Today we’d like to introduce you to Julissa Huesca.
Hi Julissa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Originally from Washington state, I moved to San Diego to attend SDSU at 18. Raised by an entrepreneurial mother, she was always my role model and taught me to be independent. I was extremely eager to leave my hometown, to meet new people, and continue my academics and athletics somewhere new. I graduated in 2023 majoring in International Business with an emphasis in French & Western Europe + a minor in marketing. I was also a part of the SDSU Cheerleading team for the first two years of college.
College was tough and I had a hard time adjusting to a new environment, while also navigating growing into a young adult. I had always been shy and attending online college classes during COVID did not help. Athletics always helped me come out of my shell and much of my communities growing up were built around my teams. I had been an athlete my whole life. I started gymnastics at age 5, switched to All-Star competitive cheerleading at 12, and ended my competitive career in San Diego at 20 years old. Summer of 2021, I had just come off a big accomplishment – winning The Cheerleading Worlds, with a local San Diego All Star cheer team. However, all the years of injuries throughout my athletic career was starting to take a toll on me and my passion started to die out. I physically could not keep up anymore. I made the really tough decision to quit and focus on academics. Academics had always been important to me, but never my main focus and I never dreamed of a particular job.
My last semester of college (Jan 2023) I was required to do an internship. Having zero idea of what path to pursue, I found a business internship with Little House of Flowers. I knew nothing about flowers and felt very inexperienced as a 21 yr old undergrad with the only prior work experience as a barista for one year in high school. Hilary Bateman and Auburn Rodriguez accepted me, alongside a few other girls, for the semester. They both became great mentors for me. Hilary focused more on sales and marketing, while Auburn showed me creativity and artistry through flower design. I asked for a job after I graduated and have been with the shop since. Working with a small team – Hilary, Auburn, and Ariadna Rodriguez (another former intern), allowed me to be very hands on with the small business and try many different things.
Little House of Flowers was the start of my professional career post grad, but I still had not found another passion since quitting cheerleading and my physical health was starting to affect me more. I was still active, going to the gym, and lifting heavy objects frequently at the flower shop, but I was in chronic pain. I would cry myself to sleep most nights from aching low back pain. My feet would often hurt if I stood for more than an hour. I knew I was too young to be feeling this way and doctors had discovered that a weak core was the cause. Summer 2023, my roommate started taking me to modern pilates classes, which are very core focused and build strength, balance, and mobility. Within 2 months of taking one class a week, my low back pain started to go away. I was shocked how much better my body felt after consistent practice. I was hooked.
In January 2024, I pursued a full time role as a researcher for a commercial real estate brokerage company, where I was the only woman in my office. Being only 22 with no corporate experience, I quickly realized I was not cut out for it. Even with both jobs, I still was struggling to afford living here. I needed another way to earn income, so I decided to look into teaching modern pilates. I figured I had a good athletic background and I loved taking classes, so I was willing to try it out. I signed up for a teacher training program in March 2024 and started my mentorship at Pilates Plus Pacific Beach. I honestly had no idea what I signed myself up for, but I felt like I had made a step in the right direction. Under the direction of Kimi Evans and her team, I spent months in the studio practicing and learning among an amazing group of young women. It was hard at first, especially overcoming my fear of public speaking, but it was the most fulfilling experience. Being around 20+ young, intelligent, and kind women was an amazing environment to learn from. I officially started teaching group classes in late August 2024 and quit the research position later that year to pursue teaching full time at Honor Pilates and Pilates Plus Pacific Beach. The community surrounding the studios are one of a kind and my favorite part of my job is connecting with my clients. I have zero pain now and feel like I’ve truly healed myself through this practice.
By January 2025 I had found my passion in teaching, started helping my mom with her newest business venture, and stayed with Little House of Flowers, which is what I’m still doing currently. Little House of Flowers transferred ownership to Maribel Herrera and Auburn Rodriguez last August and I’ve had the pleasure to gain new creative inspiration through that transition. Going on almost 2 years of managing 3 jobs is challenging, but each job has allowed me to learn something different and I’m grateful for every opportunity.
The entrepreneurial women in my life have really shaped me into who I am today. Their guidance and knowledge has been life changing. I hope to one day be a small business owner myself and open my own studio.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not easy at all. I struggled mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually. I was constantly pushed out of my comfort zone, but I believe you need to, in order to get to the other side. Sometimes there’s no way to go but forward and just keep believing in yourself. I always believe everything happens for a reason. When I felt stuck, I always looked for a way out but i never gave up.
I had a lot of physical injuries throughout my athletic career that never fully healed. Minor injuries that I pushed through mid season, turned into bigger injuries that contributed to my long term pain. However, my long term pain turned me to pilates, which has changed my life and given me career opportunities.
There were times where I would have as little as $30 to last 4 days until pay day. Yoga and pilates saved me during those really low moments. Being able to be physically active and use my energy towards my own body has always helped me throughout my life. It’s very grounding and brings me back to myself when all other aspects of life feel overwhelming.
I’ve moved 6 times in the last 7 years of living here, which has made life feel very unstable, but has also allowed me to be more comfortable with change and being flexible.
In my adult life, I’ve struggled to find my footing and everything has felt like I’m a baby deer learning how to walk. From finding housing, finding jobs, meeting friends, losing friends, exploring the city, it all has been a challenge. I feel like I’ve stumbled into all my opportunities and once I had it, I just committed to it. Nothing was ever clearly laid out and I never tried to plan it out perfectly.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I consider myself a creative. At Little House of Flowers I’ve done multiple roles including floral design, marketing, and sales. I’m also an assistant for my mom’s business, organizing her files, sending invoices, and managing her calendar. At the pilates studio, I teach group classes, private clients, assist with trainings, and help model for merch and brand photoshoots. However, I consider being a pilates instructor as my passion work and what I specialize in.
I’ve been teaching for just about 2 years at Pilates Plus Pacific Beach and Honor Pilates (Kearny Mesa location). I think I’m known for being very form focused in my classes and I care very deeply. As someone who has had many past injuries, I want to help people heal their own and prevent future injuries in class and outside of class. I know how harmful chronic pain can be physically and mentally. Since I’ve healed my own pain, I’ve been able to do so much more and have more body awareness. I think this sets me apart because many people struggle with chronic pain and don’t know where to turn to. Many professional services can be costly and some are just a quick fix. Pilates has been a great long term solution for me to incorporate in my daily life. I want people to be more in touch with their own bodies, how it moves, and how to address their pain. I’m continuously pursuing further education to help my clients deepen their practice and connection with themselves physically and mentally.
I’m most proud of the connections I’ve been able to make through teaching. I love watching my clients’ growth and excitement but it’s great to get to know them on a personal level too. Some of my clients have become close friends, some I’ve watched through major life events, and some I look forward to seeing every single week. I feel really lucky to be able to do what I do and work with so many people.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Be open and willing to learn. It can be scary to put yourself in a new environment but you never know if it’s the right fit until you try. In all of my mentorships, it wasn’t an immediate connection. It took time for both ends to learn about each other and work together. One of my most important values is integrity and something I was taught very young in athletics, which has carried me through my adult life to build trust with my mentors. I think we’re used to instant gratification, so sometimes we can be too quick to give up on something. All good things take time, and building a working relationship/network does as well. You never know who you may meet so always be kind and considerate.
San Diego feels much more closely connected than even my smaller hometown. There are many niche communities to explore. Social media is an easy way to find organizations, businesses, and clubs. I found my Little House of Flowers internship on Handshake.com and I found the pilates studio through a friend.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/jjulissssaa
- Other: julissayhuesca@gmail.com
