Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zhana Dmitryuk, co-founder of FLEXSPACE Studios, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
FLEXSPACE STUDIOS is a virtual fitness studio that teaches stretching as a workout. We help people feel better in their bodies by using techniques from the world of professional dance, fused with top learnings from other schools of movement such as yoga, barre, and pilates, and combined with the latest research in the field of biomechanics (the science of movement).
Our students come to us to become more flexible, with goals ranging from simply being able to touch their toes all the way to getting their splits. From working with a wide array of students, we know that anyone, at any age, with any level of experience (or lack thereof) can become more flexible: the key is understanding how the body works, as well as being patient & consistent!
Tell us about yourself
FLEXSPACE was born when I, a corporate sales professional, and Jemma, a former ballerina turned fitness trainer, met one fated evening.
Jemma, a former professional ballerina, had become a fitness trainer after suffering a back injury that took her ages to recover from. Movement was her life, her passion, and the legacy she knew wanted to leave behind. She wanted to teach others everything she'd learned about the human body from years and years of education and experience.
I was a corporate sales professional. I was on the other end of the spectrum. Having had limited exposure to exercise due to various health issues in my childhood, I compensated by enrolling myself into every workout class I could use as an adult. I knew I needed to exercise for my health & wellness, but I didn't understand why all the high-intensity workout classes I was doing only left me feeling worse and getting injured. By the time I found Jemma, I was simply tired of feeling broken all the time.
I had hoped stretching would alleviate my back pain, prevent tension headaches, and make my knees stop hurting. Little did I know that not only would my chronic pains go away, but I would have a chance to build what now feels like an entirely new body: a strong, flexible, and confident one!
Once I felt the life-changing effects of stretching on my own body, Jemma and I began envisioning a world full of happy, healthy, and flexible humans. We knew we had no choice but to embark on a mission to help others feel that way - so FLEXSPACE was born, and the rest is history!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Entrepreneurship is not easy, but any time we are having a tough day, all we need to do is look at the notes our students send us: "My physio said this is the best my hips have ever been," "I can finally keep up in my circus and fitness classes" and even "Thanks to you guys, I have qualified for the world championships!!!" (this particular student is a dancer). We love being reminded that we are making a tangible difference in so many people's lives, helping them achieve their short-term goals & dreams while investing in their long-term health & wellness!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Learning to delegate! I love having a pulse on the business. The more responsibilities I give away, the more I struggle with thinking I am becoming disconnected. It is something I am working through with my mentor (having a mentor is KEY!)
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be patient: so little of entrepreneurship is taking risks, and so much of it is being patient enough to reap the rewards. Any businesses' "big" accomplishments come from a mountain of small, mundane, everyday things they had to do over and over again. I've never had to practice the "This too shall pass" mantra as much as I've been practicing it over the past two years of running my own business!
- Reverse-engineer your goals: break down any audacious goals you may have into bite-sized pieces. It becomes much easier to track your progress when you have realistic, achievable goals you can check against on an everyday basis!
- Know your "why": remind yourself why you started what you started. Entrepreneurship can be taxing, and on the days you feel like giving up, remind yourself what initially lit that fire. Then go and throw some gasoline on it - talk to your customers and ask them why they buy your products or services. Use your product or your service on yourself to remember why it has value. Imagine how much worse the world would be if it didn't have your business in it. Don't be afraid to be your own cheerleader!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Mix and mingle with other entrepreneurs! Having a support group is so, so important when running your own business. You can lean on them in times of hardships and celebration, ask for their advice, ideas, and experience when troubleshooting a problem or brainstorming for the future, get peer-mentored - and mentor others on topics you are an expert in, become accountability buddies for each other... and so much more! I am part of an amazing entrepreneur support group called City MOGULS, but there are many out there. Look into a few, and pick one that you vibe with the best.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.flexspace.fit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zhanaflex/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zhanaflex/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/snezhanadmitryuk/
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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