Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Bellantoni
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My creative background began from the time I could stand on a stool next to my talented grandmother in the kitchen, at the easel, the piano or the pottery wheel, which influenced me to obtain a degree in Culinary Arts from the California Culinary Academy of San Francisco. With an extensive knowledge of both front- and back-of-the-house restaurant management, I opened my first restaurant, Ta Delfinia, at age 24.
The restaurant was a hit in Campbell, Calif., receiving awards and accolades for the healthy Mediterranean food and atmosphere, well before its time.
I may have been young to be an entrepreneur, but every path kept leading me back to small business ownership.
After owning and running restaurants, corporate food service locations, catering companies, an employment agency and a cookie vendor business, all in the Bay Area, I changed my focus to film, video and television production. I started working as a field producer with two well-known Bay Area companies, Television Associates and Media Vista Productions (MVP), and ultimately purchased MVP from its founder, expanding the business by working with Silicon Valley companies, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and creating original content for TV.
In 1999 with rolling brownouts frequently occurring in California, I pivoted to a growing industry and became director of sales and marketing of Harmony Solar, a family-owned solar electric business. My efforts led to more than $5 million in annual photovoltaic sales.
The business was thriving, even as I went through serious health challenges and a year of breast cancer treatment. A divorce in 2010 led me to Los Angeles to make a needed personal change.
Living in Burbank, I was a freelance field producer and reporter and also worked on acting gigs, along with a full-time sales job, while looking for the perfect place for my talents to shine.
To help my daughter during several years of Covid uncertainty, I became the full-time caregiver to my two grandchildren.
Semi-retired from field producing and knowing I would need to create another stream of income, I started to visualize something new for this chapter of my life.
I wanted to make sure I didn’t need to depend on supply-chains or complicated business models. It was time to create something that would benefit my own health while cultivating community and uplifting other women small business owners. I found bungee fitness and loved it immediately — it’s fun for everyone.
I got certified through Sling Bungee in Oklahoma, doing a burpee for the first time in my life I should point out, and created and founded Air Fit Bungee Inc. My goal is opening five studios across the valley to offer the community a fun, healthy and new activity for both adults and kids.
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?
It has not been a smooth road, but I’m a big believer in divine order, so I kept the faith over the 15-month diligent search for a location in Burbank. I had a great realtor but I was hearing a lot of immediate “No’s.”
Burbank is important as the first location because I intend to continue caring for my school-age grandchildren while managing Air Fit Bungee. The location I found is no more than eight minutes from each of our homes, school and after-school activities.
The biggest hurdle was the infrastructure in Burbank really seems to favor big business and large chains versus a small business designed to serve the community. The rents are high and the ceilings are low became a mantra for me for places that wouldn’t work. For instance, one landlord wanted me to have at least 3 years of rent in my savings in case of another pandemic. That’s rare for even the most successful entrepreneur. Many of the landlords didn’t want to take a risk on a brand-new business that they weren’t particularly interested in and didn’t understand.
Finally I found a building owner who was more open to a new idea, and our first location started to take shape.
The other big challenge was finding a location that would let me build a truss system to support the bungees. It didn’t make sense for me to reinforce a landlord’s property with expensive steel beams with the additional hurdle that building permits in Burbank can take a really long time to obtain.
A truss system was a good solution. Not only did I find a great location with an enthusiastic landlord, but I found the perfect woman-owned business to build the truss. Win/win!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Bungee fitness is recognized as an AFAA & NASM Continuing Education class. I chose Sling Bungee Fitness for its safe and durable equipment, officially recognized instructors, and a commitment to training affiliates to the highest standards.
Despite the fitness trend’s growth since 2017, bungee has yet to take hold in Los Angeles. Everyone has seen it on social media, but haven’t tried it because there are so few offerings. Not anymore!
The business plan outlines the objective of offering 60 classes per week, each accommodating 18 participants, with an average class charge of $40.
What’s more, the truss system will allow for planned expansion into the dynamic pilates system FitSprings, aerial yoga and arts and kids’ classes.
The studio will be a place for fitness, fun, parties and community building.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
As a single mom I have needed to take risks my entire life — I was always creating, building and innovating for survival. Some of the risks presented insurmountable challenges over the years, but through each effort I learned something new and charged forward. Reinvention is my entrepreneurial superpower.
Now that I have roots in Burbank and a stronger financial foundation, I am blessed that this business is not a risk in the same sense that I experienced them in my younger years, even though it’s taken time to get the first location going and to take flight.
I couldn’t be more excited to share my journey and bungee fitness with my community — I know people will love it as much as I do!
Pricing:
- Drop-ins $50
- 4-packs $45 per class
- 8-packs $40 per class
- Average class $40
- Memberships coming soon
Contact Info:
- Website: https://airfitbungee.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airfitbungee_inc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Air-Fit-Bungee-Inc-61564503254306/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AirFitBungee-Inc
