Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren and Kelly Collins.
Hi Lauren and Kelly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! We’re Lauren and Kelly, the cofounders of SISSFIT. After graduating college as D1 track and field athletes, Kelly and I both pursued individual career paths that required a lot of travel. We went from working out 3-5 hours/day as athletes to having to fit a quick 30 min workout in before work, in our hotel room, or at the end of our day before running to a client dinner. We knew we needed to find a way to design workouts that were quick and efficient but NOT boring or else we wouldn’t stick to them. We began sharing the workouts we created with one another throughout our travels, and out of that, the idea of SISSFiT was born.
We knew we weren’t the only women struggling to get an effective workout done in a short period of time and we wanted to share this with as many women (and men) as we know! We started with downloadable PDF guides and finally launched our app, FASTER by SISSFiT in February 2020.
We specialize in high-intensity cardio, and more specifically, running. During the workouts in our FASTER by SISSFiT app, we come through your earbuds as coaches and take you through the entire workout so that you feel like you’re in a group fitness class with a personal coach. We also have over 10,000 upbeat playlists from numerous genres to keep you feeling motivated the entire way. Additionally, we have hundreds of strength workouts, and we offer stretching, elliptical, and home cardio as well so that you’re never left without a workout.
Our goal as coaches is to push your limits so that you feel energized, accomplished, and on top of the world when you finish our workouts!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No way! We have yet to meet a startup that has had a smooth road, but I suppose that’s what makes it all feel worth it…if you can survive it, right?!
I think for us, our biggest struggles have come by way of having to navigate business as a whole versus just showing up for what we know and love which is the training/coaching/content production side of things. We’re fully self-funded and owned, meaning we haven’t had investors or a ton of help along the way. We have absolutely hired contractors at times which has been extremely helpful, but at the end of the day everything falls on us, so we have had to really dive in and teach ourselves things like legal, accounting, marketing, and tech for our app. It seems as if a new challenge arises almost daily and when you realize you have no one to ask but yourself (or google :)) you really have to take ownership and figure it out.
Another struggle for us has come by way of not really having benchmarks to know where you and your business stand. There is no rule book or marker telling you that you’ve made it or are doing a great job. Instead, you’re just kind of fumbling through and it’s not until you slow down to appreciate your work or look back at what you’ve created that you often give yourself a pat on the back for all that has been accomplished. Sometimes we dream of what it would be like to have a boss telling us “great job” or “pick it up” because neither of us really entered this space with a desire to “run” a business. We really just wanted to share what we loved with others and it has since evolved into a whole lot more which we are grateful for, but yes, it does involve its struggles as well!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Awww, yes! The fitness space is hot right now and there are so many options out there, so what sets SISSFiT apart from other brands and businesses?! We would say it’s our focus on high-intensity cardio and our app that utilizes audio coaching, FASTER by SISSFiT.
Kelly and I are both former division 1 track and field athletes and we practice what we preach. We have a TON of experience, we’ve personally tried nearly every workout under the sun, and we feel like we have really nailed down the best way to deliver workouts that are challenging without feeling defeating, results-driven, and NOT boring.
We personally know what it’s like to run a hard workout so we understand exactly how to meet you in those moments and coach you through them (ex: “30 seconds to go. I know this feels nearly impossible right now, but you can do anything for 30 seconds! Few deep breaths and we’ll cross the finish line together, hang in there!”) We have A-list music and over 10,000 playlists to choose from so that you can find the best mix to keep you pushing through, then we come through your headphones and coach you to the end. It’s a great experience, the workouts fly by, and you feel like a total champ when you’re done.
We’ve also seen tremendous results in the running community. It’s easy as a runner to get caught in the mindset of “more is more” meaning more miles will make you a better runner, when in fact it’s incredibly important to work on your speed and strength in order to drop race times and become as stronger and more efficient runner.
So, whether you’re looking for workouts to burn fat and build lean muscle while maximizing your time, you’re a runner looking to get stronger and faster, or you just want to mix up your routine and not be bored, FASTER by SISSFiT is the app you need to try.
What matters most to you? Why?
That our community feels strong and empowered by their fitness routine. That we give them the tools so they can confidently walk through life knowing what works for them and not have to shop around or waste time second-guessing the type of workout they “should be doing.”
That’s not to say that our workouts are for everyone. No workout plan/program/philosophy is, but if this does end up feeling like the right fit for you, you’ll walk away feeling excited and empowered by what you can accomplish.
There is little more gratifying than hearing someone say that they’re working out a fraction of the time and seeing double the results. We have so many busy moms, working professionals, and go-getters that really struggle finding workouts that challenge them and bring them results without having to sacrifice an hour+ of their day, and that’s where we come in.
We don’t care if you do our workouts forever, our goal is to teach you the methods and thought processes behind them so that you can take those tools into your everyday life and feel capable of putting them to work without having to rely on a coach at all times. We want you to feel like you’ve gained an entirely new insight into working out so that you can feel confident and in control of your fitness.
There are so many aspects of everyday life vying for our attention and if we can help you streamline something that is going to lead to better physical, mental and emotional health, then we are all in.
Pricing:
- 14-day risk free trial to the FASTER by SISSFiT app
- $19.99/mo for FASTER by SISSFiT
- $39.99/quarter for FASTER by SISSFiT
Contact Info:
- Email: team@sissfit.com
- Website: www.sissfit.com
- Instagram: @siss_fit
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sissfit1
Image Credits:
Damien Andrews (all images on the blue track) Brandon Flint (running on dirt, running in red/white outfits, feature photo against gray wall) Jason Yokobosky (sitting on steps image) Joanna Miriam (green and pink tights – 2 photos) Dana Sabre (blue/gray swinging kettlebell) Chelsea Patricia (block start on red track)
