Putting Your Passion to Work: Listening, Learning & Accepting a Helping Hand

Part Two - Interview with Beauty & The Bod’s Christie Preston

Last week, we brought you the first part in a three-part series featuring the energetic, ever-moving, fitness Entrepreneur Christie Preston. Today, we’re excited to share Part Two of her story! See how Christie tackles making changes, facing and overcoming challenges and accepting help when needed. Stay tuned for Part Three, where we’ll hear how Christie develops sustainable partners and how she does it all!

Written by: Erin Munro

We’re back with Christie Preston from the Beauty and the Bod this week for the second of three interviews. We’re excited to hear what she has to say on adapting her business, overcoming challenges and accepting a helping hand!

Thanks for having me back!

Last week, we started talking about the community you have built, and how you have had to adapt as your community has grown. I would like to hear about your learning experiences and how you managed the change. You started as a back yard Bod Squad group, and now you have more than 100 members! Tell us a little more about your journey.

Yes! When I saw that Bod Squad was becoming so popular, I knew this was something I needed to expand and make sure I could run year round. I mentioned in our last chat that I work out of Totum gyms, and this works so well! It is run by Stacy and Tim Irvine, a husband and wife team. I spoke with Tim, and asked if I could rent some space. He hadn’t ever done anything like this before, he wondered why he should let me share his space, so I asked him to give me a chance, that we would see how it goes, and now it has been about 4 years since we made this agreement. I think it would be fair to say it’s been a win-win for both Totum and Bod Squad. The best way to do business!

Today we are 112 members, and I teach 12 indoor classes per week. I get up at 5:00 am in the morning every morning and I see clients right away. The thing that I love most about my business are the people that come through my door. Everyone that comes to workout is someone I would want to have over for breakfast after. That makes it very easy to get up for!

I am constantly asking clients for their feedback on everything from workouts to best times of day. I want to keep my squad happy so I like to stay in the loop at all times!

Using the great feedback from my clients one thing I did change is that I used to make people commit to an 8 week schedule, they had to come at certain times, and then I created a facebook group where they could go online and exchange classes with each other, putting the onus on them to sort it out. I wanted to make this less labour intensive for them, and I have designed it to be more free flowing, so I started an online sign-in platform where people can buy single classes, or a 4 pack, 8 pack or 12 pack (monthly packs). Then they have the chance to pick 1 or 2 class times that work well for them per week, as long as you use your monthly package up, we’re good to go! That helps people make choose their flexibility but I also still get them regularly, which is important with keeping a fitness routine.

I am a big believer that in order for you to see real results for your fitness program, you need to commit. I still wanted my clients to have some sort of program and schedule around their busy lives but I also wanted to keep everyone accountable for making their workout a priority.

It is great that you have developed a system to listen and learn from your clients, and your community is clearly active in sending you their feedback. Have you considered bringing anyone in to help you with your workload? What has been your biggest challenge so far in your Beauty and the Bod journey?

Thanks it has certainly been a journey! I broke my foot running last summer, and wasn’t able to train all of my clients in the same hands-on way. This was a major challenge for me since I rely on my own body, health and fitness for what I do.

Luckily, my Dad had been inspired by my own personal fitness journey, and is also a fitness junkie in his own right. He had been certified as a Personal Trainer, and was able to step in and act as my right hand, man! He took over doing Bod Squad and did an AMAZING job covering for me! He was exhausted at the end of his trainer stint but he had rave reviews, my clients love him!

I have tried bringing on help before to expand the Bod Squad classes, but I generally want to avoid hiring other people since I have tried this in the past. It is tough when you have a client base where on one hand you want them to be loyal to you, but on the other you want to offer more classes as well, and satisfy everyone. I found that when I subbed out my classes, people just switched back to times where I was actually teaching. They don’t necessarily want someone else, even if the other trainer is amazing and a rockstar. Many of my clients have gotten used to a certain voice, and style, and it could be the same workout but it is still hard to find the balance between instructors.

I definitely know how to ask for help when I need it, and let me tell you, when I broke my foot, I definitely needed help! It was a relief to be able to rely on my Dad with Bod Squad, and Matt - to give me a lift around town (and so much more)!

It is so great to be able to ask for help when you need it, and to have family and friends support you in your vision! Thank you so much Christie, we can’t wait to hear the final chapter of your Schmooz interview next week! We’re looking forward to any advice you may have for future entrepreneurs, tips and tricks to how you manage all of your responsibilities and your thoughts on working with partners!

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Christie Preston is a Toronto native, fellow Branksome Hall graduate and the creator of Beauty and the Bod. Christie’s Bod Squad is the next level workout class! Christie offers group training out of Totum Gyms, Pop-Up locations and of course from the comfort of your own home with personal training packages. If you want a comfortable, friendly atmosphere surrounded by likeminded, fit, fun, and awesome people who are there to support you and cheer you on with every drop of sweat then you've found the ideal place! Christie goes beyond the role of trainer with an interactive blog sharing beauty tips, favourite recipes, travel experiences and so much more! Her kinetic energy will sure get your pulse jumping whether you’re watching and using her workout videos, or joining a class!

If you’re hooked on Christie’s journey, then check out our Schmooz Blog for other inspiring stories and stay tuned for part three of her interview! If you missed part one, find it here. To learn more about turning your passion into a career, read Ross’s story. If you’ve never thought about starting your own business, but have the itch to try something new, read Chief Executive Schmoozer Zoe Share’s story here!