February 26, 2017

Meet Jan Kain of People’s Place in San Pedro

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jan Kain.

Jan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started dancing at age six, my career as a professional dancer at age ten. I danced with the NYC ballet as well as in on n off Broadway shows. I graduated college as an RN, got married n started my family. For a few years, I didn’t dance and really missed moving my body to music. After my second child was born I was coerced into going to an exercise class called Jackie Sorensons aerobic dancing. I was so out of shape but within a few weeks I was asked to be an instructor. I taught for many years n then branched out to teaching n becoming a manager for bally total fitness. I also became one of their master trainers training their teacher’s n trainers in all their formats. I also became a master trainer for BOSU n a presenter at the IDEA personal trainer convention in NYC. Meanwhile, I earned my masters in PhD while I was at home raising my girls. After eight wonderful years, I decided to leave ballys and open my own studio for yoga, Pilates and Tai chi. I looked high and low for over five years until my current space became available here in San Pedro. My building is 12,000 sq ft n almost one hundred years old! Therefore, only yoga in San Pedro would probably never make it with such a big space. That’s when I decided to add health n dance to the equation n make it a fitness studio with exercise based on dance and having fun. The original name was actually People’s Yoga, Health and Dance which was later shortened to People’s Place. Sometimes we call it People’s Palace as we are home to Swing Peedro, an amazing swing dance to the music of the Fabulous Esquires a 16 piece big brass orchestra! My studio is very versatile n we have many parties n special events here. Since then I have created several of my own classes and programs such as Cardio Line Dance Blast and Blooming Boomers. I also created San Pedro’s one and only line dance team, People’s Place Pacers.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all. I’ve had many struggles. I’ve had no investors or moneybags to help me. I’ve invested all my own funds to keep the studio up and running. A one hundred-year-old building is not without physical challenges in addition to typical overhead like insurance, taxes, supplies, utilities etc. Also, San Pedro is a tough town with challenges of its own. I have a lot of competition from so called nonprofits like the YMCA and other large fitness chains. Getting the word out is extremely difficult. There is no great promotional platform for me to use. I don’t have a very big budget for advertising so that’s out as well. Word of mouth and social media has been the best so far. Then there’s what I call the human flake factor. People love what I offer, but then don’t regularly return.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about People’s Place – what should we know?
I am an RN with a Ph.D. in public health. I’ve been a pro dancer and in the fitness industry for over 40 years! I know what I’m doing. I know what people need. I know how to make it fun and safe. I know how to create and offer cutting edge classes that won’t be found anywhere else. My prices are ridiculously affordable and I work with people from all walks of life. Fitness, health and wellness are key to a better life and I create that every single day. Joining a gym and hating it and never going is not the way to better health. So I created classes and programs that are enjoyable so you actually want to work out.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
In addition to myself, I’ve had an awesome team of certified and licensed instructors and staff pretty much the entire time I’m here. I have an awesome advisor who helps me with many issues. I currently have an amazing front desk admin assistant as well. Of course, I think I have the best students who have been very supportive.

Pricing:

Classes run from $5-10 to drop in
Value cards work like debit cards and work like this: pay $35, get $40 credit; pay $60 and get $80 credit
Unlimited Memberships are $89/month or $75 for autopay

Contact Info: