Female emPOWERED: Winning in Business & Life

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we have a special guest joining us—Monica Spoelstra, a PR expert and holistic health coach. In this episode, we’re taking a look at how business owners can learn to be their own PR agency and take charge of their media presence.

Monica and I talk about the key differences between marketing and PR, explore earned vs. paid media, and highlight some common mistakes businesses make when it comes to public relations. One of the biggest takeaways? Building relationships with journalists and media outlets takes time, but it’s worth the effort when you do it consistently.

Monica will also be leading an interactive workshop at my upcoming CEO Summit, where she’ll teach her 3-part storytelling framework for crafting effective PR pitches that grab attention and get results.

Here are some of the key discussion points we covered:

• Understanding your key messages and ideal clients is crucial for a successful PR strategy.
• Tips on finding and building relationships with journalists and media outlets that matter to your business.
• How to become a consistent and reliable source for media professionals.
• Strategies to make your PR pitches stand out and leave a lasting impression.
• Monica's holistic health coaching approach and her passion for helping women navigate life transitions and feel empowered as they age.

Ready to dive deeper? Join us at the CEO Summit in November, where Monica will be hosting a workshop on her 3-part storytelling framework for PR success. You can learn more and register at ChristaGurka.com/CEOSummit.

• Follow Monica’s new Instagram account (@itsmonicaspoelstra) and visit her website monicaspoelstra.com to learn more about her holistic health coaching services.

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone who could benefit from these PR tips. Until next time, keep empowering yourself and your business!

About Monica
Monica Spoelstra is a communications strategist and writer with extensive experience across diverse industries, including professional sports, athletic footwear/apparel, tech, telecommunications, hospitality, travel and tourism, and wellness. Beyond her communications work, Monica is also a certified life coach and holistic wellness advocate, specializing in guiding women through significant life changes such as midlife/menopause, career shifts, divorce and other transitions. Monica believes that times of change, while often deeply challenging, can offer opportunities for immense growth and self-discovery. She uses her unique blend of professional expertise, warmth and compassion to help clients navigate life's challenges and emerge stronger and more empowered. Through her coaching, clients consistently report a more positive outlook on life, increased self-confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose as they embrace their personal and professional transformations.

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re talking all about planning for Q4 and reviewing your business’s success in 2024 to set yourself up for an incredible 2025.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to evaluate your business performance, identify areas for improvement, and develop a strategic plan for the upcoming year. Whether you’re looking to refine your services, optimize your financials, or fine-tune your marketing, this episode will give you the tools to get started.

Key topics we’ll discuss:

• Setting up team meetings to gather insights on what worked, what didn’t, and areas for improvement
• Analyzing your financial performance by reviewing revenue streams, profit margins, and top/underperforming services
• Evaluating client metrics, retention rates, and class attendance to understand your studio’s utilization
• Assessing your service offerings to identify what needs revamping or phasing out
• Reviewing marketing and sales strategies, including cost per acquisition and customer lifetime value
• Designing strategies for 2025 based on the lessons learned from your 2024 review

Some actionable takeaways include:

• Pull reports on your revenue streams, expenses, and profit margins to get a clear view of your financial performance in 2024.
• Administer client feedback surveys and review the responses to gauge satisfaction and areas for improvement.
• Evaluate underperforming classes or services and determine whether they need adjustments or should be discontinued.

Don’t miss out on my Women in Wellness Business Summit happening this November. It’s the perfect place to develop your 2025 strategic plan with the support of a like-minded community. 

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow business owners. Until next time, keep empowering yourself and your business for success in 2025!

Interested in attending the Women in Wellness Summit? Visit ChristaGurka.com/CEOSummit

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today, we’re diving into an important topic for all fit biz studio owners, wellness business owners, and private pay physical therapy practice owners—building a personal brand.

In this episode, our host Christa Gurka shares her own journey of creating a personal brand alongside her Pilates studio, Pilates in the Grove. She explores how developing a brand around your unique gifts, skills, experiences, and personality can open doors to new clients, speaking opportunities, and additional revenue streams.

Here are some key takeaways from today’s episode:

• Personal Branding Basics: A personal brand is about building a brand around yourself, authentically showcasing your unique attributes.
• Business Alignment: It’s essential to align your brand with your business brand while maintaining consistency across platforms.
• Social Media: Leverage visual platforms like Instagram and TikTok to connect with your audience and showcase behind-the-scenes content.
• Engagement Strategies: Use features like stories, polls, and questions to engage with your audience and build a strong connection.
• Growth Opportunities: To expand your personal brand's reach, seek public speaking, collaborations, and influencer marketing.

Learn more about our Women In Wellness Business Summit by visiting ChristaGurka.com/CEOSummit.

Make sure to tune in to our next episode, where we’ll discuss exciting ideas to update your studio as we head into fall and the final quarter of the year!

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs. Until next time, keep empowering yourself and others!

Interested in being a guest on a future Female Friday episode? Reach out to me at [email protected]!

Welcome back to the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today’s episode is a must-listen for boutique fitness and wellness business owners looking to elevate their presence through personal branding.

Joining us are expert guests Latasha Doyle and Lauren from Uncanny Content. They share their invaluable insights on how to effectively balance a business brand with a personal brand, ensuring each has its unique appeal and purpose.

Here are some critical insights from our discussion:

• Understanding Your Audience: Latasha and Lauren stress the importance of knowing who you are talking to and what goals you aim to achieve with each of your brands, keeping them distinct yet complementary.
• Building Successful Brands: We discuss examples of personal brands that successfully complement the main business without competing with it.
• Starting Small: The advice is to start with a small proof of concept for your personal brand before expanding, ensuring it's viable and impactful.
• Guiding Decisions: How capacity and profitability should be your guide when deciding to add a personal brand offering to your business.

Key Takeaways:

• Personal branding can significantly attract new clients and build authority, but it requires strategic execution.
• It’s crucial to separate business and personal brands in content and platforms to prevent confusion among your audience.
• Testing ideas and gathering feedback before fully investing in a personal brand helps in making informed decisions.
• Aligning personal brand goals with your business’s needs and capacities ensures sustainable growth.

Want to dive deeper into personal branding and business strategies? Visit www.christagurka.com/CEOSummit to learn more about and enroll in the 2024 Women and Wellness Business Summit.

If you’re ready to start or refine your personal branding journey, schedule a strategy intensive call with Uncanny Content today!

Thank you for tuning in to another empowering episode. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your network to help spread the valuable insights shared today. Until next time, keep empowering yourself and your community!

Interested in being a guest on a future Female Friday episode? Email me at [email protected]!

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today, our host Christa Gurka is going to take a look at the essential difference between marketing and sales and how to adeptly manage both to thrive in your business.

In this episode, we explore the distinctive roles that marketing and sales play within a business, especially using a Pilates studio as a real-life example. We discuss how marketing is all about creating awareness and generating interest, while sales focus on converting those interested buyers into loyal customers.

Here are some major takeaways from our discussion:

• Identifying Problems: Learn how to spot signs of marketing problems such as low lead volume and inconsistent website traffic, as well as sales issues like high leads but low conversion rates.
• Effective Strategies: Discover strategies to refine your targeting, improve content quality, leverage SEO, and use social proof to enhance marketing efforts.
• Sales Enhancement: Understand how to optimize the customer journey, train your staff in advanced sales techniques, and create clear, streamlined offers to increase conversions.
• Tracking Metrics: We discuss the importance of monitoring key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and email open rates to pinpoint areas needing improvement.

To book a 30-minute coaching call for just $99, click here!

Thank you for tuning in! Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your network of fitness professionals and business owners. Until next time, keep empowering yourselves and others!

Interested in being a guest on a future Female Friday episode? Reach out to me at [email protected]!

Please leave a review of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast to help us reach more listeners and continue empowering others!

Welcome back to the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! In this episode, I’m excited to discuss teacher training and continuing education programs in the fitness industry.

Running a teacher training or continuing education program involves a lot of work but can be incredibly rewarding. It helps build a pipeline of high-quality instructors and generates additional revenue streams. With the current challenges in the fitness industry, such as labor shortages and high turnover, developing your instructors is more critical than ever.

Here are some key takeaways from today's discussion:

• The challenges facing the fitness industry, including high turnover and competition for top talent.
• Discover the unique benefits of in-house training programs, where you can maintain control over quality and foster a sense of community among your instructors.
• The revenue potential of teacher training programs, along with tips for managing costs and ensuring profitability.
• Essential steps to design a successful training program, from defining your goals to effective marketing and delivery.

To learn more about the 2024 CEO Summit, click here.

Don’t forget to check out the Pilates in the Grove teacher training program on our website and reach out to me with any questions about starting a training program or exploring licensing opportunities. 

Please leave a review of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast to help us reach more listeners and continue empowering others!

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka. Today, we’re discussing an important topic for fitness and wellness business owners: how to prepare your business for the fall and the end of the year.

In this episode, I’ll be covering several key strategies to ensure you’re set up for success as the year wraps up, including:

• Evaluating and adjusting staffing needs to prepare for seasonal changes
• Reviewing and optimizing pricing structures to support growth and profitability
• Optimizing your class schedules and offerings based on attendance data
• Strategies for re-engaging clients and improving retention
• Key considerations for end-of-year bonuses and recognizing your staff

Some of the major takeaways from our discussion include:

• Assess your staffing needs and consider adding seasonal or part-time support to help with increased demand.
• Review your pricing to ensure it aligns with your business goals for both growth and profitability.
• Analyze class attendance data to optimize your schedule for peak seasons and consider offering seasonal workshops or promotions to keep clients engaged.
• Think about implementing performance-based bonuses tied to revenue targets or attendance metrics, and consider recognizing staff in non-monetary ways, like public appreciation or thoughtful gifts.

I encourage you to start planning for Q3 and the end of the year by September 20th! Make sure you’ve got your Q3 plan locked down and start brainstorming your Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions now.

Also, if you’re ready to map out your business strategy for 2025, I’d love for you to join me at my CEO Summit in Miami, Florida this November. It’s the perfect opportunity to dive deep into your business goals and make a plan for long-term success. You can learn more about it here. 

Lastly, if you’d like to chat one-on-one, I’m offering coaching calls where I’ll help you review your business numbers, determine if you can afford to implement performance-based bonuses, and give you tips on how to structure them. You can schedule your 1:1 call here.

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow fitness business owners. Until next time, keep empowering yourselves and your businesses!

Interested in being a guest on a future episode? Email me at [email protected]!

Hello everyone! Today is a new episode of Female Empowered and I will share with you how six- and seven-figure business owners manage to take a month off and how you can do it, too!
 
My Take Years Ago On Business Owners Who Step Away From Their Business
Seven or eight years ago, I used to look at people who can take the time off from their business as not real business owners. I thought that if you could step away from your business for a month, then you don’t have a successful business. I came to realize now that’s BS.

You’ll hear more about why my mindset has changed and some tips on how you can step away from your business without causing interruptions.

Let’s discuss:      

• For new listeners: what you can expect from the Female Empowered podcast
• My take years ago on business owners who can step away from their business
• My dream and my reality
• Taking the right steps and putting the right systems in place
• Look at your whole year and plan a vacation or time away
• CEO Days: working on the business rather than in the business
• Things I’ve actually done to create an environment where I can step away from the business
• Do not have your calls come to your phone
• Try not to have e-mails go to your phone
• Set boundaries with clients and friends
• Start to put processes in place
• Start removing yourself from the schedules in your business
• Why business owners need time off to reset and recharge
• How taking the time off has affected me and my business

I hope that you understood more about how important taking the time off is and took to heart the steps on making this dream a reality. I hope you apply these for 2023!
We are reopening enrollment for our Inner Circle program and Fitbiz Foundations program. Check out my Work With Me page on my website on how to get on the waitlist for either or both programs!

Looking for advice and resources to help you market and grow your clinic or client based business? Visit my website or follow me on Instagram!

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review for the show to help other female fitness and wellness professionals find our podcast!

Interested in being a guest on a future Female Friday episode? Email me at [email protected]!

Welcome back to another episode of Female emPOWERED! Do you want to know what I learned the hard way when I first started (and then tried to grow) my business? Not all Google advice is good, and not all free strategies apply to your business.

If you're trying to start your own gym, serve physical therapy patients, grow a studio and help people feel better in their bodies... you have a unique kind of business. Generic business advice doesn't always get you where you want to go. That’s why I want to share with you what happened when I finally admitted I needed to trust the experts and invest in my business.

Let’s talk about…

• The time I spent $5,000 and almost fainted
• The time I spent even more and knew it was worth it
• The 3 tiers of every business
• How to make the investments I made work

I recognize that not everyone can invest $65,000 in their business and you may not be interested in that sort of program or investment. But I do know that what I learned in those programs and investments grew my Pilates and physical therapy business exponentially. As a female movement, healthcare, or wellness professional yourself, I want that same kind of growth for you! 

Welcome back to another episode of Female emPOWERED! I'm super excited for today's episode because we're talking about charging what you're worth. This topic is SO important to me and I can't wait to talk about this you all of you. Have you heard this a lot?  People telling you...you HAVE to charge what you're worth. What does this even mean? How do you know know much youre worth? Who determines how much you're worth?

I'm answering it all for you!

Let's talk about...

• The problem with charging what you're worth
• Separating our self worth  and imposter syndrome from our business 
• Allowing our customers or clients to understand the value in the work we offer
• What do do if someone thinks we are not worth a certain price
• A simple fix I say to people when they ask what to charge
• Questions to ask yourself when setting your prices

I encourage you to change your mindset around charging what you're worth and have your self worth tied to your failure or success as a business person. If you have any questions, send me a message me over on Instagram, @christagurka!

Download Email Prompts For Addressing Pricing Concerns here.