Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katy Richardson, Founder, and CEO of Neighborhood Barre™, located in Knoxville, TN, USA.

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

Neighborhood barre™ is not your average barre class. Our method was created with YOU in mind, and we are committed to creating results-driven classes that are fun, inviting, and truly change your body and your body image. You will never feel out of place, bored, or overwhelmed by our classes. Our method is designed to meet you where you are in your fitness journey - beginner to advanced and everything in between!

Tell us about yourself

In 2011 I was working as a Corporate Internal Auditor in Birmingham, AL, for a publicly traded aggregates company. Due to the state of the economy, my only option for advancement was to make a lateral move and hope to work my way up once things stabilized in our industry. I was unfulfilled and looking for a major life change, so I started researching the growing boutique fitness industry and decided to quit my job, move to Knoxville and open the first Neighborhood Barre studio! I franchised the concept in 2015 and haven't looked back. My clients - both in the studio and my franchisees motivate me to be the best leader I can be, keep the class content fresh and exciting, and work to create a brand that they can be proud to be a part of.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

To date, the thing I am most proud of is growing my business during a time when the cards were more than stacked against us! It was not easy, and the ramifications of the pandemic are still not over, but being able to grow Neighborhood Barre by 36.5% during 2021 was a huge accomplishment for our emerging brand.

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

Consistency in doing the things that grow your business. Learning to put your energy into the right tasks takes is easy. Doing those tasks consistently and monitoring/tweaking your processes to maximize your results is the hard part. At Neighborhood Barre, our corporate team works closely with our franchisees to assist them in streamlining and staying on top of their sales/nurturing/and retention processes. We monitor key KPIs weekly to ensure that our owners know where they need to be focusing their energy throughout the month.

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

  1. Make sure your idea has substance. A business is only successful to the extent it does something that others can not.
  2. Over-communicate with your employees. If they know your vision and goals, they will intuitively help you accomplish them, and your operations will run more smoothly.
  3. Do not focus on your competition. It is very hard to grow your business when you spend too much energy watching your competitors. Rather, focus on your own business and clients. Look within instead of looking around!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Owning a business is never easy - if it was, then everyone would do it! The past few years have been testing our limits on how much stress we can endure, and our clients are stressed out too! Do your best, especially in times like these, to operate your business from a place of service. This does not mean you give things away for free or do not watch your revenue. Simply focus on the ways your business is serving the community and put your energy towards those areas! If you do, you will solve an existential problem for your community and clients (without even trying), and you will create an environment that draws people to you!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://neighborhoodbarre.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neighborhoodbarre
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neighborhood_barre/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-branstetter-richardson-762684b7/

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.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.