If I could sit down with the version of myself who was about to open her first business almost 11 years ago, I would probably start with, “Girl, you have absolutely no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” Then I would tell her to do it anyway.
Owning a business has given me a career I never expected, confidence I had to grow into, and a purpose that continues to push me forward. It has introduced me to incredible women and allowed me to build something that means so much to me.
It has also tested my patience, challenged my judgment, and brought me to tears. There have been days I wanted to quit and days I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Now, with two Lift & Glitz Training Studio locations and a podcast, I’ve been thinking about everything I had to learn along the way. In my upcoming episode of The Lift & Glitz Podcast, I’m sharing some of those lessons — and the conversations I wish someone had with me before I started.
Passion gets you started. There is still a business to learn.
I didn’t grow up knowing I would own women’s fitness studios. What I discovered was that I loved helping people. I loved having conversations, building relationships, and watching women realize they were capable of more than they thought. That passion helped me build Lift & Glitz. But I also needed mentorship, experience, and a willingness to learn how to run a business.
Being good at the service you provide is one piece of ownership. Hiring, marketing, managing money, training employees, and making difficult decisions all require skills of their own. Some I learned from others. Some I learned by making mistakes.
The people pleaser in me had some growing to do.
This is one of the more personal parts of the episode because, honestly, I’m still working on it. When you care deeply about people, it can be hard to accept that someone may leave unhappy — even when you’ve done your best to be fair. Early on, I spent a lot of energy trying to make sure everyone liked me.
But running a business means making decisions that protect its future, support your team, and create consistency for your customers. Sometimes those decisions are uncomfortable. I’ve had to learn how to be compassionate while holding boundaries. And I’ve had to accept that being misunderstood occasionally comes with putting yourself out there. I don’t always handle that perfectly. I’m getting better.
Doing everything yourself can hold you back.
At one point, I was training clients, teaching classes, answering calls, handling sales, and trying to manage everything happening behind the scenes. I thought I was helping the business by taking on so much. Eventually, I realized how divided my attention had become.
Stepping back from some of those responsibilities was difficult. I had built relationships with clients over years, and handing over that part of my work felt personal. In the episode, I share the family situation that forced that change sooner than I was ready and what happened when I finally had room to focus on leading the business. It changed how I understood my role as an owner.
I still come back to the same purpose.
Lift & Glitz has evolved over the years, and so have I. But helping women feel stronger, more confident, and more connected remains at the heart of what I do. As my responsibilities grew, I started missing some of those everyday conversations that reminded me why I opened the doors in the first place.
The podcast has become another way to make that connection. When someone tells me, “I listened, and I felt that,” it reminds me how much we can help each other by being honest about our experiences.
This upcoming episode is for the woman thinking about starting something, the business owner figuring it out as she goes, and anyone learning to trust herself through an uncomfortable season of growth.
Almost 11 years in, I’m still learning. I’m also still thinking bigger.
Look for the upcoming episode of The Lift & Glitz Podcast on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. I’m sharing more of the lessons, mistakes, and turning points that helped me get here.
Lift your strength. Glitz your life.
Rachel King is the founder and CEO of Lift & Glitz Training Studio, a women-only fitness community with locations in Northfield and Galloway, New Jersey, and the host of the Lift & Glitz Podcast: Lift Your Strength. Glitz Your Life.
