Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gretchen Wagoner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Gretchen with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic comes from my Midwestern upbringing where working hard was always considered an admired attribute. My parents worked hard and also in school it was always important to get “an A for effort”.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I opened BREATHE PILATES Miami in November 2016, so we just had our seven year anniversary about two months ago. Since we opened, we’ve witnessed a lot of growth in staff and students! When I started, I did all the communication with the students, clients, leads, etc. as well as all the other administrative work and a large bulk of the teaching. I am happy to say that I have learned to delegate more so that I can work on the big picture and future of BREATHE. We now have a manager, an additional part time front desk support person, and eight instructors! I still teach because I love it however, it is great to have so much variety on the schedule now.
BREATHE is special because of the community that we have created. We love our students and I think they know it and appreciate the personal attention that we give in our small group class sizes as well as our Private and Duet sessions. I am proud to say that we have the best and most knowledgable team of instructors around who have the skills to work with everyBODY!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would say the three most important skills for me as a business owner and Pilates Instructor have been:
Continuing education; I love learning and continuously take classes and courses, not only in Pilates but also in business, etc. I think it’s important and helpful to stay inspired and motivated and to grow as a person and as a business.
Communication; with the students, clients, and also your team. Open communication from the beginning helps to eliminate potential issues before they arise.
Delegate; many small business owners fall into the rut of feeling like they should do everything to cut costs or because “it’s easier to just do it myself” type of attitude. I was no exception! But I have learned the hard way that this is only possible for so long and you WILL burn out. So definitely source outside of yourself and chances are that you will have people doing certain tasks better than you ever could have done.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Instead of a book, I am going to choose a Podcast. I’ve recently started listening to “Diary of a CEO” with Steven Bartlett, a young British entrepreneur and I am OBSESSED! He has the best guests who are experts in their fields, ranging from neuroscience, finance, to health and nutrition plus many more. As someone who has a hard time sitting still, it gives me the opportunity to listen and learn when I am doing otherwise normal tasks like cleaning or cooking.
Contact Info:
- Website: breathepilatesmiami.com
- Instagram: @breathepilatesmiami
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breathepilatesmiami/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenwagoner/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMxMNPi7aRbCaKxgIxG0n7A
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/breathe-pilates-miami
Image Credits
All studio shots (exception of Gretchen’s headshot) by Wazzan Studios
