I recently had the opportunity to sit down and get the secrets behind Charlotte, North Carolina’s West Kept Secret. The duo behind WKS is Marissa West and Heidi Hillman and since 2017 they’ve been bringing their dynamic workout to the fitness fanatics of Charlotte and now, thanks to their streaming platform, everywhere else.
The story behind WKS is one of resiliency and self-belief but like any good idea, it started out as a solution to a problem. Marissa kept seeing recurring issues within the fitness community and through experimentation ultimately led to her creating her own type of workout by blending fitness modalities to get clients the results they were dreaming of. Heidi was ultimately one of those clients who fell in love with the method so much she became a trainer and eventual partner at West Kept Secret.
Here are some key takeaways from the episode:
The dream doesn’t work unless you do
After 10 years within the fitness industry, West Kept Secret saw their dream fully realized with the opening of their 2200 square foot studio in the heart of Charlotte. After going from instructing one on one clients in an apartment complex, all their hard work had paid off.
Sometimes our proudest moments are the ones we can’t plan for
When COVID-19 forced their brick and mortar location to close, they pivoted FAST. Within 10 days they were live online with their streaming platform. Now with over 70 videos and growing by the month they’re seeing their subscribers go up every week. Check it out [HERE]
Word of mouth can be your biggest marketing tool
When fans of WKS saw that Olivia Culpo was looking for workouts in the Charlotte area they inundated her with recommendations to try their favorite method. Ultimately this led to a very successful celebrity ambassador for the proven success of their brand that was recently covered by multiple press outlets.
You don’t have to go it alone
When Marissa and Heidi met and ultimately became partners, they both grew as business women because of it. They both were quick to emphasize that not only has their partnership propelled their brand forward but also the help from other people on their team has been crucial to their growth.
Find your mentors
Something Marissa mentioned as essential to business growth is finding and identifying mentors. She recommends, “trying to find a mentor who you look up to who signs with your beliefs.” Navigating is difficult enough but finding mentors who are in the space and doing it well can help you feel like your goals are achievable.
Build an amazing team
As I’m sure you can tell from this interview Marissa and Heidi make an amazing partnership.They work so well because they think through things in different ways. As they both acknowledged, finding someone who complements your strengths and weaknesses is essential to a sustainable business.
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