Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Matthews.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kristen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story began before I even realized it was beginning. In kindergarten I decided I wanted to be a ballet teacher when I grew up. It made sense at the time, as I adored ballet. That was until gymnastics stole my attention a few years later. In middle school I ditched gymnastics to be a diver, which I was serious about through high school. I was also on skis for the first time at a young age and danced in a local musical comedy dance company during my teen years. My point being, movement has always been part of my life.
After college, when all my friends were getting “real” jobs in cities, I moved to Jackson Hole, WY, to ski and do a little soul searching. Living in NYC and getting an office job intuitively didn’t feel right. While I was living in JH, I was introduced to Pilates and immediately was drawn to it. It felt different than other exercise I had done, probably because it didn’t feel like exercise. I‘ve never been a gym person, but have always moved my body in one way or another. I very quickly noticed the benefits of Pilates as skiing seemed a little easier and I felt relief from chronic back pain.
When I left Jackson to move closer to my family back east, I decided to become certified to teach Pilates. Once again, my intuition was speaking to me. I just knew it was what I was supposed to be doing. And that was 17 years ago. I was always meant to be a teacher. I knew that at six years old. And today along with teaching clients, I’m the Director of Education at Speir Pilates, where I help run our Athletic Reformer and Mat certifications as well as teach workshops.
Curiosity and problem solving have always been my driving force, and the reason I chose the career I did. Not just as a movement specialist, but also as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. For many years, I suffered from debilitating fatigue, barely making it up the stairs to my apartment, not having the energy to do the dishes, and even crying at times from exhaustion. It was accompanied by a number of digestive issues, ranging from GERD to bloating to constipation, as well as a chronic sore throat and mysterious body rashes. That along with a history of autoimmune disease in my family, it became clear to me that I had to educate myself as much as possible on nutrition and it’s impact on our health.
If you had asked me in my early 20’s what I would end up doing after I graduated college, never in a million years would I have said that I’m going to help people be the strongest version of themselves through movement, mindfulness, and nutrition. But I’m so grateful that I listened to my intuition along the way and ended up where I am…exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Has it been a smooth road?
While there has never been anything else I’ve wanted to do, my journey has been far from a smooth road. I chose a non-traditional job with little security. Early on in my teaching, I moved around a lot, leaving no time to build a clientele, and it takes time to build clients and loyalty. This discouraged me to a point that I seriously doubted my career choice for a little while. It just took staying in one place long enough to build a reputation and a referral system.
Over the years, I’ve gone in and out of being an actual employee at companies and was even able to contribute to a retirement fund for a short period. But I’ve primarily been an independent contractor, and that comes with some uncertainty and a lack of benefits. You never know what your paycheck will be, which makes it really hard to budget for anything. For many years the only way I made money was teaching, which meant no paid vacation or paid sick days. So that can be scary, and something any entrepreneur can relate to. I would take on other jobs like babysitting or catering, for extra money. Because of Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disease) my energy can be greatly impacted. What that meant was, I was often left with just enough energy to work and not much else, which can be really isolating. Those periods were a bit tough, but I got through them.
As your own boss, you must be a self-motivator to succeed. And I’m not sure that’s one of my strongest attributes. I’ve gotten in my own may many times, letting my anxiety stop me from going after things I know I’d be really good at. Over the years, though, I’ve learned that collaborating with others really helps to keep me moving forward. And finally, as an introvert I often find it amusing that I chose a job that requires a ton of interaction. I have friends who can teach 40 plus hours a week, but that’s just not an option for me. Not because I don’t want to, but because my body just won’t let me.
Along the way, I became an entrepreneur. And when you own your own company, you are always working in some capacity. On the flip side, you are in control of your “destiny”. I choose my own schedule, who I want to work with, and decide how much I want to make, I’ve had to learn how to set boundaries, I’ve come to appreciate my strengths and doubt myself less, and I ask for help when I need it. You just can’t do it all by yourself. It can be overwhelming. but luckily we grow from our struggles.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is really a combination of personal endeavors coupled with my involvement with Speir Pilates. My goal is to be a wellness advocate for people who need guidance and support. I’m a movement specialist, a teacher of teachers, and a Functional Nutritionist. I teach clients individually and in a group setting at Speir, and co-run the 200-hour teacher training program there. I work with all sorts of clients from pre and post natal, to athletes and dancers, to those looking to refine their Pilates practice and everyone in between. I’m known for my creative, effective, and challenging workouts with a keen attention to detail.
With regards to nutrition, I’m always looking for the root cause of what’s contributing to a client’s discomfort and health concerns. Some people just need small tweaks, while others need more of an overhaul. With more complicated clients, I have access to stool, food sensitivity, and hormone tests, enabling me to create the most effective healing protocols for each individual. Whenever addressing nutrition, it’s also important to look at stress and incorporate mindfulness and movement.
So much of what I teach and work on with clients, I’ve personally experienced and worked through. I understand what goes into a healing journey and have the years of experience as a teacher and practitioner as well as being a client myself to help guide my choices. I use my intuition coupled with my education, to help empower my clients. I don’t want to just tell my clients what to do, I want them be able to make better decisions for themselves, and along the way I’ll be right by their side.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Los Angeles is one of the best places for the health and wellness industry, and the primary reason I moved here 12 years ago. There’s a huge focus on fitness and nutrition, with people always open to trying something new. There are endless boutique fitness studios, teacher training, healthy restaurants, and a variety of healing studios to choose from. On the flip side of this, there is a ton of competition, and in order to be successful you have to be willing to put your time in. If you do, you will no doubt get ahead.
My biggest piece of advice to anyone starting out is give yourself time, time to build your clientele, and time to figure out your niche. Align yourself with reputable people/companies and don’t be afraid to ask for help. We’ve all been there. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with mentors over the years on how to build or tweak my business. And without all that support, I’m not sure where I’d be today.
Contact Info:
- Address: Speir Pilates
1427 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401 - Website: https://www.kristenomatthews.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristen4pilates/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kristen4Pilates/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kristen4pilates
- Other: http://www.speirpilates.com
Image Credit:
Valorie Darling, Brooke Lark
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