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Real conversations for women who lead differently. Join Yvonne Heimann, Leadership & Efficiency Coach, for honest discussions with female leaders who are rewriting the rules on their own terms.
Every episode explores the challenges women face in leadership - from building effective teams to creating systems that grow your business without burning you out. We dive into what matters: balancing intuition with strategy, building sustainable success, and leading authentically.
Whether you're a digital entrepreneur, executive, or business owner, you'll discover practical strategies for team management, business automation, leadership development, and personal growth. No fluff, no cookie-cutter advice - just real conversations about what works when you're ready to step into bigger leadership while staying true to yourself.
This isn't about following someone else's blueprint. It's about finding your unique leadership style and building a business that supports the life you want. Join us to explore frameworks that help you evolve as a leader without losing what makes you, you.
Perfect for female executives, women entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone ready to lead with both vision and heart. New episodes cover leadership strategies, business systems, team building, and the intersection of feminine wisdom and strategic action.
She Is A Leader is brought to you by AskYvi.com, where visionary leaders find personalized support to transform their leadership impact through people-centered systems that scale.
Yvonne Heimann [00:00:01]:
Have you ever thought about what it really takes to turn your passion into a thriving business, especially when everyone around you insists there's only one way to succeed? Too often, health and fitness pros find themselves trapped in the endless loop of one on one client work, juggling burnout and feeling like just another face in the crowd.
The challenges can pile up.
Finding the confidence to break the mold, rising up off imposter syndrome in a crowded space, and creating offers that actually stand out and sell. Today's guest and my friend Karina Ripps knows this journey inside out. She went from a secure six figure corporate job to building a multi six figure one coaching business, her way. And in this episode, we'll unpack how Karina overcame the mental and strategic hurdles, discovering her own voice, and built a business model that felt both powerful and personal.
You'll get her honest insights and practical strategies, as well as you going to leave, inspired to carve your own unique path to success.
Yvonne Heimann [00:01:25]:
So let me introduce you to Karina Ripps who I actually got to meet in person, what probably a year ago. You'll hear more about that throughout the episode. Karina Ripps is a business mentor and a business mentor. We are already starting the tongue twisters early girls. A business mentor for health and fitness pros and founder of Ripps on the run. She helps online coaches scale to six figure businesses with bold content, streamlined strategy and offers that actually sell. What a concept. After walking away from a six figure job, Karina built a multi six figure run coaching business by ditching what everyone else was doing and doing things her way.
She knows she's known for her storytelling, no bullshit approach. So you know why I had to have on the podcast and deep belief that business gets to be both feeling powerful in it and personal. Now, Karina, why I said what what a concept is because often enough we are told things have to be a certain way. Right? We are doing this hamster wheel business doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel powerful. It just feels like another 24/7 job. You're supposed to do this, you're supposed to do that, you're supposed to do all the thanks. Now I want to hear let's start in the beginning because there's a whole bunch that we got to unpack in this.
Yvonne Heimann [00:03:00]:
You walked away from a six figure corporate job for my six figure corporate job and building a multi six figure running coach business business. Now as the bio already said, you pretty much ditched everything everybody else was telling you. Like I'm just doing this my way. Yeah, that takes some courage and some confidence to leave, doesn't it?
Karina Ripps [00:03:25]:
Oh yeah. I mean leaving like my 9-5 was definitely difficult because it was a well paying job. It was a great salary. I had worked hard, hard to get to that place in corporate and so leaving that type of paycheck behind was hard. But I also waited until it made sense to leave that behind. I had worked a couple years in my run coaching business while juggling my nine to five and it wasn't like there was this perfect trade off of like, okay, I'm now making that much in my business and I can leave behind my 9 to 5. It was, it makes sense to leave my 9 to 5 because I'm growing this business to the point where it's inevitable that I'm going to surpass my well paying 9 to 5. But I also realized in a moment like that I was like, this is kind of unheard of for run coaches to be scaling this quickly.
Like I scaled to six figures and left behind my nine to five in a matter of just a couple years. And run coaching isn't this like crazy profitable business that you hear about all the time? It's, it's a fitness business. So it's not like you can charge like $5,000 to a client. You know, it's not like that. So it was interesting because it, the journey of like getting to that place of leaving behind my 9 to 5 and also growing a run coaching business that could replace my paycheck. I, I mean, if you had told me I was going to do that when I first started my business, I would have laughed in your face.
Yvonne Heimann [00:05:00]:
So now I'm curious because again, I'm like run coaching, number one, I would consider it a luxury item. Right. It's not something necessarily that I have to have to survive. And then also that the level of investment that comes with it, right. It's, it's not so much a luxury item necessarily that it's, it's a Rolex or something where it's a specific status symbol of luxury item. It's really, it's a choice item. And you have managed to position yourself in a way to make this a profitable business within two years or just a couple of years. Really quick, really quick.
What exactly the years is there. How did you manage to make that happen, to position yourself and to find that balance being a choice of and just, just making it happen. I'm like, there are so many pieces where I'm like, holy crap. Because again, we talked about the pricing level of it. We talked about your choice. You've done it, you've built this business in a short amount of time. We're able to leave and scaled it even past that. How did you position yourself in that?
Karina Ripps [00:06:17]:
Yeah, I mean, I had a massive amount of imposter syndrome when I first started, as does anyone when they first start their business. Like, I know you can relate, but it's in the, in the fitness space. I mean, who was like hundreds and thousands of run coaches out there and big companies? Like, I was extremely overwhelmed when I first started because I was like, this will not scale to something that I could leave behind my 9 to 5 for just because there's so many options out there. Like, what truly makes me different? But I will say, and it's something that I teach the health and fitness coaches that I coach today. On the business side, I will say one of the things that definitely helped was what I call like my built to breathe model. And in the fitness space. Basically what happens especially within run coaching is run coaches typically go for one on one clients just because it's easy. Like you can make them a training plan, it's individualized, you can get them results, you can get them to their race goals.
Like it's a natural first step when you start a run coaching business. But the problem is, is that that's a high ticket program. But you can't take on like 50 one on one clients, you're going to pull your hair out. And so that's how I started. I started just growing my roster of one on ones for the same type of like level of support and proximity to me. And I was like, I, there's no way I'm going to scale this because I would have to have like 60 one on one clients to actually make this a fully profitable business. And so I came up with this model where it's just basically different levels of proximity and support where you can fill out what I call like your different containers based on those different levels of support. And in run coaching that was so perplexing to a lot of people because it's like who wouldn't want full proximity and full support to help reach their goals.
Karina Ripps [00:08:06]:
But the reality is, is that not everyone is looking for that, not everyone needs that. And so in the fitness space, specifically in the run coaching space, like that's a foreign concept. And so I challenged that and I was like let me test this and see how this works. And it really turned into something where I was like this feels lighter, this feels easier. I don't have to hire a team of coaches under me. Like I can still do this all myself and scale to the masses without needing 70 bajillion one on ones to make this an actual profitable run coaching business.
Yvonne Heimann [00:08:37]:
I love that. And it's like it also brings in for me your approach of coaching. So your coaching emphasizes specifically a holistic approach where you are paying attention to the mental as well as the physical. Because I'm like, let's be honest, I, I'm not a runner. I'm not a runner. I will die halfway. I tried. For everybody listening, I'm one.
I will stretch my comfort zone. I will try. I went into a few years back and who knows, maybe it's changed. Maybe I'm coming back to running at some point. It's, there is a lot of mental struggle, struggle that's going on when, when I jumped into yes, I will love running. We are doing this and I literally went into a month long just getting into the habit and doing my knees, my knees hated me at that point. But I got to experience the, the mental struggle that is going on. No matter if you have music running or not, you are with yourself in that moment.
Yvonne Heimann [00:09:45]:
And the questions and the BS that happens in my head, still walking. I might not be running, but still walking, it's like holy cannoli. So I can see specifically for somebody that is training for somebody that is working a lot. There's a lot of blocks that are potentially coming up. There's a lot of limiting beliefs. There's potentially a lot of pushback happening. So I'm curious, how do you help your clients physically but also mentally to, to get through these blocks? Because you are also, you are not just helping at this point in time. You're not just helping runners be better, you are also helping now run coaches be better to their team.
If I remember my social media stalking right.
There's a whole level going on. Did I mention we have a whole level and all kinds of things going on today with you? How do you help people really balancing that mental and physical and helping them break through what I assume are quite a lot of mental struggles that will come up with something like this?
Karina Ripps [00:11:04]:
Yeah, for sure. I, I don't do coaching with runners too, too much anymore. Like I have an existing roster that I've had for years, so I still work with a handful of them. And on that side of things, I actually ended up, ended up hiring a mental performance coach to work on my team just because I knew how important the mental pieces of physical training were. And I had also experienced those things myself too, where it's like you can only be. So you can only be as good of a runner as your mind allows you to. And so that was a really important piece for clients to be able to meet with her and talk through these things and address the, the roadblocks that come up and they just become stronger and stronger athletes. So I will say, like, I am very particular with who I add into my business.
And when I was full time run coaching, like that was such an important addition because that was an important piece for me to coach them through. And I was like, let's take this and 10x it and actually hire someone who is trained in this and can teach them that. On the business coaching side, I have been a business owner for five years and I also really enjoy helping people who are still working their nine to fives and want to turn this coaching business into a passion of theirs. And so an important piece was like, I need to Be able to relate to their current reality, to help them with their mental struggles that might come up with scaling a run coaching business. Like, like I said at the start of this, it's not. And you said this too. It's. It's a luxury.
Karina Ripps [00:12:40]:
So it's not something that you can just wake up and. And grow successfully without having 70 one on ones. So it's like, we have to work through the limiting beliefs and the roadblocks of what are coming up that are getting in the way of you actually growing and scaling your business. And I find that to be very powerful when I work with them in my group coaching spaces, because I'm like, it comes up time and time again. And you probably get this too. It's like, there's a lot of mental battles that go on more than strategy or like, this is what you need to do. This is the next action. Like, my clients take action time and time again.
Action isn't an issue. It's more their mindset getting in the way of their actual success, both when it comes to running and being a run coach, trying to grow their business.
Yvonne Heimann [00:13:26]:
Yeah. And I'm like, especially. And you experience it yourself when. When everybody is telling you this is how you're supposed to do things. Guess what? Suddenly you're just gonna blend in with everybody else. And I know you. You do a content masterclass where you help coaches create content that resonates. Now, again, we've talked about this.
Everybody is creating content at this point in time, and it's easy to just blend in. I literally had the. The picture in my head right now of Homer Simpson blending into.
And like, yep, I'm a visual person. Do you have. Do you have any tips for anybody out there right now that's like, oh, my God, I feel like one of many. How. How can we stand out nowadays with just crafting bold and effective content that stands out? What. What does that even mean? How. How are we not becoming Homer Simpson?
Karina Ripps [00:14:37]:
Yeah. Such a good question, by the way. I'm like, now I have the visual in my head as I'm about to give you my answer. No, I think it's. I think it's a good question. And it was actually transparently something that I actually really struggled with. I was year four in my business just last year, and I had done tons and tons and tons of content as a run coach, and I just reached a point where I was like, I don't know what else I can say. Like, I feel like I'm.
I'm blending in. Like, I'm sound starting to sound like every other run coach out there. And so I hired someone to help me with my content. Not to write my content, but to help me learn how to stand out a little bit more. And I went on this entire content journey of my own the past year, really starting to get back to finding my voice. And as lame as it sounds, the. The answer is always, how can you truly be authentically, genuinely yourself within your content? So everything from the caption that I'm reading to the visual that you're choosing to the audio that you're choosing, it has to be intentional and true to you. So if you go and look at my content, it's like some.
Karina Ripps [00:15:45]:
Some messages are supposed to call you, call you up, like, call you out, bring you in. And it's like, okay with that type of message, like, my audio is fierce. I'm staking my claim. Like, I am saying okay, like, this is the. The line in the sand that I'm drawing, and this is how I feel, and this is how I can help you. Others, I am embodying exactly what I'm going through. Like, I went through a traumatic breakup earlier this year, and I took my people along for the ride of me healing through that process. And you might think, like, for those of you listening, you might think, like, what would be the point in me sharing that as a run coach or as a business coach that are helping fitness coaches? Well, the reality is, is that I'm a human being, and so I want to take my people along for the ride as I'm healing through this.
And I might have really sad, depressing days, but it's teaching me this. I'm learning this. Like, I. I grow when I'm forced to. To change and forced to question things like, that's the type of person I am. And so you guys are going to watch that journey happen. And so it's almost like if you can take your people along for the ride, it's less like, what hot takes do I have? Everyone else is saying this, so I'm going to say that to stand out. Like, I used to do all of that, and it didn't move the needle.
And the reason that my business is so successful today is simply because I'm. I'm being myself in my content. Whether it's me trying to get across an actual legit message for my audience to help them, or I'm talking about me and my journey and what I'm embodying and they say, I want to embody that, too. I want to be a part of her world. Like, when I teach my clients in business, like, it does go back to that.
Yvonne Heimann [00:17:34]:
And I love how you brought up different. Different approaches. So same thing for me where it's like, oh, I'm supposed to be challenging somebody's opinion just to get the views and get the interaction. And it's. It's always been a fight for me because, yeah, I have strong opinions on. Don't get me wrong, I'm passionate.
Heck, check my YouTube. It's like I talk about status versus stages on ClickUp everywhere since 2018. There's certain things where I'm passionate about it, right? Where I'm calling something out, where it's like, this is still an issue. Why is this still an issue? But I'm not doing it just to get views. It's because I'm passionate about it. And it's like this. This whole idea of you constantly have to be out there, Interestingly enough, was talking with my assistant this morning where it's like, I am so done of throwing spaghetti at the wall. I've been in the same situation, right? Where it's like, what sticks, what connects? And I'm like, I'm done with this.
I'm done of playing the whole Gary V. Approach of literally throwing out 10,000 different pieces of content every week. I'm like, yeah, you have the resources. Go, go flood the market. I don't want to be that way. And I love how, how you painted that picture of coming back to you. All of this stuff works that everybody teaches you, but if it doesn't connect with you, it's not going to connect with your audience.
Karina Ripps [00:19:11]:
Yeah. Oh, 100%. I feel like when it comes to content specifically, and I'm sure you can relate to this too, I used to be stuck on content frameworks, content formulas, viral hooks. Like, if you could look at my saved folder on Instagram, which, like, by the way, does anyone ever go and look at that? I save something and I never look. I'm like, what is point? But back in the day when I was really struggling in my content, I was saving all of this stuff, and then I would try it and it didn't do anything. And I'm like, it didn't do anything because I'm not being me in this whatsoever. If I can infuse my truth, my authenticity, my genuineness, who I am as an individual and what I stand for, then, like, sure, those things will definitely take off. But if I just follow a.
A formula. I follow a template. Like, it's actually going to get me nowhere. So you'll never catch me, like, teaching a framework or a template for the purposes of, yeah, just go copy paste this. There's methodologies behind it. There's a reason why I'm doing what I'm doing. And my clients see massive success in their content because it all goes back to, okay, this is like, actually me being me. And that feels raw and authentic and light and fun.
Karina Ripps [00:20:13]:
And it doesn't feel like I have to open up my phone and be like, oh, my God, I'm gonna spend an hour just trying to create a post or get up an IG story. That. That's so annoying. I have been there and I hate that. So that is just at the core of what I teach. I mean, it's content, one of many things, but it is what I teach within my coaching containers because it is so important to the success of your business, too.
Yvonne Heimann [00:20:57]:
So now I'm curious, because what I often run into, I'm like, I'm all on the system side of things, right? What I also run into is these. I'm out of ideas. I don't have any. Any ideas anymore. And then you go scroll and to just browse and get inspiration, and you might go down the rabbit hole of, where did that hour just suddenly go? Yeah, to Instagram. TikTok. How do you have a tip to overcome this idea, this problem? The struggle of, oh, my God, I don't know what to talk about. I don't know where to start. I've talked about all the things. I think those are, like, the three most common that I often run into. How do you manage that?
Karina Ripps [00:21:45]:
Yeah, so really good question. When I go into my weeks every week, I immediately think about, what space am I inviting into this week? Whether it's a free resource or it's like $5,000, I mean, it doesn't matter. I have to figure out what it is that I'm inviting into first. And oftentimes I, I have an idea of that because I, I'm just like you. I'm very strategic. But I, I write that down first, and then I think about what is the, like, actual transformation of this offer. Sometimes we get so far out as business owners that we, like, we know what our offers are doing, but our people don't. And we need to remind ourselves of exactly what is the transformation.
So I write that down and then I think of, okay, what are instances in which I have lived through this transformation? Or My clients have lived through this transformation and that helps me come up with ideas because it can be an angle of something that I'm working through myself right now, or something that I'm working through with my client or okay, for this particular offer. Like these are things that my ideal client for that offer might be currently struggling with. And my offer is obviously the solution. So it's a play on educational content where like it's not three tips to blah blah blah. It's like these are the two things that I did on repeat to generate a six figure run coaching business. Like if you do these, if you start with these two things too, like expect the same results and that's a piece of educational content. And so I really try to map that out. And I also try to have fun with the different modalities.
Karina Ripps [00:23:31]:
Like you won't catch me doing carousel after carousel after carousel or static post after static post after static pose. Like our audience does like variation. So I try to vary with an IG live or a reel or a carousel or a static post. And then that's how I attack my feed posts. I mean Instagram stories is a whole whole other thing. But that is really how I figure out like what I am talking about. And I don't run out of content ideas anymore because of that approach. Because I used to for sure hit blocks and be like, let me just go scroll for inspiration.
And I feel like that's where it gets. We get in our way, in our own way because then we're starting to create content that. I mean, is that really us? Like, what if we just said what we wanted to say? You know, I think that helps too.
Yvonne Heimann [00:24:20]:
And I love how you start everything with the goal in mind. Because let's be honest, we are not just here to have YouTube pay us. Let's. There isn't much money in YouTube. If anybody out there is considering it days will. There's really not that much money in YouTube. Monetizing content is not the big payout. And most of us are business owners that create content to get clients in, right? So yeah, duh.
Why aren't we starting with the result at the end where it's like what do I want them to do? Do I want them to download a freebie? Do I want them to join the mastermind? Do I want them to join the membership? It doesn't matter which price level it is, doesn't matter what the actual call to action. But I love your framework of start with the end goal. Then where were the transformations. Now talk about it, it's like, duh, yeah.
Karina Ripps [00:25:19]:
I'm also such a data strategy girl too that I'm like, sometimes I do veer off that and I feel like you were talking about not too long ago. Sometimes I'm like, oh my God, I'm throwing spaghetti at the wall. And I really hate that feeling. So, so, so much like I get anxiety around it. I, I was actually literally just struggling with that in the last couple days. I'm like, oh my God, I'm throwing spaghetti at the wall again. Like that's not what we do here. And so it's like anchoring myself back to okay.
I like to look at numbers, I like to look at how things are performing. What's performing well, what's not performing well, what am I inviting into? What's the result? How can I showcase that? Like it's an element of strategy but then also of course being authentically you and what it is that you create or else it's not going to land. And then it's like who's even showing up in that content? That doesn't even sound like you. And sometimes I fall being guilty to that too. Like I'm a human being.
Yvonne Heimann [00:26:13]:
So it's, it's, it's a habit. It's how we have done things right. And it's like I literally have to schedule data analysis because I will go down the rabbit hole and it, Yeah, I literally. Oh yeah, just block in time for it and then be done with an alarm. Even stopping now. Oh my God. Yes. I feel you so much on that one.
Yeah, I'm curious, I'm curious. This is kind of like a future prediction question. Looking ahead, what do you think? What, what do you see as like new trends or opportunities for health and fitness coaches who want to scale their impact and income? What do you, what do you think is going to make that difference in the future?
Karina Ripps [00:27:02]:
Good question. I definitely think it is a lot of, of what I teach. I think it's the same thing. There's a lot of fitness coaches that get caught up in the model of like, let me make as much money as I can. And the easiest way to do that is through high ticket one on one coaching. They get a custom training plan, they get macros, they get a lifting plan, they get an app, they get this, that and the other thing. And so it's going to be a no brainer that they're gon want in at this. And it's like we throw all the deliverables their way so that they basically can't say no.
And it, and it works.
Yvonne Heimann [00:27:37]:
Like, I'm laughing over here because now the visual I have in my head. But wait, there's more. The whole queue. Oh, yeah, wait, there's more. And take this literally. Take. Yeah, we don't even watch it on tv.
Why would, why would clients do that? We literally click away on TV on this stuff.
Karina Ripps [00:27:58]:
It's so crazy. I mean, I fell into that trap too though, where I was like, and you'll get all of this. Yeah. And because, like, I truly think when that happens, it's a lack of confidence within the coach. Like, they believe that they need to throw all these deliverables someone's way for them to want to invest in them. And that's where I would say, you're so wrong. Like, you need to have the transformation be the selling factor. Like, if you can get them the result that they're looking for, they don't care how often you check in with them.
They don't care if you do macros or don't do macros. They don't care if, if the lifting plan is in an app or if it's in a PDF. Like, they don't care. They just want the desired transformation. And so a lot of fitness coaches still get caught up in that. Specifically run coaches, for sure. And what I would say to that is, you guys, there's like so many different options for this. You can still have high ticket coaching, but it doesn't have to be just one option.
For private, one on one coaching, it could literally be three or four different options. And that way you have an option for every single individual that walks through your door and it works. So this model that I teach works so well because if you were on the call with me, like a consultation call, and I say, you know, I read your application and I have the perfect fit for you. Like, I'm going to go through that and I present my most expensive option and you're like, this is great, but I actually don't feel like I need all this. I'm like, you know what? Fabulous. What, what are you looking for? And then you tell me, and nine times out of ten I have that in another option. So I'm like, great, here's this option. And you're like, oh my God, amazing.
Karina Ripps [00:29:41]:
I didn't even know that was a thing. I'm like, yeah, we didn't. I didn't think it would be applicable because I thought that this other option would. But I'm so happy that you told me that because I have this and you're like, fantastic, I'm in. And so you can really scale your fitness business with just you and not needing assistant coach after assistant coach after assistant coach. Because your model is set up to scale. When your model is set up to scale and you always have an option for someone, regardless of where they are coming in, once they get a taste of you, they're going to want to stick around. So I'm focused on client retention with the people that I'm coaching.
I'm not focused on their clients just coming in and coming out. So it's like, yeah, now let's get them in. And they're going to be in your world for years. And that's going to make you a lot more money than just the turnover of one on one after one on one after one on one after one on one. So that's what I would say to all fitness coaches out there is like, you can make a lot of money in this business when you set it up that way.
Yvonne Heimann [00:30:38]:
I love that you brought up the different options because I think coming back around to what everybody else says, there still is. And there has been a lot, there's one offer, one target market, one pricing kind of thing where I'm like, but I can take this big main offer and simply give less access to me, meaning I spend less time and have a secondary option. It's, it's not the same offer, it's the same product with the different offer back. And now I have something, I have three different options, for example, where it's like, it's the same thing, it's the same product, it's the same thing, you just have different access. And now suddenly, why would I only run the high ticket, one on one or only the $297 group coaching when I can do it just by simply giving different options. Which color do you want? Red, green or orange?
Karina Ripps [00:31:42]:
Literally. Yeah, it's so easy. Like once I help them set it up, it's so easy because there's always an option for someone. It literally doesn't matter. Like anyone could come in and there will be a starting place for these people, whether they want to start high or low. And most times, and you know this, most times when people make investments, they don't make an investment in the deliverables, they make an investment in the person. So all they want access to is your coaching, your methodologies. Like they want access to you.
So it doesn't really matter what happens, they're still getting that access to you and then they can make their decision when they're up for renewal. And it's like nine times out of 10, people always want to stick around and play around in another container just because it's like, all right, I gotta this result. I'm ready to stick around. I'm ready to keep doing this. And people don't leave. It's like it's the easiest, easiest setup, easiest.
Yvonne Heimann [00:32:38]:
So, Karina, where can people find you? Because I'm pretty sure people are like, oh my God, I want to see what she does, where she does. Where can people find you?
Karina Ripps [00:32:47]:
You can find me on Instagram. It's @ripps_ontherun. And that is where you can find my latest offers and what I'm up to. That is like the most up to date place because I play around a lot in business. So that's where everything is updated.
Yvonne Heimann [00:33:04]:
And as everybody that has been listening knows, just check out the description. Wherever you watch, listen, read, you will have it easily for you to click on. Girl. So happy to be able to catch up with you and have you on the podcast. Thanks so much and bye everybody.