Driven by the mission to inspire women to reach their highest physical potential through self-love and encouragement, Julie works with her clients through Pilates, dance and fascia release. Her interview inspires us to recognize our value and worth and to embrace our mistakes as learning experiences.

What inspired you to become a holistic entrepreneur?

I have always had a desire to connect my passion for all things movement with my drive to help other people.

 

Tell us about your business or practice.

I give private sessions in Pilates, dance, and fascia release. My mission is to inspire women to reach their highest physical potential through self-love and encouragement while empowering them to be the master of their physical well-being. I don’t just teach exercises, I teach people how to move their bodies with proper technique, rhythm, and flow. This helps to facilitate healing from injury as well as prevent injuries from occurring and it brings the body in alignment with the mind and soul.

 

What is your current business model?

I see clients one on one, in person, for 1 hour our 1.5 hours

 

What has been one of your favorite moments as a business owner thus far?

When I moved to Los Angeles, it was like a light bulb went off in my head. Until this year, I have been uncertain of where I was supposed to be and what I was supposed to do, but when I got to California, I knew. This is my home and this is where I want to grow my business!

 

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in running your business or practice?

One of my biggest challenges has been creating offerings that fully blend my experience, talents, and desires.

 

How have you overcome those challenges?

I have had many reincarnations of this business. I can say now that I am finally in a place where all of my past experiences are being illuminated in my present work, but it wasn’t always that way. I have had many ideas and tried offering my services in different ways. Those were all great ideas, but I now feel that I am living my calling. And, I got here by trying different things and being open to new possibilities.

 

How do you find new clients?

Mostly word of mouth, but I have been working on my website this spring and hope it will attract more people as well.

 

What have you found to be most effective in securing new clients to sign up for your services?

Usually when someone contacts me, it’s because they heard about me and feel I can help them with a specific ailment. I listen to their needs and always try to meet them where they are to make them feel comfortable about diving in. No two clients are the same and every person I teach has a different experience with movement so I find it is incredibly important to use my intuition when teaching people in order to be of the best possible assistance.

 

What do you do to keep your existing clients engaged in the long term?

I always try to keep their sessions fresh. We do different exercises and work on new concepts. I also continue learning about movement and anatomy to keep myself fresh and I communicate openly with my clients about their hopes and goals as they make changes in their lives.

 

As your own boss, what is your best strategy for staying focused and productive during your workday?

Because I provide services, I can stay present by focusing on the person in front of me instead of myself. Luckily, my work inspires me to grow even further so teaching actually motivates me to do my administrative work at home. Also, I listen to music while I’m working on my computer.

 

If you could start your business over again from the beginning, what would you do differently?

I actually feel my process has been organic and necessary. I have made some mistakes, but those have also been great learning experiences for me so I’m not sure I would trade them.

 

What were some of the first mistakes you made that you would tell a new holistic entrepreneur to avoid?

I had a really hard time discovering my worth. I undercharged people and undersold myself. It ended up leading to frustration and lack of satisfaction in my working life. It wasn’t just with my clients either. I consistently gave away my knowledge because I had no idea just how much I knew. Thank goodness I have had some extremely encouraging mentors and colleagues in my life to lead me on my path of discovery, but at the end of the day, these are things you have to see in yourself. You can’t look outside of yourself to find it and I had to do the work to get where I am today. I encourage people to recognize your strengths in your field as soon as you can.

 

What are the top three business tools or resources you couldn’t live without?

My Macbook Pro, wordpress.org, Adobe photshop

 

What has been your most effective method for growing your business?

Being consistent and reliable. People’s lives change and the amount of work I have on a weekly basis ebbs and flows, but my clients are always ready to come back to me when they are able because they trust my professionalism and they know what to expect from me.

 

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever for done for your business?

I have dropped everything and moved to three different cities in order to further my development on this journey. It didn’t feel crazy to me at the time, it just felt right, but I am often asked how I had the courage to do it!

 

What is your favorite indulgence?

Red wine and TV! I love television and could watch it all the time. I love an evening at home in my PJ’s with my glass of wine and the tube.

 

Most memorable place you’ve ever visited?

Ernest Hemingway’s house on Key West. It’s hard to forget house cats with six toes! Plus, I love reading fiction.

 

Last book you read?

Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art, Stephen Nachmanovitch

 

If you could only have one kind of food for the rest of your life, it would be…

Dark chocolate (does that count as food?)

 

What is your go-to breakfast?

A banana and a protein bar when I’m on the go. I like to have eggs and a small salad when I have more time.

 

What do you find most fascinating about the human body?

Oh I find EVERYTHING about the human body fascinating, but if I have to pick something SUPER fascinating, I think it’s that we hold our emotional past in our connective tissue. Knowing this, presents us with the opportunity to heal ourselves on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level through proper movement and that is AMAZING!

 

What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?

I love that the creative possibilities are endless!

 

Julie Turner is an instructor of Pilates, dance, and fitness based out of Los Angeles, California. You can find out more about her and her business, Julie Turner (Movement), at www.julieturnermovement.com.