Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Scott.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved from The Bay Area to San Diego in 2013 to pursue my bachelor’s degree at San Diego State. I graduated in May 2017 and had fallen so deeply in love with San Diego, I knew I couldn’t leave and move back home. After graduation, I worked as a part-time nanny and picked up a front desk position at a local indoor cycling studio for additional income. I’ve always had a love for fitness, and was thrilled to find out I could take one class per shift if I wanted to. Getting paid to exercise? This was my dream come true, so I started taking classes regularly, about 3-4x a week.
My manager at the time saw something in me. She convinced me to become an instructor, she had so much faith in me. She trained me and two others for three months, I was one of the first to pass the audition and then started teaching classes.
Things were going really well, I had been teaching for about a month but my manager then moved to Los Angeles to pursue other business ventures. She didn’t feel right leaving the studio without leaving the new instructors with a mentor who would continue to train us and make us better instructors, and that’s when she hired Jenea Sutton.
I had heard a little about Jenea before meeting her. There was word going around that she was opening a new indoor cycling studio (that stuff travels fast in the cycling world). We had been following each other on Instagram, and when I first met her, I couldn’t help but ask, “what part of the Bay Area are you from?” as it had been displayed in her profile. She replied, “I’m from this small town in Marin called Novato.”
I was shocked, she was from the exact same hometown as me and I had never met her before, and here we were of all places meeting for the first time in a spin studio, it was too weird. I’m honestly so grateful for that encounter because ever since we’ve become very close friends. We consider each other sisters.
I continued teaching at the studio I was at and Jenea continued building her business, I was always there to support and was so excited for Edge Cycle to open. She mentored us for as long as she could before eventually having to stop to pursue her business full-time.
I had been dealing with issues in my personal life. When she stopped training us we remained close friends, I told her I didn’t feel at home anymore teaching at my studio anymore. I told her how I felt so exhausted working multiple jobs and never being able to fully commit to one. She then told me she had a full-time instructor position available and that if I wanted it, it was mine. I took it, and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road certainly has not been smooth. I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs along the way. After graduation, I went through my struggles with the post-grad blues. I didn’t have some “dream job” lined up for me after graduation, and I really didn’t have much of a clue about what sort of career I wanted to pursue. I went through some very dark days.
It seems that the job of an indoor cycling instructor sort of fell in my lap, but it didn’t come that easy. That 3-month training was intense; hours and hours of cardio, playlisting, constantly pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to remain vulnerable for others. It was intense. There were so many days I’d be physically exhausted but kept going.
Juggling my nanny job, front desk employee, instructor position, and social life were extremely difficult as well. My days started at 5:30 am and would end around 7:30 pm, it’d be a miracle if I could squeeze a nap in there. To combat my post-grad blues, I also decided to prepare for my first bikini competition and document it all through social media. So not only was I working long days, but most of my free time was spent in the gym or meal prepping, and filming/blogging about it all. I had a lot on my plate, and there were so many times I’d get so overwhelmed and discouraged if all that I did was even “worth it.”
The challenges didn’t simply all end when I met Jenea and started working for Edge Cycle. We’re a brand new studio with eight employees. We all work together beautifully as a team, but there has been so much hard work to get us off the ground and running.
I think the best advice I could give to someone pursuing something new, and in fitness, is to fully go for it. You can’t hold back, you can’t be all in your head about the “what if I fail” thoughts. Treat your life like this is plan A and plan B simply isn’t an option.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Edge Cycle – what should we know?
I work as an Indoor Cycling Instructor at Edge Cycle. My job here is much more than simply providing a great fitness class. At Edge, we strive to provide our riders with more than a workout, but with also a journey and an experience. I get to motivate and inspire people for 45 minutes in a dark room, but this workout is very different than any other. What motivates you to push hard in a workout? Simply someone yelling at you, telling you to go? I’ve never found that method of coaching to work for myself personally, so it never resonated with me as an instructor. At Edge, my style of coaching is emotionally and spiritually based. Each run, sprint, push, is done so with intention.
What am I known for? Well, the frequent feedback I hear is, “I started to tear up on my bike today.” These are tears of joy and accomplishment. An intense workout in a dark room, guided by heavy beats + emotional and spiritual intention = catharsis. People are surprised by this reaction but it happens all the time, and it is always the best response for me to hear after a class. Think of the last time you stepped away from your phone for 45 minutes. The last time you sat with your feelings and embraced them, and then think about the last time you pushed yourself so hard you thought your heart was gonna jump out of your chest. Yup, that’s what my classes are like.
It’s not all tears though, my classes are fun too. I get to create a new playlist for every class. I get to have a lot of fun here. Some playlists make you want to dance, sing, laugh, and ride guided with some choreography. Others make you want to sit and feel and reflect and push your hardest. Each ride is unique.
I’m extremely proud and honored to work at Edge Cycle. Our mantra is “F*@K BASIC” and what that means is F*@K the basic way of living. Forget about judgment, the need to constantly please people, and hiding who you truly are. At Edge, we encourage everyone to come as they are. That’s what we stand for at Edge and I absolutely love it. In addition to that, we’re a community. There are plenty of places you could get in a good workout at, but finding a community that truly supports you and connects you to others who are like-minded, that’s hard to come by. Once a month, I’ll even go out to brunch after class with my riders. This gives us the opportunity to get to know each other, hang out, and enjoy each others company. Sometimes, working at Edge doesn’t really seem like a job, but more so of a lifestyle.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
All mentors I’ve ever found have been through networking and simply taking those steps to make those connections. I’ve always been very sociable and personable. I’m quick to start a conversation with almost anyone, this has brought me a lot of success over time. You have to get out of your comfort zone to really grow. For me, sometimes that even meant just reaching out to people via social media because I found them interesting and wanted to know more about them and their story. I can’t tell you the number of friends I’ve made simply through sending a direct message on Instagram. Sometimes, just biting the bullet and taking the plunge and hitting send will open an amazing door for you.
Find a mentor that truly believes in you. Jenea and I met at my old studio and she had been hired to train me, but I could’ve never expected someone to invest so much time and effort with their mentee. I think the best mentors are when they see just as much in you, as you see in them, even if you don’t yet see that power within you. Jenea is one of my biggest role models. She pushes me really really REALLY hard, but only because she knows what I’m capable of. I’m beyond grateful for our relationship.
Pricing:
- Come to Edge and try your first ride for $15
- We have multiple package and membership deals
Contact Info:
- Address: 1490 J Street
San Diego, California 91201 - Website: https://www.edge-cycle.com/home
- Phone: (619) 324-8680
- Email: eastvillage@edge-cycle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edge_cycle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edgecycle/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/domscottfit/
Image Credit:
Marc Fernandez
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