New Jersey Health Studio Offers a Haven for Ladies To Get Match and Have Enjoyable

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© Warrior Goddess Fitness

Here at GOBankingRates we want to help our country’s small businesses get back on their feet after the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, we’re highlighting readers’ favorite small businesses across the country and highlighting what makes them special to their customers and their cities.

In this edition of our Small Business Spotlight series, we present Warrior Goddess Fitness in Elmwood, New Jersey, a boutique gym whose primary focus is empowering and uplifting women through wellness and fitness. Owned by Hollye A. Richardson, the studio offers a variety of exercise, dance, and wellness activities to improve the physical body and mind, and to make women feel safe, proud, and fun. Here we talk to Richardson about how fitness helped her overcome difficulties in her own life, how her background in retail helped her succeed as a business owner, and why being able to laugh at yourself is an integral part of being an entrepreneur.

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Was there a special moment or experience that inspired you to start your business?

2017 and 2018 were traumatically stressful times in my life. In May 2018, I had just completed my six-month check-up after battling stage three breast cancer (chemo, mastectomy, radiation) while experiencing a fleeting divorce. During this time I had the support of my family and friends. I was a single mother, in debt because at the time my husband had spent the insurance money on my medical treatment in addition to legal fees for an out of state divorce. I was on temporary welfare to support myself and my daughter, and fitness was something I could always rely on to keep my sanity. These experiences have catapulted me towards my true goal of empowering and supporting other women like me with high stress in their lives by providing a women-run wellness community whose main purpose is to provide an outlet That Women Can Get Involved in. Go to relax and be cared for – and get fit at the same time.

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What did you take away from previous experiences or jobs that you knew you wanted to be part of your new company?

The ability to provide high quality customer service and a complete customer experience. Before my fitness career, I was an assistant manager at Kenar New York, an upscale midtown women’s boutique [Manhattan] and Kenneth Cole Productions. Both companies focused on delivering great customer service to their customers by giving them an experience that made them feel valued. This is one of the most important things I want everyone to do when they come to a course or one of our holistic services – to feel a sense of community, where they want to be and where they want to spend as much time as possible.

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What was the most rewarding aspect of being an entrepreneur?

The most rewarding aspect of being a business owner is knowing where we started, knowing where we are (especially after the pandemic – we survived and are still thriving) and where we want to go. I love to see how the community we have built has taken on a life of its own and continues to grow. It’s so fulfilling.

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How has the pandemic affected your business?

The pandemic has helped us become resilient, rethinking our purpose. We were at a point where our traffic was growing, so our bottom line began to grow, and then, wham! It all stopped. At this point everyone had to reinvent themselves, think outside the box and learn new strategies in order to stay afloat. Financially, we are still struggling every month to cover the costs to make ends meet (rent, payroll, utilities, etc.). We never qualified for PPP and hopefully we will get help in the next round. But by the grace of God and relentless belief in the value of what we offer, we are still here celebrating our third anniversary!

How can people continue to support your company during this time?

People can support us by buying one of the many rewards offered in our fundraiser. You can find our direct link on our website, Facebook page and our IFundWomen page.

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What would you advise someone who wants to start their own business?

I would tell them: 1) Keep positive, supportive people around you. You will realize who really wants to see you and help you succeed. Most likely it won’t be what you think it will be. When the tough times come, they will. That’s who’s got your back! 2) Don’t let obstacles put you off. 3) Do your homework, research your market, break everything down into steps or small achievable goals, and just be steadfast. Take small steps to move forward. And 4) Make sure you love what you do and just allow yourself to have fun while doing it. To be able to laugh at yourself.

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This interview was edited for the sake of clarity.

Last updated: June 16, 2021

About the author

Gabrielle joined GOBankingRates in 2017 and brings a decade of experience in the journalism industry. Before joining the team, she was a writer and reporter for People Magazine and People.com. Your work is also at E! Online, Us Weekly, Patch, Sweety High, and Discover Los Angeles, and she was featured as a celebrity news expert on Good Morning America.