Introductions

Brian 0:20

Well, welcome back to the Vero Beach Podcast. I'm Brian.

Shawna 0:22

And I'm Shauna.

Brian 0:23

And today we are sitting right here at Joy Fit with Crystal. Crystal, we're so excited to have you on the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Thank you for being here. Oh, thanks for having me. I'm really glad to be here today. Yeah.

Brian 0:33

So okay, Sonna always loves to paint the uh paint the picture of where we're at.

Shawna 0:38

So I love it's so big and bright and airy and clean. And so, yes, a very big studio area with beautiful vinyl floors, right? Is that like wood look? I love that, which is really nice to exercise on too because it's kind of soft on your feet. Yes. Whole wall of mirrors, lots of fans. I'm really happy about all those fans. Yes, me too. Like sitting here sweating. I just sweat every day. That's yeah, that's a stage I'm at in my life. And then a whole wall of equipment. And so yeah, when we get into all the different kinds of classes and exercises you offer, you can tell us about all that. Okay. That's sure.

The Person Behind JoyFit

Brian 1:15

During this first part, I'm excited to get to know you, get to know Crystal, the person behind Joy Fit. So maybe take a little time and tell us a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Sure. Um, let's see. As far as like group fit and joy fit, like I've been teaching group fitness for over 10 years, but prior to that, I um was in marketing and then I was a high school teacher for 18 years. So I've kind of had like this is kind of my third career, um, which is super fun because I use teaching and marketing every day at Joy Fit. So it kind of all comes together. But um yeah, so I've been teaching group fitness for 10 years while I was teaching high school. Oh wow. So I would teach at night and actually even um the year before last, I would teach at 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning, drive to school, and then teach high school. Oh my goodness. I was a little crazy. Like I would teach up to like seven classes because I just loved group fitness so much while I was also teaching. Um, so that's kind of my like business or business background. But um, let's see, I am a mom and a wife, and I love all those things. I have a dog. So what kind of dog is it? He's a doodle, yes. And his name is Alan, which is a really funny name for a doodle. But um that is his name, and he's amazing and fun and um all those things. Does Alan ever get to come to the studio with you? You know what? He doesn't, and I've thought about bringing him, but he is 12 and a half, so he's kind of starting to get a little slower. He gets a little nervous in the car. Sure. So he sleeps a lot, but um so it's home is good for him. Home is very good for him. Yes. Oh, that's so sweet.

Brian 2:58

I get that. We got a little, we got a little Yorkie, and I always yesterday we actually took her for a ride, and I said, it's just easier to leave her at home. She's happy at home. Why do we bring the like why do this? She gets nervous in the car too.

SPEAKER_00 3:11

Well, he gets like really excited if you're gonna put him in the car, but then when he gets in there, he starts just shaking. Yeah, he just shakes and he's like, okay, wait, this wasn't what I thought it was gonna be. Like so, and he also is really funny because he doesn't want to go for walks anymore. Like, I try to take him out for a walk, and a friend of mine was with me this weekend, and she's like, Let's take Alan for a walk. And I was like, Okay, we'll see how far he goes. And I'm maybe 50 feet, and he turned around, and I was like, See, I told you that's it. He turned around and he was like, Let's go home. Yeah.

Brian 3:40

So this sounds like our walking experience from where we used to live. Like we would take the dog, and I'm like, I would say, we can't take the dog for a walk when we want to walk because we don't get a walk. Right. But then it's the same thing. I'd learn I learned it was the same thing with Shauna. She would stop and say hi to everybody, and it turned this big conversation. I'm like, Hey, but I'm just gonna keep walking because I gotta get some stuff.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

It's like no exercise, it's hard. Like you have to talk to the people in the neighborhood for sure. You have to, yeah.

Brian 4:05

That's all I get it. So I'm like, all right, so I would just she knew if she started talking, I would just keep walking. Like this in front, she knew I had to get it steps in, get some steps in.

SPEAKER_00 4:12

There you go. I'm all about it.

Shawna 4:13

And I had to get some words in. That's that's right. Yeah, I needed some words, he needed some steps. It all worked out great. Yeah,

The Journey From Teaching, Marketing, to Group Fitness

Shawna 4:19

there you go.

Brian 4:20

Uh, so okay, so let's go back to teaching, marketing. Wow, and now in the group, the group exercises and stuff like that, group fitness. Tell us a little bit about how that happened. Like, how do you get from there to here?

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah, okay. So, long story short, I um I went to Virginia Tech and I have a degree in history, political science, all the things in social studies education. And I met this boy and he got a job in Greenville, South Carolina, and I moved there with him. And um, I tried to get a teaching job, and it was like a really bad year, especially out for social studies teachers. A lot of times they want a football coach or whatever. So it was a really bad year. And somehow I got this peon job in marketing and sales for um a company that's now called the Cliffs Communities, and they own a whole bunch of golf courses throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. And so I kind of started in this little marketing career. And from there, I just stayed in it and never did teaching. And then um, when my kids were little, I was like, you know what, I marketing was getting a little crazy. I was starting to travel. I was at working for an ad agency, and my husband was traveling, and it was just honestly too much like for our family.

Shawna 5:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

And I said, you know what? I'm gonna see if I can go back and be a teacher. And that's really what happened. And that was so much better for my family because I was home in the summers. Um, I was off early enough that I could get them to practices and all those things. And so, so I did teach high school teaching for 18 years. Um, and then during that time, I also became a group fitness instructor. When my kids became um older, I actually I had honestly, I was really overweight. I had, you know, busy mom, all those things. You kind of stopped taking care of yourself.

Shawna 6:07

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

And one day I woke up and I was like, oh, this is not good. You know, I don't feel good. Um, I'm tired all the time. And one of my friends was actually going to jazz or size. Oh, yeah. And she kept posting about it on Facebook and she lost all this weight. And I was like, if she can do it, I can do it. So I walked into jazz or size and I about died. Like I was going around in circles, I couldn't breathe. At the end, I was like, where do I sign up? And that was it. And and and within six months, I had lost 45 pounds. Oh my god. And I was a jazzer size instructor. So it told group fitness totally changed my life, made me a better parent, better wife. I was happier. Um, and so that's how that started. And that was 10, a little bit over 10 years ago that that happened. Yeah. Um, and that's that's kind of where I started in group fitness.

Shawna 6:58

And I love that my mom and I did jazz or size together. Yeah. So I I started doing jazz or size um when I was pregnant. Yeah. Yeah. And like the instructor was so wonderful. Like she just adapted for me. I mean, I exercised until I gave birth. And I was amazing.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

That's all I was doing.

Brian 7:17

That wasn't awesome for me.

Shawna 7:18

Yeah.

unknown 7:18

Why not?

Brian 7:19

I got judged a lot by the neighbors.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

Oh.

Brian 7:22

She'd be like, I'm push mowing. I'm like, you cannot go out and push mow. You are like nine months pregnant. I was like, everybody in the town's gonna think that guy is some jerk. She's like, no, they won't. And she did it. And then about I think it was like six months later, the neighbor said, We thought he we thought your husband was a real jerk because we saw him out there making you push mow.

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Well, probably because you were going to jazz or size, like you could actually keep doing it. Exactly. But that going to work out like that was conditioning you, even while you were pregnant, to be able to do other things like that. Yeah, yeah.

Shawna 7:50

And I wanted to be active and I wanted you know to be healthy. And so I I should have listened to you and at least like warned. Taken a little bit of a break. I was like, my husband's not making me do this.

Brian 8:00

Yeah, I'm gonna say, please don't judge from what it looks like to the appearance. You don't know.

SPEAKER_00 8:04

That's funny about that. The only time I have ever push mode my yard, my husband was out of town and I was actually pregnant. Oh my god, I remember it was like so hot. It was like July in South Carolina, and like pushing. And I was like, this stinks. Like, I don't like doing that. So that's funny.

Brian 8:19

Uh okay. Well, that actually that's that's good because I was reading on your website that you part of your story was you're a tired mom and group fitness changed your life. So now I know what that story is. So I love that.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

It really it really did. And not just not just that I walked in and lost weight, but I formed a new community of people. Yeah. That um, and that was in South Carolina, but I'm still good friends with a lot of those people. I love that. You know, and I think that's one thing about group fitness that's so fantastic is that social community aspect. Definitely.

Brian 8:48

And how so how big of a difference was it for you like losing that 45 pounds in six months?

SPEAKER_00 8:53

Oh, I I'll give you a prime example. At the time, I was teaching high school and I took a group of kids to um DC and we were at Arlington National Cemetery.

Brian 9:03

It was a lot of walking in DC.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Exactly. Well, I was like, we're gonna walk to up, you have to go up a lot of steps to the tomb of the unknown soldier. And I remember the first year I took them, I paid for the tram, like within their field um field trip, you know, money. Right. This time I was like, nah, we're just gonna walk it. Yeah. And I'm like just hiking it up there, no problem. I look back, I got these 16 to 17-year-olds, we're like, Miss divers, this is so hard. You know, and it it hit me right then that oh my gosh, this is what this has done for me. Like I can walk up these steps so easily. And I've got kids that can't do it. Um, so that's just you know, it's just functional, like functional daily life changes. Exactly.

Shawna 9:50

You know, it's that's so good.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

Yeah, it bringing in groceries, right? You know, so like just simple things like that. And also not only that, like once that happened, I was pre- I had pre-diabetic numbers. Yeah, and I also had like borderline, um, high blood pressure. And that year when I went back and had all my blood, everything was good. Perfect. And it's been perfect since in the last 10 years, like, and that's directly related to physical movement. Absolutely. That's so great.

Brian 10:24

That's that's really that's that's cool to hear that too. And and looking back and realizing

Excercises in Schools

Brian 10:28

that's gotta ignite some kind of like some of the passion behind what you're doing today, too. Like knowing that younger people aren't active where that they're having that negative effect and not even realizing it because of our I mean, the technology and the way of work life is these days. A lot of us are behind computers all day. Right. Uh, so that's gotta ignite some kind of passion there for you in that area.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

Yeah. So actually, I uh I've lived here for five and a half years and I taught at Indian River Charter High for three years, and um there was an aerobics class, and that teacher had to leave mid-year. And I walked in, it was first period, and I had first period planning, and I walked in to the principal's office and I said to him, I was like, Hey, I I can teach that aerobics class. And he was like, What are you talking about? He was like, What do you mean? And I'm like, I'm a certified group fitness instructor. I have multiple, you know, other um group fitness certifications and dance fitness and strength and bar. And he's like, Really? And I'm like, Yeah. And he goes, Let me let me think about that very next morning. He calls me down to his office. He goes, Okay, you can teach it. So for two and a half years, I also taught aerobics at school. Oh, and that was so amazing. And I I loved it so much because there were some kids in there that came in there because they wanted to be fit and they were, they were already into fitness. But there were a number of kids that came into that class that came because I had been their teacher. They liked me and they were like, oh, I need an elective, I'll try it. And I just loved that they were moving their bodies every day.

Shawna 12:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:01

Um, and I actually have two students that come to Joy Fit now. And one of them was in that class. So I yeah, that was just really, really important for me because as a teacher for 18 years, I could see the decrease in movement in kids. Especially like they just come in, they open their laptop. And I I wasn't, I was a pencil, like, sorry, you got to take your pencil out. Yeah, exactly. Put your laptop down. And um, it was different because they're just so used to being tied to their phone and their computer, and they really aren't moving as much as they should be. So that was just such a blessing for me to be able to do that um for two and a half years with them.

Shawna 12:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Um, and I taught every day. And the greatest thing about it was it was at 7:15. Wow. And it would fill at 22, like every single semester. And they would, they would walk in a little bit late. They would walk in a little bit tired. Yeah, I'd have the music cranking. But you know what? By 7:25, we were going. You know, and they would get a good 40, 45-minute workout in every day. Like I would switch it up. We do Matt Pilates one day, we'd do Shine Dance Fitness one day, we'd do bar without the bars. Uh, we would do a hit class and then we'd do like a stretching day. And that is so great. It was a really all schools did that. Yeah. Yeah. It was such a good experience. The only thing about it, my principal at the end, let's say the second semester I taught it, which was in the fall, he said, Hey, you you got to be PE certified by January to keep teaching the class. And this was like October. And I'm like, What do you mean? I'm like, oh my gosh. He was like, just go take the test, it'll be fine. Well, those teacher tests are really hard. Um, so I was like so panicked about it. I went and took it. It was perfectly fine. Because it was fitness and education. Well, that's your yeah. And it was funny. I came out and the lady was like, You passed. And I'm like, Do people not pass? And she was like, Oh yeah, they they a lot of people don't pass. I'm like, the PE test, but they don't, but they actually don't pass it. But so she was like really impressed that I passed it. So um that's awesome. Keep teaching it. So I'm actually social studies certified and PE certified.

Shawna 14:11

You've got so many fallbacks if you ever need that, you know.

Brian 14:15

So

Did You Foresee This

Brian 14:15

okay, so I this is so interesting. Like to be able to look back and then see your teaching experience and your marketing has played a role in what you're doing today. Uh, did you ever imagine? Like, did you ever see the fitness area as something that you might go into? No. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Oh my gosh, no. If you had asked me 12 years ago, or you told me 12 years ago you're gonna be a group fitness instructor, I would have been like, what are you talking about? Like, there is no way that there is no way that would happen. Um I no, not at all. Like, I definitely did not see that as part of my future, but God knows, like God, God knew what he was doing. Um, he has totally prepared me for this. And um, this is what he wants me to do. Um, so I I had to do like I had to do it. Like, you know, like I was like, okay, I better do it because I, you know, but yeah, no, like I feel like um like all the all of my life has prepared me for this. I was a cheerleader in high school, so I am fairly um, you know, coordinated and I like to move my body. But then, you know, you have babies and your life gets busy and you're working all the time and um all of that. But yeah, I I I loved being in marketing for a long time and I love trying to figure out how do I get more people and how do I let them know this is the product for them, you know. I I know all about I was really heavily in direct marketing when I was in marketing. And um, I really enjoyed being in that space. And I wasn't a marketing in college, like I just kind of fell into it. And then I had a lot of great mentors, a really a lot of great people that I'm so thankful for um in that marketing arena. Um, and then I think with teaching, like high school or any kind of teacher, they make really good group fitness instructors because you have to get everyone's attention, you have to make sure everybody's doing the right thing, especially like in a strength or Pilates class, you know, reform is important. You have to know that you have to be able to command a space, a command, command a room. Yeah. Um, and in in a nice way. Like exactly.

Brian 16:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

I did it with teenagers, right? Yeah, like it's totally gold that if I did it with teenagers, I can do it with adults. So all of that experience, uh, it makes you and also the more you do it, the more confident you are at it.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

So, you know, when I first became a group fitness instructor, you're really nervous and you're really scared and you feel like, oh, like total imposter syndrome, right? But I think with that teaching experience, it it goes away faster. That makes sense. You kind of get over that imposter syndrome faster. Like I I do want to, I know how to lead people. Yeah, you know, so if I've if I'm confident in my strength workout that I've planned, well, then it's gonna go well because I I know how to talk to people, lead people, motivate people.

Shawna 17:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:05

I when I first moved here, I couldn't find a place to work here. And so I taught online for a year and a half.

Brian 17:11

Okay, wow.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

And I think that was important. And then just the communities that I found here over time. I um it was COVID. So I started teaching outside. I live in Point West and there's a pavilion. And I just put on the page, hey, anybody want to do Pilates on Sunday morning? That's cool. That first year, I would have 20 people because nobody wanted to go back to the gym. Yeah, exactly. Um, so that was super fun. And in that community, I I taught Pilates outside on Sundays at Point West for three years. Wow. From 2021 to 2024. And I a number of those people are Joy Fit members. Oh, that's awesome. So, like that was important. And then I wanted to teach Shine Dance Fitness again because I wasn't really able to teach that on you know, Zoom classes. And I was like, okay, where I'm gonna do this. And I went to the IG center. I kind of found that and I taught Shine over there on Saturday mornings for two years. I did that, and then kind of in between all that, I gave up teaching on Zoom because it was about time in September 2021. And I got hired at Vero Fitness and Christie's for January 2023.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:21

And I worked at Vero Fitness for about four months. Um, but the crit my Christie's classes were picking up a lot faster. So I loved the I love the Vero Fitness crew. I love that team over there. Um, there was there were great people there, but the schedule at Christie's just worked better for me. So I taught at Christie's for two and a half years. Oh, that's awesome. Um, and a lot of my night people, they they came with me. So it like that whole journey too. Like if I had just moved here

Biggest Lesson So Far

SPEAKER_00 19:07

and opened this, I don't think it would have been nearly as like it is. Yeah. Um, I I hadn't needed time to kind of for people to know who I was and get kind of get a little bit of a name for myself. And um, so that I think that's all part of the journey.

Brian 19:22

What what would you say has been your biggest challenge or lesson that you've learned so far?

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Um, you're not for everybody.

unknown 19:31

Right?

Brian 19:31

Wait a minute. You said that, you said that directly to me, like you were now my seat, my seat's a lot lower down.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Like, you know, like you're like you get so excited, like people join and like oh, they're coming, and then somebody cancels, and you're like, wait, why did you cancel? You know, and it's maybe they're injured, maybe they're moving, maybe they don't have the funds, maybe like there's so many things that maybe you know, and I um I am a really like sensitive person in the sense that oh my gosh, maybe they don't like me. But that's not really you, that's not what it's about. Yeah, don't take it personal because you can't take it personal. Um, like even I would watch like people when they would cancel classes and I finally just turned that off.

unknown 20:18

Good.

SPEAKER_00 20:18

You know, like because you know, they'll come in and say, Oh my gosh, my mom was sick and I had to drive to Pennsylvania. Like, oh, that's perfectly good reason for you to cancel your class. Right. So, like just kind of understanding that it's not always about you. Most of the time it's not, most of the time it's not.

Brian 20:35

That's so true. I love that. Yeah, actually, I wrote down some of the stuff that I I saw on your site. I always scrape people's websites.

Shawna 20:42

I love it. Scrape,

The Mission Behind JoyFit

Shawna 20:43

it's not stalking. Yeah, so I'm doing it.

SPEAKER_00 20:46

Yeah, it's preparation. You're prepared. Yeah, for sure. I would have been like offended if you hadn't looked at my website. Like, oh, you got a website.

Shawna 20:54

Oh, didn't you?

Brian 20:56

You got a website? No.

Shawna 20:57

That's just not my job in this setup job.

Brian 20:59

That's what I do in my normal life, is I'm always auditing people's messaging and websites. But I'm I always I love for this because then I get to learn a little bit about you. Yeah, and I see the story coming to life more like as we're sitting here. But I did write down I I love that you put on air about your your purpose is to bring people joy, good health, and community. And it says, you know, it's all about fun and smiles.

SPEAKER_00 21:20

Yeah.

Brian 21:21

And I wrote I wrote this down because I love this part. It says that you help people discover the inner their inner and outer strength.

SPEAKER_00 21:28

Yeah, for sure.

Brian 21:29

So can you like give us a little bit more insight about that?

SPEAKER_00 21:32

I think like the from the inner strength part, it's like we're always putting ourselves down, we're always questioning ourselves, we're always comparing ourselves to other people. And that's not what Joy Fit is about. Joy Fit is about, oh my gosh, look what I just did. Like I did a workout, and um, one of the things that I do is I have like the 50 and 100 marks, and we like have and I posted on Facebook and Instagram, and people just love it. Yeah, and that's a big thing. It's big. The fact that you've walked in this door a hundred times, yeah, like that's hard. Be proud of yourself. And I feel like that's kind of um what I mean by that inner strength that you're capable, you can do it, you're strong, you can come in this room. And even if you've got to modify, even if you use lower weights, even if you don't make it all the way through the dance class, you did it. Like you walked in the door and you are strong. Walking in the door of a fitness place is hard. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

It is it's intimidating, it's scary. And I when you walk in, I'm celebrating the fact that you walked in. That's awesome. And um, I'm always, I'm always like, I'm So glad you're here. Like I'm I it I'm just so glad everybody that walks in that door is here because they need to be here for some reason. Yeah. So so that's kind of what I mean by that, you know, and outer strength, obviously, we it we have more strength classes than anything else. So physical strength and resistance training is so important for your physical health. So that's really what I mean by that. But um I think that's a kind of a given. Like that's part of that's part of what we do. Yeah, you know, um, functional fitness, help you walk up the stairs, you know, and chase after a grandkid or carry your groceries or, you know, all that's really important too. But um, you know, to look in the mirror and be like, wow, I I did this a hundred times. And I I've had a couple people like post their like hundred picture on their own Facebook page, and I and I just love it because they're proud of themselves. Yeah, like they wouldn't do that, they would not put it on their if they were not, and I'm so proud that they're proud of themselves. Yeah, you know, because if they see what an accomplishment is, it's hard, you know? It's hard to walk in the door.

Brian 23:38

Yeah, that's a beautiful thing. They did it, you just got to play a part in it. But you get to see if they did it, it's you. Yeah, you know, yeah, you showed up, you you put in the 100 days. Yeah, that's awesome. Okay, so tell me a little bit about the classes that you offer. What tell me some about some of the varieties of classes because I did see even see like kickboxing and stuff like this.

The Classes Offered

Brian 23:55

Do it.

SPEAKER_00 24:00

Um, we don't have like punching bags or anything like that. It's just choreographed kickboxing. It's so fun, so high energy. And when people come to that class and it's their first time they come, I'm like, oh yeah, it's a hard one. It's a lot, usually I'm like, do whatever you can. Like our rules are have fun, you do you, especially in those like cardio classes. And if you're moving your body in any way, it's you're doing it right. That's if you're moving your body, you're doing it right. But yeah, so we I do teach a cardio kickboxing class one day a week. But um, like kind of our signature class, I think, is Shine Dance Fitness. Um, it's unique to this area. There's a couple other places that have some shine classes, but we have gosh, nine, nine shine dance fitness classes a week. Two of them are our light version, which are low impact, where we kind of break down moves more. Um, but that class is super fun. It's like radio music, typical songs that you would hear on the radio. Oh, fun. Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, and um a little bit of rap in there, or hip-hop, you know, we've got a little bit of Cardi B, like stuff like that. So it's it's really fun. Um, we wear a headset, we cue. So it's a little bit easier to follow than maybe some other dance fitness formats. Um, and what's so great about that is it's so good for your brain. Um, there's so much data right now talking about warding off Alzheimer's when you're learning and memorizing some choreography. Um, because we kind of repeat the songs. So after a while, you kind of get to know them and you're like, oh, I know this one. And people will come in and be like, oh, I was doing it in my car. And I'm like, great. You know? So like that's when you know, or they'll come, they'll be like, What's which ones are on YouTube? Because there's some of the shine, Shine Dance Fitness is um the corp the umbrella corporation is Shine Fitness, and they're out of Boise, Idaho. Okay, and they have some of the routines on YouTube. And I love when people ask me, What which ones are on YouTube? And I'll be like, Well, go look, and this is how you find them because they want to practice at home. And I love it. So it's such a great cardio workout. It my watch, um, and and people can do it at their level. Like if there's jumping jacks, they can do tap outs. Like, that's perfectly fine. But like, if I forget to put my watch on, it asks me if I'm running. So it's a serious cardio workout. It's so much fun. Um, great music, and just a really just fun kind of club vibe atmosphere, especially at night. We have multiple strength classes. We have uh uplift strength fitness, which is also from Shine Fitness, and that class is a strength class choreographed to music. And it's like iconic music. Like um, today I have in Wobble. I have some Pat Benatar in for today. Sometimes I've got uh ACDC in there. You just never know like what might show up in uplift. So the music is is great. It's it's just kind of iconic music and it's it's very fun because it's choreographed to music. But then we have regular total strength and conditioning, which are fantastic. You can usually lift a little bit heavier, but then I also have bar, um, which we use ballet bars for that. But bar is really a combination of like Pilates, strength, and yoga, kind of all mixed together. Um, so we have five bar classes a week, and that's going super well. Um, might need to add a couple more. So we're trying to figure that out. But um, and then I have two matte Pilates classes a week, and then I have four yoga classes. So those are kind of like the extra. Like our we're mostly strength dance bar, and then we have a little extra matte Pilates and yoga. And our yoga classes are more for like the people that come here that might need um gent they're gentle yoga. So, I mean, we're not in yoga studio. There's a lot of great places to do yoga um in the county. So we're just kind of helping out our, you know, your existing, my existing people. Yeah.

Brian 27:45

All right, so let's talk a little bit about Vero because I guess first let's start off with how did you get

Crystal's Vero Beach Story

Brian 27:52

here?

SPEAKER_00 27:53

Yeah, so my dad and my stepmom um built a house here in 2005 because my stepmom's sister had built a house here. So my dad moved here and we would come down, you know, at least once a year. So I've been familiar with Vero for 20 years now. Um, and then during COVID, my dad got sick and my dad got colon cancer. And so luckily I was teaching on Zoom, teaching high school on Zoom, and it was May, and I called my principal and I said, Hey, I've got to go to Florida. And my principal was like, sure. You know, just it was only, you know, a month left in school. So he was like, do what you've got to do. So I came down and um I actually couldn't even go see him at the hospital. Like he was in the hospital, I couldn't even see him. Um, anyway, so long story short, that's how I got here to come help take help help with my dad with his cancer. And my dad did pass away in 2022. Um, but my my husband and I were like, hmm, we kind of like Vero. So we'll just stick around for a while. And uh, and we kind of my daughter's in Charlotte, and we lived in Greenville, South Carolina for 25 years. We lived in Raleigh for two years, and we just kind of went back and forth on it. And and finally we're like, you know what? Let's we're not sure we want to do it. Um, so let's just stay here until we know what we want to do. And then, of course, when I decided to open this, that was that was it. So now I'm trying to get my daughter to come to Florida. I'm like, I'm Florida. So I think she might eventually. She's she's young and you know, she's having a good time up in Charlotte. So I'll she's having fun up there. So um, so we'll see. But so that is how I got to Vero. And here's another crazy thing about that. They tell me I'm gonna be in room 204. Well, my dad taught at Sebastian River for four years and was in room 204. Oh, then there were two guys that came that were in the room after him. Well, that room was a disaster. There was stuff everywhere, like all in the cabinets. There was stuff from my dad. Oh my goodness. I'm like, dad, why didn't you clean off this?

unknown 29:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

And then there was stuff from the two other guys. I was like, but I thought this is crazy. That's and that admin team didn't know my dad because that the principal was brand new that year too, Chris Cummings. So he didn't know my dad was in room 204. That is, and I got in room 204, same room as my dad. But I stayed there for a year because I live close to charter. And so just going to charter was a lot easier for me to move to charter. But I like, I really like teaching with that team. So your dad taught social studies? He did, yeah, he did. And actually, after he retired in Florida, he came to South Carolina for two years, and we taught at the same school for two years. And then he moved back down here. So he was only up there from 2008, 2016 to 2018.

Brian 30:37

And he became that's a cool story. Yeah, that's cool. Now you're in Bureau, and you're already talking about, you know, some of the people that come here and some of them own businesses and stuff like that. So is there anybody that you've

Collaborations & Shout-Outs

Brian 30:47

collaborated with or anything like that when it comes to your business and what you're doing at Joy Fit?

SPEAKER_00 30:51

I mean, other than like those folks, um I well, there are other, not like collaborated locally, but um in the shine dance fitness, shine fitness world. Like I know a lot of people, a lot of instructors in that world. And there's a really great studio in Portland, Maine, um, that's two years old. And the owner of that Carson, like I I went to this um Shine Cation event in Colorado in May of 2024, and we went to dinner together. And I was like, tell me what you think. And she was like, you should do it. You know, like she and she because she's she's done it herself. And I was like, How old are you? And she was like 54. And at the time I was, I think I was 53 at the time, I'm 55 now. And I was like, Oh, okay, I can do it. You know, because I, you know, you kind of think, Am I too old for this? What's you know, you kind of start, and um, she was a really big help. And she actually came, she was in Miami, and she and her sister drove up and took my class at Christie's, but it was after I signed my lease here. She's like, let's go look at your space. And she came in the space and she was like, Wow. She's like, This is gonna be amazing. So that was really good encouragement um from somebody in a very similar position in life, and you should do it. And um, her studio is amazing in Portland, Maine. It's called Body Positivity Dance Fitness Studio. So I I think just certain people in my life, and and she would be one of them, but it, but also um just my friends too. Definitely supportive and just do it. My sorty sisters, like I have a little group of sortie sisters that we are on a texting, you know, group chat with. And I'm like, okay, I'm gonna do this. Here's the names. And they're like, no, no, no. They were like my marketing, yeah, they were my marketing research. Yeah, there you go. I'm like, okay, here, team, well, here's my names, you know, what should I do? And um, you know, and actually my my my college bestie was here this weekend and she was just like, Crystal, this is just so amazing. Like she just so I feel like I got a lot of support um from that, you know, just my really good friends that I've had in my life for a long time. Um and just kind of in my corner.

Brian 32:58

So that's good that you have them because it's you know, a lot of people have a group of friends like that that they can lean into and really have honest truth and conversations. So that's awesome. That's great that you have that support group. Yeah.

Shawna 33:09

When you are not working, where do you like to go or where do you like to visit?

SPEAKER_00 33:14

Um that's

Crystal's Favorite Places

SPEAKER_00 33:15

such a good question because I work all the time. And when I was teaching high school, my husband called group fitness my jobby because I made a little bit of money and it was my hobby. That's great. Um, so you called it my jobby. But I but so now, which is awesome, like my job is my hobby. Like, I like I look in the mirror and I think, wow, this is my job. Like I get to do this, like how lucky, how fortunate I am that this is what I get to do every day. But um, I do like to go out to eat on occasion. I love 21st Amendment, like I mentioned. I've been going to Heaton's a lot, like for lunch. Heaton's is um down at the Kempton Hotel. Yeah. You have to walk inside the hotel and it's outdoors. Um, so probably since the beginning of the year, that's the place that had the most lunches. What do you order there? Um, just like the salmon. Okay. It's such, it's so good. And then they have like fish tacos that are great. Um, but really, it's not, I mean, the food is great, but the view is so beautiful.

Brian 34:20

All right. So, what I'm gonna ask you, I would love to know, like for people that have never stepped through your door, what would you want to say

What Would You Say To Someone Thinking About Group Fitness

Brian 34:27

to them? And then also, how can they learn more about Joy Fit?

SPEAKER_00 34:30

Okay. Um, if somebody is nervous and they kind of think they want to try group fitness, um, the first thing I'll tell you is as soon as you step in that door, I'm gonna say hi, I'm Crystal and I'm glad you're here. Um and the other thing is we're gonna meet you where you are. Um, it it it's how if you see people picking out 10 pound weights and you're like, oh no, go pick up the two pound weights. I I don't care. I don't care. Come try it. We do offer a free class and then we offer an introductory special two weeks for $49 of unlimited classes. But you know, and then the thing that's gonna happen at the end of classes, what'd you think? How did it go? How did you feel? Like, did you like that class? Do you want to try another class? Um because it it is hard. It's hard to put your tennis shoes on. Like one of the things I tell people is just one thing at a time, get some workout clothes on, put on your tennis shoes, walk out the door, get in the car, drive here. Get, you know, like you don't have to like make it a big thing, like, oh my gosh, I'm I gotta get I gotta go work out. How about just get in the car? You know, like get in the car. Um, and I the other thing I would say too is one thing I hear all the time from the members is everyone here is so nice. Everyone here is so nice. And that's my goal. And I I, you know, people are people and things will happen, but I do really feel like this community is just the nicest people. Um I I've had people that come here that were at another location and they never knew each other's name. They never talked to each other, and now they talk to each other. I had a lady that never took my class and she came and she joined for one of my um other strength instructors, Megan, and she came, joined just for her, never took Shine Dance Fitness, never any of those things. And now she's like here every day, all day. She had to be gone for four days, and she was like, I haven't been gone this long from Joy Fitness. And she's so like she's a different person. Yeah, like so happy. And so I just want people to know that like we we're here, we'll embrace you wherever you are. We're here to help you feel better about yourself, maybe get a little bit more fit and be able to do more things out outside of here functionally, feel better about your day or whatever's going on in your life. Um, and and yeah, just feel a little bit of joy, you know, like that's that that's the point. That's the point. That's awesome.

Brian 36:59

And then what's the best place? What's the best way to to to learn more? Like, do you have a website? And you said you had websites and social

How To Connect with JoyFit

Brian 37:05

media.

SPEAKER_00 37:05

Yeah. So we are on Facebook and Instagram, Joy Fit a Movement Studio. You can also see um JoyfitA Movement Studio.com. You can find out all the information about the classes, our schedule, our pricing, all on there. Um, definitely follow us on Facebook and Instagram, whichever one you're on. Um, I post really frequently. So there's always stuff on um on that. So those are the best ways. We do have a phone number and you can call it, but sometimes it doesn't get answered. And I will always call you back within uh just a few hours if you if you leave a message on our on our phone. But yeah, I do want to tell one other story real quick. Yeah, go for it. Um so when I when I mentioned before we started

JoyFit is a Mission

SPEAKER_00 37:48

talking that my son passed away two years ago, and we he was up in Columbia, South Carolina, and we had to go up there. And on the way home, we were gonna stop in Charleston and drop some things off with his best friend, like his bike and just some t-shirts and just some things that his best friend wanted. And there's a shine dance fitness instructor in Charleston that I know very well. Her name's Veronica. And my husband's like, You need to call her and you need to go to her class. And I'm like, I I can't.

SPEAKER_02 38:17

I can't.

SPEAKER_00 38:17

I'm not, I'm not ready to do that. And he was like, No, call her, and I said, Okay, okay. So I I called her, and um, she called me back, of course, and I said, Here's what happened to happened is what's going on in our life. Our son passed away, and I think I want to come take your class, but I'm not sure how I'll do or how I feel or anything like that. And she was like, Crystal, just just come on. And so I went to her class and it was really hard. It was really hard because it was the first thing I had done since he had passed away. And um I'm just kind of stonefaced through the whole thing. I'm going through the motions, but I'm kind of stonefaced. It's not my people. I mean, I've known her for a while, so that was you know, and she's a great instructor, so like you, you know, but she played Pitbull, I think it's pit bull and Kesha, Timber, the song Timber. And in the song, you like you hook up with someone else and you do see dough. And when I doed with some woman that I did not know, I felt joy just for a second. Like just for a second. And I was like, this is so important. This is so what we do, what what happens here is so important because if it could just bring somebody joy just for a second, then it's worth it. And that's when I really was like, okay, I gotta kick this. I gotta I can't I gotta do it. I gotta do it. And so it took me a few months to kind of get it together, but that that moment, you know, because you you you think you're not gonna feel joy, you know, that you're not. But you but you will, you will, you know, it doesn't mean that you're not sad or there's not you're not really sad at some days, but um, and that's a thing. Like I so many people like they tell me people tell me things all the time. My mom, her dementia is getting worse, and I'm I'm I have to go see her, or my sister has cancer, I've got to go to Kentucky, or all the things that I have no idea what's going on in somebody else's life most of the time. But if I can provide just just a sliver of joy in their day, then then I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. So anyway, I just wanted to tell you that.

Brian 40:34

Yeah, thank you. Thanks for sharing that.

SPEAKER_00 40:35

That's really beautiful.

Brian 40:37

That puts a that says a lot about you. This isn't just a brand. It's you got a mission there too. So I love that. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 40:44

It's a mission. Yeah.

Shawna 40:45

So that's that's that's what Joy Fit's about. So I love it. Yeah. So it's a perfect time for this question, our last question, which is what are your hopes for the future?

SPEAKER_00 40:55

To keep serving

The Future for JoyFit

SPEAKER_00 40:56

more people. Yeah. That as long as I can, you know, like I, and that's the other thing, like being like 55, like I'm not young. Like I, but I'm like, I got 15, 20 years. I could, you know, I mean, we have people that come here that are 75. Yeah, one of our most fittest people that comes here is 71 years old. Oh, I love that. So, like we the I we I have somebody that comes here as at 84. I have 18 to 84 that come here. It's such a great wow, and it's it's such a great community from that perspective. So I think for me right now is to continue showing up here every day, serving people, and um just figuring out how I can bring some joy into people's lives.

Brian 41:35

We appreciate you joining us on the podcast. We love having you on. Uh, if anybody has not been to Joy Fit yet, make sure you

Outro

Brian 41:42

go check them out online, stop in. Uh, definitely something to look into.

Shawna 41:46

Do you sign up for your free class on your website? Is that how you do it?

SPEAKER_00 41:49

Yes, absolutely. You can. You go to JoyfitAmovement Studio.com and then um you go to um pricing and join now. And then under that, I think it's the second thing, it says um zero purchase a zero dollar free pass. So you just hit that, sign up, sign the waiver, and then pick a class.

Shawna 42:09

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 42:10

It's pretty easy.

Shawna 42:11

And yeah, it's good you've made it so like the barriers to entry are so low. Like that's so easy. You know, sometimes it's hard to call, like, um, yeah, I want a free pass.

SPEAKER_00 42:20

Yeah, and it's and and and I tell people sometimes if they call and they're like, I'm not really good at the computer, I'm like, just come in and I'll I'll help you do it. And I'll walk them through it. And once they see it, like, oh, this is a really easy system. Then um, yeah. That's perfect. Yeah, it's perfect. Yep. Well, I'm so glad we got to. Thank you so much for having me. I I really enjoyed talking to both of you. You did such a great job.

Brian 42:41

Thank you. Well, listen, if you guys have enjoyed this episode, make sure you leave that review. Uh, that'll help other people find your local podcast here in Vero Beach.

Shawna 42:49

And with that, get out and move, neighbor.

Brian 42:53

Get out and move, neighbor. That's good.