Overthinking doesn't sound so bad on the surface. Thinking is a good thing, right?

But here’s the truth: Overthinking can cause serious problems for you personally and in your business. It leaves you with cloudy judgment, high stress levels, and stuck inside your own mind, unable to move forward. 

Does this sound like you? If so, you are not alone. Overthinking can quickly create a “mental hell” in your mind – like a mental game of whack-a-mole – ruminating over the “what ifs” and “why did I’s” in your head.

As a chronic overthinker myself, I had to put a stop to the nights laying in bed, stuck ruminating over my own thoughts. It was time to turn overthinking on its head and use this struggle as a strength. 

If you’re resonating with this, read on to discover the framework I’ve learned over the last few years to reframe your thoughts, regain control of your stress levels, and turn...

Marketing: that big, intimidating mountain that all business owners inevitably need to climb. Business-owners in the health and wellness industry are experts in their field, and yet, marketing can be an ENTIRELY different animal. So how do you wrestle with this part of your business if you aren’t 100% sure what it entails? 

What marketing ISN’T

The key to understanding marketing is to first understand what marketing is NOT. Marketing is not: 

• Throwing up a random Facebook ad without a proper tracking system (like Pixel).
  
  
• Generating a mass amount of ads without a clear strategy, goal, or call to action.
  
  
• Selling OR sales! (At least, not all the time.) Marketing and sales are related but mutually exclusive. Marketing gets your customers in the door, and your sales strategy is what gets them to purchase. 
• A bandaid for a poorly systemized business. Marketing won’t fix a poorly systemized business; in fact, your marketing strategy can break it! Your...

Think of some of the ladies that inspire you in your life. Some are probably not in health and wellness, but they are CEOs in their own right—right? 

This includes lovely ladies like my own sister, Darcy Smith! I had the pleasure of bringing her on to Female emPOWERED to share her own unique experience. I didn’t choose her just out of nepotism, either: she is legitimately one of the most inspiring women I know.

While she may not fit the “typical” criteria for previous guests I have had with a health or wellness business, Darcy has one of the most difficult yet rewarding jobs on the planet. Darcy is the CEO of her home as a stay-at-home mother of 11 (yes, 11!) beautiful children. 

She never imagined she would be married with a housefull! This is her story and how she manages to “get it all done.”

Unexpecting Beginnings: Darcy’s Story

Darcy and I are four years apart, so we shared a bedroom growing up. I can attest that having a...

Are the systems in your business working for you, or are you constantly on call to keep them running? If it’s the latter, it’s time to make the switch — because systems should work for you.

Your business runs on its systems, even when you don’t know it. Every task — from content marketing, bookkeeping, and more — requires a unique sequence of people, tools, and time, which culminate in a feedback loop. In theory, that final process should all work together to keep you on track and in your zone of genius.

You probably have your own business system in place already, but if you don’t (or at least, don’t have a SPECIFIC system in place), then now is the time to start. Read on to see how you can create more structure, time, and freedom in your life in 7 simple steps!

Why does process matter so much?

Your process — and the systems you use to uphold your process — ultimately defines how your business serves your patients or...

Not every day is a good day. That probably seems obvious at first glance, but in your business, those bad days can be brutal. 

How do I know? I’ve been there. My worst day in my business nearly caused me to end Pilates in the Grove entirely. At the same time, this day is responsible for the bigger, better, more robust version of my business that exists today. 

Sometimes, it takes a bad day to change everything for the better. In my case, this day was entirely the reason that my business took the leap from adolescence to maturity. 

The day that changed everything

In retrospect, this Bad Day was a long time coming. Months before this fateful day, my business was growing, but the culture of my team was dissolving. 

Every team has its friction but, as I came to find out, my team was breaking down. I knew the unhappiness was growing to a toxic level, but my approach to conflict was to avoid it. I figured if I kept my head down and kept trying to improve the...

When it comes to marketing your business or getting new eyes on your services, content makes the world go round. It gets your voice out there, tells your potential clients or patients what you offer, and helps them get an idea of what it is like to work with you. 

But just because you know that content is important doesn’t mean you know what kind of content you should create. Plus, the more content you create, the more it can feel like you’re always trying to come up with something new. 

There’s good news, though: At least when it comes to social media, today’s algorithm is all about quality, not quantity. Let’s talk about some content ideas to keep your feed consistent, diverse, and engaging. 

Try this weekly calendar for your social media

Rather than starting from scratch on every post, I like to have a basic theme for my post before I start drafting it. Especially if you are just starting out on your social media journey, this free...

In the words of a wise man named Peter Drucker: “What gets measured, gets managed.” Poring over data isn’t usually the most exciting part of running your business, but that data holds the key to unlocking the potential in your business. 

Our metrics can help us hone in on what kind of business decisions we should be making, where our business is hurting, and what we need to put our effort behind on a large scale. 

Of course, to do this, you don’t just need to track the numbers: you need to track the RIGHT numbers. Especially for your particular type of health or wellness business. Let’s go over what metrics can make the most difference for your business (and how to translate them into real results).

When to track your metrics

Should you be tracking your metrics for your gym, practice, or studio? While it certainly never hurts, there are key points in your business development where tracking your metrics is non-negotiable. You should prioritize...

Sticker shock is a powerful thing. 

How many times have you heard your customers say something like:

• “I just can’t afford it right now.”
• “I’m gonna have to think about that.”
• “Do you have something less expensive/on sale soon?”

As a customer, I get it. But as a business owner? That’s a harder proposition.

Usually, your customers’ hurdles will be either time or money (or even both, since they’re two sides of the same coin). But today, we’re going to talk specifically about the money objection.

Are you scared to talk about money with your customers? I’ll be honest: I am too! It’s almost always awkward to talk about money, but as a business owner in this industry, you need to know how to finesse these types of situations. The more confident you are at this stage, the more your clients will see the value you can offer them. 

Sell your skills, not your time

When customers first say they...

I’ve been talking a lot about the importance of your team lately, so you probably already know why I’m such a big advocate of them. Whether you have a team of 1 or 100, one thing remains the same: once you have a team, it’s time to have team meetings. 

You need to get on the same page with your team, check in on progress, and have accountability. Plus, team meetings can provide a time for people to actually dedicate time to work that gets pushed further down the list during the week, like gathering data and asking questions they have in their mental to-do list.

Of course, I know that just the thought of meetings might make you groan (been there), but there’s a reason I insist on having them! I’m a big believer in meetings. I am NOT a believer in having meetings just for the sake of having meetings. 

Meetings as a equalizer 

In the fitness industry, we don’t always have everyone all in one place at one time. Some instructors come in...

I firmly believe that having a team is the number one thing you need to have in your business. This sounds daunting for some people, but here is the good news: you don’t need an army to have a good business. Your team may just be you and a few virtual assistants, or it may be an entire in-studio team. 

If you don’t think that you are one of those business owners who can have a thriving team, I encourage you to read on to find out what kind of flexibility and freedom a team can bring you in your day-to-day operations.

How I Built My Team

Building a good team is the cornerstone to every successful business. Note that I said “good”; your team needs to build some synergy the more that they work together. To do this, you need to start with creating the best possible culture for your team to grow. 

Let me tell you an unspoken secret in this industry: no one is born knowing everything about building your team. I started Pilates in the Grove over...