Kirsten: 

Before you walk into a room, remind yourself that you are the audience, they're the rock stars, and it's your job to cheer them on and create, you know, very safe environments where they feel like total badasses. 

Will:  

Hey, I'm Will Brereton, founder of Sh1ft Fitness and this is Group Fitness Real Talk, a show about how to survive and even thrive in group fitness in 2021 and beyond. Welcome to today's show. I'm so excited to finally have Kirsten Potenza on the podcast today. And she's someone that I really admire in the fitness industry. Kirston is the creator and founder of the group fitness format, Pound. Now, if you haven't heard of Pound, I'll put a link to it in the show notes. And I really recommend going and checking it out, including the social media before you continue, as Pound is really unlike anything else in the industry, and you need to see it to fully appreciate it. As you're gonna hear on the show, I'm a massive fan of what Kirsten and Pound have done, their authenticity, their style, their brand, it really, really resonates. And what also resonates with me is that they have an approach to fitness that's all about fun and escapism. It's not about losing weight. It's not about before and afters. It's not about getting abs and if you've been listening to this show for a while, you know that that's exactly my philosophy as well. Now, this type of approach and workout definitely isn't for everyone. But Kirsten has carved out a niche and is very particular on what the brand stands for. This resonates in everything that Pound does, from their branding to their instructor mentality to the trainings they give out in the community that they create. There are some great lessons here for every group fitness instructor around understanding your purpose and knowing the environment that you're wanting to create. I reckon you'll take a lot away from this chat and I really hope you enjoy it.

Will:  

So Kirston, welcome to the podcast. How are you? 

Kirsten  

I'm good. Thank you for for having me. I'm excited to talk today. 

Will:  

Yeah, me too. So tell tell the listeners where you are dialing in from.

Kirsten  

So I actually just moved, I think about three months ago to Oceanside, California. I had been living in LA for 18 plus years. And so we made a move because of my husband's job. So new territory. 

Will:  

So where is Oceanside. I have not heard of it before, I'm guessing that it's beside the ocean. 

Kirsten  

It is beside the ocean. It is right below San Clemente. And above Carlsbad. It's like northern San Diego. And yeah, I kind of love it. And moving here has given me some really beautiful insight to the kind of underpinnings of boutique studios and, and the big box gyms and just seeing how it functions kind of in a smaller town has been really amazing. 

Will:  

So where did you live when you're in LA?

Kirsten  

Pretty much everywhere. So I have this, this unfortunate disease, I'm just kidding, I have to move constantly. I really like change. And so I lived in pretty much every neighborhood in LA, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Venice. Um, we ended up in Silver Lake, and unfortunately, we lived there the year of COVID. So the last year we didn't, you know, get to experience it in all of its glory. But LA is is a very, it's a beautiful city. It's got a lot of drive and a lot of energy. A lot of stuff you can get wrapped up in. But if you don't, and you find the good people, it's it's a pretty cool place to live. 

Will:  

Yeah, and I know we're gonna get more into branding and how its influenced the stuff that you've done with lb later because I'm sure that there's a lot of LA that's influenced the product you've created. So for our listeners that don't already know, you and know Pound, your format, why don't you give us an introduction to it? 

Kirsten  

Of course. So Pound is a cardio jam session inspired by drumming, you're going, it's a pose-based workout. So if you're not into dance-based workouts, you're gonna feel comfortable in this class. You don't have to know how to play an instrument. You don't have to have rhythm. If you can clap your hands to the beat, you can take class or you can teach class. 

Kirsten  

So what did, you said a pose-based?

Kirsten  

Yeah, so I feel like a lot of people I when they think of group fitness, they think dance. Yeah, most of the time. And they think steps and so pound is posed-based. So you're going to be set in one of four major positions that will get you through the program per track. And then we build in 1000s of techniques and strike patterns that kind of build out the choreography of each song. 

Will:  

Okay, so I've obviously done lb and I know what you're talking about, but I've not heard it described in the terms before, which is why I wanted to pull it out. Interesting. Okay, cool. So, um, well tell me how did you first get into fitness? And then tell me about a little bit how Pound came about because I'm sure that was pound what you started with, or were you your was your entry into the fitness industry through other stuff?

Kirsten  

Um, so I'll just say that I had zero experience in the actual fitness industry, pre-pound I, there are two kind of threads that lived throughout my childhood into my adult life. One of them was, I have been an entrepreneur, since I was six. I don't know why I had a little shop in my backyard and cards, I sold things. I don't know what it was about it. I think, through a lot of thought I realized I just always loved creating things for people. And I'm a big gift giver. And I know business isn't gift giving. But it was very much the transactional you come in, you love something that I've made you purchase it even when I was six years old. And that kind of brand throughout my life and movement was the second one. I had been an athlete since the age of six, ice skating, gymnastics, soccer, I was a division one athlete in college. So that was a backbone, right? It was everything that I knew. And growing up in both individual and team sports, it was really all that I knew. And all that I was taught really came through sports. But when I left that realm, right after college, that was my first intro to the gym, to group fitness to the fitness industry. And I will always say that me being as naive and uneducated in that world is actually what ended up making pound special. It was, I mean, it was a selfish act in many ways. I need something that makes me feel welcomed and included. I need something that makes me feel like a badass and that I'll never will never feel like a workout. I need a community. I need my family just like I had in in, you know, team sports. And so when we couldn't find that anywhere, we decided to create it. 

Will:  

That's really interesting, because I have been in the fitness industry for a long time. And so obviously, I've created a format and I used my experience so much from a, okay, I'm going to build the solution around the gaps. And one of the things I love about Pounnd and I remember a time when I think he took greatest showmen at IFS and we were both there. And I remember I was doing a demo and you were doing a demo and I think I had to follow you and I'm like, oh man, how do I follow that? Because the format's that I've created like utilitarian, they're really good for like delivering a class and then what you've created as passion and interest. And it's pretty random from the perspective of it did nothing came before. And that was really, really unique. And I love that because it just shows you that there's just so much that you can bring into this industry from all different places. But yeah, I did not enjoy following you guys at IFS. I was like, oh, man, they've just done this amazing thing. And now I'm gonna go and do tuck jumps. So when you say we, who are you talking about? Was it you and your founding team or?

Kirsten  

Yeah, so I had a founding partner. In the beginning, she left the, oh my god. So we celebrated our 10-year anniversary this year, which is...

Will:  

Wow, congratulations. 

Kirsten  

Thank you. I think she left about five years ago. So she she and I started we we were both living in LA. Her and I are also because we were at really different ends of the spectrum where we were in our lives and our feelings and beliefs, you know about fitness, we we came in with different, you know, thoughts and beliefs. And through that we found this really beautiful middle place, which is where you know, Pound ended up sitting in. 

Will:  

So tell me did like, how did you decide that you were going to create a fitness class with the rip sticks, right? How did like where did that inspiration come from? Was it what do you what did you come with actual drumsticks to a class and just create it, or was this something that you saw in your mind and put together like, how did it come about? 

Kirsten  

Yeah, that's that's a great question. I think about it often. There are so many times where I'm like, I have no idea. Like, if you look back and you try to identify the steps, it's like, wow, that was the most random series of events, but there were things that were pretty key. Both of us were very into drumming. I was running a music venue. I was able to absorb the music industry and people's love for music on a daily basis. And I understood that this is this is a universal language, no matter where you are in the world, you put a good song on a beat driven song, and most people are going to love it. And to connect through it, I saw that and I felt that in, in my experience there. And at the same time, you know, Christina was a trainer, and she was the like, I'm going to work out every day, I'm going to count my calories. I'm, you know, very regimented. I was like, let's go, let's go party. But I had grown up in the, you know, being an athlete, so I knew very well how important it was to have balance and to take care of yourself, but I wasn't going to do it by, you know, running on a treadmill. So it had to be fun. And essentially, I'll never forget, we lived in Laurel Canyon at the time, or I lived up in Laurel Canyon, we were up the street at my best friend's house on his roof, took a set of drumsticks, blasted music and just played. And that is what pound is, it's play. And so it comes very easily. It came very easily. And it soon, you know, transformed into something that felt not only really magical, and empowering, but effective.  And from there came how do we, which is how my mind works, how do we structure this, right? 

Will:  

This is where the entrepreneurial side came in. This is great. And I want to give this gift to people. How do we do it? 

Kirsten  

100% I mean, we were at the, we were, you know 10 years ago, you know, the influencers? The online trainers were the kind of celebrity trainers were at their peak. And I looked at that. And I said, that's the farthest thing from what I want for myself for myself. Yeah. So how do we make this a program that we can replicate anywhere in the world, with any instructor at any level, so that we can bring this gift to other people? and you know, after 10 years, we do this exercise in our training that we call level up. And it's about purpose, like what is your purpose? How do you find it? How do you identify it? And it was through testing that program that I was like I was put on this earth to create products or platforms for people to be total badass is on. Like, it's not about me, it's about every one of our instructors and our master trainers and beyond. So that that came from the beginning. 

Will:  

So how did you go? So you had this great idea? You believed in it, and you were confident that you could turn it created into a format, how did you get it from the rooftop and LA when you're rocking out, into a gym, and then into a replicable process that you could then sort of push out globally, like walk me through those steps. 

Kirsten  

So I like to compartmentalize things. So one, we we just tested it. I'm big on you know beta testing things without any pressure without any expectations. So it was just listen, we're trying to teach this class, all of our friends, please come try it out. Give us feedback. Let us know how you feel. From there, it was getting it in to gyms. And luckily we were in Los Angeles and some of the biggest greatest gyms are in that city. So we tested it out. And we got in in the beginning with Kendall Hogan, he came to one of our classes. He left halfway through, I thought, it's over. We're like, okay, well, we tried, um, he emailed us later that night. And so that was incredible. I love it. I want to talk about bringing it in to crunch. And so it was between, you know, Crunch and Equinox that we began testing our classes, from there...

Will:  

Two pretty great brands to be to be c

Kirsten  

...incredible brands who represented two very different things. So it was it was a great experience. It was a scary experience. I was 24 years old and had no idea what I was doing. But also, you know, an exhilarating one. And then from there it was like I said, it's it's how do you structure something you have and we decided on this a one day, eight hour training. How do you infuse all the you know structural things that make up a class, but also the core values and what it takes to be a good instructor and a good leader. All into, you know, a quick eight hours and, and so we built a language. That's funny, I was looking through old notebooks and I saw like the iterations that I had drawn out from what we call sheet music today. So it's the written version of choreography, it looks like music, we created Pound Pods, and within a pound pod, it's broken into three sections, the top signifies the number of eight counts, the middle is the technique and the bottom is a strike pattern. So if you're standing in set position, which is your basic standing position, and you're doing something called a down and up, which is the technique you're moving from, you know, your midline all the way to the floor, you're striking once or you're striking twice, or you're pounding, and it really simplified it and it allowed our instructors to pick up choreography easily no matter how you learn, right. So some people learn visually, you get them a video, some people can look at sheet music, and they're like, I'm good to go. You know, other people have to listen to the song three times before they even dive into anything. So we wanted to target all kind of learning, learning abilities. And then from there, we pretty much I won't dive too much into it, because it's a lot. But we break down how a class is structured, more importantly, why it's structured the way it is. If people don't understand the why behind things, they're not going to execute what we knew worked, right. And it was very important that whether you were in Paris, or Los Angeles, that your participants got the same experience. Yeah, and then all of all of our core values and what we believed it took to be a good leader, a good person when you stood in front of those people, because ultimately, that's the greatest responsibility and it should be looked at as a responsibility. You have humans in your in your hands and in the ability to shape them in one direction or another. So that was a mouthful. It's hard to put it all into a short explanation. 

Will:  

Yeah, I get that, especially when that happened organically and iterated. One of the things that, that I that I draw out from hearing that and like, I have to put my cards on the table and say, I've always been a massive fan of Pound, because the way that you create the brand and the authenticity has always been, has been so clearly thought out and just like, resonates so well. And it's not that Pound is necessarily the type of class that I would go to all the time, but I look at Pound and I'm like, they know who they are, they know the community that they're serving, and they're so consistent with their brand. And just the way you describe the training of you know, having the terminology and having the style of doing it. And I feel like whenever I see you guys rock out because we've crossed paths many times and places over the years presenting or at phoebo in Germany, and the one thing I always know is that when the when the guys from Pound turn up, or the girls from Pound turn up, they will look the part, play the part, rock it, and just have a really, really consistent brand message. And I find that really really impressive as someone that you know, strives through the same and uses Pound is kind of an example of what of what great looks like, how did you go about building that brand? Is that like, is it you? Or did you have help? Or like how did you create such a unique but strong brand?

Kirsten  

Oh, that's a another big question. I think when it when it comes down to it, whether you're living your life, or you're building a business, if you're not true to who you really are, and you fail, then it doesn't matter, then it doesn't matter. Like if you said this is who I am, this is what I believe in. I'm sticking with it. And you fail, then you know you you did you and if you get distracted I think that's very easy. When you start a business, what are they doing? What are they doing? What are they doing? And all of a sudden you're so far off track and you fail then you have to look back and say man, I went off my tracks I went away from my core values I went away from what I believe in. So I think that's number one. When it came to pound, you know, the reality is that pound is everything that I believe in. I'm I'm very into the way things look, the way things feelj, and how they're experienced. And that's always you know, been and always will be very important to me. And the way that Pound is experienced through our instructors is, is number one. And I'll go back to the responsibility that we have as instructors, you have people from all walks of life going through things that we couldn't even imagine. Or that we could, most of the time, we're going through the same thing. And you have the opportunity to change their life every time that they walk into a room. And that sounds cliche, and it sounds, you know, silly, but it's the absolute truth. And I know it's the absolute truth, because I've heard the stories. I, you know, I was going through a breakup, a death, you know, mental illness, whatever it is, group fitness can truly heal, and you have to have an instructor who's highly aware of that, and the responsibility that they they take. And then, you know, brand is, is much feeling as it is seeing. So you're you're right, like, we don't want you to come and fit into this mold. We want you the mold is you being exactly who you are. And you'll see it with instructors who are like, I never thought I could be an instructor, I didn't think it was possible, because I don't look like the ones that I see on Instagram. And the reality is, you're not only a badass instructor, you're even better because you're showing up to class and showing every one of your participants that they can do it too. And so we have to show that on, you know, in our marketing on social media in the way that we talk. And then it's just as much about what you show as what you don't show. We from the very beginning, we're very careful. And we don't show before and after pictures, we don't use body centric language. We don't really talk about, you know, what we don't talk about, you know, problem areas or body language, it's just it, I don't think that it does any good. We talk about the way you feel the way you feel before and after what you're going through. So that shows up in our language that shows up in what you see in socials and our conversations and hopefully in our classes. 

Will:  

Yeah, I mean, I certainly think it does, I love checking out your social media and all that sort of stuff. Because it just, it always feels like you're leading with joy. And then everything else kind of follows on from that. And that's the feeling that I get when I see. So when I've done a Pound class or when I've seen a Pound class, or just want to see the photos, and and there's sometimes not enough of that in fitness, right? Like, I think he kind of touched on it. So much of fitness is based around getting a certain result rather than the fact of being in the moment and enjoying what you're doing and feeling that your purpose and your joy is kind of all wrapped up in one thing that you are doing. It's, it's it's fun to be able to do fitness for the purpose of enjoying it rather than because you want to lose five pounds or lose 10 pounds. And so much of the industry is caught up in that and pound really feels like a breath of fresh air that doesn't buy into that stuff. 

Kirsten  

Yeah, I mean, think about when you were a kid, you know, you your your mom and dad would you know open the door and you'd run outside and you'd be in play mode all day long. You're not thinking, you know that you're burning calories. Yeah, whatever it may be, but you come home refreshed, feeling full of life. And yes, you've got an immense amount of exercise you, you don't have to think twice about it. And at the end of the day pound is about play and humans are under so much pressure. We are separated by technology and physical locations, we don't connect with each other because play is just as much an individual act as it is, you know, a community based one. And so that's what happens in pound class you are getting together with your friends to play and joy is, is what happens at the end. 

Will:  

Yeah. Do you aim to service a certain community. Are you for everybody? Like do you have a sort of a customer avatar when you think about who comes to upon class or does it depend on who your instructors looking to serve?

Kirsten  

So, I'll say it this way. Our our avatar is more about attitude and the way somebody feels about themselves in life than it is about their age, where they live or what they look like. So, you know, it's somebody who has a rebellious side, somebody who wants to be, you know, fearless enough to just simply be themselves. It's somebody who wants fun and joy and play in their lives. And yeah, that person can exist anywhere, at any age or any stage. 

Will:  

And how have your, so sort of pivoting a little bit into what you were talking about before, in terms of the individual versus group side of things, how have your instructor community dealt with the pandemic? And now coming out of the pandemic? Like, did they manage to pivot? Did they manage to pivot Pound to digital? Because I would imagine it's quite like a, it's a communal experience class. So was that something they were able to do? Or were the challenges there? 

Kirsten  

Yeah, our community did what they do best, which is they figured out a way to party through it all. You know, it was, it was a really devastating year for so many people and our instructors picked up their feet, and they made it work. And not only did they make it work, but I again, I go back to that responsibility piece. So many of our pound pros said, I got, I have to do something, not for the people who live within my home, not for the people who live within my community, but our global community. And you saw people teaching and taking classes from, you know, Tennessee, to Paris, to Australia and beyond, and connecting in a way that I don't think I ever could have imagined. And so this bond, that I was so afraid that we would lose because of the lack of true human connection actually became stronger and connected. People from around the world, you know, in different cultures dealing with different things. And you know, sitting in zoom rooms having long conversations after class was over. So they, they kicked ass, and they stepped up and they stepped in and, you know, you said it earlier, teaching virtually is, it's has a couple more hurdles than teaching live. And would I prefer a live environment over a virtual one. Absolutely, yeah. But we've learned the power in both. And I think when we look to the future, we're gonna see a hybridized version of of what we saw in the past. But the biggest thing that came to light, I think, across, you know, the globe was how important human connection truly is. And we're not seeing people and touching people and hugging people and taking class of people and sweating with people, we lose a piece of ourselves. And it plays a huge role on our mental health and, and so I hope that when we go back to, I don't like saying go back to I hope that as we move into the future, gyms, really understand that big box gyms, group fitness is the heartbeat and the soul of your physical location. And I hope we put more value, time energy and money into that realm. 

Will:  

Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? I feel like I've heard this talked about from a lot of different a lot of different angles. I was on a panel last week we were talking about it was basically boutique industry panel, but they were talking about industry trends. And one of the speakers, actually, Emma Barry, guest of the podcast previously that I know is a good friend of yours. She made the point which I completely agree with and that you you just said as well, which is that the fitness industry really stepped up during the pandemic like in those especially in those first few weeks and months. Everyone was just freaking out. They were locked up in their houses, they were scared and and fitness instructors just kind of went okay, well, I'm gonna go to Instagram or Facebook, to start doing zoom classes, and really provided for a lot of people the only connection and community that they could have during that first phase. And yeah, I'd like so from from the purpose perspective of being within the industry. I agree with you, I really hope that the value that group fitness provides well however it's being provided platform wise, is something that is is really seen and valued moving forward. So Pound for me feels quite like the uniqueness of a boutique class. But is it primarily delivered in the community or in big box gyms, like where did where does pounds sort of express itself most freely or is it kind of anywhere and everywhere, depending on where your instructors are? 

Kirsten  

It's it's anywhere and everywhere. And that's the beauty of it. I would say we're pretty equally spread from boutique gyms to big box to, you know, churches to schools, we just launched our, well we launched a program called Generation Pound about two years ago, and we just launched a new program that's built specifically for schools.

Will:  

That's so cool. That is such a fantastic market for you got to tap into it. 

Kirsten  

Yeah. I mean, if there's anybody who, well, that's not true, we all equally need it, but kids, and the way that they experience life, in these times is just makes me sad. And so, like the fact that we have to have conversations about bringing play into kids' lives...

Will:  

Yeah.

Kirsten  

Yeah. And their relationships with themselves and their bodies is that is at stake, and their minds. And so programs, like Generation Pound, where we focus a lot on you know, self confidence, self expression, musicality, creativity, these are things that should come very easy for a young kid, as in it should be around them in abundance. And it's, it's not. And so we need to make it a priority again. And that's what we're trying to do on the on the pound side. 

Will:  

That's very exciting. So moving on to kind of the industry in general, like speaking from your perspective as the founder of a group fitness format, and the head of a big community of really engaged instructors, what's your view of kind of the state of the industry at the moment? Like, what are your predictions about sort of what is coming obviously, generation pound is something that you guys believe in and is that you'd like to work on, but for for your existing adult instructors? What's the what's the push that you're putting out in the community?

Kirsten  

For us personally, or the industry at large?

Will:  

Both, sort of what what you're seeing in the industry, and then how you how you are approaching it within your community.

Kirsten  

I mean, I'll go back to my last statement, where my hope, it's hard, it's honestly very difficult for me to look and, and identify things that are going to happen because we are living in a climate that is changing on a day. 

Will:  

That is very, very fair.

Kirsten  

My hope is, is is what I said, which is we learn and this is across the board, business, pound, fitness and life, that we have all learned really important lessons, right? We've learned the value of human connection, how important it is to be around people, to hug people to talk to people to connect with people, we have learned how important movement is and the motivation to move is. We've learned how important mental health is and how it can play such a large toll if we're not aware of it. All of these things tie into what we believe in and what happens in a group fitness room. So in the gym, again, I hope that every single big box gym, you know, because boutique studios or boutique studios, it's usually revolves around that class experience. But that the bigger gyms see the the heartbeat that's happening in that small or big group fitness room, the responsibility that the instructors taking and the value that that instructor brings to the gym, I want them to be paid well, I want them to be taken care of, I want them to be looked at as leaders because that's what they they truly are. And they build community and community should be what gyms are all about, right? So I hope that we shift in ways where we're looking at group fitness in that way. And then in general, I think again, we're going to see kind of a hybridized version of fitness and group fitness. People want to take it home and that's okay. I mean, I just became a mom, I totally get it. It's like I got to squeeze in 10 minutes, there's no way to you know, spend those 10 minutes driving to the gym. I I think that's totally fine. And I think it's a beautiful balance. I think when we start looking at it, everything's going digital, everything's going virtual, we just lose the reality of people's lives. So I think it's going to be a bit of both. And then on the pound side, it's it's always number one on our list to take care of our instructors. But we spent the last year building out and developing our instructor portal. We launched workshops, we launched e-courses, there is no way that's where we have to take responsibility, right? Somebody goes through an eight hour training, they're nurtured up to a certain point, what happens when they start teaching, we were doing an okay job before, I think we're doing a much better job of nurturing, educating and making sure that our pros have the skills to not only teach well, but understand, you know, the business of being an instructor, the marketing side. So that's all being built and will continue to be a really large focus throughout the next couple of years and beyond, of course.

Will:  

The next 10 years. I'm really interested, do you find because because your your program is so unique, and doesn't necessarily follow on from conventional fitness, it's a little bit like Zumba in that way, right, in that it brings in people that don't see themselves as a gym person, but they can see themselves like doing something that they enjoy. Do your instructors come from the fitness industry? Or do you bring people in from non-fitness like you were at the very start, like, what's the what's the mix? 

Kirsten  

I would say it's probably 80/20, where 80% are at least you know, gym goers, and, and potentially teaching, we do attract, you know, you see the lifecycle of a of a, you know, Pound Posse member, I'll give you an example that you see replicated millions of times started our community. You know, I was too afraid to go to the gym. I finally went one day, I walked by the group fitness room, I saw this weird class with green sticks, I walked in, I made best friends, my life was changed, my body and mind were transformed. I wanted to give this gift to somebody else. So I became an instructor. Then I became a tour crew member, then I became a pound icon. And, and that's what we truly find. And I think it's that, that rebellious, what the heck is this? I want to try it moment matched with I finally feel like I can be myself in this environment. I don't think we necessarily mean to do it. But there were so many experiences in the gym where I felt like I was unseen. I was being introduced to problem areas in my body that I never knew existed. 

Will:  

You didn't know they were a problem until...hahah.

Kirsten  

Absolutely. I was looking at the clock, I was thinking about what I was going to eat for lunch, and I walked out of the room and made eye contact with zero people. We want to do the opposite of that, right?

Will:  

Yeah, totally. And it's funny that hearing that kind of origin story, because the way that pound looks with those bright green sticks, all moving in unison and making like a shitload of noise, and all that sort of stuff is, is almost specifically designed to really stick out. It's something that's unique and different within a gym. And so it's funny that that didn't that these are things that were just inherently parts of the thing that you did on the roof that day that are now such such great tools for bringing people in and allow your community to connect with who you are and what you are. 

Kirsten  

Well, don't be fooled. Every little tiny detail of Pound was very, very, very thought out for...

Will:  

Yeah I don't doubt that for a second.

Kirsten  

Green is the most recognizable color, that's why green lights are green. So when you walk by that color is going to catch your eye much more than, you know, a yellow or a peach or a red. 

Will:  

Yeah, absolutely. As as I mentioned, I look to you guys as examples of how to do branding and, and authenticity and essence really, really well. So I don't think for a second that this stuff hasn't been decided on. So tell me, you've already touched on it a little bit in terms of building out your courses and digitization. What's the big next thing for, two-part question...What's the big next thing for you? You've probably already touched on the big changes that you've had but the big next things for you and the big next things for pound, you can take whatever order you wish to answer them in. 

Kirsten  

Me, like personally?

Will:  

Yeah, yeah, like what's what's the sort of the big the big challenge for you? Maybe it's maybe it's pound or is it other stuff?

Kirsten  

Um, you know, I always look, a pound, pound was my first kid, right? And there's pieces and, and milestones throughout the last 10 years where I've said, oh, he's graduating from kindergarten. I truly feel that the last year and a half was, you know, your insane college years and it's time to be an adult. And so for pound I think it's time for some some big changes. And I think that we have had, we've been lucky enough to have some really beautiful learnings in the last year, not only because we were pushed up against the wall, um, and, and, you know, forced into virtual and had to look at how we were supporting our community. So yeah, I don't want to give anything away, but I think it's a big shift for anybody, like, you went through this last year. And you're like, we slowed down in certain ways, we sped up in other ways, we learned what works, we learned that our team has to wear multiple hats, we learned that when our team is collaborative, and there's transparency, we work better than ever. And when we truly come together, we get way more done. And that balance and mental health isn't something that we can just, you know, preach. It's something that we have to play out in our everyday lives. And I think we're at a really exciting time where we're resetting all of our core values. We're, we're continuing our brand story, right? And starting over in some, some senses, and I think that's, that's scary. And it's exciting. And I feel that way in my personal life, as well. 

Will:  

Yeah, well, I guess with new baby, new move.

Kirsten  

Yeah, that's my only personal focus, right now. Hahah.

Will:  

Well, I mean, it's, it's a big focus to have, but you did say at the top that you you like constant change. And I imagine that constant change and constant challenge go together so...

Kirsten  

No, absolutely. If you ask anybody in my family, if I would be doing anything for 10, straight years, they would say, hell no, there's no way she's doing the same thing. But, you know, pound has provided such an incredible platform for me to express my creativity. We're constantly doing new things, new projects, they're constantly challenges. And there's constant inspiration, too, you have a conversation with any one of our pros, or our team members for more than 20 minutes, and you're like heart is filled up enough to get through another year, you know.

Will:  

So I think that brings us nicely to the end of our conversation, I'm going to ask you one question, which I ask everyone at the sort of end of a chat on this podcast, which is, if you could give an instructor listening to this one piece of advice, and it can be anything about themselves or their teaching that you wish you'd known sooner? What would it be?

Kirsten  

Um, that's a good question. I think, I think that when you become a leader, or the person who has to stand in front of a group of people, whether that be in real life or you know, digitally, it's sometimes easy to lose sight of the human experience. And so I think it goes back to what I've said a couple of times throughout this conversation, which is your responsibility as an instructor. You have a group of people in front of you that it takes a lot for them to get there, maybe not some, maybe some, you know, for others. And I think creating a safe environment for them has to be your number one, creating a welcoming, inclusive, these are all words that people use all the time. But what does that actually look like? And what does that actually feel like? And that should be something that you think about every single time you walk into the room. If you do that people are going to come back, they're going to trust you, they're going to feel safe in your environment, and they're going to become, you know, better humans because of that. And fitness is all about retention and getting people to come back and getting people to sign up. That's how you do it. You create a community where, where people feel safe and empowered to do so. And so I would say before you walk into a room, remind yourself that you are the audience. They're the rock stars, and it's your job to cheer them on and create, you know, very safe environments where they feel like total badasses.

Will:  

I think that is fantastic advice. So Kirsten, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. I am really excited to see what's coming up for power didn't give too much away but and I'm also really excited for the next time we actually managed to run into each other in person somewhere at something involving fitness and loads of people. I will look forward to that day. 

Kirsten  

I cannot, I cannot wait it has been too long. 

Will:  

It has been. Thanks so much.

Will:  

So there you have it, lead with joy. What I love most about what they do in Pound, is that everything is centered around joy, enjoyment, and play. And I love what Kirsten said about being a kid and running around playing all day. Obviously, you would burn a lot of calories and you will be super active. But that would never be the goal. The goal was just to have fun. I've spoken a lot on this podcast about how frustrated I and others can get at the fitness industry's continued focus on aesthetics, weight loss, six packs, all that stuff. And that's why I think Pound is such a breath of fresh air. Now, whether you love the concept of a Pound class, or it's not quite for you, I do think that we can all agree that they know how to have fun, and we could all do with a little bit more fun in our lives. So my challenge to you this week is to have a think about what you can do to bring a bit more fun to your class. Now, whether you teach a more traditional head style of class or a lifting format, or you love a bit of dance, the one thing we can all do is inject a little bit more fun joy and laughter into a class in one way or another. You just have to think about how you're going to do it.

Will:  

Thank you for listening. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to subscribe for all the latest episodes wherever you get your podcasts. And while you're there, please drop us a review. You can also get in touch with me at will@sh1ftfitness.com. I'm Will Brereton and you've been listening to Group Fitness Real Talk.