Owning a Fitness Business with Ana Hutz
Episode Summary:
My friends, I am so excited to have Ana Hutz, founder of Namaste Fitness, on the podcast today. If you follow me on Instagram, you already know I'm slightly obsessed with the gym I've been going to for the last two years. It's called Namaste Fitness and if you are anywhere in San Diego, you have to come for the positive vibes. This gym has changed my life in so many ways which makes me so excited to share this conversation with Ana with you today. We’re talking about everything from knowing your worth outside of your business to believing everything happens for a reason. No matter where you’re at in your own entrepreneurial journey, there is something for you in this episode.
Topics Discussed:
The origin story of Namaste Fitness and why Anna is such a huge supporter of the gym
The reminder that if something falls through, there’s often something better waiting for you on the other side
Separating yourself and your worth from your own success and knowing it’s not just about the money
The times that Ana felt that she was divinely supported in her life and in her business
The biggest things that Ana has learned as an entrepreneur and the things she are most proud of
Ana’s biggest advice for women who are feeling stuck and how she worked through her husband’s cancer diagnosis
About Ana
Ana is the founder and co-owner with her husband of Namaste Fitness. She is a 500-Hr certified Yoga Teacher, BootyBarre™ and bbarreless™ instructor, TRX instructor, Kids Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga Wall, Prenatal Yoga, Connected Warriors, Pilates and Yoga Sculpt certified instructor as well. In process to receive Ashtanga Yoga certification as well. Her passion for helping others in their wellness journey comes from her love for her family. After having her second child in 2013 and leaving her corporate job to be a full-time mom, she started practicing Yoga with the intention to get back in shape, but she quickly realized that yoga is not just about the physical but the emotional and spiritual connection and growth too. It helped her discover her purpose to inspire others to live a healthy, clean and mindful life which is the key to happiness.
Connect with Ana:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher
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Anna Rapp (00:03):
My friends, I am so excited to have Anna Hutz today on the podcast. I just have to like say something for a minute first. So if you follow me on Instagram, you already know I'm lightly obsessed with the gym I've been going to for the last two years. It's called Namaste Fitness. If you are anywhere in San Diego, anywhere in Southern California, you have to come for the positive vibes. Like literally, this gym has changed my life in so many ways. You guys know I'm a single mama. And so for me, having a safe space where I can go and come with my kids and have childcare, like when I go to the gym sometimes without my kids and they find out, oh, they are so upset. They're like, you went to the gym without us. You wanna go the safe space for my kids?
Anna Rapp (00:45):
A safe space where I can have calm yoga classes, challenging. Like it literally is a dream. And part of what's keeping me, I grew up in West Chula Vista. I live in East Chula Vista now, but part of what's keeping me in East Chula Vista, to be honest, is this gym community. And so I am so excited to interview the founder, the owner of the gym who has just the biggest, kindest heart and best energy. And I think it's no mistake how this gym turned out, like what great vibes it has. Like it comes down from the top. And so I'm just gonna ask you a million questions today, but first, why don't you introduce yourself?
Ana Hutz (01:21):
Yay. Awesome. Thank you for having me. My name is Anna Huts and I live in Chula Vista also. I guess it's East Chula Vista Rancho Delray kind of area. So I'm 10 minutes away from the gym and I'm a mom, two kids, wife, my husband. And I was born in Mexico, so I've been here for, I came to San Diego State, so I've been here since college. Got a job, then got married, all that good stuff. So I've been here, I wanna say maybe 13 years, 14 years. But I'm originally from Tijuana. And I was not a fan of gyms or working out or any kind of physical activity until I had my kids. And then I gained a ton of weight with the pregnancy. I was just like, yeah, gimme all the food. And then I thought, I need to do something for myself.
Ana Hutz (02:16):
I can't just, you know, feel the way I was feeling with like being overweight and just having issues that were coming from that. So that's just kind of how I started. Little bit of fitness classes here, going to the gym there. And then yoga came into my life. And then eventually I'm like, it would be really cool if I had my own yoga studio, my own place. And then talked to my husband. I was being a stay-at-home mom at the time, and he's like, let's do it. And that's, it's been almost five years now that I'm here.
Anna Rapp (02:47):
That is so amazing. Okay, so take us back to the, like, did you just kind of have this like feeling in your heart, like, this is gonna work, we're, we're gonna figure it out? Or like, did you have any doubts, like when you, when it was just an idea, like, walk us back to like, that part?
Ana Hutz (03:04):
So I, I am a planner. My husband's a planner. I my major in college was business and marketing. And my husband is an economics major and he is a financial advisor. So he's like numbers planning. I mean, he, that's what he does. Financial planning for clients. And that's kind of what I did. I was a manager at the bank for seven years and that's what I did. I helped my staff as a manager and I helped my clients manage things, right? It's always managing, managing. So I thought I can manage, you know, a business. But it really more than a business had happened because I was feeling like all the things you're saying about us is exactly how I felt. I started taking classes like at parks, little community classes, free classes here, donation, because I wasn't sure. I never enjoyed working out and never enjoyed sweating.
Ana Hutz (04:00):
That was my thing. Like, I don't like to sweat, I don't, like, that was not my thing. And so I started trying it and then eventually I joined like 24 Hour Fitness because it had the machines that had the weights that had the classes. And so that's where like my love for working out came cuz I felt really good, but then I wanted more because we had a community there, but it wasn't like a, a small studio community, you know, it's, it's a big gym. So I joined a yoga studio where I started feeling that, oh, I belong, everybody's here. Like, super nice. Everybody's here to do their thing to feel good. And it was just this positive energy all the time. And so when that studio was up for sale or up for franchising, that's when I was like, Hmm, I think I can manage it.
Ana Hutz (04:48):
I have two kids. My kids are 11 months apart, so I have two little kids. I, I can do it. And so I went to my husband and I said, Hey, they're selling the studio, what about if we buy it? And I was like, okay, let's talk about it. Let's plan it. Let's think, let's strategize. And and that's when we're like, okay, we're not exactly a hundred percent sure what we're doing because it was a new field. It wasn't like working at the bank, which is what we both did, but it was, you know, dealing with people, which is what I enjoyed with. I saw it as like people's happiness. That that was kind of like my thing, I'm going to help people be happy. And that's when we started into that process. And I, I've shared it before that, that didn't go through obviously. And so we're like, well that didn't go through, but I already put in a lot of work on what my goal is. My dream is, so let me just start it on my own with my own business, my own name, my own brand.
Anna Rapp (05:44):
I had, I didn't know that part of your story. How, and I love that too because I think so often, like we see women in business and we're like, oh, there must have been like a really straight easy path. There must have been no hurdles. Right? Or like, sometimes when we start off, when we see a hurdle, we're like, oh, that must be a sign that like, it's not meant to be, but you're like, oh, guess this just means that it's a redirection and guess I need to do this all on my, which, what a blessing that it ended up being all out your own because you got to make it whatever you wanted it to be.
Ana Hutz (06:12):
Exactly. It. I mean, I can say it now. I think it took me a while to, to, to accept and to kinda, while I was going through the process of getting that other studio, I didn't see it. All I could see was, I'm gonna, I'm gonna make people happy. I'm gonna have a studio, I don't care. And now, after all these years, I can say that was like an abusive relationship. I guess it was just very, it was one of the hardest things I've had to go through. It was very there was a lot of bumps. It was a lot of legalities that were lawyers, you know, because when you're dealing with money contracts Yeah. You know, all that kind of stuff, you, you have to do it the right way. And we are very, we have to do everything the right way.
Ana Hutz (07:02):
Like, we're like rule followers. And so going through that, because it wasn't just business, we were dealing with emotions, right? Like as the other person was trying to let go of what they built and yeah, trusting somebody with their baby, there was a lot of, I guess difficulty and just that handing it over. And so I tried my best to do it, but there were just disagreements. Well now I want this, now I want that. And then it turned into a thing where like, well, we want more money. We want more money, we want more money. So they kept asking for more money and there we are like, well, let's just get a bigger loan. Let's just get a bigger loan because we have to do it. And I tell people all the time, I felt, and I don't know if they also made me feel that way, but I can't blame anybody.
Ana Hutz (07:47):
So I felt like it was the best I could do. Like, if I don't do this, I'm not gonna get to provide these happiness services to other people. And I'm like, I'm, I'm stuck, like you're saying, like, I'm gonna do it, whatever it takes. And so once they were like, no, we, we just don't wanna sell, we're not gonna go through it, blah, blah, blah. I was devastated. Like I remember like just immediately like crying, like that's it. Like everything I worked for for I would say six months daily. Daily, daily. Wow. Wow. It just crashed. And, but at my, at the time I had my manager who was gonna be my manager at the studio and she was like my biggest cheerleader, like, no, you can do it. You can, I, she was super, like, women can do anything and you can do anything.
Ana Hutz (08:36):
So she's like, okay, well we're not gonna do it. Let's drive around and find our own space to open a studio. Literally the same day. And two weeks later is when we found our space. After six months of thinking that that was gonna be my dream business, I started working on my real dream business business. And my lawyer immediately told me, this is a blessing in disguise because even he advised us not to go through with it, it just, things were not looking good. He's like, you would've suffered for at least five to 10 years, which was gonna be the franchise contract. I know. And so I, I knew my goal, like I said, was always to help people feel the way I felt. And at that point was super scary because I'm like, I was feeling like without them, I'm nobody. Without their guidance, without the franchise name, I'm not gonna be successful. And then her and my husband, who's also my cheerleader, they're like, no, you can do it. You really wanna do it. And I mean, we did it <laugh>. So there's, there's no bumps on the, I tell people there's no bumps on the road that are too big for you to not keep going. If you know in your heart that that's the right thing to do.
Ana Hutz (09:50):
Yep. There's yeah. Yeah. There's no, there's no stopping you when, and I say this to people in my classes, if you do things with your heart, you're unstoppable. It, that's where the intention comes from. And that was always the intention. And I say it all the time and I will say it forever, like, it's not just about the money. Yes, money matters because we have bills to pay, but that's not the original intention of all this. And like you're saying, I think I want to believe that that is the reason why students keep coming to us because they can see through this is not a business, this is something more hopefully <laugh>.
Anna Rapp (10:38):
Oh my goodness. <Laugh>
Ana Hutz (10:42):
<Laugh>. Yeah.
Anna Rapp (10:45):
How beautiful. And I love that you're sharing this behind the scenes. Cuz I think when we look at like other people's businesses of any type, right? We see like the highlights and the polish, right? Yeah. But it's so true that like every single business owner I know has a story like that literally. Yeah. And I think when women start businesses and then they start getting hurdles, they're like, oh, something's wrong with me. Like, but literally it's almost like I think about motherhood. There's no mom I know that doesn't have some sort of like, challenge, right? Yeah. There's not any marriage that doesn't have some sort of challenge, right? Like mm-hmm. <Affirmative>, that's just part of like, life is like the challenges.
Ana Hutz (11:21):
Yeah.
Anna Rapp (11:22):
What advice would you give someone that's maybe in that moment of like, they worked for six months on something really, really wanted something and they thought this was the answer, and then like, they get that devastating news, whether it's any aspect of their business or life, but they wanted something and it just feels like it's a stop sign. It feels like it's the end of the road. Like what advice would you have there?
Ana Hutz (11:46):
I think to really stop and think what, like what is the real reason why I'm doing it, right? Mm-Hmm. Because I almost feel like at the point where we were in the process to buy the other business you know, they would tell us like, well, you know, I don't want you to change this color, like little things, right? I don't want you to change this color on the walls. I don't want you to do this. I don't want you to offer this or that. And I was, I think I was just being stubborn, like, no, but I wanna do it because I think it's right or I wanna make it better. In my mind, I was like, I'm taking over a business, I'm gonna obviously make it better to grow it for my benefit and for the benefit of the person that owns it, right?
Ana Hutz (12:30):
That's franchising it to me. So I think you have to really try to separate, is this just I'm being stubborn, I want something because I think that that's what I should do, or that's what people expect me to do? Or is this really meant to be? I think it's happened to us. For example, we we wanted to get in, in one of our studios, if you, you've seen it, we have the T r X room and we have yoga walls, right? And yoga walls is this aen practice where you get to hang off the walls, you get to decompress, you get to pull on them. So that room was a stockroom in our space, and it had like, like temporary walls. They didn't even go all the way up. So to install those walls, we had to rebuild that whole room and spend a ton of money to reinforce those walls so that people can pull on them.
Ana Hutz (13:26):
So they support like a ton of weight. And and they came a point where lumber, something was happening with lumber, then there was a holiday and the truck couldn't come with the materials. They were gonna charge us the overtime for the people that were going to build the walls because we needed it for a specific day. So we almost gave up and we're like, you know what? It's just not worth it. This is costing us double. This is like, it seems like it's not meant to be. There's so many bumps. But then I was like, okay, money, we will eventually, like we can just get a bigger loan. Yes, we'll pay the guys. Okay. If we can't have the room open ready by the day that we open our doors, we can postpone that room for a week. But why are we doing that wall?
Ana Hutz (14:13):
Well, because nobody in Chula Vista had that wall. Nobody in the South Bay has it. It's an amazing practice. We had the teacher that, that trains for the walls. Like we had like the main guy that was like, we hired him to teach that class and to help us with those walls. So there was just so much more that I considered a benefit versus the hurdles that we had at that moment. Like, did we really need that wall? Did we need to spend the extra thousands of dollars? Yes. But other things like aerial yoga, which we talk about doing now, we didn't put it at that time because that would've been another restructuring. And we're like, okay, five people in the silks, we already have all this huge construction that can wait. You know, like, it's a little tiny example, but just like the things, like, does it matter and will it matter in the long run? Or is it just like, kind of like, they say, is it a want or is it a need? You know? And I wanted the studio to help people, but I knew I needed to do it because it was just something that was burning, burning, burning that I, I couldn't stop at that point. I was too invested in it.
Anna Rapp (15:24):
I love that. I, when you think back to that season when you were really trying to make it work with the other studio, do you feel like it almost like had to like divinely work out where like, it was released? Or do you feel like there was like something in you that knew along the way that like, ooh, this isn't for me? Or do you feel like it had to happen that way?
Ana Hutz (15:48):
I was, the last week before we were told no, like, I was insulted by the owner. Both me and my husband were insulted and almost like harassed. Like, the way that the person is is just, you know. And so we just sat there like, okay, like just taking it all, like, okay, whatever you say, we're gonna do it. And even at that point, I wasn't ready to say no. So I think it had to happen that way where they told me no, because I was probably too stubborn to say no. Like it was a divine intervention from life of like, no, Anna, this was not, not meant for you. And eventually all other franchises that they tried to do, I don't know if it was a similar situation, but things collapsed the same way. So I think it was just, it had to happen so I could learn, and so I could learn to differentiate the, am I just like being annoying, like trying to just do it, or should I look for signs?
Ana Hutz (16:50):
And now in five years that we've had the business, I try to look for red flags earlier than later. Yeah. I was just having a conversation with someone yesterday that something happened and they're like, and why did you wait so long to do this? I'm like, because I try to ignore the red flags. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt all the time. And I don't know at this point if it's, am I just dumb? Like, am I just blind and I just, or I'm actually genuinely thinking, let's give him another chance. Let's wait for something worse to happen, for me to step out, you know?
Anna Rapp (17:27):
Yeah. Ugh. Such a conversation. <Laugh>. When you think about like, divine interventions in your life, like what, is there anything else that comes to mind, either even from your childhood or outside of namaste? Like what are other times where you really feel like you were divinely supported in like a direction?
Ana Hutz (17:46):
Well hopefully people think it's divine, but I think it's probably divine. So I've been married before, this is my second marriage, which probably people don't know that about me. So I had my high school boyfriend for 10 years, and then we got married. So when we got married, I got transferred to a different branch at the bank. And then I met my boss, which is now my husband <laugh>. So, so 10 years and again, through, you know, cheating on me and la la la right? Like all those things. I mean, since first year in high school, all the way after college, and so many things happen, and so many people told me, he's not the guy for you. You shouldn't marry him, da da da, da da. But I'm like, no, this is the best I can do. We've been together for so long, I'm gonna make it work because I'm just gonna make it work.
Ana Hutz (18:41):
And got married, got transferred to that branch, met my now husband, Eric, who was recently divorced. And we became friends. And then I started having issues in my marriage and he was like, no, you need to go to counseling. You need to go to your priest. If you have a pastor or somebody to talk to, like, don't get divorced. Like, divorce is really heartbreaking. And it was really difficult for me, you know, a advising, right? And so I'm like, okay, okay. So I followed, and I, we went to therapy, we looked for counseling. It just wasn't meant to be. It just didn't, it was not going to happen. And so but when we went to therapy, we only went to therapy once, and that was it. When we went to therapy, that's when I realized I can't be here anymore. And even the therapist was like, yeah, you guys shouldn't be married anymore. Like, it, there was just, we weren't fit for each other, but if Eric had not told me to go to therapy, suggested to go to therapy, I probably would've never thought it. And so that was kind of his intervention. He tried to make me keep my marriage, but in a way he helped me figure out, oh, I need to step out of this. And, and it was the best thing I did. And that was 15 years ago. And now I've been married, it's gonna be next week, 13 years.
Anna Rapp (20:05):
Wow. So happy anniversary, by the way, <laugh> love that story.
Ana Hutz (20:10):
Things happen at the right time for the right reason. And that's always, like I tell everybody, put it on my grave. That's like my motto. Everything happens for a reason at the right time. Like, if I could tattoo it here, I would, because I feel like there is always divine intervention for the good and for the bad. It, it doesn't matter, but the bad can always be turned into good. So it's not really bad.
Anna Rapp (20:30):
Yes. I'm seeing this theme through for you of like persistence, right? <Laugh>, what were you like as a little girl? Tell us what you were like, and were you a persistent little girl or did that come later?
Ana Hutz (20:42):
I think I, I think y yeah, I am persistent. My husband tells me that, that if he could describe me in one word, would be determined. That's, that's my word. And like, I even have a bracelet though, one word, bracelets, whatever they're called. It's determined. I, I, I grew up my parents. I have a brother and my grand, we've always been really close. My grandparents, my uncle, we have, we're a small family, but super, super close. Like, we get together like all the time, and we're always involved in each other's lives one way or another. So growing up, it was always, well, I was the oldest. I'm the oldest granddaughter. I was the the one that like set the tone for everybody else, right? Like, I was the, the oldest of five grandkids, five grandkids. So I was always starting up the situations.
Ana Hutz (21:38):
I'm always the one that's like, let's do this, let's do that. When we get together now it's like, well, what is Anna gonna say? You know, let's ask her like, what, what, what is she planning? Like, where are we gonna go? What are we gonna do? I'm always trying to look ahead for what's next. I went to school. I lived in Tijuana all my life. Like I said, I've been here for 13 years. And I was in school I continued the same school, like it was a private school, so from first grade all the way through high school. And it was always like, what am I gonna do next? I, because we lived on a border city, I was always, we were always coming across to San Diego, Chula Vista, so that was our life. So I thought, well, maybe one day I can work there, I can do something.
Ana Hutz (22:24):
So I chose to do international business so I can do the dual degree program in college. So I did two years in Mexico and I did three years here. And so it's always like, if life didn't give me exactly what I need right now, I need to find it. I need to do it. I'm always like looking forward to not in a unsatisfied way of like, I always need more because I'm never satisfied. It's always like, what's next? What can I do more of this or better at that? So that's kind of my personality. I tell people, like, I don't get down on myself often, and if I do, it will last minutes. And then, like, I had a really hard time like a week ago, like, you know, things work busy, scheduling all the things. And I was like, okay, I, I'm gonna give myself like 20 minutes to like, be angry, be upset, be sad, whatever, to feel all the feels. But then I don't allow myself to stay in that moment for too long because I know that there's so much that I have to do that if I get stuck, I'm afraid of like, not getting out on time and not meeting all my goals or my deadlines, you know? Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative>, which could be good or bad, I don't know. But I'm always like trying to stay on the next thing, like not getting stuck on one thing. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>,
Anna Rapp (23:50):
I, I think it's beautiful. <Laugh>. Okay. When you think about Namaste that you've created, what would you say are like the two things that you're most proud of creating in the last five years?
Ana Hutz (24:06):
I think the, the community that we've built, I mean, the, the group of humans that meet there, and you're not gonna let me lie. I tell people all the time to new students that come and they're like, afraid because they've never been in a group setting or they've never worked out and they're like embarrassed or whatever, you know, all the feelings. I tell them we have the best students. Like I have been to, you know, gyms and yoga studios and fitness, and I think, like, genuinely in my heart that we have the best students, right? Like everybody or the majority are like a good fit, right? Not everybody talks to each other. Not everybody knows each other, but overall, I never go to work like, like who's, who am I gonna run into today? Like, I don't have that feeling. Like when I worked at the bank, that was a different story, <laugh>, because you're like, oh, Mr.
Ana Hutz (25:01):
So-And-So's gonna come and they're gonna try to pull their money, or, you know, they're gonna ask me for this or whatever. Because it's just, there's so many people from, from different worlds, but here it's almost like everybody comes together for a, for the same purpose. Even if we don't all come with the same goal to the studio, we all just have the purpose of taking care of ourselves, even if it's as basic as that, right? Nobody goes there for other reason than to feel good and to take care of themselves, whether it's yoga or fitness. And I think that's what brings us together. And I, I can die happy saying like, that's a great community that I got to experience, you know, my time with. And probably to have survived five years, because we know, right? That the business, the small businesses especially, might not make it more than a year, maximum three years.
Ana Hutz (26:00):
And looking at ourselves, moving into five years and looking at not just the community, but the business aspect of it, right? Like the books and the, the way that things are being managed, like it, we, we, we feel like we're here to stay and just move forward. We're not going anywhere. Because I know there's, when you as a business owner start looking at your numbers and your statistics and your projections, and you're like, oh my God, I don't know if I'm gonna make it to the end of the year. It's a real thing. And I think the only time that we sort of felt that way was during Pandemic 2020 when we had to close, but, and I said almost felt it because I never really felt like we were going to have to close. I just had this feeling again, the community was so supportive, so loving, and we had a goal and I was determined to make it through. And so we did. So those are my two proudest things, like pandemic and then the people.
Anna Rapp (27:02):
Hmm. I love that so much. <Laugh>. what do you feel like, and if you don't know the answer, that's okay, but like, what would you, if we had like a magic wand and we, we were like, you know, five years from now, it was 2028, is that the math? Yeah. What would you like to have seen in Namaste? Like what are some of your future visions for it?
Ana Hutz (27:26):
Well, by 2028, I hope to see three studios open. That's like a goal, right? We're, we're already in talks of like, where would number two be? But we would ideally like to go to three. And most, I think one of the things is to see it support itself without me. Not that I'm not gonna be there, but that if I, you know, knock, knock, but if I died, like would it still be there? Like to know that I've like transmitted my goal, my vision, my everything to all the people that are there, right? Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative>, that's like when you have employees and we have almost 40 employees now. It's hard. Yeah. It's hard to keep everybody in the same vision because everybody comes to work for their own purpose, right? Their own goals in life. But to keep them together and unified in what Namaste fitness is.
Ana Hutz (28:26):
I tell people like, I, I, I want to go on vacation. I want to take a day off knowing that you guys are okay, which I know they are, right? We have amazing people, amazing staff, but there's always that like, oh, but what if they need me? So to be self-sufficient in a way that if we do have 2, 3, 5, whatever studios that I can be, you know, supporting all of them. But each studio is its own. That it's not Anna that that manages things or that keeps them together, that it's everybody as a whole without me. If that makes sense.
Anna Rapp (29:04):
Oh, that makes so much sense, <laugh>. Okay. Let's say for a second that you had your two new studios opening tomorrow, and you have your two managers that are gonna oversee them. I know likely it would be like people that were already within, but yes, let's just say for a second, it wasn't, let's just say it was two brand new people and you only have five. No, you only have two minutes with them and you're not ever gonna be able to talk to them again, right? Maybe they're opening in Hawaii or something. Two namaste branches in Hawaii. You've never met these people. You'll never be able to speak to them again. You have two minutes to tell them the vision and the mission of Namaste and what's most important go, what are you gonna tell 'em?
Ana Hutz (29:43):
Okay. So Namae Fitness is about making people feel happy and better than how they walked in. So customer service is the number one, like making everybody feel like this is their second home. Like you are their sister, you are their brother. Like the comfort of people is number one to offer as much as we can for people to find what they need to offer. You know, the cleanliness, the, the great teachers, the great customer service, the amazing classes. So to do all of the things that make somebody go, oh my God, wow. So what I tell my staff now, and what I would tell that staff if, if this makes sense, is that I tell them we are not the Walmart, we are the Nordstrom of Wellness Studios. And not in any of like, oh, Nordstrom, but it's just, if you've been to Nordstrom, you know that they're always like, hi, welcome. Why can I get, you know, like that immediate making you feel like you're important and you're there. They're, they're to help you out. Versus when you're trying to find an employee in this huge place of like, nobody can help me. I need the price for this, or I need that. So to keep the standards as high as possible because feeling like this is your home and you need to give your best when people come to your house, you try to do your best to host. So that would be it.
Anna Rapp (31:17):
I love that. I think it's also something so interesting, you interesting, you created a namaste. It was reminding me of this, as you were saying, that is, I do feel like you've created a very high class experience, but it's also very approachable and warm. And I feel like a lot of gyms I've been to have been one or the other, right? Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> where it is very high class, but you also feel a little bit like, I don't belong here. <Laugh>, right? Yeah. Like this no high class. And like everyone's wearing, I mean, no offense, but like, yeah, everyone's wearing like perfectly matching bar socks. Like, I don't know how they got their ponytail that straight. Like, I like come, you know, like I come into the gym like tumbling in, in a hot mess. My kids are like trying to grab the candies, right?
Ana Hutz (31:55):
<Laugh>.
Anna Rapp (31:56):
But like, I do feel like you have created the family atmosphere of belonging and safety and happiness, but also that elevated excellence.
Ana Hutz (32:09):
Mm-Hmm.
Anna Rapp (32:09):
<Affirmative>, how have you done that
Ana Hutz (32:12):
From the beginning when we planned, and this I think started from the studio we were buying, that they were great studio, they were clean, people were great, but I would always see, how can I make this better? Like the littlest things of like, the mats are all mismatched, the rental mats, for example, right? All our mats are manduka, high quality, you know, $120 mats for rent. We have lost some, so some people have taken them. That's fine. You know, they got a hundred dollars mat out of it. Not often, but we've lost like two or three. So to give, that was like a, a one red flag for me from the other studio that I was buying that the owner was like, don't buy nice things for your students. That was her advice all the time. Don't, don't do nice things for your students. They're, they're not gonna appreciate it or they're gonna steal it.
Ana Hutz (33:00):
That was her mentality, which I get it, right? Like we've lost a couple things here and there in the studio of like, like a little yoga doll or whatever. Somebody took it, who cares. But her thing was like, don't go above and beyond. And I'm the go above and beyond girl. So yeah. Why not at a reasonable price? Because I know that there's so many other studios that are way more expensive than than us. Yeah. And there might be a couple that maybe are less expensive, but they offer way less. So Yeah, the best value, the best experience because just because you're paying, let's say less in our case, right? Versus we're under $200, why not still have amazing things mm-hmm. <Affirmative>. And so that was my vision of, no, I'm going to have the matching mats, I'm going to have the cute decor.
Ana Hutz (33:51):
I'm going to make you feel warm and fuzzy. And it probably comes from the fact that I was not a workout person, right? So I, growing up, or like when I was in high school, I started going to take step classes and kickboxing classes at the gym just for fun. And the gyms were always a, you know, the big waves, the guys with like the tiny tanks and you know, like dirty, I don't know, I, not that they're dirty, but they just look like dusty or something. And I'm like, no, no, no, no. I mean, you see, if we break weights, like, I'm like, no, we need to replace them if, you know, we've paint and we're always running around with our magic erasers, like, because I feel like we humans deserve it. And the only way that you can be at peace with yourself is if you're not worried about other things too. So if you're coming to the classroom and you come in and it's like dirty, or just the colors are aggressive, you know, like, like they say like McDonald's is orange, is red and yellow for a reason, so that you're always hyper alert. So we're like, we're white and blue and the clouds and the ocean and that color scheme. So you can be like not worrying about anything around you other than yourself. Hmm.
Anna Rapp (35:09):
I love it <laugh> so much. And you really have done that. And I, my biggest wish and prayer is to see like, namaste all over the world. Because a lot of my community that follows me on Instagram is not from San Diego, right? So I'm like posting about Nas day all the time and it's almost like, so many, how can I go? Cause they're like, it's so neat. You have this really cute gym that you go to with great childcare, with kind people. You're getting fit, like stop posting about
Ana Hutz (35:34):
It. You know what I mean? I know. Don't why?
Anna Rapp (35:37):
Yeah. Why don't I have that in New York? Why don't I have that in Texas? So, but maybe one day soon there will be a NAMA day in New York, in Texas and all of the places, you know, and just love what you've created. Okay. As we wrap up any other, what other, any other words of advice I, I like to give advice to you for like, women that are in like a challenging time or feeling discouraged or mm-hmm. <Affirmative>, you know, any other words of advice or love?
Ana Hutz (36:06):
I think as women, we, we try to create all these expectations that nobody else probably has, but we have of ourselves. And sometimes they're unrealistic because of the moment that we are in our life or whatever we're experiencing. And then we're here, but then we wanna be here without thinking, well, we should be here and here and here and here. So little baby steps. I've shared this before as well, you know, we dealt with my husband's really, really advanced cancer two years ago. And and I was the businesswoman, but as a wife and mother and woman, I was like devastated, right? So I was broken on one part of my life, but then I had to stay intact in the other part of my life, which was the business owner, the yoga teacher, that fitness teacher that pumps you up. But then I was not pumped up on other side.
Ana Hutz (37:01):
So just I think to know, to really, really believe that everything that goes quote unquote wrong and the difficult times won't last forever. And if they do last for a long time, it's because we're learning a lesson from that bad or difficult time like that. Nothing, nothing in life will happen for, for no reason. And you know, I'm Catholic, I believe in God, I, you know, I, I have a belief that there's a divine right, but even if you don't just the universe or whatever it is, and believe in yourself because if you don't believe that you can do this, then nobody else will believe. I tell people you have to be your first and biggest cheerleader so that other people, it's kind of like they say, try to manifest and try to be what you want to be. You have to, and nothing is temporary.
Ana Hutz (37:59):
And we all women go through such difficult times in different parts of our lives and that we are, we're just amazing. Like we are, we make the world go round, right? We make the world go round. And I'm not like a super feminist, like women are better than men. Nope. Men and women are equal in my eyes. But we're just so amazing that we have so much to give. And the difficult times happen because they had to happen and support each other. Never talk poorly about other women, or at least maybe like not in public, just maybe to yourself like, ah, but never because, because we're all fighting a battle and nobody else maybe can see it.
Anna Rapp (38:42):
I have a favor to ask. Can you, I have a lot of listeners of the podcast that also speak Spanish. Obviously most of them speak English cuz they're listening cuz their podcast in English. But would you say that same message also in Spanish for us?
Ana Hutz (38:56):
Okay.
Anna Rapp (40:15):
Just beautiful. <Laugh>
Ana Hutz (40:17):
<Laugh>.
Anna Rapp (40:18):
If people are in San Diego or if they're visiting San Diego and they wanna check out Namaste and or connect with you, tell us how we can follow you on social media. Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative> and connect with the gym.
Ana Hutz (40:29):
Yep. Follow us on Instagram. Namaste. Fitness SD at the end. Like San Diego or Facebook. Namaste. Fitness. My my Instagram is healthy savory life. It started because I, that account was just for recipes for cooking and then it was healthy savory meals and now it's healthy savory life because I share more than just meals And namaste fitness.com, our website, we always have something going on. Even if you don't wanna come and take a class, just come see us. Just visit us, come say hi and ask questions. That's literally why we're here. Like we are here for you. That's for the community, for whoever wants to come around. And next week we do have a whole week of wellness that people can come and take a free class. So if you've never visited us, come take a free class from the sixth through the 13th.
Anna Rapp (41:21):
I love that. If anyone's a friend of mine I've had, I've tried to drag at least all of my friends one time did not Ms. Day. They're like, no, Anna, we'll not go with you. I'm like, just this one time. Just come with just one class. Just try
Ana Hutz (41:32):
Just once and it's free.
Anna Rapp (41:34):
Exactly. my, when pe I always win people over though when I'm like, oh yeah, it was just the gym. We had champagne for someone's birthday or champagne. They're like, what? They gave you champagne at your gym.
Ana Hutz (41:45):
<Laugh>. I mean, there's there i, I tell people, and you know, just in the, the people that think yoga, think sometimes like this stereotype of a yogi, right, of a person. And I'm like, I am not that yogi. The one you see in the books, floating and meditating and just eating like leafs. I am, I I love my champagne, I love my donuts and I love what yoga brings to my life for not just the physical but for everything. So champagne, probably next Wednesday, cuz it's women's day. We're probably gonna have champagne.
Anna Rapp (42:19):
So I mean, why not?
Ana Hutz (42:20):
Right? Why not?
Anna Rapp (42:21):
<Laugh>, thank you so much for being on the podcast and just also what you created. Thank you. I'm just personally so grateful for it.
Ana Hutz (42:26):
Thank you so much. We love you and we are so grateful for you just being there because y you keep us going, like everybody that feels like you keep us going and we would be nothing without the community really. So I'm super, super grateful and this honor to be here with you.
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