Empowering Women Through Strength Training

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rae Reichlin, Founder of Ladies Who Lift, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

At Ladies Who Lift, we support our clients to improve their fitness, health, and overall well-being through what we know to be a very powerful vehicle for those goals, which is strength training. We educate women on the importance of strength training and its critical value to their long-term health and physique. I want to help women feel confident and comfortable taking up space in an environment that is not typically used by them. We support our clients through in-person workshops, personal training sessions, online training programs, and education resources.

Tell us about yourself

I started LWL after feeling how powerful strength training was not just as a means of getting me to my strength and body composition goals but also how much it did for my self-confidence and self-empowerment. Every time I increased my weights in my lifts, I felt myself getting more self-assured both inside and outside the gym. I wanted to bring this feeling to other women as well. I feel that the group fitness industry is so heavily marketed towards women, wherein they have to schedule another group time and work around their own schedule. My belief is to provide a service that allows them to work on their health and fitness with the autonomy of time and prioritization.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment has been my ability to grow and scale the business over the past three years, all while finding ways to better coach and support our clients and community along the way. What started as a 20-person class, and now a community of over 500 ladies and growing!

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

Being a business owner is tough! Oftentimes, the business demands a lot of attention, and you have to be prepared to wear a lot of hats all on the same day. It can be difficult to keep up with working IN the business as well as working ON the business all at the same time.

Being a business owner absolutely requires that you stay passionate and excited about the work year-round - so juggling one's own self-care and boundaries with those responsibilities is something that has taken some time to get down.

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

Just start! I think so many people wait for the perfect time, perfect plan, or perfect opportunity to start their business. There is so much to be said for being bold, just starting, throwing a bunch of things against the wall, and seeing what sticks. There is never going to be a perfect time or perfect plan, but you will learn so much simply by taking action.
Outsource! Hiring a team to help with website maintenance, business planning, scaling, customer service, and coaching has been so essential for the growth of the business (as well as keeping my own mental health intact!). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Learn what you do best and do those things, and outsource the rest.
Niche down. I have tried and offered a lot of different products over the years. Casting the net too wide has always proven to be not just difficult but not as successful. What is your key why? what is your main message? Who do you enjoy working with? Identify these things and strengthen THOSE things. Don't try to appeal to everyone all at once.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.ladies-who-lift.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladieswholiftchi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rae.wholifts/

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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