Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anna Shuford, Founder, and CEO of BOOMROOM, located in Charlotte, NC, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

For instructors who are sick of conforming to tech that is not built for fitness, BOOMROOM is an integrated platform that provides an amplified live class experience and business management toolset for today’s wellness entrepreneurs.

The problem right now is that Zoom workouts are extremely unorganized and lack basic features to enhance the experience for both the trainer and client alike. Simply put, there is way too much technology to deal with. Trainers use Venmo to collect payments, chaotic Excel spreadsheets to manage clients, and send multiple emails just to organize one live class via Zoom. On top of that, when the trainer or client actually gets into the class (on Zoom), the music, audio, and video quality are poor. The time and effort it takes for an instructor to organize a virtual class, paired with the poor quality class experience, makes this a problem worth solving.

Having a hybrid business model will be key to the success of solo fit pros going into the future. It will allow them to grow their business outside their city, reaching clients all over the U.S. and the world. That’s the opportunity. However, with today’s current tool kit, this isn’t an easy process and often convinces fit pros that they can’t run a successful virtual business. That’s where we come in. We make it super simple to run a virtual business, dealing with all the tech so that the instructor can focus on what they do best, teaching.

Tell us about yourself

My motto is to work hard and play hard. I am an extremely energetic person who started having a passion for fitness during my freshman year at UNC-Chapel Hill. Before the pandemic hit, I was planning on moving to NYC to pursue a job at Madison Square Garden, working in marketing partnerships where I had interned the summer before (2019). Long story short, with my plans being changed so abruptly, I decided to go back to school and get my MBA from UNC Kenan Flagler Business School, a 2-year program.

Leading up to business school, during the summer of 2020, I decided to keep myself busy by studying to get my personal training certification. During these summer months in lockdown, I started to rethink my career path and the things I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to start my own business at some point in my life; I just didn’t know when I was going to come up with a good enough idea.

During these summer months, I started taking live zoom classes 2-3 times a week with one of my favorite instructors from Charlotte, NC (Addy Collett, @findyouraltitude). I absolutely fell in love with it because all my friends were on the screen, my name was being called out, and there was such a great sense of community and accountability even though I was jumping in my living room using wine bottles as weights. I thought to myself, why wouldn’t people keep doing this post-pandemic? It was an easy way for clients to get a workout at home and stay accountable and motivated, and it was a great way for trainers to make additional money without having to have their own studios. I thought to myself; this is a simple win-win.

I started working on my idea in August 2020 and continued working on it throughout the fall of 2020. I conducted research and called as many trainers as I could get a hold of. This work validated the need for an organized and integrated software specifically for fit pros looking to build a hybrid business model at the highest possible quality. I’ve been working on the business for almost two years now and am pursuing the role of CEO full time now that I’ve graduated.

What keeps me motivated are the trainers we work with and my incredible team. Together, we have put together an amazing team of founding instructors that have played a key role in helping us build and test the platform. These founding trainers’ dedication and energy to work with us in creating the ultimate business management software for fitness entrepreneurs is what gets me out of bed in the morning and excited to keep building. And on top of that, taking the live classes with these instructors, wherever they might be in the country, in our custom-built live room (by Zoom!) is really what brings it all to life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I would say my biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been assembling my incredible team. Without them, we would not be where we are today. Our team is an experienced and diverse group of young innovators who all share a passion for health and wellness. We know the trends and believe in the power of the creator economy and its ability to disrupt various industries, especially fitness. Every member of our team was drawn to BOOMROOM because of the value they saw in our product.

Charlotte began working on BOOMROOM in January 2021; I met Alex and Claire at MBA school and met Kane in February 2021. Kane worked with a firm at that point, but a few months later, he left that company so that he could work with us directly. He’s not only a talented full-stack engineer but has an entrepreneurial mindset that has led him to co-found some innovative systems within web3 and beyond. Our team is passionately invested in the product not only because of the time and energy that they have put into it but because it reflects their personal beliefs in enhancing accessibility and user experience within the wellness space.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Staying motivated when things get rocky. Hearing about new competitors in the space, how much money they have raised, etc., is always a hard pill to swallow. However, it’s easy to get intimidated early on when things are not going as smoothly as you hoped or when you’re not gaining the traction you thought you would have. This is where I believe entrepreneurs have put at a real test a test of character. For me, I knew starting a business, especially in the tech space, wasn’t going to be easy. I expected to be scared and feel too young or inexperienced compared to others in the space. But I’ve decided to keep my head up and recognize my unique abilities, how I see things differently and how our product creates unique value in this fitness market. I am a firm believer in the creator economy, and that’s exactly what BOOMROOM empowers.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Surround yourself with an energetic and passionate team.
  2. Never stop talking to your customers.
  3. Create meaningful relationships early on.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.boomroom.fit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boomroom.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boomroom.fit/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annashuford/

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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