Rachel Wagner’s path to fitness company franchise owner began in a pub with a near stranger about 7 years ago.
About seven months prior to that day, Rachel, a former 5th grade teacher, was new to the role of staying home with her then infant daughter. She saw an ad on a community listserv for a trial class with FIT4MOM Baltimore City, a company that offers fitness classes and community for moms. Rachel went to that class and was so impressed that she quickly signed up for one of the company’s programs and continued to be a FIT4MOM client for the next several months.
Then in spring 2014, FIT4MOM Baltimore City went up for sale. Rachel found herself sitting in that pub, talking to another mom about buying the franchise, and the two decided to go into business together. Today, Rachel, now a mom of 2, is the sole owner of FIT4MOM Baltimore City.
On this episode, Rachel talks about how she has taken on the role of business owner without having a background in business; how she has shaped FIT4MOM Baltimore City, an already-existing business when she bought it, and made it her own; how she transferred into sole ownership of FIT4MOM Baltimore City and how she got through her most challenging year as a business owner; and the biggest lesson she has learned along the way.
Rachel also discusses FIT4MOM’s (the national organization) United in Anti-Racism/United in Motherhood initiative and how she is striving to share resources and offer safe spaces for dialogue within her community in Baltimore City about racism and white supremacy.
FIT4MOM programs are available in more than 2,600 locations throughout the country with 310 franchise owners like Rachel who are running their own FIT4MOM businesses.
Mentioned in this episode:
- FIT4MOM Baltimore City Main Page
- FIT4MOM Baltimore City Programs
- FIT4MOM Baltimore City United in Anti-Racism/United in Motherhood Resources
- FIT4MOM Guide to Black-Owned and Black-Created Businesses in Baltimore
- Body Kindness by Rebecca Schritchfield, RDN
- The Body Liberation Project
Follow FIT4MOM Baltimore City on Instagram
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