Meet Kelly Gulbrandsen | Fitness and Pilates Instructor, Studio Owner & Clothing Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Gulbrandsen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I am co- owner of my Pilates studio B. Pilates Boutique and creator of Sweat Love Soul, a lifestyle and clothing brand.  I absolutely love movement and what it has done for me over the years.  I knew i needed to create something more that could, not only keep inspiring the people i get to teach every day, but also  touch people afar. After speaking with my daughter one night, we came up with the idea about creating a clothing line so that we can touch and empower humans both near and far. Our message is simple, all we need is a subtle reminder about how powerful, strong, and loved we all truly are. With this mission in mind, we also knew that we wanted to make a difference for our community. Children’s Hospital Colorado has made such a tremendous impact on me and my families lives, the least we could do to thank them is try to raise money in their name. 20% of every sale Sweat Love Soul makes is donated directly to the hospital. Our mission is to be one of the smallest businesses that can make that greatest impact. Sweat Love Soul has only been born for just over a year now. We are working hard creating new pieces that should be out just in time for fall/winter. Our current pieces now include our signature modal cotton tees, tanks, and leggings. My children has also created their own t-shirts for children that include their personal designs and mantras. These can also be found on baby onesies and our adult vintage washed hoodies. The newest addition to Sweat Love Soul is our 100% genuine stone and wood mantra beads. Now you can wear your power every single day.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I have been in the fitness industry for over 18 years! I worked at the large gym setting for the beginning of my career then moved on to open my own facility with my husband. It wasn’t unit last August, I partnered up with Sara Talbert to open B. Pilates Boutique. It is a 3000sqft Pilates Studio with a 10 bike Spin studio and a boutique to carry Sweat Love Soul and home goods. It was a complete dream come true, until COVID hit. We were scared, but we knew with the support of one another and our incredible clientele, we would be ok. And we are! We are up and running, strong and socially distanced! As for Sweat Love Soul, I have worked many many hours to get to where we are today, as most business owners do! There are so many clothing companies out there. Its a really large market to try to dive into. But, I have hope and faith that our story will make us stand out more than others. First, from day one, my children have been involved. They are the co-owners! I confirm all fabric and designs with them first before going into production. Our biggest hope is for people to feel confident and comfortable while wearing our products. They can be worn from day to night! My daughter said “Mommy, I want everyone to know that no matter what they are going through, when they put on our clothing, they are loved.” It was such a powerful moment that I knew we can create something special. These words are actually on all of our tags! Our pieces that are in production now, will actually have messages of power, strength, love, and inspiration on them. Like I said, we believe sometimes all we need is a simple reminder. Not only do we want to touch as many humans as possible, we want to help those who need it most. My daughter, Liv, has been through a lot in her young life. One of the toughest was when she had a febrile seizure in the back of my car at just 18 months old. She left me for a brief moment and my world shattered. It was one of the hardest times in my entire life. Thanks to Children’s Hospital, she is ok. I will forever be grateful for all the things this hospital has done, and so will my sweet little Liv. She is an earth angel that is going to make an impact on this world. I’m just here to help her with that. Our tag line is LIVe with Purpose, because I believe we all need a little Liv in our lives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am quite a competitive stair climbers, so the first place I would take a visitor is to Red Rocks. It is one of my favorite places in the whole world! After that we would grab a smoothie and head down to cherry creek to walk around and shop the outdoor stores. Perhaps grab a light lunch as well! I would be sure to show them around our gym and pilates studio as well! Our final stop would be heading downtown for dinner. My favorite restaurant in Colorado is ChoLon. Any and every one must experience it once! After dinner, we would walk under the down town lights and grab a coffee or tea! I love our state!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Above all, I must thank my husband. He is the one human who pushes me to follow my dreams no matter where my imagination may take me. Thank you for loving all of me. My beautiful children, if it wasn’t for your pure, honest souls, I would never be the person I am today. It is a complete honor to be your mommy and to have created Sweat Love Soul with you both. My incredible Pilates partner, Sara Talbert. Thank you for being by my side every step of this crazy journey so far. I believe we are a match made and I cannot wait to see what our future holds. Thank you for teaching me so much every single day.

Website: www.sweatlovesoul.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sweat.love.soul
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sweat.love.soul
Other: www.bpilatesboutique.com

Image Credits
Jenn Merrick with Thruessence Photography