I have to start by extending my gratitude towards each and every one of you. 2022 is ready to come to a close and I could not be more excited to grow in to 2023. A little recap of our year:
We bought the entire building
We certified new instructors
We transformed our studios (not once but twice)
We ripped out super old insulation in parts of the building
We got dumpsters and cleaned out years’ worth of clutter
We spent hours cleaning, organizing and making things functional again
We found and signed a gym to enter our center
We added different class formats
We started renting out the studio
We are holding more community events and workshops
We built new relationships
We started construction for 2 new apartments
We redid the studio bathroom
We said goodbye to our old studio space
So much of this could not have been done without the people who walk into our doors every day. Who am I kidding, none of it could have been accomplished half as fast without you! Thank you for always helping us build a better community center for everyone to step into to call “home”. 2023 is going to be another exciting, stressful year full of growth. Yes, I said stressful because let’s be real, we don’t stop here. There is no limit. We mean stressful in the most positive way possible. We are excited to share and can’t wait for you all to be part of it. We already have so much planned and cannot wait to expand
When I had my vision of building a fitness studio, the original goal was to have the community build it. No outside contractors and people we did not know but just the people who grew into our family. I would have never imagined that after 3 years; we are still cultivating that same vision. They may be different hands, they may be the same, they may have been ones that drifted but, regardless of who is still with us and who has shifted into another area, they are still part of us here at the studio and no matter what the storm, I thank you and will always be thankful for you. This video below shows you some of the raw action footage and what we all put in here and continue to do till this day!
About a month ago I met Trina Ziats, the owner of Studio 202 and the assistant director of Culture Shock Performing Arts Center. We’ve known each other for years and it’s interesting that we’ve ended up where we are today, but that’s a tale for another time.
We discussed my vision for my studio, her vision for the future of her organizations and quickly realized that our philosophies were very aligned. Everything went incredibly smoothly and we came to a mutually beneficial agreement almost immediately.
There’s lots of work to be done
As soon as we came to our agreement I got to work on renovating the space. By these photos I’m sure you can tell there was work needing to be done. I was absolutely moved by the amount of volunteers that showed up – many of you donated your precious time to help get the place cleaned up and ready for launch… and you did it out of the kindness of your hearts. It is that love and commitment to your tribe that makes us so strong.
There’s still lots more work to do. There’s still a lot more that I will have to share over the coming days… but for now, I’m absolutely excited to be able to share all of this with you and let you know that much, much bigger and better things are coming in the near future.
…you know me 😉
Remember what I always tell you… YOU ARE AMAZING! I can’t wait until I can invite you into the studio… stay tuned for more information 🙂 <3
This community we have is very special. We are a tribe of individuals who are here for more than one purpose. We are not just here to workout and leave. We don’t just walk through the door and stand solo waiting for class to start. We are here to welcome you, connect and thrive in all of your future goals!
I would sit back and watch you all conversing with one another. Building relationships. Helping one another with ideas and giving tips to others on how to help them become more successful in class. It has truly been so beautiful to watch and until this day, I watch it happen every class. This is when I realized we are special. Our community is one who welcomes everyone of all ages and stages in their journey.
Everyone has their “thing”! Some people its the headphones and the gym working out alone or with a gym buddy. For some it may be just hitting the pavement or running solo. We all have something/somewhere we prefer to spend our “time” on. I know that I/we aren’t for everyone and that’s okay! I do not expect all of us to be alike and that is what makes us all so special in this world. We all value something different and most importantly, we all vibe differently.
For me its about having a place where we can all come together and do great things. Not just for ourselves, but for our community. This is where we connect. This is where we learn to thrive. This is… The Vibe!
Wow! I am absolutely overwhelmed at how many of you have joined the mailing list! When I approached my brother about helping me with this project he said, “Erica… it’s so amazing how much the people in your community love you… you are going to see a lot of success when you open your own studio.”
Well, it’s still a little soon… to give you all the specific details… but many of you may have heard me talking about The Vibe – Connect and Thrive (aka The Vibe CT). When I started this journey three years ago I was looking for an opportunity to help other people get healthy while earning a decent living.
It didn’t take too long until I saw the amazing transformative results that people were experiencing in their self-esteem. Within the first few months the motivation completely changed – it was no longer about just having a business that helped others get healthy – it became about helping other women find the strength to believe in themselves…
It became about helping other women undo all of the damage that the media does to us when it says we should dress like this, wear this makeup, look like this celebrity, have this body type and shape, and all of that.
This is Lynda. One day I got an alert that I was tagged in a post… it showed these photos and this message:
“Happy POUNDiversary to me!! A lot has changed in 2 years. 2 years ago I walked into my very first POUND class, unsure of what it really was… and ever since then it has been quite an exciting and fun journey!! Erica L Mietelski you have made a huge impact in my life in so many ways over these 2 years. You have been an inspiration to me and never stopped believing in me and coaching me thru my journey into a healthier lifestyle, and I love you for that.
POUND has not only given me a reason to love working out, but it has also surrounded me with amazing people who I can now call lifelong friends!! This month is even extra special as I will continue on in my POUND journey and actually begin teaching my very own classes as a POUND Pro Instructor. I am nervous, but looking forward to it, and will continue my love for POUND, working out and rocking out with my POUND family”
As my classes started growing some men started showing up, too. That’s when I realized that it’s not just women who need help learning to believe in themselves again. The world isn’t a nice place and it seems that everywhere you look someone is being put down, made fun of, made to feel “less-than,” or just otherwise being told that they’re not good enough.
But… you’re more than good enough. You’re kind. You’re loving. You’re strong. You’re resilient. You’re a brave warrior that wakes up each and every day ready to accept the challenges life brings you and you learn and grow from each and every one of them. You are an unstoppable force and there is no such thing as an immovable object for a being of such amazing power.
YOU ARE AMAZING.
On May 1st my website will officially launch. For now, we’ve just built a place-holder that has allowed all of you to subscribe to this mailing list and stay up to date. In the near future I will reveal more information about my plans and intentions to acquire my own studio and really turn The Vibe:CT into a place where a community of the most beautiful people (that’s you) can come together to connect and thrive. I hope you like the vibe I’m putting out, right now 😉
Are you ready to face the next challenge life has for you? Are you ready to learn and grow again?
BOOTY BY BUTI CHALLENGE!
This twelve week challenge will have you feeling like a bad ass with a great ass. Three times a week we’ll be getting together to get you to the next level of fitness – this is a class for everyone, from the complete beginner to the experienced warrior.
The locations for classes are:
Sartis 3rd Element
3026 Penn Ave, West Lawn, PA 19609
Bikram Yoga of West Reading
120 S 3rd Ave, Reading, PA 19611
Shoey Fire Company
300 Church Ave, Shoemakersville, PA 19555
Prices range from $6 dollars per class to $8 dollars per class – prepaying for classes (punch card) secures the discounted rate, as low as $6. Ask me any questions you have about pricing – you know I’ll make sure you understand!
Oh, yeah… and if at least 25 of you sign up for this challenge I will have something very special for each and every one of you. I’ve gotta keep my lips sealed because my brother is still working on it… but let’s just say… it’s not t-shirts 😉 😉 (don’t kill me Steve!)
I love you guys so much. I hope you realize how much you inspire me and that you all taught me to believe in myself. All I could ever hope and dream for is to pay it forward and help others do the same!
Love, Erica.
Sorry, but registrations are closed due to the overwhelming demand! Love you all so much!
