Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Devra Swiger, Owner of Ab-solutely Pilates, located in Huntington Beach, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a Pilates instructor with a small home-based studio. My clients range in age from early 30s up to 80, and I see people from the very fit to the injured. Everyone has one goal in common: To improve the quality of their movement.
Tell us about yourself
I started studying Pilates in 1998. I was a part-time freelance writer and part-time fitness instructor. I got the idea one day to write about Pilates in one of the few (at that time) online fitness journals. My article requires my interview with the one and only Pilates instructor in the Charlotte, NC, area. I fell in love with the Pilates method immediately. Part of the reason was I was really tired of the bouncy, sweaty, intense movements required when teaching mainstream fitness, and I was also looking for a cure for my own nagging back pain. I love my clients, and I love what I do. That keeps me motivated.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I have changed lives. I have seen people who are convinced they are both weak and uncoordinated, and I get them moving in ways they never thought possible.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Convincing clients that it's worth the money they pay to keep going. Sadly, personal fitness is one of the things that suffers most when people have to cut back.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure that there is a niche for your market.
- Understand the need for demand.
- Have enough money to not have to cut corners at first.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
The market for almost everything is changing faster than ever. Shops that ruled the roost only a few years ago are not going bankrupt. Always stay in touch with the changing demands of the people. Just because your original plan worked a few years ago doesn't mean that it will continue to work. Be ready to change and reassess when necessary.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://ab-pilates.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ab-solutely-Pilates-240396926033929/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devra5/
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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