Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofia Laasiri Whitfield.
Sofia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my journey in fitness and business ownership from the age of 18. At 18 I was in college to become a first-grade teacher and working fulltime. It was a tough time financially and time-wise. If I wasn’t in class I was running to work and vice versa. My roommates suggested becoming a Zumba instructor since I already loved dancing. It paid a lot better than hosting at a restaurant and it was something I was passionate about at the time. After weeks of practice and studying, I was certified and started working at a small gym days later.
It was a blast for me. But what came next, I wasn’t prepared for. what happened next. The women in my class started letting me know the change that these classes were making in their life. “I’ve lost 20 lbs.” “This has saved my marriage.” “I feel like myself again.” “I have the energy to do the things I’ve been wanting.” “I’m breaking through my depression.”
At the time, this feedback was overwhelming but I couldn’t ignore the nudge in my heart. The nudge that my purpose was knocking on the door. I’ve always wanted to work with kids. I adore them and have always wanted to help mold children into wonderful people. I realized that perhaps my purpose was molding and helping adults be who they always wanted to be. I changed my major to business management and opened up my first business at 19 with a business partner. From there, I knew that I would forever spend the rest of my days in fitness and helping others.
Fast forward three years of having a studio in Minnesota, life had other plans for me. It was time to see the world. I spent my early 20’s being a business owner and wanted to take a year to travel the world. After doing that I moved to San Diego and saved up and opened my next studio. The concept came to me while traveling. I’ve always done high-intensity interval workouts. During my travel, I started incorporating yoga and some strength. My results exploded. My core strength developed faster, my injuries become non-existent, and my recovery faster. It gave me the concept of Synergy. HIIT, Strength, and Yoga.
After months of looking for a lease, getting close, getting denied, getting hopes up and A LOT OF TEARS… We got a lease! As a woman at 25, with limited funds and only enough to open it was done or die. my studio was bootstrap of bootstrap. Luckily, Synergy took off like wildfire. People loved the concept and our founding members are the backbone of Synergy.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not. They say business ownership is not for the faint of heart and boy are they right… As I stated I had very limited resources and only enough funds to open the studio and first and last month’s rent. A little reckless? Maybe… But I am a believer in hard work, risk, and a little luck. I quit my job in May to fully commit to working on the concept and with promising hopes of signing a lease insight I jumped.
The lease fell through. They wanted to see funds to float red for at least a year. I didn’t have that. With no job, personal savings for only three months to float me, I held on to my mantra that It will work out. Our broker tried his best to try to find a location that fit my price and my needs. It wasn’t happening. I remember sitting in the bathtub crying and feeling hopeless and on the fence of giving up. This was not Minnesota. The stakes are higher and the competition is stiff.
After a few days of just hanging in there and keeping hope, my broker called me. The perfect price, the perfect location, and the landlord loves small business owners. I took it as is. A brewery that never opened.
The buildout itself was a struggle. With 6 weeks from opening on Nov 11th before it slows down in the fitness industry, we had to make it happen. We worked around the clock to make it happen and we are blessed that we did.
The next hurdle was staffing. I won’t lie. I new concept and not to mention being out of the industry for a couple of years, I was rusty. Our first round of hires did fit our mold. We had to rehire every person within the first six months. I won’t go on and on about the roadblocks we hit but to name a few more, we had a local business owner try to temper with our business and mess with our fuse box during sessions turning off the electricity to our business. That wasn’t easy as it we didn’t think anyone would do something like this and we were heartbroken someone would try to hurt our business to help theirs in this way. Thankfully that’s in the past and I have since forgiven and moved on with also a lock on our fuse box…
On top of that, the fitness industry in San Diego is saturated and most studios have business loans, tons of capital, franchise help and you name it, Synergy through all these obstacles have come through strong and I can happily say has been profiting since it opened.
I wouldn’t be here today at a young age with a thriving fitness studio without my now-husband, Tim (we just got married). He has been my backbone since opening and even before. Always there with a hug after a bad day, to listen and has always believed in me and there to give advice. He and my son are my rock.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Synergy means two more things coming together for the greater good. HIIT, Strength, and Yoga all coming together for the greater good. Our most popular session is our Powerhouse. We start with five minutes of dynamic yoga warm-up then head into 35 minutes of strength and high-intensity interval training. To finish we cool down with five minutes of yoga. it the perfect blend to leave you feeling energized and refreshed. I’m most proud of Synergy for its members and coaches. It’s genuinely a community of people that care about each other. Everyone knows you by name and you feel like a part of something. What sets us apart is the aura concept. We are San Diego’s only fitness studio that blends strength, high-intensity interval training, and yoga into a single session.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
San Diego is perfect for Synergy and especially Ocean Beach. I believe that’s the biggest reason for our success. If someone is looking to start their journey into achieving their fitness goals our concept is perfect. With breath alignment and a dynamic yoga warm-up at the beginning of every workout, it reduces the risk of injury and allows you to dig deeper into your workouts. We offer modifications in every session so whether you’re beginning or advanced in your training.
Pricing:
- $97-$147 Group Training
- $55-$150 One-on-One Training
Contact Info:
- Address: 4861 Newport Ave. San Diego, CA 92107
- Website: synergy180.com
- Phone: 6198386906
- Email: info@synergy180.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/synergy180
- Facebook: facebook.com/synergy180
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/synergy-san-diego
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