We recently connected with Stefanie Barboza and have shared our conversation below.
Stefanie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?
My career started in dance. So many of the lessons that come from being involved in an activity like dance can apply in other areas of life and to your success. I learned what hard work and dedication truly looks like. I learned that there is no instant gratification, as everything you’re learning and working toward takes time. I learned how to compartmentalize, and that ballet and dance could still teach me and be there for me when the rest of the world is crashing down. I learned to be consistent and to keep showing up and putting in the necessary work to take steps forward.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
The Barboza Method is a full-body routine done without any equipment, and uses only your body weight and gravity to naturally reshape and realign your body’s posture. This workout can help to improve your flexibility and mobility, alignment and posture, increase your energy and strength, as well as your body awareness and balance. I created the Barboza Method to help one 60-year-old woman with her need- not desire- to exercise. Her life depended on change. When we met, her health was failing due to multiple issues, including hyperparathyroidism and dialysis. I created a workout around her abilities. I decided to start and stay on the floor as a way of conserving her energy and completely took away the risk of her falling. Utilizing the floor as a map for proper alignment, we were able to heal some old injuries and correct her posture. Within a year, her health improved and she regained mobility. She no longer faced dialysis, and daily tasks became doable again. I realized that my full-body, no-impact workout could benefit more than just this one person. I started to teach group classes and take on more private clients. My workout is challenging for an experienced athlete, while still safe for someone with old injuries and health problems. This method was made to help one, and now is shared to help many.
Have you ever had to pivot?
When COVID hit in 2020, I had to pivot very quickly and figure out a strategy for how to keep the studio and classes going when we could no longer be in-person. My teachers and I started live-streaming classes online, and eventually built our library of online classes. We were able to expand our repertoire to include different formats and lengths of classes than we had previously offered. I was able to create an at-home mirror kit for students to purchase in order to simulate the studio mirrors in their own homes. A time that had the potential to greatly limit my business actually turned into a valuable opportunity to approach it in a different way.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What has helped to build my reputation in this market starts with my background with and knowledge of the human body, my body personally, and being in tune with it. People skills also help not only in working with students, but in creating a memorable experience for them in class and keeping them coming back to the studio. Students I work with also help in spreading the word about the Barboza Method and how it and I have been able to help them. Problem solving has also become a strength of mine that I use in business and in working personally with my students and teachers. They know that I will always figure out a way to pivot, adjust, and evolve as needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thebarbozamethod.com
- Instagram: @barbozamethod
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarbozaMethod
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBarbozaMethod