zumba instructor, yoga teacher, & social entrepreneur
Passion to Legacy
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out episode 16 for the first part of my interview with Ana Ramirez.
Ana is creating a movement of passionate and supportive women that connect through fitness. Her project aims to empower women by sharing real stories of inspiring women and supporting women-led enterprises related to sports and fitness. She wants to break the stigma of feeling like you already need to be fit to join a gym or class.
Through creating a supportive community, The Fit Girl Movement focuses on helping women become physically and mentally stronger while learning to love and accept themselves.
Humanitarian Spirit
in this episode,
Ana’s fitness journey has led her to create the Fit Girl Movement, which she started this past summer. It is the culmination of her experiences in graphic design, Zumba, yoga, and meditation, and she hopes to integrate them all into a project that helps people connect.
The need for connection
The one good thing she feels like she got out of this Covid era is understanding the need for connection.
She has always been an introvert, so putting herself out there doesn’t always feel like it comes easily, but she knew that to create the community she wanted, she needed to talk to people.
She now loves the one-on-one interactions with other women and learning about their stories and experiences that have led them to fitness and wellness.
Helping women
Charitable efforts
the similar thread
Ana interviews other women to find out more about their personal journeys and has noticed a similar thread woven throughout all of the stories: it starts with a girl that didn’t want to go to the gym because they were afraid they couldn’t do it.
Although the stories begin the same, their journeys to find their passion has led these women in many directions, from fitness coaching, cooking, or podcasting.
Ana feels that you have to find your passion and love what you do, whether in your job or in fitness. She said,
“You have to find that activity that you truly love and just pursue it. It’s the same with your career and your work life. It doesn’t matter what you did in the past, just find what sparks you and follow it.”
take the leap
Trial and error have led many people to find their passion. She believes that it’s good to have a plan, but you just have to jump in and take the leap at some point. That philosophy is what led her down this path initially. She stumbled across an ad for a six-month class focused on entrepreneurship and social impact and decided to jump in. She felt like it was a leap of faith.
“If you love it and are passionate about it, it won’t feel so hard.”
One of the most helpful parts of her social entrepreneurship course was the suggestion to look for people that she admired or were doing similar things and interview them.
Ana found it empowering to have those conversations and get tips and advice about her project. One of the best pieces of advice was to be persistent and consistent.
find what makes you different
The personal trainer industry is a packed industry. There are a lot of people teaching Zumba, yoga, and other classes. Since there are so many people with similar offers, she feels that you have to think about what makes your offer different.
With Zumba or yoga, the music or moves can be the same in every class, but it comes down to the connection and energy with the teacher. So if you want to start a fitness business, you have to think about what you are doing to set yourself apart and create a different experience. You also have to think about meeting people where they are and adapt to each individual’s needs.
human connection
In the fitness and sports world, you have to have experience and knowledge about the sport you are teaching, but it is more than that.
Ana feels that it is an entire body and soul experience and comes down to being a human profession based around connection. She aims to bring people together to feel better about themselves not only physically but mentally as well.
She wants to create mindful experiences with people to help them de-stress and break the idea that mindfulness has to be meditation. Mindfulness can be done anywhere, through any activity. It is all about being present in the moment and paying attention to your feelings at that moment.
Building a network
Ana dreams of opening a studio with not only fitness classes but also wellness workshops and a nutritionist. She wants to have events and boot camps where women can connect, share stories, and network.
Ana’s desired outcome for the Fit Girl Movement is to have comprehensive events that create connections through fitness, so she is working to build that network of women who have the same outlook and goals.
how do you make connections
She makes a lot of her connections by networking through Instagram. Her advice for using Instagram as a platform to connect with others: Be yourself and show who you truly are.
Don’t be afraid of being judged because if you have good energy, you will attract good people. Don’t post pictures that are too idealistic, and just stay real. When following others, try to build them up. Leave comments telling them they are doing a great job and keep it positive.
Listen here for Part 1 of my interview with Ana!
IN THIS EPISODE, we cover:
What is The Fit Girl Movement
Benefits of taking a social entrepreneurship course
The importance of building connections and creating a community
Networking through Instagram
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Connect with Ana on Instagram @thefitgirl_mvmt
CONNECT WITH ME ON:
LinkedIn - Emma Vertolli
Twitter - emm_vert
Instagram - @itsemmavert
TikTok - @itsemmavert_
Clubhouse - @itsemmavert
MORE ABOUT THE PASSION TO LEGACY PODCAST:
Passion To Legacy allows listeners to get a true behind-the-scenes look at the various careers inside the sports industry; even as detailed as the day-to-day duties and operations. Learn what it takes to land your dream role. Gain clarity on what your future career could be. Take action and kick start your humanitarian spirit.
Emma Vertolli is a marketing strategist whose career has centered around growing and nurturing communities. Early on in her professional career she felt stagnant, unfulfilled, and in search for more. She dove into sports business courses, books, & networking. To her surprise, she learned that if you want to break into the sports industry AND accelerate your career, it all comes down to who you know. There was a trend that kept coming up: people need to learn how to network & people need a space to be able to do so.
In Passion To Legacy, Emma shares impactful conversations with professionals working behind the scenes in the sports industry. The bases are loaded in this podcast, we’re chatting all about career goals, hurdles & charity. So grab a pen and pull up a seat - you’re going to want to take notes!
As a listener, you can expect to:
- Gain motivation and inspiration for pursuing your dreams
- Get an insider's perspective into what it’s like working in the sports industry
- Gain insight for getting involved in charitable work
- Learn networking tips for landing a role in the sports industry
- Plus much more!
Pro tip: new episodes drop every Tuesday & Thursday. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a session!