Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Kavanaugh
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always been health conscious and prioritized my own personal fitness but I didn’t actually start working in the industry as a trainer and group fitness instructor until my late 30’s. After working at several big box gyms and smaller studios teaching spinning, boot camp and group strength classes, I was hired as a Head Coach and Studio Manager for Orange Theory Fitness and opened and ran a studio in Coral Springs for almost 8 years. OTF is a great brand and I really embraced their commitment to community through fitness.
There came a time when I started to feel like I was being drawn more towards the strength side of fitness than the cardio aspect and I started exploring the idea of group classes that were only strength and did not include high impact, cardio, or HIIT training and conditioning. I love the dynamic nature and the community aspect of group training and I wanted to take my passion and knowledge for lifting and bring it to others in the group format.
When we went into quarantine in 2020 I had a lot of time on my hands and I had a small group of women that were asking me to please train them in some capacity so I tested these strength only workouts with them and the feedback and response was overwhelmingly positive. It made me realize that this was something that I really needed to make happen so I left OTF and my husband and I found a small space where I could launch Just LIFT. We started very small with only 8 to 12 people per class and most of my clients were people who already knew me or knew of me in the community. I was the only coach and I was running the business myself. Within 6 months we realized that we needed to expand for the demand so we doubled our studio space and I started hiring coaches and a manager and the studio grew very organically through word of mouth. Our current clients were bringing in people we had never seen or met before. It was very obvious that people wanted more strength training, women in particular, and Just LIFT was the place to find it. We opened our first studio in Coral Springs in 2021, our second studio in Boca Raton in 2023, and our third studio will open later this year in Plantation.
I believe what sets us apart is not just the quality and the content of our workouts. We also have a personal development aspect to the training every class that I like to call “mental fitness”. It’s a mindset, a quote or an idea that we open and close the class with so they can grow not just physically but mentally. Lifting isn’t just about changing your body, it can literally change your LIFE.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There will always be ups and downs when you’re a business owner. A lot of people will leave a 40 hour per week job because they think they don’t want to work as much and when you open your own business you realize that you work around the clock. There’s never really any true downtime, because it’s like having a child, it will always need your attention in some manner. The great news is that you are living your passion and you don’t mind the work, at least in my case that’s true, I would never have considered myself a workaholic but I am definitely addicted to my businesses, my team, and my clients.
I think some of the greatest struggles are finding the confidence to know the value of your product or service and hold your ground when someone tries to question it. You also have to learn to be humble, and take criticism as an opportunity to broaden your perspectives so you can continue to grow. Owning this business has taught me a lot about patience and that being patient isn’t the same as being passive. I equate business development and growth to the way our bodies respond when building muscle and changing body composition: it is a slow, tedious process that needs work DAILY in MULTIPLE areas and you need to play the long game for true success.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Just LIFT Studios are strength only group fitness classes where the focus is taken off of cardio and placed solely on resistance training. No cardio, no HIIT, no power lifting, just sow, controlled, quality lifting using a variety of equipment including cable machines, barbells, dumbbells, bands, etc. There is a personal development aspect to every class as well to help inspire clients to change their LIFESTYLE, not just their body, so they aren’t just focused on looking better, but more on LIVING better. Our clients range from complete novice to highly experienced lifters, and we pride ourselves on teaching people how to lift properly for those who need it as well as improving the quality of lifting for those who know how. Our classes are led by highly experienced certified personal trainers who take the role of a fitness coach to educate, correct, challenge and motivate clients in a highly dynamic atmosphere while building a supportive community where everyone in the room is excited not just for themselves but for the success of others.
I am most proud of the Just LIFT community. There is a collective thread at Just LIFT where regardless of your fitness level or goals, your age, lifestyle or personal circumstances, everyone in the room is there to build a better version of themselves. When you have that kind of energy and it’s nurtured in the right way you end up with a group of people where EVERYONE WINS.
We offer classes for all fitness levels 7 days a week at our two current locations with our third opening later this year. There is a free trial class offer for local residents and we only sell class packages, not recurring billing memberships. Our classes have no expiration date so whenever you purchase belongs to you until you use it. Mnay peole find this to be refreshing since most fitness studios and big box gyms will require memberships, contracts, 30 day cancelation policies, freeze fees, additional fees for yearly maintenance, etc.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck as much as OPPORTUNITY. I will often coach my clients to think about their future selves and what they want to achieve long term. When you start to think like this and you know that you want to change your circumstances at some point you need to start preparing in small ways so when the opportunity arises you can take a leap. This is very important when it comes to changing careers or preparing yourself to open your own business. Just LIFT was an idea that I had that sat on a shelf in my head for a few years before I had the opportunity to launch the business. We didn’t have the money to open the first studio when I first came up with the concept. I wasn’t sure we would ever be able to do it. But I kept developing my craft, editing the concept and even when it came time to open the first studio I kept telling myself we aren’t ready, it has to be perfect. My husband was the one who said to me “Nicole, just open the doors. You will figure it out and make your improvements as you go. That’s how business works.” He was SO right!
Pricing:
- Free Trial Session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.justliftstudios.com
- Instagram: @justliftstudios_coralsprings @justliftstudios_boca @justliftstudios_plantation
Image Credits
Photography: Colby Muller Photography
