Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zonnie Bauer, Owner of Zonnie Bauer Pilates, located in Montrose, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is pilates and posture correction training. My clientele range from 15 to 80+ years young. They are individuals who want to improve their posture, develop core strength, flexibility and mobility and improve their fitness and activity in life. I work with all levels of clients, from rehab clients with back, neck, shoulder, etc., pain to professional athletes looking to improve their skills and gain more flexibility and balance of muscles. I work with all pilates equipment and also offer online private one-on-one training and group classes on zoom.
Tell us about yourself
I started as a gymnast, trapeze artist and professional dancer, teacher choreographer, and director/producer for concerts and theater. I did this for many years but developed knee pain that wouldn't go away. My friend, a classic Pilates instructor, urged me to come to do Pilates with her. In 10 sessions, my knee pain went away. I knew this would be the perfect career move for me and carry through the second half of my life. It is a perfect framework to utilize my many skills developed both as a performer and teacher to help others. I was offered a job teaching at a studio and began my training. I have trained extensively with both classic pilates and Merrithew Pilates out of Toronto. I have always been an entrepreneur and rapidly launched into having my own home studio in Western New York. Back home on the west coast, I found a wonderful, intimate Pilates & Physical Therapy Studio in a hillside community of northern Los Angeles that is perfectly suited for my needs. I bring my clients here and benefit from being around like-minded and highly trained individuals.
I educate my clients on their bodies, posture, deep core muscles, and how they can develop more and more control over their bodies. I love helping people fix their bodies. I have fixed many parts of my body and trained many different modalities to do so. So I have a massive 'tool kit' available to me to help others. I always start a new client with a full posture evaluation to educate them on posture in general, their specific posture, and an ideal posture - which means a body that is balanced, flexible, and strong. The person is trained on the specific deep core muscles, which are key to developing this balance and strength. This evaluation gives me the information I need to program the client's training based on their needs and wants and how often I will see them. Motivation? Education! Helping others! Utilizing my massive toolkit of skills to do so. : )
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is what I do every day. Help another client. I have a wonderful client who has had one leg for most of her life. She is a dream to train. Loves training. Loves trying anything. It is a joy to help her.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Streamlining the administration of the business while being the main trainer. Doing it all, getting more and more efficient, and keeping up the necessary promotional activities to bring in new clients.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Do what you love. Create it every single day with every client.
- Get others to help you with the parts of the business you don't love to do.
- Continue to train yourself.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.zonniebauerpilates.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZBDancePilates/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zonniebauerpilates/
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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