Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alison Crouch, Founder of Boomerang Pilates, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Boomerang a small Pilates and restorative movement studio. We offer a combination of attentive, restorative work that helps our clients with chronic pain and injuries and fun, accessible classes for a wider population. We have classes that are specifically designed to be bone-safe for those dealing with bone loss but still wanting to be active, strong, and fit for life.
Our clients are often older, ranging from the mid-40s to mid-'80s, and we strongly believe everyone can move, everyone can improve their capacity, and everyone belongs at Boomerang!
Tell us about yourself
I started doing Pilates in the late 90s to manage my own chronic pain and immediately fell in love. I did my teacher training and never looked back. My business has evolved from solo teaching in my basement to renting hours at a local healing centre to the bright sunny studio I love to a combination of that studio and a robust online schedule.
I love making a difference for people and seeing them thrive. Watching somebody achieve what they thought was out of reach makes my day! Whether the goal is to master an advanced reformer move or to be able to smoothly get down to the floor to play with their grandchildren, helping people make change is magical to me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Boomerang operates as an umbrella for a group of teachers. I don't hire anyone, they rent space from the studio to teach their private sessions, and their classes and money paid by the students flows right back to the teachers.
Structuring the business that way means that new teachers get the chance to build their own businesses, that all the teachers are invested in the success of their classes, and that the students have a wide variety of teaching styles to choose from in our schedule. I love that over the last 10 years, I've met and mentored a number of teachers and seen them thrive, learn and grow.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Owning a small business is a time-consuming process that involves a lot of different hats. When I first started teaching 20 years ago, I didn't know I'd become a marketer, video creator and editor, bookkeeper, IT manager, and team leader! Holding boundaries around my time is the hardest thing!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start small and build slowly.
- Be mindful of your boundaries, and don't say yes to everything. There will come a time when you can't sustain that anymore!
- Don't be afraid to spend money on really good help. The day I hired my accountant was the best day ever.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
At the end of the day, owning a Pilates studio is all about the people. The connections I have with clients I've worked with for 15 years make my work so incredibly satisfying! My goal for every day is to have made a difference for the better. Owning my own business means I have the power and independence to make that happen.
If you're ready to take chances, have slow times as well as good times, and be prepared to adapt and change when you have to (global pandemic, anyone?), then owning a small business might just be the right choice for you!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.boomerangpilates.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Boomerangpilates
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boomerangpilates/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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