Meet Staci Bartels | Gym Owner / Trainer

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

Hi Staci, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I don’t think there ever is a balance…one always will crowd the other. So you have to find what works for you, what drives you, what keeps you sane, and what keeps you moving forward (both personally & professionally). No day is like the other for me (who wants to live a life of groundhog days?), and I’ll do my best to keep it that way. A big part of that though comes with time, taking things with a grain of salt, and picking your battles.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Where to even start with the studio?? Opening a business of any size – specifically in a larger city – isn’t for the faint of heart. It took one year to open up the doors, but we just hit our 5th year anniversary on October 17th (making it through the two-month government mandated COVID shut-down, and the continued COVID craziness two years later). When most studios continued charging their members, we froze all accounts…taking the financial burden off our members. Our studio isn’t just another fitness studio…it’s a community & a family. From day one, it has always been about being as transparent as possible and giving 100% of our loyalty to our members. We genuinely want to see our members in here on a regular and be a part of their fitness & life journey. I wouldn’t say there is anything “easy” about independently owning/operating a small business. But life is about taking the good with the bad & ugly, finding what works for you, actually living in the moment, and knowing when you need to take a step back to reset.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are beyond lucky to have the backyard we do. Planning is not my favorite thing to do, as most of the beautiful things in my life came unplanned. And I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite spot. With that being said, I would take my best friend (who lives in Scottsdale, AZ) on a week long trip into our magical mountains. Whatever the season, heading west is guaranteed to replenish & rejuvenate the soul. It has a way of making any stress disappear and helping us reset. This also can’t be put into words. But whether it’s snowboarding/skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, camping, paddle-boarding, wake-surfing, climbing, off-roading, and the list goes on…the views & mountain air beat any experience in the city to me. More than that, seeing someone experience something for the first time in itself is an experience. I would just get in the car, enjoy quality time with my friend(s), and see where we end up!

Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?  
I wouldn’t say I have one person specifically to give credit to. Every person who has come into my life (long or short) has brought something to it. Every person who has walked through the studio doors has contributed in one way or another…even if it was just the smile they gave me walking in. Daily conversations keep me in check and constantly put things into perspective. Everyone has a story. Some hit harder than others, but what are we doing on this rock if we aren’t hearing, helping, sharing, encouraging, supporting, and loving another…regardless of the situation one is going through? Those closer to me (who know the depths of my highs & lows both personally & professionally) know who they are…and a “thank you” would never do justice for their love & support.

Self-help/motivation books have always been a struggle for me – they all seem exactly the same. But I would highly recommend The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck to anyone. It’s by far the most raw & real book I’ve read thus far.

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