Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
In this episode of "Dietitian Turned Designer," I sit down with the incredible Ali Hall, owner of Pure Balance Pilates and Align by Ali Hall in Athens. Ali shares her journey from experiencing severe pain and considering quitting dance to becoming a Pilates studio owner focused on healing and body reconnection. We delve into the importance of creating a positive atmosphere in the studio, aligning with the company's messaging, and staying true to values while avoiding toxic diet culture. Ali's passion for helping others shines through as she discusses the profound transformations she's witnessed in women attending her classes and wellness events. Join us as we explore the power of movement, the shift towards anti-diet culture, and the vision for expanding Ali's coaching programs. Get ready for an inspiring and empowering conversation!
LINKS:
JOIN NOURISH YOUR SEO MEMBERSHIP
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
JOIN ME ON INSTA
ALIGN BY ALI HALL WEBSITE
ALIGN BY ALI HALL INSTA
PURE BALANCE PILATES WEBSITE
PURE BALANCE INSTA
Websites, local SEO, and marketing strategy for dietitians in private practice. Hosted by Courtney Vickery, web designer and dietitian, helping you build a site and online presence that actually gets you clients.
In each episode, we'll tackle the practical side of private practice: websites that actually convert, tech tools that don't give you headaches, and strategies to streamline your workflow. Whether you're drowning in admin tasks or just starting your practice, we're here to help you spend less time managing your business and more time doing what you love - helping your clients.
Join us as we chat with successful dietitians and practice management experts who've figured out how to make technology work for them, not against them. We'll share real solutions for real practices, focusing on what actually works in the world of weight-inclusive care.
From fixing your scheduling nightmares to making your website work harder for you, Tech Savvy Dietitian: Websites, Local SEO & Marketing for Dietitians in Private Practice brings you practical strategies you can implement right away. Because your time is better spent helping clients, not fighting with tech.
Hi everyone. Welcome back to the dietitian turned designer podcast. I'm excited to speak because I have my friend Allie Hall, who is actually in the Athens area with me.
So hi Allie. Hi, I'm excited to be here. I feel like we've joked for so long about, we need to do at least a podcast episode, if not a series together, cause we can talk about all this stuff forever.
So I'm really excited.
Yeah. So tell us about what you do and about both
of your businesses. , so I am pure balance Pilates studio here in Athens, Georgia, where a Pilates reformer studio, , coming up on our fifth anniversary this fall, which feels unreal. , and then I also recently started my second business called align last year, which is kind of wellness, intuitive eating, , just general life coaching for women in particular.
, so. And they, you know, they interchange with one another, but, , that's where I am right now.
And I can't remember. I'm, I have a horrible memory. How did we meet? Was it, was it social media or was it like an
event somewhere? I don't remember. Now I'm struggling to remember. I feel like I just somehow found you online and reached out and was kind of like, how did I not know?
There was another intuitive eating person here. And then we did a couple of events together. Yeah. But I don't know how I found you originally. I'm glad I did though.
Yes. And I was, it's awesome. When you find somebody local that has the same kind of values and approach to business that you do. For sure. So speaking of that, can you kind of tell us about your background and what led you to start a fitness business that avoids
diet culture?
Yeah, , so I was a dancer pretty seriously growing up, , by the time I was in high school, I was dancing 20 25 hours a week, , and had really started struggling with some lower back pain, hip pain, , and was kind of thinking I was going to have to quit dancing because I was just so young and in so much pain all the time, , which I now realize I probably have some kind of hypermobility.
situation going on. , but didn't know that then and ended up finding, , Pilates. There had been a new physical therapist that had moved to town that did Pilates based therapy. And I started seeing her three times a week and was pretty much pain free within A month or two. And then from there, my range of motion got better.
My dancing improved. I just felt better. And I really fell in love with the way that Pilates kind of connects you to your body and that you feel and experience all these things in different ways. So maybe you're doing something that you think is an upper body exercise. And then all of a sudden you're feeling your hips and your pelvic floor and your inner thighs and all the other things.
So, , I just really fell in love with it. And. Before that I had thought I wanted to be a marine biologist, so kind of did a 180 and decided I would go to school for , exercise science and maybe end up going to PT school but was unsure and in the meantime that therapist had opened up a Pilates studio in my hometown and so It's been a lot of time there.
, she kind of became my mentor, watched her grow into a much bigger facility in space. , and then once I came to college in Athens, there really wasn't any Pilates. And so I spent a lot of breaks, a lot of weekends back home working there. , and so that's kind of how I got into like the Pilates world and realistically looking back, I think even before.
I definitely already had some struggles with disordered eating, if not already into eating disorder, , how a lot of the typical like comorbidities I've just was diagnosed with ADHD last year. So I had undiagnosed ADHD. I've been labeled quote unquote obese and, you know, early middle, , Late elementary school.
I had IBS. I had all of these kind of overlapping things and definitely was already struggling with a lot of that and it kind of and was a dancer, not to mention that you're staring at yourself in a leotard all the time and and I was not in a toxic dance studio like there was never any pressure to lose weight or look a certain way and I feel really blessed from that but it's just The world that, , that happens.
And so looking back, there was already some of that there. And then this mentor of mine in the studio, she had cultivated, just ended up being a very toxic situation. So very, very steeped and really deep diet culture. And I'll say even like wellness culture, , you know, kind of disguised. And by the time I was like, , Sophomore in college, I think I was pretty deep in, , uh, eating disorder.
, and there were a lot of other things going on with that mentor, just where it was not a great situation on top of the body image pressure and dieting pressure. And so I ended up kind of removing myself from that situation, which was. The best thing that I could have done for myself at that point, and somehow stumbled upon intuitive eating at some point.
And I was just trying to think like, I genuinely don't know how I found it. It's one of those things that felt just like answer to a lot of prayers and ended up with this intuitive eating coach virtually and doing a two month program with her. I mean, she was like based out of Sweden or somewhere crazy.
Like, I really don't know how I found this. , and so that kind of. Led me to realize, Oh, I actually have an eating disorder. Not just like not a great relationship with my body and started on that side of my healing journey, as well as just healing from all the other things of life. , But I was really missing Pilates.
And so I ended up in 2018, in the fall, opening my studio, , here in Athens, just felt like there was really a lack of a Pilates in Athens at the time there were no Pilates studios and be I saw this huge need for a fitness studio that could be part of the solution. Like if I had had all these struggles because of a fitness studio, why couldn't I create one that was helping people reconnect with their bodies and heal through movement?
Because that's so much of what Pilates is at its base. I know now it kind of has this connotation of being all about toning and looking a certain way. And that's really not where it was created from. It was created to rehab bodies through injuries. And so I saw a need for that and also for a fitness place here in Athens, which is a college town that local women felt comfortable moving their bodies in.
Because what I was hearing was that Majority of the fitness studios in Athens only catered towards college students and so local women felt really intimidated to walk into these classes with these 18, 19, 20 year old girls, , when they didn't look and move like that anymore and that these studios didn't really accommodate them or seem to value them.
So, , ended up opening the studio in 2018 when I was 22. , and here we are. Five years later.
Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing that. I don't think I knew you were a dancer. I don't think I knew that. Yeah.
What kind of dance? Yeah. It's, , I would dance with a pre professional ballet company. And my hometown that we trained and everything and was captain of the dance line.
And so I kind of did a little bit of everything and, , actually just got back to dancing this year for the first time in about 10 years. And it's been so incredible. , I had a bad ankle break about three months before I opened the studio five years ago, where I couldn't walk for two months. and have had three ankle surgeries since.
And so there was a time when I could never even like visually imagine in my brain dancing again. And so that's been really exciting for me this year, just to get back to it just in a way that's for me and not a pressure of performing a certain way.
No, that's awesome. I was going to ask if you were dancing still.
So that's, that's awesome that you're able to get back into it. , so a couple of thoughts, one, you know, that I don't teach Pilates because that's the one thing that I don't. And I think it's interesting because I wonder if there's like a correlation between people that dance and do Pilates versus people that do yoga and don't dance.
, but yeah, I'm a, I'm a yogi and I do want to try Pilates. I just haven't had a chance yet because my schedule is insane.
I was going to say, it's not like you're running multiple businesses. And I mean, you
know, I'm a little busy. Yeah, I hired a virtual assistant this week though. So everyone should be proud of me because I haven't hired anyone.
I've been like, I can do it all on my own and you can't.
So I am so excited for you. That's amazing. Yeah.
I know. I'm like, wow, I don't have to do this task. I can like assign it to them and they can
do this. It's mind blowing. Then you have to go through the whole like mindset shift of like, wait, I have to let this go now.
Yes. I know. I was like,
yeah. , and then you mentioned that you just found out that you're neurodivergent with your ADHD diagnosis and I'm also neurodivergent. So that's always interesting to me to see like how many business owners. Yeah, because I feel like we don't really thrive in other places.
No. And it's such like a, a two sided coin because I, I totally agree.
And I think nerd divergent people are not meant to be on like a nine to five kind of situation. And unless they're in a really, really creative environment, I think sometimes it can work, but, , Then you've got the side of it. Okay, well now I'm my own boss and I've got executive functioning disorder. So how do you like kind of balance that?
, has been an interesting thing, but it's been so helpful for me just to get a diagnosis and, you know, realize that these things that I kind of thought were character flaws are actually just an undiagnosed. Disorder that I can start working with my brain instead of against it constantly. So, , it's definitely been an interesting journey.
Yes. But that's awesome that you were able to figure that out and like figure out that now you can get the support you need instead of beating yourself up because I had the same thing. I'm like, why, why can't I be normal? You know, exactly. Yeah. When you first started your business, can you kind of talk about what challenges you faced when it came to marketing and not marketing from a traditional dieting standpoint?
Yeah. So, you know, I knew from very early on, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted the studio to be. I had very strong, very, very strong at the time feelings about what I wanted it to be and what I didn't want it to be. , and I'm so thankful for that because I think that is what has gotten me to where I am today.
And I think that I care genuinely and so deeply and so passionately about. Our mission and helping women kind of reconnect with their bodies and take care of themselves is so deeply ingrained to who I am now that that is kind of what has propelled us forward. , and so I think that was part of it too, of just having the strong feelings from the beginning.
Like I never even considered wavering from that. , what's interesting though, is looking back. I was still in my, not that we're ever done with our healing, but still very much in the midst of healing and still very angry. , with a lot of things and I think that came across in some of the language just in that we were, it was very, and I say this and I'm exaggerating, but it felt very in your face of how much we were like, we don't measure weight loss or we don't use weight loss as a measure of success.
You know, we don't put your worth in your way, which I'd never want anybody to do, but it was very explicitly like talking about weight in particular in our language. , so what I realized was that That language might turn away some people who really needed a space like ours. And so eventually we ended up kind of softening the language. So now some of our language says something more along the lines of we help women, reconnect with their bodies and learn to love their bodies through movement or learn to love themselves through movement.
, and. That I think has been a big shift for us. , in the beginning though,
I had these really, really strong, beliefs, and I think the language kind of reflected that as far as our social media as well as Just our brand language on our website.
, and, and I wrote all of that and looking back there wasn't anything wrong with it. , but I think there are demographics that that would turn away who really truly need a space like ours. And when I slowed down and started to really talk to clients, what was cool is hearing them say, you know, I started coming here because I wanted to lose weight or I wanted to do X, Y, Z, or I heard Pilates.
You know, tones your body, but somehow along the way, like I don't think like that anymore. And I'm focused on moving my body in a way that feels good. And I feel so much better and I have so much more energy and my mental health has improved so much. And I just love this space and the way that they were able to absorb that simply by being in a space that.
did not use shame to get them moving their bodies. And that gave them space to listen to and connect with their own bodies. And that wasn't explicitly asking them to shrink or change their bodies. , because in, in our classes, we don't use language. Like we're doing this to tone this muscle or to do this.
We give many variations and encourage Whatever you have to show up with today is whatever you have to show up with. Go with the variation that feels good in your body. And it's so much about that reconnection of just giving them space in a way that they hadn't received it before they were getting to decide how they were moving their body out with how much energy they were using, , and why they were moving their body. They didn't have that pressure coming from us. , so I think that was the point when I kind of decided to soften the language a good bit.
I think in the beginning, our biggest struggle with marketing was more of just. Getting the local women on board like our demographic did lean much more towards the college students when we first opened. Because again, I think Pilates has a lot of stigma around it. People think of like thin, skinny Australian women for some reason.
It's like the image that comes up, I think, with Pilates. And that was not us at all, but getting that across to. Local women in their late 20s, all the way up to 60, 70s, , was a challenge at first. And I was young, I was 22, you know, and I didn't know anything about running business. I was flying by the seat of my pants and on hope and a dream.
And I got lucky, I think in a lot of ways and surrounded myself with good people and educated myself. But, , I think that was a bigger challenge at first because I was holding strongly to my beliefs and I still do. And I don't think that we've ever compromised on that, but it was definitely hard, even, you know, as I'm working with business coaches or , listening to podcasts about marketing for fitness businesses and.
That is the language that they use. If they give an example of what you're selling, they're like, you know, you want to sell the experience and it's that they're going to lose X amount of weight in this time, or their jeans are going to fit differently. Or they're blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And it's like, no, , that's not what we're doing.
They're getting that shame from enough other places. I don't need them getting that from here and. Realistically in the longterm, this is a better business standpoint to be at because our people stay for life because they come in, they have a different experience. It becomes about filling their own cup, moving their body, connecting with themselves.
It's improving their mental health and their energy and their physical health and all of the other things, but it's not about this fleeting thing that's ever changing. , and so it keeps them coming back because they're coming back out of a place of compassion for themselves instead of shame. So even though I feel like it took us longer to , build up that clientele.
Now, I would say maybe we only have 10% college students and it's so cool because you can walk into a class. And have every age from maybe even a high school student that's come with her mom all the way up to late 60s and we have , people in their 70s and 80s, and I think 90s now in private sessions and so it's just created the space that people just feel welcome and comfortable to come and get and take what they need, which I think is really impactful.
, I don't know that I have any like direct evidence of how things may be shifted when we soften the language a little bit. I think it's more of just a feel of it. , but I do think that some of those people who might be looking for that weight loss or whatever it is that they're trying to achieve. I just didn't want them to be completely turned away by our language because what's been, like I said, so cool is just seeing how simply being in our classes, not even, Looking at our other content or coming to our wellness events or doing any of that simply by being in classes, how much their perspective is able to shift, even if they don't know why, and they can't put their finger on it.
They're just like, this place is different. I feel different. I'm thinking differently. And then, yes, we host these wellness events or I do my coaching or they see our newsletter or our social content. And then I think they start to get the information about that culture and start to have that bigger, deeper.
shift, but I think ultimately it comes back to being able to connect with their body in a different way. as well,
I think another thing with the language shifts that we used as we started making it less about , this is what we aren't.
And more on this is what we are. So instead of , we're not like other studios, we don't, you know, use language like this in our classes. We aren't going to push you into weight loss. We aren't going to X, Y, and Z. It started to become, we want you to connect with your body in a deeper way. We want you to feel better.
We want you to have more of what it is you're wanting out of life, whether that's peace or ease or joy, whether it's to be able to chase after your grandkids or to. Have a baby more comfortably or to recover from having a baby or whatever it is. We want you to be able to show up in your life with more.
, and so that I think was the biggest shift of going away from this is what we aren't and what we're not going to give you because it's not good for you versus here's what we are and here's what we're going to give you. , I think that was the biggest language shift across the board in pretty much all of our copy.
Yeah, no, I like that because not that before was negative, but it had negative, you know, don't like we aren't going to do this. Exactly. You shifted to like a neutral and in a way more positive message because you're focusing on what it is going to give you versus what we're not going to give you.
Exactly. And it's so subtle, but I've seen it , and it's just the thing that you, it's one of those things you just feel, and that's why I copy and branding is so important because that little bitty shift makes such a big difference. And that is Oliver talking. If anyone can hear him, he's working at nothing and he's laying down while he's doing it because he's
very scary.
, it's like, you know, what you said about people can feel it, but they aren't really, I think, unless you're in this world and you're in anti diet and like really engrossed in that culture. It's so subtle and people can't put their thumb on it, but they feel it, but it comes from just not saying all those toxic things that
other places are saying, , instead of having to be, saying why those things are toxic, which we still do some of we're just not saying the toxic things. We're not shaming them constantly because a lot of the shame stuff, especially in the diet culture and wellness industry now is super subtle.
Yes. You know, like there is still an underlying tone of shame, but if you're not doing this work that we're doing, I don't know that people pick up on it. Like they just know that it makes them feel icky, but aren't sure why. And so simply just not having that undertone of shame and having this constant undertone of compassion for you coming from us and that we want you to have for yourself.
I think that's the biggest shift. And that's the thing that people are like, I just can't explain it. Like this place is just different, but they can't necessarily put their finger on.
Well, like the example you gave of the grandparent playing with their grandkid. I've, you know, in my past roles have heard that used as a shame tool, from a weight perspective, If you lose weight, you'll be able to play with your grandkids, but you guys have taken it and said like, that's not even what it's about.
It's not about your weight. It's about, you know, getting stronger and feeling better in your body and like healing and, you know, rehabbing parts of your body that might be in pain. That's, what's going to help you play with your kids, not the size of your body.
For sure. And like Pilates, Joseph Pilates has this quote, and I'm not going to say this word for word correctly, but it's something along the lines with.
You know, I want my clients to be able to show up to their life with zest and vigor for his words, I think, , which I come back to all the time. It is like zest and vigor can mean different things at different ages and for different people and that looks differently for everyone, but we want anyone to be able to live the life that they want to live, whatever that looks like.
And so yes, we may have some people that are wanting to run marathons or do these crazy intense things with their bodies. , but, , some people just want to be able to like age with grace or they just want to feel better energetically and physically in their bodies.
, and I think the other component of that too is And honestly, I think this is something I'm still working on right now because now I have these two businesses. So I've got a line, which really is focused on full wellness and mind, body, spirit and all of it, which we are at peer balance too. We talk about that all the time.
We have these wellness events that are covering other topics as well. And it's important to me that, you know, the wellness goes beyond the studio. So one thing that I think I'm even realizing more right now with our language is that I know how important it is to look at every component of your health and wellness and how I want people to feel like they can support themselves.
Yes, with their movement practice, but also with the other stressors of life. And so that's why we do have a lot of these wellness events and other offerings within the studio. Our whole thing is wellness goes beyond the studio.
So one thing I've. Now, more recently, I've been trying to find the balance with, because now, you know, I have a line, which is the side of the business that is a little bit more focused on overall wellness and not just the fitness side, whereas Pure Balance, we are a Pilates studio, even though we have all of these other wellness offerings and things going on for our clients, and I know how much of an impact even just moving your body in a new way can have And kind of bleed out into other areas of your life.
So trying to balance that, we want. People to have well rounded wellness practices for themselves and be able to show up and care for themselves on a regular basis. And also some people do want to just come in and move their bodies and work out. And that's okay too. They're still going to get all the benefits, but they may not want me to like go into a woo woo meditation in class.
You know, it's been 10 minutes on that, which I can get into sometimes. And we do have clients who like that. , but trying to find, you know, that balance where we're not kind of forcing something on somebody that is not what they're wanting or what they're paying for, or they think they're paying for, , but still giving space and acknowledging that our bodies.
And movement, and especially when you start truly connecting to your body in a real way and finding some embodiment that that can link into your emotions, it can link into your mental health, it can link into all these other areas. And so, holding space for that while also just allowing people to come in and just work out if that's what they want to do.
So seeing that, how that plays out in the language too. And I honestly think it's been nice now that I have a line where I can put a lot more of the wellness content on a line and we can then just share it with peer balance versus having me having to funnel all of that through peer balance as well.
But we still offer all of our wellness events. We still, , we have monthly, we call them embody. Themes, , in the studio where I have a class called embody. That's all about somatics and nervous system regulation, but we'll have a theme each month that ties into that class, but we also expanded out into the studio.
So for example, this month we're doing play as the theme. And so we'll have like little games up around the studio and I'll do like a 20, 25 minute kind of podcast style episode talking about play and how that can benefit their mental health, or we'll send out push notifications with. You know, journal prompts for them so that the people that want to take it deeper can take it deeper.
But the people who just want to come in and move and leave can do that too.
No, that's awesome. So as far as potential clients and then also other businesses, have you encountered any resistance or skepticism to your approach?
I don't, it's not exactly that there's been any resistance or skepticism.
Especially if it's a newer client sometimes, and it depends on the personality. And I think it goes back to , when your brand language is really clear and your brand identity, you're going to attract. The kind of clients who are a good fit for you for the most part. And so I think that's one reason we haven't had a huge problem with it, that even if not everyone who comes in is already on some kind of anti diet journey, they're at least appreciative of our compassionate approach.
And I think the results that our clients get speak for themselves. And when I say results, I'm not talking about typical fitness results, but the fact that, our clients don't just say , Oh, it's a great workout. You know, it's fun, whatever it's. Yes, it's a great workout, but my life has changed.
I feel like a different person. My mental health's improved. My physical health has improved. My pain's gone. It's these really big transformations. And so I think that kind of speaks For itself, as far as our method goes, but you do every now and then have people come in that maybe aren't as aligned and it's a hard thing to balance because those people need somewhere like us, I think even more so sometimes, but you'll have the people that come in that in a class, you know, or making comments about their weight or.
saying things before after class or questioning it. And it is always an interesting dynamic because when I'm in that situation, like I'm not in coach mode, they're not paying me to teach them about diet culture. And so it's how do you subtly start to, try to help them and also keep the expectation that our current clients have of what kind of environment they're going to be in when they come into the studio.
, while also still holding space . For those other people to be there and to, , kind of soak in our message. , and it, it hasn't been a problem for the most part, but every now and then I'll see that. But I, I will say that we also will have people come in, that they come in and I can tell immediately, I'm like, they're not going to stay because they want somebody To be pushing them so much that they don't feel great in their body, you know, because that's what they think that they must do.
, and you know, I think it's just knowing your niche and knowing that you'll attract the people you're meant to attract and we've done that. And I will say, especially in the last like year and a half, I feel so proud of the community that we've built and it being just the most amazing. People like we just have the best clients and I know that sounds so cliche, but it's just the best feeling to have after class again, all these women from different ages, different backgrounds who probably wouldn't know each other otherwise having these amazing conversations and supporting each other and, , and also having fun together, like making movement joyful again is so huge too.
and so, I definitely think. The biggest place that I struggle with kickback from things is more when I'm out and about in public or talking to people for the first time and they ask what I do. And when it's like, why don't Pilates studio? And I'm a wellness coach. And I even struggle with that title wellness coach.
Cause that has a connotation. Now I don't want to say intuitive eating coach because I I'm not coaching the intuitive eating framework. Like I'm using intuitive eating principles and pulling that stuff when needed with people, but I'm not. Just doing intuitive eating coaching. But I feel like I have to add something that tells people, , I'm not about to sit here and say that you're not small enough or need to eat different.
And so it's this bizarre, . You know, you tell people what you do and then they immediately are like, Oh, I'm just been so bad lately. I've got to lose some weight or I need to start moving again. Or, and at that point too, it's like, well, I'm just in a public setting. I can't go super deep into this right now.
And so it's just trying to have these subtle, , you know, just focus on moving your body and feeling good or these little one off comments. , but I'll say I've come across kickback, I think a little bit more within the coaching side of things versus the studio. Whereas , you know, I might have had a couple of Introductory calls with people for coaching when they're really looking for weight loss and they just want you to give them a food plan.
And I'm not going to do that. It's not also not my scope of practice. I'm not a dietitian, you know? So I know that feeling all too
well. Yes. , and I think that was kind of what I was wondering because. It does make sense that the more individual clients have been given more pushback because you know, I've had the same conversations.
, and I always say that they're like intuitive eating curious, you know, or their weight neutral curious. It's like they would love to do it, but. They just on that stages of change model just aren't there yet. Yeah. And it's okay that they're not there yet, but it's Right. It's just not fun when they want to be there and then they sign up and then they're still not there.
Yes. That's just not,
not a fun time. for sure. And I think. You know, in the studio, when it comes up, it's more for me about, and I kind of already said this, but how do I hold space for those people to give them a chance to kind of, you know, get on port on board and have that transformation while also making sure that it's not negatively impacting any of our current clients, in a way where if they're further along in the journey, but still struggling with anything,
that they're not going to be super triggered by something that happens. And not that I can control everything that anyone says, but, , another thing that has come up for me in the past year and really since the beginning was also making sure that the staff are super aligned and that language, especially when our branding is so strong on social media and in our copy and on our website.
And so people come to expect one thing from us. And if we're saying all this stuff and that's what they're expecting, if they, even if there's one instructor, who's not aligned with that, and they come in in their first classes with that instructor, there's that disconnect, even if they don't hate the class, there's that mental, like this doesn't line up.
So. Are they lying on social media or is this a one off and we don't want our clients having that kind of situation. And so making sure that the in studio experience from every single experience, I'm talking about the messages that they get from our scheduling app to. Their first contact with an employee, whether it's a front desk person or a management or an instructor to their actual class to the follow up that every single experience I have with us lines up with that branding and what we believe in our mission and our vision, because if not, it's another one of those things where they may not be able to put their thumb on it, but they just don't have that trust level.
Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking was that no, like trust factor gets broken. Yeah. There's been like a hint of, you know, something that's not right. Right. They can sniff it out. And last week's episode, I talked with Laura Jean, who's a dietitian in Australia who helps other dietitians in business.
And her whole focus is values. And we talked a lot about values based marketing and that's kind of. What we're talking about here too.
So speaking of marketing, I know that a lot of other, diet based fitness industries will use, , different challenges like weight loss. Like when I worked in corporate health, it was always like kind of weight loss challenge.
So what are ways that you kind of take a similar type of free offer or something to pull people in that's not focused on diet culture and weight
Yeah, it's definitely been a challenge because, when the pandemic hit, we had just had a huge growth spurt, like finally hit the revenue goals I'd been wanting to hit and COVID hit and we closed and took us a while to build back up.
And so you have those moments, I think, especially as a small business owner, in particular, when you were. Very, very passionate about the mission. Like it's not just about, this is my livelihood and this is, you know, a business that I'm doing and I don't want to fail, but also I want this to work because I want to help people in this way that if things are slower and if you see these things happening, it's hard not to just give in to.
The norm and what society will tell us. And a lot of coaches and different online things will tell us like, Oh, well, you could sell out if you did this, or if you did this and being able to stick to your values and say, no, that doesn't align with who we are, but now how do we get creative and use a similar theory, but in a way that's empowering and not.
Shame inducing for people. , and so we've, for the most part stayed away from challenges per se, because I even struggle with. Doing punch card challenges or things where you're trying to come as much as possible in a short amount of time, even though I know that's a good sales tactic, but when we've created a space like this, even though not everyone who comes to us has a history of an eating disorder or, , an unhealthy relationship with movement.
But we're cultivating a space that makes those people feel safe. And so I don't ever want to do anything that puts any of those people in a place to relapse. And also, I don't know that that's good for many of us in general, you know? And so I don't like to do anything even like that. And so for us, it'll be more.
Maybe like a bingo card that is, , for example, last month with our embody theme, we did exploration for the theme. And I wrote a blog post about like 25 ways that you can cultivate exploration this summer. And so we did a bingo card where we had some of those things on the card, but also had, you know, try a new class style, bring a friend and do something new with them.
Some different ways to try to get people engaged without it feeling, , forced or. Toxic diet culture essentially. , but then that even comes down to like marketing software Walla, which has been incredible. And I'm so glad we switched to that over mind body, but the way that they track milestones is through number of visits.
, whereas I would probably prefer to track through how long have you been coming? Like, how long have you been showing up for yourself, however often? , and so we've even had to find ways where, how can we still use the concept of tracking a number of visits and applaud that, but in a way that's not encouraging an unhealthy relationship with movement.
So instead of Oh my gosh, you've come to a hundred classes and X amount of time. It's like, wow, can you believe it? Like you've been here and shown up for yourself for a hundred classes or 50 classes or 20 or however many it is, no matter how long it took you to come to those many classes, like that was 20 hours or 50 hours that you came and just been on yourself or that you were able to connect with your body.
, and so it's, some of it is subtle shifts like that, and then some of it has just been, we've completely stayed away from the way that normal fitness studios market. , and that's hard, and it takes longer to grow that way. It's easy to do it the other way. It would be easy for us to go after college students.
It would be easy for us to market in that way, but it also wouldn't be sustainable longterm. Those clients turn over so much and it would not feel true to who we are. And so I think it just comes back to like staying true to what feels right and feels good for you. , and being patient and knowing that sometimes building a really strong business takes longer.
And isn't that instant success that you might see other places have on social media, which in real reality, are they really having it either? Probably not. But,
like all those people that are like, I can show you how I made a hundred grand in a month to do it the same way. I do it. That irritates me so much.
Yeah. And I'll say , I always admire so much people like you who have a brick and mortar business, because mine's virtual. So I'm saving a ton on rent and facilities. , so it's always amazing to me how you all can continue to thrive and pay rent these days, cause it's so outrageous.
I'll just be in my
shed forever. Yeah. The, the rent thing has definitely gotten kind of crazy, but I, you know, I also think that when you take the time and you build up a community of raving fans, even if it takes longer and if it's not. As big as you want it to be as early as you want it to be, that ultimately is going to pay off tenfold when you've got these people that are going out into the community and saying, this is such an amazing place and it's changed my life and not just like, hey, come to the gym with me, you know, like that's going to pay off in the long term.
, and you just have to kind of trust and have faith. And I think it goes back to believing in. What you do in your vision and your mission, cause you just got to, that's what you got to hold on to when things get hard, you know,
so for the future, what are your hopes and aspirations for the future of your fitness business and the impact that it can have on the fitness industry?
this is a hard one. Not, not really. Cause I know, but it's a very layered question, but so with. Pure balance in particular.
It has just, like I said, been so cool to watch these people, women mostly, have these very, very profound transformations simply from coming into our classes and being in a space like ours, and then maybe occasionally dropping into a wellness event and learning some more about these things. And so being able to see that on a larger scale, where we have Ultimately, I eventually want to have a bigger space where we have two separate studios, one for apparatus, one non apparatus, and just being able to serve more people and more women is a big thing for me.
But, you know, I always come back to those transformations. One of my absolute favorite things is It's a particular demographic and it's usually, I would say women in their mid to late fifties, early sixties who had kids, their kids are now grown and they are just for the first time in their life doing something for themselves.
And they come in and you can just see in their energy and the way they hold themselves, how dimmed their light is and how self conscious they are. They're usually coming in for weight loss and maybe some aches and pains. And Usually in baggy clothes or all, you know, dark leggings and had a couple of times where it was just like, so night and day of seeing the same exact woman walk in a couple months later, and for the first time, be sitting upright and standing upright and , just have that glow from the inside out where it's not that I'm talking about any physical change, externally that's happened, but you can just tell that they're more connected with themselves, that they're more confident.
And that they're caring for themselves and showing themselves compassion. , and they start wearing like fun clothes and leggings and not that it has to be about that side of things, but it's just a really visual way to see that transformation, even though the transformation is happening internally.
, and I think just continuing to be able to. Let women reconnect with their bodies in a really powerful way so that they can take up more space in the world, you know, , and that's the thing is that, and we've talked about this before at events, but people don't realize, I think everybody at this point kind of sorta has heard about diet culture and kind of sorta knows like, oh yeah, it's probably not great to fat shame people or They're kind of on the outskirts, but how much it impacts the way that you show up in the world, your relationship with yourself, being able to show up authentically, being able to stand in your power, especially as women.
And so I feel like through letting women connect with their bodies in the studio, . My hope is that we're able to have more women out in the world showing up authentically, taking up space, , unapologetically, you know, , so that's really my goal with the studio in Athens and having that community in that space for people, which we do, but having it on a bigger scale, , with a line.
You know, from a business standpoint, coaching is a lot easier to scale than a brick and mortar. And I've considered like, do I want to franchise? And I don't think that's the direction that I want to go with the studio, because again, our mission and our vision and my unwillingness to waiver from that, I think is what makes us what we are.
And I don't know that I would be able to. Completely assure that that was going to happen in every single studio that was open. , so that's kind of why I've ditched that idea for now, but align, you know, I would love to see something along the lines of how beach body workout is and then it's toxic way.
And it's like more of a scam too. So. Not in that way, but something that is as much of a household name as a beach body workout or some of those programs, but that is rooted in compassion and anti diet culture and intuitive eating and, , having these. Easily accessible coaching programs to again, help more women show up authentically, take care of themselves, have compassion for themselves and reclaim their power.
And so I think that's really big long term goal for a line. ,
You could call it all bodies
instead of each body. Yes. All bodies instead of each body workout. But yeah, I mean, it just, I think people underestimate the power of. The body, connecting with your body and, being in your body and that embodiment portion and moving it in a way that's not about shrinking yourselves and how much of an impact that can have.
So, and then not say even mention if you're going deeper in coaching and you're able to do some of the intuitive eating work, which is another way of connecting with your body. And, so that's kind of. Long term goals. Awesome.
So one to two takeaways for business owners that are listening
today.
Stick to your guns with your mission. And even though it might take longer, if you stay true to who you are and what you believe that will pay off in the long run, even if it takes longer and it feels frustrating, sometimes, , focus on your community. And building , that full experience. And again, making sure that your copy and your marketing and your branding is matching the experience that they get in the studio, start to finish.
, and then, I mean, this is the wellness coach in me and I work with entrepreneurs, so it's part of that too, I'm sure, but also take care of yourself too. Like we're in the work for a reason because we've had struggles with this in the past and making sure that you are, and again, it sounds so cliche, but making sure you are refilling your own cup in some way that you can continue to give to your clients and to your community and to your family and all the other things.
, because. It will pay off in your business. Like I think business owners, especially early on, they're like, well, I've just got to hustle right now because just got to push through. But if you start that way, like that hustle will never end. I'm not saying that you're not gonna have to work hard and there aren't going to be late nights and stressful things, but figure out what negotiables that Are the things you know when you're not doing or having or experiencing on a semi regular basis that you get burnout and schedule those in if you have to block out the time, but it makes.
Such a difference in the way that you're able to show up for your business, for your employees. If you have them for your clients, it will affect the way that you talk about your business to other people. It will affect everything. And so take care of yourself because your business can't run without you.
For most of us, that may be the goal ultimately one day, but you know, for now, I think, especially with small business owners, and especially when you're looking at. Wellness and fitness industry and dieticians and studio owners and things like that, we are our business, most of us. And so take care of yourself too, not just your client.
Yeah, no, those are great. So tell us where
we can find you. , on Instagram, the studio is pure balance underscore Athens. And then, , a line I believe is a line underscore by Allie Hall and it's a L I H a L L. , you can find me at pure balance Athens. com or. Align by ally hall. com. And I think there's a back link on both websites to the other one.
So, , but yeah, with, with align, I do virtual one on one coaching as well as, my group wellness program called more. And then with the studio we have in person, if you're in the Athens area, as well as other wellness events and things, , and video on demand library. So you can move with me, even if you don't live here.
, But yeah, I hope you can at least join our community and on social media and get plugged into the conversation. , Courtney and I, every time we get together, we... Just talk incessantly because it's so fun talking to other people that are like in this world. I spend so much time trying to teach other people about it, that it's so nice to be able to just talk about it on the same level.
So that's maybe my other tip for business owners. Just make sure you're surrounding yourself with some other business owners too, that you can talk and limit too. So
awesome. Well, as always, I love chatting with you and thank
you for coming today. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate it. .