From A(erobics) to Z(umba) | Ep.6

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Stephanie has been an aerobics junkie forever, and she jumped on the Zumba craze early. She has seen huge changes over the years as her small Vermont fitness studio has evolved to meet the needs of her clients.

Her small-town regulars have recently been joined by an influx of big-city escapees who are looking for an elite workout experience. She keeps them all coming back with a beautiful studio space, familiar and fun classes, and a personal connection that comes from being open about the tough times she’s endured.

Her hard-earned success has also relied on smooth coordination with two other small fitness businesses that sublet her space. These symbiotic partnerships have been remarkably drama-free, as they manage to avoid competing with each other despite sharing the same studio space.

Timestamps

• 0:00 Meet Stephanie
• 1:50 Starting Studio 108
• 3:10 Finding Punchpass in the early days
• 4:40 Renting partners
• 6:26 Marketing changes
• 7:22 Managing the studio and staffing
• 10:17 Instructor training sessions
• 11:16 The competition landscape and unique offerings
• 12:56 Bringing on the Hot Yoga partner
• 15:19 Managing the partnerships and passes
• 17:33 Dance fitness journey
• 22:20 Making the move from instructor to owner
• 24:24 Making it through hard times
• 27:55 Getting back on track
• 29:23 Connecting and sharing with clients
• 31:50 Attracting new clients and recent demographic shifts
• 35:17 Zumba choreography
• 38:39 What’s the beginner's experience?
• 40:00 Handling the pandemic with Punchpass
• 43:08 Continuing with online classes

Special thanks to Stephanie, owner of Studio 108, for being our special guest on this episode!