Looking Back:
You are opening a WHAT?!?

There are many people who ask me how I decided to do this, and the answer isn’t one that can come in one simple sentence.  It’s many things that all come together.  For those of you that do not know much about me, I started this journey as a massage therapist.  It’s hard to see how that ties to this, but from the day I opened my massage business (at 19!) I saw the importance of regular exercise.  I was always jealous of those that had the confidence to go into a gym and (GASP!) work out when other people could actually see them in the process!

In the back of my mind for many years, I’ve thought – It would sure be nice to have a place to workout, to learn and to get healthy.  I didn’t (and honestly really don’t know if I do) know how to use any of the workout machines.  I joined a gym here and there but lacked the confidence to step too far past a treadmill.

I started reading running magazines (but didn’t run), did many, many at home workouts and started thinking, I would really like to build a place that community members, just like me, could go to and workout.  No judgments.  No embarrassment.  Just a place to meet up, workout and get healthy. After all, we live in Minneota!  If we take a look at the success of our students on the athletic fields and courts, how can we as parents and a community not have somewhere where we can also push ourselves?

Then one day, a Facebook ad pops up for Concordia, St. Paul online for Exercise Science.  Just for fun, I clicked on it and signed up.  Less than three years later I had my degree in Exercise Science with a business minor.  Guess what my business plan project was?  You are right!  FIT 24 was born!!

I had no idea how to take that plan and make it a reality.  My first step was to meet with Dr. Stephanie Koons of the Minneota EDA.  She started leading me to some resources and banking ideas.  From there I began looking for a space that I thought would be a good fit.  I had my vision and knew what I wanted, which required the right facility and a fairly good imagination.  The process wasn’t a quick one- in fact it started over a year ago -  but I know it will be worth it.  After working with the EDA, I was directed to the Southwest Business Development Center.  I worked with a planner who helped me with projections and financial planning, which is key for a start-up business.  Turns out they are also really good cheerleaders when you get a little frustrated in the process.  

I was finally lucky enough to find a place and thanks to Bill, Allison and Jean Ufkin, was able to start the renovation process.  The pieces to the puzzle didn’t always fit perfectly and sometimes I had to be very patient to find the right one and know exactly where it fit.