We were lucky to catch up with Tiffany Baskett recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tiffany, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Opening my practice and studio is one of the biggest risks I have ever taken. I have always been the scenic route type of person because I may hear what others say but I like to make my own decision or find out for myself. That has also taken me to dark places in life but without them I wouldn’t be who I am today. I was working full time and running around town teaching up to 26 classes per week when the opportunity to become a trainer for Buti Yoga and then to open my studio opened up for me. I left my “9-5” which was actually 60+ hours most weeks to pursue my dreams. At first, the thought of having a space of my own was thrilling and also terrifying!
The first space I opened was “True Align Wholistic Life” for Stretch Therapy and Private Yoga, a small 2 room suite that seemed like the perfect place to build my “practice” of helping people relinquish physical pain connected by trauma, emotions, and energetic complacency. Then the chance to open a boutique physical fitness studio kind of fell into my lap.
The space that would soon be called “The Fitness Collective”, became available only after 2 similar businesses closed which gave me pause, because my thought initially went to “if they can’t make it, how will I?” Yet, there was a voice, a nudge, a calling that I felt to GO FOR IT! Limited financial resources, never owning anything substantial (except my small suite, a house and a car), I decided I am going to make this a space that I would want to come to. I started thinking about all the things I had heard previous clients saying about what was missing in our neighborhood and I wanted to fill the void. Shortly after opening The Fitness Collective in January of 2020, the COVID19 Pandemic swept the world. It was the most devastating and biggest propeller of my business. I pivoted to take our classes/offerings online or make them more private and customizable.
So now almost 3 years later, as people are re-entering the world of brick and mortar spaces, we are still here…we are still open, and we are still providing a sacred space for beautiful humans to move their bodies, connect to their breath, tap into alternative wellness options, and truly connect with one another. That is what has been making this a super special CommUNITY! Risk = Rewarded!
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
Coming out of my twenties and into my early thirties, my life was ruled by fear; fear of being overweight, ending up with diabetes or heart disease like my closest family, becoming reliant upon medications, and living only within the perceived limitations perpetuated by the racial climate in America. Even when I had my son, I suffered with my own dark night of the soul, deeply rooted in emotional and physical pain. Finally, it was during my first 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training and self-help book reading phase that I hit rock bottom, ready to give up. However, that dark place was where I realized that what I needed to heal and show my son a different life was inside me the entire time.
I recognize that women like me are looking for solutions to live a happier and healthier life and need to unleash their inner spirit and ignite their energy to do so. By tapping into ancient wellness practices, spiritual connection, manual+energy therapy, and more, I am proud to have offered individualized plans to countless women for over twelve years.
I have studied physical therapy, kinesiology, energy work, neurokinetic/neurovascular/neuromyofascial therapy, and continue to expand my knowledge, all while holding onto the philosophy that love is the best medicine. I incorporate everything I’ve learned with my experience in fitness and dance to create alternative, holistic health solutions for others enduring the mental, emotional, and physical pain that life presents. My philosophy has always been and will always be the driving force behind True Align Wholistic Life and The Fitness Collective ATL and my mission of helping others realize that healing from within is possible!
The Fitness Collective is a collaborative team of vastly trained, certified, licensed health and wellness professionals in Atlanta brought together under one roof. It is an accessible extension of True Align Wholistic Life that aims to bring together people in the community to support each other, grow together and stay fit from the inside out. We share movement methods to challenge, revitalize and transform you in our boutique fitness space with energetically aligned, informative and intuitive science-based knowledge. We have cultivated a welcoming, empowering and inspiring community for EVERY body. With us, you can recover from injury, improve mobility, increase flexibility and find the movement that speaks to the longevity of your body with our passionate Experienced Motivators!
Not only will you find plenty of group yoga, pilates, barre fitness and bootcamp classes; we offer Fascial Stretch + NIR (Near Infrared Light) Therapy, KT Taping, Cupping, Ear Candling, and Private Yoga or Yoga Therapy Sessions!! Nutrition support, personal training & mental health consults also available.
We are YOUR 1-Stop Holistic Shop!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Oh man! This is a tough one. So many lessons/programs to unlearn in order to lead from a place of faith, yes, and limitlessness. One of my favorite ones that still kind of haunts me subconsciously is: 1. You need a man to provide for you and sustain you financially!
– This “lesson” was preached to me from my grandmother on both sides so many times. Find you a nice man and be a good wife. As a “Free Spirit” type of person that likes to color outside the lines and learn my own lessons, it was tough for me to simply fall in line. I never realized how much it stuck with me though and how much I relied on my father and uncles in my financial times of need. If I continued to hold on to that mentality, I would never have closed on my first house, bought my first car – brand new off the lot – or even opened my businesses! There were many days I felt like if I just had a rich husband, everything would be so much easier. Yet, if I never allowed myself to push past that, take a lucrative job and get creative on income making opportunities, I would be miserable. It’s taken me challenging myself, changing my circle, and truly leaning in to divine guidance/prayer/meditation to finally feel like I can do whatever I put my mind to. It may not be easy at first and there’s hidden opportunities to refine my goals and get more specific when needed or broad it that’s preferable. The underlying key for me is to get into a space where I allow myself to lead remaining pliable, adaptable, and flexible which is opening more doors than I could have ever predicted.
I am now launching the second cohort of my 200HR Yoga Teacher Training and the 1st of my 300HR to continue to grow powerful female leaders align with their passion and purpose that will ultimately ripple out into the communities around the world!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think integrity and authenticity have helped build my reputation. I lead from a place of love and acceptance and I think it’s pretty clear that I want us all to win and we really are stronger together…it’s not just a catchy hashtag. I like to collaborate with people, grow, and learn and create opportunities for the community. Whether it’s hosting a completely FREE Community event, or bringing in a newly certified yoga instructor to help them get their teaching jitters out of the way, my goal is to create an environment that makes everyone feel welcome from the moment they open the door.
I put a lot of thought into the decor, the class schedule, what we use at the studio, and how things are to be used or made available to the students/clients at the studio. I am known to say, “why not bring Buckhead to South Fulton” because I believe we deserve the best in our own backyards instead of having to drive 30-40mins away. I understand standards and pivots, chances and incentives and even though I definitely want people to patronize our space, it is more important to me that they invest in themselves so we can elevate together. I think that is felt when you take classes with us, book wellness appointments (stretch, ear candling, yoga therapy, etc.) with our practitioners, or now even just sitting in our new infrared sauna to help with metabolism, cellular regeneration, muscle recovery and more. Everything inside the Fitness Collective space is intentional and strategically placed for energetic balance, emotional resilience, and physical awareness.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fitnesscollectiveatl.com / www.truealignlife.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_tiffanyb/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffany.baskett.14/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-baskett/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUOrfDhQ3g8jsrcFIHxUiFg
Image Credits
Telless Photography