Welcome back to The Business of Wellness Podcast with host, Jaclyn London, RD! Today, Jaclyn sits down with Katia Pryce the CEO and founder of DanceBody. Katia shares her journey of starting and growing her dance fitness business, starting as a performer and realizing that people would pay her to work out with them, leading her to start Dance Body in 2013. She initially rented studio space and focused on building a community of dancers and fitness enthusiasts. As the business grew, she developed a structured formula for the classes optimized for scale, and hired performers who understood the dedication and commitment required. The business evolved before the pandemic, with a shift to digital streaming and a focus on building a hybrid model of in-person and online classes. Katia emphasizes the importance of community and creating a unique brand identity; the importance of being intentionality in business, and the struggle of saying no to specific opportunities so that you can focus on what matters. She shares her decision to focus on digital expansion rather than opening a new brick-and-mortar studio and emphasizes the value of organic brand awareness. Katia also highlights the need for a balanced approach to fitness, debunking the myth of low-impact workouts and emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular training and strength-building as we age. 

Listen to this episode if you’re interested in:

• Starting a business based a creative passion.
• Learning how to build a strong community as the secret ingredient for the growth and sustainability of a business.
• Adapting to changing customer behaviors and preferences is essential for business evolution.
• How focusing on a specific niche and delivering exceptional value in that area can differentiate a brand.
• Why being intentional in business and saying no to tempting opportunities is crucial for success.
• Driving organic brand awareness through Instagram & YouTube
• Why a hybrid approach to a fitness business model is important, and the types of training that are most effective for long-term health & longevity— including cardiovascular fitness & stregnth-training— as we age. 

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and personal journey 

05:05 - Developing a product, scaling a business, and building brandy equity & loyalty in the fitness space

08:16 - The rise of boutique fitness and the value of community 

13:57 - Shifts in the wellness industry over the past decade

20:07 - Boutique fitness trends over the last decade & what's new & next for brands

30:01- The power of saying “no”

34:22 - Organic brand awareness

45:12 - Establishing a strong omnichannel business model in fitness

52:16 - Digital expansion & the future of fitness 

Thanks for listening to this episode of The Business of Wellness with Jaclyn London, RD.

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**Advice provided on this podcast should not replace medical advivce provided by your physician.

Key words: dance fitness, entrepreneurship, community, hybrid model, digital streaming, brand identity, intentionality, saying no, digital expansion, organic brand awareness, balanced fitness, cardiovascular training, strength-building