Meet Kelsey Sarmiento

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelsey Sarmiento and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelsey, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
When I first opened my studio location in 2022, I had a small instructor team that I opened with, so I was teaching a majority of classes on the schedule as well as serving in every role imaginable behind the scenes. Each day was based on surviving and getting to the next day. There was not a balance; I just knew what I was doing was important, and I had to keep moving forward. About 9 months into opening my studio, I found out I was pregnant with my first and knew that things had to shift for my growing family and business. At that point, I brought on help for some backend work and gave one of my instructors the role of Client Communications to help handle the day-to-day messages, lead generation, and sales prep for any new clients. I also worked to grow and develop my instructor team by hiring on more instructors and taking a bigger step back from my in-studio work so I could focus on more things behind the scenes. Over the last (almost) 3 years, I have noticed that it won’t always be an even 50/50 balance of work and personal life, but it all evens out over time. I also remind myself daily that I can’t do it all, and I can’t constantly be the best or do the most in every area of my life. I can be consistent, though. I can consistently choose to show up for my family, my business, and myself, and that is more important and more lasting than constantly chasing perfection. The freedom to not be perfect and to just show up has allowed my business to flourish, my team to grow, and given me more time with my family. The balance has changed and is ever-evolving, but I’m so grateful for the opportunities owning NEIGHBORHOOD barre Newnan has given to me.

What should our readers know about your business?
When I opened NEIGHBORHOOD barre Newnan, we were the first low-impact boutique fitness studio in the area. It was an open market, which was exciting and also an interesting challenge. I was not only promoting my business, but educating potential clients about the benefits of low-impact exercise and what a barre workout was. This could definitely be seen as an obstacle, but to me, it has been a wonderful opportunity to share about the NEIGHBORHOOD barre difference and what sets this studio — and brand — apart from others. The mission of NEIGHBORHOOD barre® is to offer all clients, whether beginner or advanced, a quick and effective way to transform their bodies. The studio will evoke a sense of comfort and encouragement in our clients’ quest for improvement, free of judgment and comparison. We do this by offering classes that are all-levels, led by instructors who are trained to teach to who is in the room, so there are truly options for everyBODY. We also have a milestone “barre star” program, quarterly challenges, and monthly events to keep our clients engaged with the workout and with each other. I like to tell everyone that they come for the workout but stay for the community! We really take the “neighborhood” part to heart because we want everyone to know they can be our NEIGHBOR — everyone is welcome at our studio!

Business-wise, we had a lot of momentum when we first opened, which was so exciting, but the growth was not sustainable for me based on my bandwidth at the time. I was working in the business more than I was on it and had to pull back a little over a year in when I had my first child. It was during that time that I knew I had to make some shifts in order to make the business work and last. I started really fine-tuning our sales process so that myself and my staff were all following the same steps. We narrowed down our membership offerings to help simplify the services we provided, with the option to customize things on the backend if needed. This helped to not overwhelm our clients with too many options and really led to a more tailored approach where we took the client’s budget, schedule, and goals into consideration before directing them to the best option for them. When we started doing this, we noticed a big shift in our membership sales and overall service revenue that has led to over 40% growth in less than a year for the studio.

We truly care about our clients, and that starts from when we are first reaching out and carries through someone’s first class through their 1000th. Cash is king, but if you do not put serving people first, then who will be there to support your business? My business has flourished because I strive to authentically meet people where they are and find an option that works for them. That philosophy applies to both the workout moves and positions we do in class and to the memberships and class packs I sell. I have had multiple clients thank us and praise us for the way that we present the options honestly and authentically so that they could pick what is best for them — whether that is the highest- or lowest-priced service we offer. With all of this in mind, it is my goal for everyone to see what we are doing and know that we are authentically serving our NEIGHBORHOOD through the classes we offer and the community we are building. That’s what the NEIGHBORHOOD barre difference means to me, that’s what we are building here in Newnan, and we have no plans of slowing down anytime soon!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Our studio is located in the heart of our Downtown, so I would definitely plan the day around spending time on the square. I would have us start off with coffee and a quick bite to eat at Leaf and Bean — our local coffee shop in town. If the weather was nice, I’d say we could stroll around the square while everything is quiet and before the hustle and bustle starts. From there, I’d say we could pop into a barre class at the studio to get our bodies moving and the endorphins flowing early on. Afterwards, I would sneak into the local bookstore for a new find for myself (or my son) before heading to lunch at Meet & Greet. After Meet & Greet, we would definitely have to do some retail therapy at my favorite boutiques like Finley’s, Ellie Mack, Newnan Mercantile, and The Central (and more — truly all of our shops in Downtown Newnan are amazing). If we came back out for dinner, I would say that we’d have to stop by Line Creek Brewing Co. for a quick drink before heading to The Bays for dinner and drinks on the patio. There are so many fun things in Newnan, but Downtown Newnan truly has everything!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Great question! Where do I even begin. I don’t think that I can sum this up into 1 person so I’ll share my top few. First and foremost I have to give God the glory for every success I have. This was quite literally the biggest leap of faith I have ever taken and there were so many small and big things along the way that could only have been orchestrated by him. Second, is my husband, Elijah. He is my biggest cheerleader, motivator, and friend. He was the one who encouraged me on this entire journey to ask questions, get more information, and see how I could make this dream of owning a barre studio my reality. He has been there since before day 1, helping to unpack and set up the studio before clients arrive. Reminding me to eat and drink so I stayed well hydrated and fed. He’s been there through the ups, downs, tears of joy and sadness and I would not be where I am without his support. Finally, I have to thank my parents. They have been a sounding board and supported me from helping to bring my sound equipment and get content at my first pop-ups to helping me tag and hang new retail before we opened the studio doors. Aside from the physical needs they have helped meet in the studio they have also been a source of encouragement and wisdom as I have navigated tough seasons, working as a new mom, and finding balance between it all.

Website: https://neighborhoodbarre.com/locations/newnan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neighborhoodbarrenewnan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neighborhoodbarrenewnan

Other: Spotify: NEIGHBORHOOD barre Newnan

Image Credits
Chasity Posey Photography