CaliforniaCarlie

I did it… I finally took the dive, signed my lease, and committed. If you haven’t heard me talk about this yet, I have officially started my own Personal Training/Pilates business. After training under and with some of the best and brightest in the Bay Area fitness community since 2010, I have decided to take the next step and become my own #bossbabe. 

This has been something I have thought about for a while, however never pursued. What started out as a random cold email to a studio owner (from Bryan actually), turned out to be a great opportunity at an amazing studio close to our home. Could it have been a fear of failure? I’m not entirely sure why I hesitated, but I’m sure glad I made the decision. I am now officially a member of the Crossroads Fitness community and working alongside a community of supportive and strong personal trainers in Burlingame . I have already felt a part of this inspiring family of fitness professionals.

Now that I’m officially my own boss, it’s essential I get my name out and start marketing my little butt off to find new clients to help train. Being a part of a communal studio and larger fitness network allows me the ability to leverage the extra resources and benefits to create a strong presence in the community. Different Pilates studios have different setups; some hire the instructors as direct employees of the studio, and others, the instructors are contractors. After working in a studio for several years, I’m excited to have the freedom to teach the preferred style that best suites my clientele and be able to make my own schedule. I am excited, albeit nervous, about the opportunity to market and position myself as an up and coming Pilates instructor down in my new home in Burlingame. 

I now have the ability to productize and monetize my own services based on the diverse fitness background I bring to the table. Thankfully, I have a strong foundation in marketing, some savvy social media skills and an already functional website. All those years of learning and perfecting this unique style of Pilates has finally paid off. My recent experience building my book of business within Rodan & Fields skincare network has also been very valuable. Over the last year, I have been able to grow my personal skincare business, create an auxiliary revenue string, and learn about how to run my own business and be my own boss. These useful skills will most definitely help grow my fitness business as well!

After I signed the lease, I thought to myself, where do I even begin. I took a look at my current website, did a content audit, and brainstormed all of the possible ways to build and optimize my new business. I accomplished some tasks I even knew nothing about, creating waivers, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for my website. It was very interesting learning about LLC formation and how to best set myself and business up for success. Some of my additional thoughts are: creating a new logo, use of different types of multimedia to promote myself and my workouts, as well as creating a newsletter. As you will probably see over the next few weeks, my website is transforming and will be more representative of me, my businesses and the hub for everything CaliforniaCarlie. This will be the go-to resource for questions, scheduling inquires, blog/lifestyle articles and other exciting news. As I continue to become a part of my local fitness community, I encourage you to do the same by staying in touch and connecting with me.

What would you like to see on my website? Feel free to comment below and share ideas on what content you would find useful. I would love to hear your thoughts on what would be of value to you!

Also, please look out for (and subscribe) to my inaugural newsletter to find out where and when I will be teaching, organizing a running club, or promoting other community and fitness-related events. This also allows me the ability to better manage my busy schedule, maintaining my day job working in operations at Amplify Partners, taking care of my pup, and working out on my own. Plus, I will also have some additional free workout content coming soon! 

If you are down in the peninsula area and looking to start adding a new routine to your schedule or want to see how Pilates can benefit your life, let’s chat and see if I can be your partner in helping you achieve your fitness goals.