We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sara Kooperman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you ever experienced a times when your entire field felt like it was taking a U-Turn?

Sara Kooperman, founder of SCW Fitness Education, has exhibited remarkable courage and leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to hold fitness events when every fitness facility was closed.

Sara has remained steadfast in her commitment to helping fitness professionals succeed. She has shown the courage to take risks, to innovate, and to adapt to new circumstances, all while maintaining her focus on the needs of the fitness industry. She and her incredible SCW team developed and produced a sophisticated virtual program to run 19 online events during the 24 months of the pandemic. Many of the online, live-streaming and recorded, conferences offered up to 200 sessions in one weekend. Her specialty summits on Active Aging, Nutrition, Aquatics and Personal Training supplied a much-needed lifeline for fitness professionals who were struggling to stay connected and informed during the pandemic. The Fitness Industry Technology Council honored Sara with the 2022 Most Innovating Fitness Pro Award.

Kooperman’s resilience and commitment to the industry has been evident in her willingness to go above and beyond to provide support and resources to fitness professionals, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Offering over 250 FREE panel webinars (up to 3 per week), totally complimentary, kept and continues to keep (at 1 per week) our industry informed.

Overall, Sara Kooperman’s courage and leadership in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic have been truly remarkable. Sara currently is on the canfitpro Advisory Board and sits on the ACSM Communication & Public Information Committee. Recently nominated for the IDEA Fitness Leader of the Year Award, Sara has left an indelible mark on the fitness industry as a whole.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Sara, CEO of SCW Fitness Education​, ​WATERinMOTION®​ and S.E.A.T. Fitness​, is a visionary leader that has transformed the fitness education community. A successful business owner and advisor, she is a keynote speaker, published author, webinar host, podcast presenter and sought-after industry leader. Sara has launched seven (7) successful MANIA® fitness-professional conventions​ & Business Summits​, another six (6) Streaming Conferences, and over ​40​ live and online certifications. Her company has touched more than 100,000 Fitness Professionals face-to-face and engaged another 300,000+ in virtual connections. Having produced over 600 Fitness Instructor Training videos, written several books, and been published repeatedly in magazines and newspapers, Sara is well-known for her creativity and impact on the health and wellness industry. She has a unique ability to share her passion and devotion towards fitness education through her humor, enthusiasm, and her effervescent no-nonsense personality.

Sara is committed to sharing her knowledge and expertise as a fitness industry leader for the past ​4​ decades through speaking engagements across the world. She is a favorite presenter for the ​IHRSA, Filex, canfitpro, ​Athletic Business Show, Medical Fitness Association, International Council on Active Aging, JCC, Club Industry, YMCA, Illinois Park & Recreation Association, AYP, IDEA, FitPro,​ ​Marriott Vacation Club, Gold’s Gym, WIFA, Nevada Recreation & Park Association as well as over a dozen international events throughout the world. Sara is also the former Owner and CEO of Les Mills Midwest, which she successfully led for over 10 years.

Sara is an attorney who graduated from Washington University School of Law and completed undergraduate work from Cambridge University in England. Sara was selected as a Gold Medal winner distinguishing her as a business leader who has contributed to the economic health of her community. She also is the proud recipient of the Illinois State Business Woman of the Year and AEA’s Global Award for Contribution to the Aquatic Industry.

Having been a former adjunct faculty member for the Kenneth Cooper Institute, ACSM, NASM, ACE and AFAA, Sara serves on the Gold’s Gym Think Tank, is on the canfitpro Advisory Panel, was a founding board member for the Women In Fitness Association (WIFA), and is a proud inductee into the National Fitness Hall of Fame. Sara currently serves on IHRSA’s Headlight Committees for Facility Standards, is also a Co-Host of IHRSA’s Talks & Takes Monthly Talk Show and sits on the ACSM Communication & Public Information Committee. Recently nominated for the​ ​IDEA Fitness Leader of the Year Award, Kooperman won the 2022 Most Innovating Fitness Pro​ ​by Fitness Industry Technology Council. ​Sara ​ has left an indelible mark on the fitness industry as a whole.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

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

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Contact Info:

• Website: www.scwfit.com and www.sarakooperman.com
• Instagram: @scwMANIA
• Facebook: fb.com/sarakoopermanfitness