Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey by launching a wellness and fitness business, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Natalie Croswell, franchise-owner of FIT4MOM Torrance, located at Torrance, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We help moms find their fit! Not just through fitness, but through community and connection with other moms who are in the same age and stage of motherhood as they are. Motherhood, especially first-time new motherhood, can be so isolating. When their child is born, moms are instantly changed - a massive amount of new emotion, new responsibility, and a new body! It's a lot!! We believe that every mom needs a community of other moms in the same stage of motherhood as her to provide that safe space to connect and get vulnerable. We do that while also building the physical and mental strength to keep up with those kiddos.
Tell us about yourself
Before becoming a parent myself, I didn't work in the fitness industry. I was grinding away as an advertising executive - logging on to my computer after hours, taking frequent trips to the East Coast, all of it. I knew it wasn't a compatible career with the kind of mom I wanted to be. On my maternity leave, I got to know FIT4MOM, a mommy-and-me fitness franchise designed by and for moms. This was it. This was how I could still flex my brainpower and balance my family, and I wanted in. Now, every day I wake up knowing that there are moms in my program benefitting from the same community that helped me through new motherhood. Moms who show up to class and don't even care about the workout - they just want to connect! It's a newfound responsibility that I bear to provide this space for them, and it keeps me going even as my children aren't babies anymore.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It's going to sound corny, but my biggest accomplishment is every friendship that has formed between my clients. Each one is the reason I do this business. Second to that would be the time I was recognized as a "Mom Making a Difference in the South Bay." It was a community-nominated recognition which means so much because it validated the significance of my work.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
When your business is your baby, your pride is so attached to the business's success that you will work harder than ever to create the success you envision. This means that you never turn it off. Your mind is constantly running with thoughts on what to do next, improve, and become more efficient. It's the competition with yourself that is the most challenging aspect of being a business owner.
What are the tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First, factor in the trial and error. You will have so many ideas, and you should explore them! Allow yourself to get creative, but budget for that time and expense. Secondly, recognize that YOU are inherently a part of the brand or business you are creating. Don't water it down. Don't polish yourself to the point where you're no longer identifiable. Your clients will be more loyal to your business when they have an opportunity to connect with you. Finally, automate. Get that nitty-gritty, mind-numbing task off of your plate. Invest in the tools to automate the small stuff.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Having an idea is one thing - but going for it is what sets entrepreneurs apart. So go for it! You got this! Get one ball in motion and see where it goes. What's your first step?
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://torrance.fit4mom.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fit4momtorrance
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fit4momtorrance/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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