Today we’d like to introduce you to Kylie Transki.
Hi Kylie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I had been taking Lagree classes since 2017, but it wasn’t until 2021 that I made the transition from client to instructor. I was in grad school coming out of the pandemic and wanted to meet more people in San Diego outside of my program when a friend came across an ad for a Lagree Level 1 Certification and sent it to me. I signed up immediately and, not long after completing the certification, was hired at the first studio where I taught.
From there, I began teaching at another studio and found myself falling more and more in love with the Lagree method. Eventually, I realized this wasn’t just a side job anymore; it was something I wanted to build a career around.
I grew up immersed in musical theater and competitive dance, so the studio environment has always felt like home. Teaching Lagree gave me that same sense of purpose, community, and creativity, and it felt like the natural next chapter. That passion ultimately led me to open Move Madly, where I now get to combine my love for movement, education, and building a fun fitness community every day.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think it would be tough to find any business owner who would say opening a business is a smooth road! I was only 25 when I opened Move Madly, so many of my early challenges came from being a young woman navigating finance, commercial real estate, construction, technology, and other industries that are still largely male dominated. I could probably write a book about the number of times I was spoken down to, underestimated, or assumed not to be the decision-maker.
One moment that has always stuck with me happened during a walkthrough of a studio space I was considering with my contractor and the landlord. As the landlord walked in, he reached out to shake my contractor’s hand and said, “So you must be the owner.” In that moment, I realized there would be plenty of times throughout this journey where I’d be a fish swimming upstream.
In the beginning, those experiences definitely fueled my imposter syndrome. It was challenging to walk into rooms where I felt like I had to prove I belonged before anyone would take me seriously. Over time, though, I’ve become more comfortable advocating for myself and stepping into my confidence as a business owner.
As you know, we’re big fans of Move Madly. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Move Madly is a Lagree Fitness Studio, but it is so much more than a place to work out! Yes, we teach Lagree, and we are incredibly passionate about the method, but what I believe stands out at Move Madly is the customer service experience we create for our members.
If you ask our members what sets us apart, I don’t think they’ll start by talking about the workout. They’ll tell you about our instructors, how welcomed they felt walking in for the first time, how someone remembered their name, or how supported they felt after class. Our instructor team goes through months of intensive in-house training before ever stepping onto the schedule because we believe great teaching is about so much more than knowing the exercises. It’s about making every person in the room feel seen. We hold ourselves to a really high standard because our clients deserve that.
More than anything, I’m proud of the culture we’ve created. We have a team of women who genuinely care about each other and about every single person who walks through our doors. You can feel that the second you walk into the studio, and I think that’s something that’s becoming harder and harder to find. If we can be the best part of someone’s day, then we’ve done our job.
We now have two locations, one in Encinitas and one in Pacific Beach!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think one of the qualities that has been most important to my success is my commitment to becoming the best leader I can be. It’s something I’m constantly working on, and I don’t think that work is ever really finished. From the very beginning of Move Madly, I’ve believed in leading by example and leading with empathy. You can’t create an incredible experience for your clients if you aren’t creating one for your employees first.
One of the things I pay the closest attention to is staff retention. I’m constantly asking myself: Are my employees happy? Do they feel appreciated? Is the workload I’m asking of them fair and manageable? Do they feel challenged, supported, and like they have opportunities to grow here? Those questions drive so many of the decisions I make. I’m always refining our systems, improving our processes, and looking for ways to make Move Madly an even better place to work because I truly believe that when you invest in your people, they’ll invest right back into your business.
Pricing:
- You can get your first two weeks at Move Madly for $99 (Check out the “Madpass” on our website!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.movemadly.com/
- Instagram: @movemadly, @lagreewithkylie
