Meet Savannah Butler Abubakari

We had the good fortune of connecting with Savannah Butler Abubakari and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Savannah Butler, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always had an itch to start Bodies by Sav, and when COVID happened and we were stuck at home, I took it into my own hands and thought, What better time than now? I was a Senior Instructor at SoulCycle during lockdown, and I knew that if I didn’t have people counting on me to motivate them to move their bodies, I was also going to sit back and chill. A couple weeks after lockdown, I woke up one day and decided to go live on Instagram at 12 p.m. EST. I couldn’t see anyone, but I had about 25–30 people join me. I began by introducing myself and what the next 45 minutes were going to entail. I explained the method and flow: a 7-minute dance cardio warmup followed by a full-body mat Pilates all to the beat of the music, and we began! From that class on, I would sign on to Instagram Live Monday–Friday at 12 p.m. EST and teach a BBS class. It grew to over 100 people signing on, and it continued to grow into an LLC just a few months later.

It was the perfect push I needed to start my business. In a time where there was so much uncertainty, I knew that building my business was what kept me level-headed and inspired. I am so proud of where BBS is today. With over 130 members monthly, I continue to teach five live classes a week to my members and motivate them to be their best, healthiest selves!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Movement and music have been my life since the age of 3. I began dancing then and continued with it through college. I moved to New York City and earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance at Marymount Manhattan College in 2014. After college, I shifted my passion for movement to fitness, where I began working at SoulCycle. SoulCycle kept my love for movement and music and enhanced it by 100. I loved those classes so much, and when I went to my very first class, I knew I wanted to become an instructor.

In 2016, I was accepted into the instructor training program, where I went through 10 weeks of training. After passing the vigorous training, I was put on the schedule in Union Square, and my career as a SoulCycle instructor began! I had a goal from the start of my SoulCycle career, which was to be an instructor at the first Atlanta SoulCycle. I committed to 20 classes a week and was teaching all over the city and Jersey to prove to the company I was a perfect fit for ATL. After two years of hard work, I was able to open the first Soul studio in ATL as an instructor! A quick year later, I was promoted to senior instructor and genuinely felt like my purpose in life was to be a fitness instructor.

Nothing gives me more joy than creating relationships with people and being able to teach and guide so many people into being their healthiest selves. When shutdown happened, I felt more than ready to create Bodies by Sav, and I had the fire burning in my heart to make this successful. I wanted to create a workout program where women felt welcome, accepted, and motivated. COVID changed the way we view working out, and we’ve learned convenience really wins when sticking to your workout routine! I have been in a position where I’ve walked into a workout class and felt all eyes on me. I wanted to eliminate that feeling for everyone since working out is already hard to commit to. So when BBS was created, I made it known (and still make it known today) that every single person, every single fitness level, is welcome, accepted, and celebrated!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am bias to Buckhead since I lived there for 4 years so of course the first stop would be coffee and breakfast at Le Bon Nosh- so cute, trendy, and incredible coffee and food! After that we would do some shopping ( Phipps and Lenox) and grab drinks and lunch at Yebo! One of my favorite afternoon and nightime spots. My absolute favorite dinner place is Le Colonial. The food and ambiance is 10/10 plus the bar is the perfect place for a night cap!

On the weekend, we would go down to Ponce City Market and grab a coffee and walk the beltline. I love how it captures Atlanta’s culture and there is so much to see and watch! We would stop at the grocery store and grab some things for a lunch and walk our way to piedmont park to sit and have a little picnic! There is nothing like a saturday at Piedmont Park watching all the poeple playing their games and hanging out. It is so much fun during football season too since Park Tavern has so many TV’s. Atmosphere is always so lively.

Atlanta as a whole has really enhanced their food scene. We would absolutely end the trip by going to Del- Bar in the Highlands. It is my favorite restaurant and is located in such a fun area. I love how much there is to do throughout the entire city!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Building Bodies by Sav has been the best experience of my life. I have learned so much over the past 4 years, and there isn’t just one person I want to thank. There are a few people who have helped BBS blossom over the years. First, my husband, Sidik, who continues to support me and encourage me to always get outside my comfort zone and go after what I want. He is a sounding board for all my wild ideas and helps me prioritize and plan for BBS. I would be lost without him. My family, of course! I come from a family of entrepeneurs and their success has been my motivation since day 1. My mom and sister are members of my program and always give feedback and help me with ideas to continue to grow BBS. I cannot pass this opportunity up without giving my members a shoutout. I have had a lot of members stick with me since the beginning, and without them, BBS wouldn’t be here today!

Website: www.bodiesbysav.com

Instagram: @bodiesby_sav

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

Image Credits
Colleen: @xxiiiphoto