Today we’d like to introduce you to Janelle Barreto.
Hi Janelle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I participated in the “Mass Resignation” during the Pandemic. At that time, I was employed in the music industry while also teaching part-time at a local Pilates studio. The Pandemic was a tragic event, yet it served as a significant period of reflection for me. When the Stay-At-Home order was issued, I realized that I was hardly ever at home! I was dissatisfied with my work in the music business, my supervisor, and the lengthy daily commute to the valley. For over four years, I had been requesting a raise, only to be informed that due to the Pandemic, no raises would be granted. Concurrently, I observed that all of my Pilates classes at the studio where I worked were consistently fully booked, with wait-lists for entry. I concluded that it was time to change my perspective and begin working independently. No more boss. No more allowing someone else to dictate my earnings. No more commuting. For a year, I worked tirelessly, putting in 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week, managing my music business job while taking on every Pilates client I could. Initially, I conducted sessions via Zoom, and once the vaccine became available, I transitioned to in-person one-on-one sessions. As I had anticipated, my client base and income expanded within about six months, prompting me to apply for a Business Loan, which I was granted to purchase five Pilates Reformers, allowing me to open my studio for Group Classes. This meant while society was still dealing with getting well, I could offer a Pilates experience that was more hygienic, intimate, personalized and felt less like a factory. This boutique-style Pilates studio led to my business doubling in size within just one year! I transitioned from having a few clients to people expressing their inability to secure a booking! Now, at the two-and-a-half-year mark, my Private sessions are completely booked, with a wait-list in place, and I have recently acquired an additional four Reformers to accommodate the overflow of bookings. I feel incredibly blessed, fortunate, and grateful to have such a flourishing business. I am deeply empowered and honored to contribute to the wellbeing of numerous individuals within our community. Additionally, I take great pride in having faced fear, anxiety, and uncertainty; I embraced what seemed to be a significant risk, ventured into the unknown, and created something so incredibly abundant from nothing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Aside from a significant amount of sweat equity, the process of transitioning my career and launching my new business has been remarkably smooth. It appears that once I dedicated myself to realizing my dream, everything I required began to align perfectly. The financing, the individuals, and the resources all seemed to arrive at just the right moment, exactly as I had anticipated. There were numerous instances during my investment journey when I felt quite anxious about my financial situation and whether I would manage to remain solvent, but I resorted to meditation, visualization, and strengthening my faith. Each morning, I would rise and persist. At every juncture where I took a risk or felt uneasy about the uncertainty of outcomes, things invariably turned out well. I felt a surge of inspiration upon hearing motivational speaker Mel Robbins express, “When you’re starting a new business endeavor and you encounter those voices of fear and doubt in your mind, acknowledge them, and keep moving forward anyways.” This single phrase kept me going.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
RockStar Pilates is an exclusive boutique studio designed for a more personal training experience. Our methodology provides tailored Pilates sessions that focus on the individual client’s body and fitness needs. Unlike studios characterized by dim lighting and loud, pulsating music akin to a dance club, RockStar Pilates offers a bright, clean, airy environment that embodies a Zen-like atmosphere. We utilize high-end, state-of-the-art Merrithew STOTT Pilates equipment that delivers a robust workout that rapidly shapes the body. Our specialty lies in focusing of the FORM. While every session emphasizes core strength, endurance, stability, flexibility, and toning for a healthy spine, back, hips, legs, and arms, the true results stem from how you hold and move your body throughout these sessions. We believe that it is not merely the exercise or the movement itself, but rather the mental focus we encourage in clients during the movements that truly makes a difference. RockStar Pilates serves as a hub for movement and community. Movement is medicine, and human beings are inherently social creatures. We distinguish ourselves from other Pilates studios by rejecting trends; we are neither a fad, a Pilates factory, nor a Pilates “Bootcamp.” We teach Pilates in accordance with Joseph Pilates’ original principles of control, precision, breath, and form. Our offerings include Private sessions (featuring the Cadillac, Stability Chair, and Ladder Barrel), Semi-Private sessions, and Group Reformer Classes.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
A deep love for Pilates, movement, and overall wellness. A commitment to assisting individuals in their healing journey and enhancing their well-being. A fervent passion for motivating others to prioritize their bodies (a significant expression of self-love). An unwavering drive, discipline, perseverance, resilience, and concentration to establish oneself as a business owner and entrepreneur. Additionally, an immense sense of gratitude for the continuous flow of abundance, prosperity, and blessings that arrive each day.
Pricing:
- $100 – Single Private
- $65 – Private Intro Special includes Posture Analysis
- $75/Person Semi-Private
- $45 Single Group Class
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rockstarpilates.fit
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RockStar_Pilates/
- Facebook: https://classpass.com/studios/rockstar-pilates-los-angeles
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rockstar-pilates-los-angeles
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/MU9iyjq
Image Credits
Janelle Barreto
