Lagree for Every Body - Resistance Chicago Lagree

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Erin Heatherton, Co-Founder of Resistance Chicago Lagree, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

We are an independent, boutique fitness studio that teaches Megaformer and treadmill classes. Our customers have diverse backgrounds and fitness goals. Some are athletes looking to build strength and balance. Some are parents looking for a quick and effective workout in the limited time they have. Others are beginners starting their fitness journey.

Tell us about yourself

Staying in shape was a critical part of my job as a model. I was blessed with the opportunity to work with many world-class trainers. I enjoyed working with them and admired the skill and knowledge that went into their job.

When I moved back to Chicago in 2018 and took a step back from modeling, I started taking group fitness classes and got hooked on the Lagree Method. My (now fiancé) Karol and I decided to become entrepreneurs and build a fitness community of our own in Wicker Park.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We spent the second half of 2019 getting the business started. We planned a grand opening event for March 2020. Then COVID happened. We opened when the lockdowns ended, then went back into lockdown, and then reopened with limited capacity.

Despite the horrible timing, we managed to survive and grow the business. Over 5,000 people have worked out at our small studio, and now hundreds of new faces walk through our door every month. Our biggest accomplishment is building a community in extremely challenging times.

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

There's no break or vacation. Even when we travel or when issues come up in our personal lives, we are always mindful of the things we need to do to ensure everyone has a good experience at our studio.

Something new always comes up, and we have to quickly find solutions to problems we never thought we would encounter.

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

Marketing is harder than you might think. You can build a great product that people love, but it doesn't matter if you can't reach your potential customers. It takes constant effort and iteration. You can spend thousands of dollars on ads or get a million viral social media impressions and get little sales. Every business is different, and you must keep being creative to find new, effective ways to reach your audience.
Don't be optimistic in your financial planning. If we had spent our entire budget on building out the fanciest possible studio, we would have gone out of business during the pandemic. Crazy things happen, and you need the resources to weather unexpected events.
Iterate but be patient. Building up a loyal customer base, growing website traffic, or finding the right product mix takes time. You can't expect instant results with each new effort.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.resistancechicago.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resistancechicago
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resistance_chicago/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resistance-chicago-lagree/

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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