June 30, 2016

Meet Fitness Trainer Kat Guessard

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Guessard.

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.

I fell in love with Stroller Strides classes in 2009 when my son was just 8 months old. I had been on the mommy “dating” circuit. I attended play dates and sat awkwardly across from women I had just met discussing milestones, debating the cry it out method and how to feed my baby. It felt uncomfortable, unfamiliar and I often felt like I was being judged. I finally found a friendly group of moms that I started to click with and one of them took me to my first Stroller Strides class. It was wonderful! I felt like I could be myself and I realized that working out with other moms was the best way to find my village. I made a great group of active friends, lost weight and had play dates at the park for my son nearly every day. It was a fun and positive way to experience motherhood.

After my daughter was born, I stopped working my part-time job and decided that I was going to finally lose the extra weight and get into the best shape of my life. After I’d dropped nearly all the baby weight, I received an email from the old franchise owner that she was selling. I called her the same day. It didn’t feel impulsive, because Stroller Strides had a huge impact on my life and I knew that I wanted to help other moms have the best possible experience in those early years of motherhood, when she feels the most vulnerable. I knew that I wasn’t just going to become a fitness instructor, but I also wanted to become a leader who could positively impact the lives of mothers by helping them get fit and form lasting friendships for themselves and their children.

The business was small in the summer of 2014. We only had one location and a handful of clients, but I knew about grass roots marketing and I definitely knew how to find local moms. Most importantly, I wanted to help moms find each other! Having a support system of other active and easygoing moms changed my life and I wanted to help other women experience just how fun and rewarding this community could be. We grew at a steady pace and started to enjoy some wonderful word-of-mouth. Last year we were featured in a documentary short that ran in all Southern California McDonald’s. Now that I’m almost two years into owning FIT4MOM of Sherman Oaks & Burbank, I’m seeing incredible growth and enjoying our success. In January, we finally opened our second location at a church in Burbank. The partnership and the location are thriving. We will be expanding to a third location in Glendale in the fall. We have many local business partners who host us for shopping events, Moms Nights Out and spoil our members with great giveaways and discounts.

One of the most rewarding parts of our growth is seeing the friendships form between our members. My Facebook feed is filled with pictures of them going on hikes, going to the zoo and doing other fun things together. These women might have made a few friends in time, but Stroller Strides has given them a tribe of women who share their values and love their kids too! We can’t go out to the mall or the grocery store now without bumping into friends… and that’s a big deal when you live in a big city. This last month has been our best month ever in many ways. I’m happier and healthier than I’ve ever been and that is reflected in my FIT4MOM business. We have more members, including clients who purchased their memberships online before even attending a single class. We have more locations and more instructors. We are also getting some incredible recognition. I was lucky to be an Honoree at the San Fernando Business Journal’s Women In Business Awards. They treated me to a beautiful reception and lunch and featured my business in their publication. I was nominated by another local business owner, Marisa Hamamato who hosted us for a dance class at a Mom’s Night Out last year. The same week as the reception, ESPN came by to film us for Eva Longoria’s documentary series, “Versus.” It’s a cute little piece about the history of the sports bra that will air this summer. Look for us in our FIT4MOM gear! Family, fitness, friends and fun mesh together beautifully with FIT4MOM. I’m grateful every day to be a part of the movement!

Has it been a smooth road?

It hasn’t always been easy. We opened a second location shortly after I bought my business. It was too soon for a 2nd location and it was too close to the first. After a few months, we closed it. We recently opened a second location again, a little farther away. It take time to build up a solid membership in a new market, but we are getting there!

What are your plans for the future?

I’m looking forward to expanding FIT4MOM. In August, we will be adding a 3rd location at the Americana in Glendale. That location will have its Grand Opening on Wednesday, August 31st at 9am. I am also looking forward to expanding our class offerings. We just added Stroller Barre (yes, BARRE) classes to our Burbank location and we hope to add a barre class in Glendale in the fall. I am also excited to introduce a running program in the fall. In early 2017, we will be launching Body Back which is a results oriented, small group training experience with a nutrition component. This will be our first class without children and we hope that it will be a great way to keep our community together and provide fitness for moms through all stages of motherhood.

Let’s dig a little deeper into your story. What was the hardest time you’ve had?

The hardest time in my career was when I became a new mom. My entire perspective shifted and what seemed like a dream job before my kids had turned into a burden. I was a little lost, very unsure of myself and afraid that I would never find a career that fit my new life. FIT4MOM has been such a blessing to myself and my family. It’s the perfect job for me because it allows me to be creative, active and I am continually inspired by my clients, the organization itself and the classes. The company is growing with me and my entire family is involved in the business. It’s been a great way to show my kids what it means to be an entrepreneur. I call them my marketing directors, because both of my children approach moms and give them flyers. Even my 3 year old has been working on her sales pitch and she is responsible for a lot of my new clients. I’m a very proud mommy!

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