THE UNIQUE BUSINESS
Nancy said, “Exhale Fitness & Nutrition is a great place to start a health and wellness journey. The people that regularly workout here are super kind, inclusive, and encouraging. At our studio gym, it is all about feeling good – and feeling better about yourself.”
One-on-one attention really sets the gym apart from others. Nancy said, “Our customers consistently report that specific feedback from instructors, especially in areas of correct form and nutrition, is most valuable to them. We really do strive to help each individual.”
THE OBTACLES
Since they opened in 2020, this budding business struggled due to the COVID pandemic and its in-person restrictions. Nancy said, “To try to overcome the problem, we first offered free virtual classes. Then, as the weather warmed, we were able to offer outdoor workouts with social distancing, and eventually people were comfortable coming back into the physical space.”
Another obstacle was the physical space itself. “I started renting space within a warehouse facility, and when the owners bought a different facility, I moved Exhale Fitness & Nutrition to the new space with them. However, one year later, the owner sold that space as well,” Nancy said.
After three moves in as many years, she is now happy to be settled in her current space on Iowa Street in Dodgeville. “We have the benefit of lots of foot traffic since our location is right downtown with a big storefront and great visibility,” she said. The added space really helped her grow the business.
THE ASSISTANCE
Another factor that helped the business grow is the Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance program. Nancy enrolled in many different classes, including How to Develop a Marketing Plan and Simplifying Productivity for Small Business Owners. She said, “I benefited from some really good social media content in many of the classes. In one class, we broke out into groups, looked at each other’s existing websites, and provided feedback. I was then partnered with a university student who helped me, one-on-one, to fine tune my website. In another class, I received some great information on how to focus on my target market.”
She continued, “As a business owner, I wear so many hats from ordering inventory to keeping financial records and actually teaching the fitness classes. The Main Street Bounceback program gave me lots of new tools and ideas to succeed as an entrepreneur. In 2020, I didn’t think I would NEED to be on social media but now is a different time. Even though social media can be overwhelming and intimidating, I took comfort in the fact that everyone has to start somewhere. And now the comments we get on Instagram and Facebook really prove to us how welcome people feel in our studio gym.”
Nancy explained how things she learned at a Small Business Clinic at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, hosted by the UW-Eau Claire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Southwest Wisconsin SBDC in March of 2024, still benefit her today. “We wrote down on a piece of paper questions such as ‘Who is your customer?’ and ‘What is the problem?’ and ‘What is your message?’ and that piece of paper still hangs on my refrigerator today. It is a great tool that reminds me of the strategy to start small and grow bit by bit as possible and as needed.”
THE ADVICE
When asked what advice she would give to other entrepreneurs, Nancy had some wonderful insights. “If you are offering a product or service for the right reasons, success will follow. All the work you put in will come back to you if you are truly solving a problem for your customers.”
She also encouraged others to think bigger, saying, “Work smarter, not harder. Don’t overburden yourself by doing everything and working all the hours. Figure out what you can delegate and get off your plate, so you don’t burn out. Think long-term. Consider what is going to take you to your next step. Really ask yourself what costs up front will pay off in the future.”
THE COMMUNITY
A strategy that Nancy embraced for her own business growth is to partner with other local businesses. “The Recreation Department in Dodgeville reached out to me for collaboration on adult programming, so we partnered on a special offering in February this year.”
She also refers clients to The Book Kitchen, a local business that offers lessons on healthy meal preparation. She has also partnered with a local nail salon and the Dodgeville Park Street Recreation Commission. She said, “Community connections take a bit of work and time, but the word gets out and everyone benefits.”
THE FUTURE
Nancy said, “In the future, I would love to continue helping more people, doing what I can to remove financial barriers that prohibit people from being their healthiest selves.” She loves seeing how much her clients can accomplish and how good they can feel. “I feel so lucky to work with each of our clients!”