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Sadie Lincoln, founder of barre3, is full of energy, passion, and exceptional expertise in what she does. barre3 is an exercise studio specializing in group classes designed to transform the body to one of equal balance, strength, and flexibility. It incorporates the ballet barre, yoga, and Pilates. She explains that the “3″ in barre3 symbolizes balance in all aspects–business, practice, and life. And her constant challenge and mission in life is to maintain that balance. Not only did Sadie launch her company because of her expertise and passion for fitness, she is also a devoted wife, a hands-on mother, and has strong knowledge and experience in business and entrepreneurship–She wants to balance and maintain all of those aspects in her life! Sadie spent 10 years working beside the founder and CEO of 24 Hour Fitness during a rapid global expansion, and helped grow the company into the largest chain of health clubs worldwide! From a single Portland location, in just two years, Sadie and her team have franchised and opened numerous barre3 locations in other parts of Oregon, the Philippines, and soon to be Washington!
Read our interview with Sadie …
Can you tell me a little about yourself?
I created barre3 around being a devoted wife and mother of two. With my business, I can be a hands-on parent–take my children to school and pick them up, volunteer at the school, spend quality time with them, etc. And since my husband and I are business partners, I also enjoy spending time with him and us working together.
What will people experience here that’s different from other exercise studios?
Our workouts are highly effective, efficient, and full of energy. Every second in this workout counts for fast body shaping results and long term postural benefits. You’ll leave feeling that you received 100% out of your workout and you’ll never feel bored. Overall, what I think makes us different is our consistency in giving you an effective workout, but there are also a variety of classes and knowledgeable instructors to keep it creative and challenging.
How did you come up with the concept for your workout?
I’ve taught for 20 years and pulled together everything I knew, and put together a workout that incorporated my experience in Lotte Berk, Yoga, Pilates, and traditional group exercise.
How often do you teach? How often do your instructors teach?
I teach 7 to 12 classes a week, and do all the training and workshops for instructors also. There are 20 instructors, and they teach anywhere between 2 to 8 classes per week. We all love teaching and we love our clients. It’s such a giving environment here, but we also get a lot back in return.
You recently opened a location in SE Portland back in November. In addition, you also franchise barre3 and work directly with the owners to help them create a unique experience, but also consistent with the barre3 philosophy and principles. You’re hands-on with literally every aspect of managing and owning a business.
Yes, we do everything here ourselves, from changing the light bulbs and washing the windows to lending a hand at managing and coordinating. We love to empower one another to do great things. My husband and I started this business on only our life savings, no loans, no debt and we’re proud to be sharing it with others who are passionate about fitness, compelled to run their own business and also in-tune with balancing their professional and personal lives.
What are some of the things you look for or do when franchising or licensing your business?
First off we look for those who are passionate about exercise and fitness, passionate about barre3 and share our mission for balance. Chemistry is also very important for us, and we want to work with people who we connect with and feel that they have the right mindset and capabilities to run barre3. Financial backing is also very important, and a background in fitness. When everything matches up, we go through a 2-3 week training program (once a month after that) for everything. We really want to grow barre3 in the Pacific Northwest and then expand, globally. We also want to grow slow enough so that we can maintain our quality. Each location is different, it’s fitting and authentic to where its at, whether that’s Australia or SE Portland. And although the steps sound simple, we work very hard to keep our quality consistent by selecting qualified entrepreneurs! More info here.
Tell me about your recent project, a 40-minute barre3 Total Body Lift Workout DVD with Exercise TV.
I received a lot of requests from my clients asking for postures while on vacation or away for work, so I created a workout video for all levels and all that’s required is a sturdy chair! In addition, the DVD comes with a Mini FitBALL. Having an exercise mat and light hand-held weights will also benefit you in this workout. Since our classes build up each time, it may take awhile to get back into it so a video helps supplement while clients are away, and you’ll experience barre3′s transformative benefits at home. The DVD and FitBALL will retail for $19.99, which is a great deal since the ball itself sells for $12. The bundle will be coming out soon and will be sold at barre3 locations in addition to online.
What are some of the challenges you face running your own business?
I believe it’s both a challenge and a life-long mission for me, and that’s of course to be balanced, and to be present with my family and with myself. To be present for my children when I’m spending time with them, being present with my husband. When we have date night, there’s no talk of work! And also to take care of myself and take care of my own body, since most of my time I am taking care of everyone around me!
What are the rewards of having your own business?
Wow, there are SO many! The biggest reward is being the DECISION-COMMITTEE OF ONE–that’s being my own boss. Secondly, I love empowering other women, whether it be in the exercise studio, helping them with their health and wellness, or working directly with the owners of our franchise locations to help them grow and learn, and run a business that’s fitting for them.
How can someone make the most of out their exercise at barre3?
First it would be to honor their own truth level–and that means knowing where they are, listening to their bodies, understanding how its working for them, nurturing weaknesses, etc. And it also will benefit them immensely to come consistently, more than once per week. 3-4 would be ideal, but it really depends on what they can do and fit into their schedules.
Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers?
It’s hard to describe what barre3 is in words. I’d love to invite all CRAVE readers, especially business owners to visit barre3, take the classes or even just get together for community and inspiration. I love connecting with local business owners to learn about best practices and to connect on a more social level.
More information on the Total Body Lift Workout DVD will be able on barre3′s website soon!
