It is a beautiful exchange to make money from something I am passionate about. And, one day, I may become as financially well off as my father was when he was alive. But, I only consider that success if I am in that position and happy, healthy, honoring my morals and who I am.
Natalie, 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 remember around 12 years old, I would shut the door to my room, blast some music, and start doing high knees and all sorts of exercises. Of course, at the time, I had no idea what the exercises were called. It just felt great to do it. I spent so many hours in my pool that my family called me a fish. And, all on my own, without discussing it with anyone, I joined the track team in high school. I loved to move! Up til that point, I was also deeply involved with the difficulties my own parents had been having my whole life with their own health issues. The pills, the doctor appointments, the mood swings, the emergencies, the unanswered medical questions, the uncertainty of the future, the pain and the heartaches… It was alarming enough for me to say to myself that I better take care of my body! Having a troubled body in my father’s words was like “being a prisoner of your own body.” If I can be blunt— that sucks. After my father died, I had an epiphany and decided to study and get my certification as a fitness trainer. I discovered that I absolutely love helping people find their way. And, I loved just being in a gym all day long haha!!! Every single time I encountered a client with an illness or injury I was not familiar with, I immediately spent the time to research and understand how to best help that person (if I didn’t need to refer them to a physical therapist). I believe that because I am an artist (singer/songwriter), I have this very artistic view of the body and each person’s life. So, when I take on a new client, I appreciate and honor that person as their own beautiful masterpiece. I become a sculptor and a muse simultaneously. It’s truly an amazing exchange as I watch each client make progress, gain confidence, feel excited, make healthier choices in their life and honor themselves more. So, my team and I help our clients make mind-body connections, give them tips and tools to make their daily life easier, smoother and healthier, give them a foundational understanding of their own body and needs to be able to live a healthier and more physically stable life for the long-term, and, of course, we help our clients lose weight, tone, shape, strengthen and any other possible goal one might have. We do it all! All our guidance and fitness training is completely customized for each person. If you are someone who wants to learn the why behind the specific way we decide to train you then we are happy to educate you as well. In this sea of information where it would take several life times to sift through it all, my team and I already have done that for you. Between all of us, we have several life times of our own experiences, expertise, research and ongoing education. Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to make sense of the internet or latest fads— go to experts who are passionate about this field. We are not the only experts out there, but we might be the right experts and people for you!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had been a fitness trainer for 7 years before I took over my fitness studio. I was excited to make it my own and transform it into what I envisioned. Being an artist, I was tired of looking at sterile walls in gyms, and I wanted to give my studio a real punch of excitement and inspiration. I wanted to add art on the walls and even comical, silly art. However, I quickly learned that people don’t do very well with big changes too fast. I was excited but there were others in my studio who were not. In fact, I definitely ruffled some feathers. I learned that perhaps the reason why gyms are so sterile is because everyone’s preferences are so vastly different. What inspires one person another may find repulsive. However, I was still determined to find the right balance of art. My intention was to create a space where individuals felt safe to express themselves and free to do so. So, after the initial shock people had from all the aesthetic changes I was making, I did find that things calmed down. I started getting compliments on the environment I created. Though, every now and then I did receive a complaint about it— that it was perhaps too eccentric. I am not going to be able to please everyone, but the people who do come to BUF studio really love the boutique feel and artistic touch. In the future, I am definitely going to carefully and gently introduce anything “different.”
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Our work speaks for itself. Who we are is a unique experience that is wholesome and fulfilling. It’s not only about the results we help our clients achieve, but also its about how we approach it and how we treat our clients. It feels like a huge family in my studio. And that is precisely why clients refer their family members to us. We are honored to be trusted with our clients children, parents, relatives and friends. Half of our training team are parents, so we treat our clients with the same care as we do our own children. And, I believe, our clients really appreciate that.
Contact Info:
- Website: BUFstudio.com
- Instagram: @bufstudio
- Facebook: Bodyunlimitedfitnessstudio
- Yelp: Body Unlimited Fitness
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Naked Heart Productions