Jenny Mears - Arvada Barre
Thirlby Co. Leader to Learn From: May 2024
May 1, 2024
On September 1, 2023, Jenny Mears acquired Arvada Barre (previously Arvada Barre Belle), a fitness studio northwest of Denver, CO.
“I felt afraid and unsure of the unknown,” Jenny shared.” I really wanted to make sure that the clients at the studio felt safe. I wanted to protect the company. My biggest fear then and now was failure.”
Today, eight months later, Arvada Barre is a thriving business under Jenny’s leadership. Membership and instruction has expanded significantly and the culture has transformed. “I have given everything to this studio,” Mears reflected. “I wanted to turn it around and make it yours and mine. I have marketed my heart out.”
Prior to acquiring her studio, Jenny went through a significant personal journey into the fitness world. During her time in corporate America, she suffered a life threatening ectopic pregnancy and battled depression and anxiety. After recovering from surgery and prioritizing her mental health, Jenny discovered group fitness. “I found acceptance,” Jenny shared. “It wasn’t about a body anymore - It was about how to treat my mind.”
Read on to learn more about Jenny’s reflections on entrepreneurship, the importance of inclusion in the fitness world, and why she believes that we should never take a day for granted.
OUR INTERVIEW WITH JENNY
On September 1, 2023, you became the owner of Arvada Barre (formerly Arvada Barre Belle), a fitness studio outside of Denver. What inspired you to take the leap, and how did you feel?
One of the biggest inspirations for me was helping people. I was helping people in the wedding industry but it wasn’t filling my heart. I was away from my kids and gone on the weekends. I was already training and teaching fitness, and my professional background was in marketing, business development, and sales, so it made more sense.
That being said, I felt afraid and unsure of the unknown. I really wanted to make sure that the clients at the studio felt safe. I wanted to protect the company.
My biggest fear then and now was failure. I’m a go-getter. Whenever I do something, it’s not 100 percent - it’s a million percent. Especially since it was the only barre studio in Arvada, I told myself it couldn’t fail. There was a big opportunity with established clients, but the studio was not where it needed to be.
Since becoming the owner of Barre, you have transformed not only the studio but the membership and community. What have you done that’s contributed to your success?
I have given everything to this studio. I wanted to turn it around and make it yours and mine. It has to speak to everyone no matter the size, shape, or age of who is there. I have marketed my heart out. We’ve integrated a new app and use Slack. My unwavering belief behind the success is that I don’t give up.
From a staffing perspective, a big focus of this year has been to free up my time for bigger picture work. I hired Erin Hargis as our marketing director, Laura Rosemeier as our partner director, and Elissa Hazel as the studio director. They are all amazing!
Two things that really stand out about Arvada Barre are the quality of instructors and the feeling of inclusion - your entire staff is amazing and I never feel intimidated to workout at the studio. Why is that?
Before I opened Arvada Barre, I had [instructor] friends in the industry and knew their values. They are friends of mine - we just vibe. From a cultural perspective, each of us has known what it feels like to be in a class where we didn’t feel accepted.
Something I communicate to the staff is that we have to have the sparkle. If someone doesn’t feel welcome the second they walk in the door, we aren’t doing our job. Our job is to make every person feel wonderful. It always comes from the top.
We always say that strong is beautiful - not skinny. That’s why you see so many women of different cultures, shapes, ages, and sizes in our community. In addition, something I will not put up with at the studio is drama. This includes clients. No one wants to go to class and feel like crap. It’s so important that everyone feels welcome, accepted, and loved. The studio is a contract between all of us.
Your journey into the fitness world was not an easy one - and it’s an essential part of your story.
In 2020, my family was really scared. We took it to a level where we wouldn’t go anywhere. What pushed us out of our comfort zone was me having an ectopic pregnancy - I almost died. It was after having two kids. I had no clue. I was in severe pain so went into the hospital and had an ultrasound. They put me on medication, sent me to a cancer treatment center, and my fallopian tube ruptured a week later. I had the surgery at the end of 2020 and lost a tube.
In 2021, things went downhill. I fell into deep depression and wanted to give up on my life. In March of 2021, I got help. Then I found group fitness. I always loved to run but hadn’t done group work. Through group fitness I found acceptance. It wasn’t about a body anymore - It was about how to treat my mind.
How would you define confidence?
Confidence is being true to yourself and knowing and always smiling - it’s going to work out. Being secure in who you are, knowing that you can do anything.
What is your mission or purpose in life?
To help others. If I can help one person and impact their day in a positive way, I’ve done my job.
What is your greatest superpower as a leader?
Positivity.
What do you think is the most important skill a leader must have to successfully manage people?
Strong people skills. No micromanaging. Leaders have to have faith that their team will have what it takes. They have to have trust. Until there’s a reason not to trust, you have to have faith in your team.
What is something that might surprise people about you?
I struggle with anxiety. My family has it. I may seem super confident but there are days that my anxiety feels so bad it can take over my life. As women we’re supposed to be strong and do it all. The career and kid tension is so hard. There is no harder job in the entire world than it is to be a woman - there is so much stigma. I tell myself the story that I have to be the best and do the best.
What advice would you have for someone who is struggling or feeling stuck right now in their life or career?
I would say to write things down. List out the reasons you feel stuck. You can take each reason and find a path to address it. Maybe you aren’t waking up on time. Starting to notice your patterns or habits and whether or not they are bringing you up or pulling you down.
What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Change is guaranteed. Not to take things so seriously. My husband always says: “everything will be fine.”
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Not to take a day for granted. If you woke up with breath in your lungs, there’s a reason why you’re here. We get to be on this earth one time. You get one chance. What do you want to do with it?
About Jenny Mears (She/Her)
Jenny is originally from Florida but is proud to call Colorado home for over 10 years. She’s been deeply involved in fitness for many years, and holds certifications in AFAA NASM coaching and ASFA Barre, which she brings to life in her classes at Arvada Barre, a fitness studio northwest of Denver, CO. During Jenny’s classes, you'll find an upbeat playlist, loads of encouragement, and a lot of fun.
Outside of the fitness world, Jenny’s career has been quite diverse, spanning software marketing, channel sales, wedding planning, business development, partner management, retail, and customer service. She also owns a cake business called Fluffed & Frosted.
Beyond work, Jenny’s heart belongs to her family, including her husband, two little boys, and cherished friends. She’s a proud product of her southern roots, with a love for cooking and baking passed down from her Gramie.
When she’s not working or at the gym, you'll likely find Jenny entertaining, soaking up the warm outdoors, savoring a latte and croissant, or indulging in her ultimate weakness: ice cream! For Jenny, nothing beats the joy of spending quality time with her loved ones, especially during trips back to Florida, where the sun always seems to shine a little brighter when she’s with her Florida family.
You can follow Jenny and her work on Instagram @jennymears23.
About This Feature
Leaders to Learn From is a standing feature in The Thirlby Company’s monthly newsletter that recognizes outstanding leaders in our community who demonstrate our company’s core values. You can learn about our other honorees here, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive this feature and more inspiring content in the future.
