Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephania Ochs.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As an overly excited college student attending Arizona State University, I wanted to become hyper-involved on campus. I had been studying business but became infatuated with the health and wellness scene. This is where my fitness career first launched. I was 20 years old and leading group exercise classes to my college peers.
We had an amazing program I was able to go through gaining my credentials, knowledge, and confidence in becoming an instructor and personal trainer. I didn’t realize I would fall in love with teaching as much as I did. I taught at ASU until I graduated and decided it would be time to get a “real job” soon after.
Turns out that I cannot sit still and work at a desk in an office even if my livelihood depends on it. I lasted a whooping six months in the corporate world before entering back into fitness. The difference with re-entering the fitness world this time was that I had moved to San Diego, and no one here knew who I was.
Great, 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?
I don’t think smooth roads exist! There have been many struggles along the way, but that is where all the fun lies.
The first struggle I encountered in this journey was actually being rejected in the first audition I had to be an instructor at ASU. I went through the 6-week Fitness Professional program, and I didn’t land the job at the end of it. I completely failed! Rather than letting that redirect me, I knew the judges had it wrong (HA!) So I went through the program again and was offered the job my second time around.
Another staggering struggle I endured was a physical injury. I went skiing for the first time in my life a few months before graduating college in 2016, and I tore my ACL on the first run of the day! I ended up going through with an ACL reconstruction surgery which put my fitness life on hold for nearly six months during my recovery and physical therapy. I was not teaching, training or even working out on my own.
During this time I was on the post-graduate job hunt and ended up accepting a job working for a subsidiary division of Uber. It brought me out to San Diego, but I quickly learned it was not the right opportunity for me. I quit to join back into the fitness industry, but now as a full-time fitness instructor, not just a side gig. Gathering enough jobs and creating a sustainable schedule was a whole other can of worms of struggles!
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I specialize in creating interesting workouts for my clients and class participants.
Growing up as a dancer, cheerleader, and golfer, I learned a lot about the body and conditioning at an early age. I believe workouts should include dynamic movements, challenge our minds just as much as our physical bodies, and be fun! I never teach the same class twice.
It’s important to mix it up and keep my clients on their toes. My biggest goal for my students is that they gain confidence in moving in their own bodies. I bring awareness to self-love and body positivity as well in my classes. I try to take away the pressures of looking a certain way, and help my clients recognize that we are here to take care of and love ourselves!
My blog is a compilation of confidence, positivity, and passion. It is a central location for me to share my perspective on creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You will find my knowledge and experience on the topics of fitness, travel, food, and side hustles. I strive to find simple ways to improve a healthy minded lifestyle.
Whether that’s how to make cookies using garbanzo beans as the main ingredient, or how to workout while on vacation, I do my best to offer the realistic way to live enjoyably. A core belief I hold is that fitness and a clean diet should be a part of our lives, not our whole lives. You can find my latest secrets shared at Stephaniaochs.com.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory is growing up in Arizona and spending the hot summer days outside with my neighborhood best friends. The neighborhood I grew up in was luckily home to four of my closest childhood friends as well. We had quite the business mind-sets growing up.
From the moment the sun rose to the last bit of sundown we’d be outdoors all day long. We would hustle all of our parents and try to make money picking backyard weeds, offering babysitting, hosting lemonade stands and even walking neighbors’ dogs.
For leisure, we kept busy riding bikes, swimming, and playing DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). We were completely unaffected by the obscene 110-degree heat Phoenix offered.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stephaniaochs.com
- Email: stephaniaochs@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniaochs/
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