Stacy Baugues is a pediatric exercise physiologist and founder and CEO of PowerUp Fitness,  certifying wellness champions as youth fitness instructors and providing them with the training and support needed to empower youth through fitness, education, and fun in their communities.  With the launch of online instructor training in July 2019, PowerUp Fitness classes have spread to more than sixty schools, fitness centers, and childcare facilities across fifteen states.  

Stacy holds a Masters's degree in Kinesiology and has published research on youth physical activity, motor skill development, and academic achievement.  She has been in the health and wellness sector since 2006, including fitness management, Coordinated School Health, and senior leadership positions with a state-wide, health-focused nonprofit.  During her free time, Stacy volunteers with the Young Leaders’ Society for United Way of Greater Knoxville and enjoys living in downtown Knoxville with her husband and two-year-old daughter.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, as a part of a bigger family, the third of four daughters.  My mom worked hard to show us that women could have careers, raise families, and excel in sciences, that a B minus was just as good as an A-plus, if you worked hard and applied your best to earn them. This was extremely important in a household with very academically gifted sisters.  I was gifted in other ways – we weren’t compared to one another, but instead held to the best version of ourselves.  I’ve had a job since the age of 14 teaching gymnastics, babysitting, in fitness centers, working my way through college as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, and later into the education and non-profit sectors – all precursors and experience invaluable to the launch of PowerUp Fitness.

What inspired you to start your business?

Her name is Yalissa. I was volunteering, leading morning fitness classes at a school in East Tennessee – ultimately this volunteer experience was the original pilot program for what became PowerUp Your School, our school-based physical activity program aligned with academics.  Yalissa was shy, new to the school, and could barely speak English, but she’d participate each morning, usually standing in the back of the line, often alone.  Slowly throughout the semester, her confidence began to build, Yalissa started moving toward the front of the group and began volunteering to demonstrate exercises.  That Spring, Yalissa’s classroom teacher shared that Yalissa had saved up her allowance, bought a jump rope (from the Dollar Tree), was bringing it to recess, and was beginning to make friends. She found her version of joyful movement and confidence through physical activity.  That’s the power of PowerUp.  Learning of the impact PowerUp had on Yalissa, I knew I had to build PowerUp into a business, with a model that could empower others across the country to impact kids like Yalissa.

I still get chills thinking about her story – that was in 2012.  I recently learned that Yalissa, now in high school, is a part of her Positive Peer Pressure club – a group that encourages healthy lifestyles among their peers.  Joyful movement and a positive, healthy relationship with physical activity make a lasting impact.  Yalissa inspired our mission to empower youth through fitness, education, and fun through our movement to #powerupthenation.

Where is your business based?

PowerUp Fitness is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. As of July 27, 2020, we have more than sixty program site partners across seventeen states. 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

One of my professors in grad school encouraged me to participate in the Boyd Venture Challenge, an annual business pitch competition hosted by the University of Tennessee.  In order to qualify, you had to have established your business as an entity and obtain an EIN number.  I had three days between learning about the competition and the entry deadline to establish PowerUp Fitness as a business entity and submit my business plan to the competition.  So, I Googled how to establish a business in Tennessee, submit paperwork for an EIN, and built my business plan.  I was invited to pitch my business idea and won $3000! That is how I launched PowerUp Fitness in 2012, I put my winnings toward trademark registration and the development of our initial instructor training materials.  Between 2012 and 2019, I worked part-time while developing all of the PowerUp programmings, those part-time roles transitioned into traditional full-time opportunities (in fields that helped me gain valuable experience for PowerUp), then in 2019, even as the primary provider for my family, I stepped away from a traditional, safe full-time job to put all of my energy into PowerUp Fitness.  And although some days feel tougher than others, I haven’t looked back since.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Right now, my main focus is the B2B side of PowerUp, working directly with the schools, fitness centers, and preschools to adopt the program and identify on-site staff to become the certified PowerUp instructors.  So, networking, word of mouth, traditional media, cold outreach, and thought content has been the strongest avenues to build awareness for the PowerUp brand.   We host professional development opportunities for afterschool staff members, childcare providers, fitness professionals, and PE teachers.  We’ve joined and partnered with national networks such as Active Schools US and the National Afterschool Association.  We hope to attend national fitness and childcare conventions when in-person events are permitted again after COVID-19.  We’re also active on social media with content geared toward families wanting fun ways to get active at home.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Our site partners are primary schools, fitness centers, and childcare facilities – all impacted in different ways by COVID-19.  We quickly adapted to provide virtual options and ensured our existing programming could be implemented with safe distancing between participants, but even with those adaptations, our 2020 growth has been slower than projected, but we’re all in this together and we’ll come out stronger on the other side and have learned to stay flexible as a business, to be ready for anything.

Other than challenges resulting from COVID-19, as a solo-prenuer, with one other full-time team member, and a boot-strapped business, sometimes it’s tough to decide where to allocate revenue, especially early on.  Marketing budgets, commissions, materials, and software – early in the life of a business it’s hard to know where to save and where to spend and evaluate and differentiate between market entry costs versus what might become annual marketing costs.   Regarding save vs. spend – I almost always try to do something myself first.  Even if ultimately I decide to contract out for something, I’ve educated myself throughout the learning experience and either accomplished the goal (i.e. web design) or have a better understanding of the work involved and the value/ROI of time or monetary investment for the work or service needed. While budgeting is a challenge, it’s also part of the adventure, figuring out which efforts will have the biggest return and the greatest potential impact.

How do you stay focused?

Most days I wake up at 5:30a, work until my two-year-old awakes and then do preschool drop off, work again from 8:30a-4:30p, then family time, and then work again after my daughter goes to bed.  Staying focused isn’t necessarily the challenge.  I’m passionate about what I do and want to make an impact in kids’ lives through physical activity.  Prioritization is probably more challenging than focus – as the business owner, you’re wearing many different hats.  I keep my priorities in check by asking myself each morning, what steps can I take today that will change the trajectory of my business tomorrow?   I spend 20% focused on the trajectory changing tasks and the other 80% on the tasks that are generating revenue today.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Our comprehensive instructor training accompanied by easy-to-use lessons and ongoing instructor support materials give wellness champions, teachers, fitness instructors, and youth leaders across the nation the tools they need to confidently lead the PowerUp programs.  Many of our competitors provide either the training or the curriculum/lesson plans but not both or they require an expensive franchise-type investment.  Our pricing is affordable and sustainable and provides all of the tools, training, and resources to empower our instructors so that they can confidently and successfully empower the kids they’re working with. 

We also now have virtual PowerUp classes some kids and families can get active together at-home and tie it all into academics.  It’s movement, learning, and fun.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

PowerUp Fitness is about people. Connecting at in-person events, conferences, tradeshows, and providing professional development events have been our most effective marketing platform.  As the world adapted to virtual events, we did the same.  Although it’s harder to make that one-on-one connection, we enjoy engaging with schools, fitness centers, preschools, and families across the country via virtual events until we can all be together again.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

At the end of every “How I Built This” (NPR entrepreneurial podcast), the host asks, what percentage of your success is handwork, and what percentage is luck?  It seems that the theme among the most successful entrepreneurs is that you have to make your own luck.  Work hard, stand up for yourself and your business, and be open to mentorship.  Connect with your local Entrepreneurship organizations.  Finally, share your progress with your friends and family regularly, especially in those early days on your own - they’ll help hold you accountable.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

a.     App - Click Up – I love it for goal setting and keeping team projects on task.  It’s your goals tracking, co-working space, and project manager all in one.

b.      Zapier’s Blog – daily blog posts about efficiency with tools to make work life easier.

c.     Measure What Matters by John Doerr – great for goal setting and strategies for scaling your business at all stages

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

a.     Tool - Hubspot – we use Hubspot as our CRM tool, email marketing, team meeting notes, and personally as my daily to-do list/reminder app.  It has a Gmail plugin that is incredibly helpful.  In my opinion, the free version is the most comprehensive free CRM tool on the market and their blog is a great resource!

b.     Resource – Mentors – I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with entrepreneurial mentors through my alma mater and through our local entrepreneur center.  They’ve provided guidance and insight that can only be gained through experience.

Who is your business role model? Why?

a.     Sara Blakely with SPANX.  I love everything about her story.  She was in a job she wasn’t passionate about, had limited resources, but a dream and crazy work ethic.  I love that she was willing to take risks, make the big phone calls and all with a product that empowers women to be and feel the most confident version of themselves.

How do you balance work and life?

a.     I do my best to disconnect during family time.  Even if it’s just a few hours a day.  My typical day:

b.     5:30am - wake up and work, draft emails for the day, catch up from yesterday’s to-do list, etc.

c.     7:15-8:15a- my two-year-old daughter wakes up and we have breakfast and hang out together before my husband or I take her to school.

d.     8:45a-5p – work, meetings, calls, etc.

e.     5p-8:30p – family time, dinner time (my husband cooks while Ella and I play). I do my best to keep my phone and computer stay in the other room during this time.  I owe it to my daughter and husband.

f.      8:30p-10:30p – work, plan for the next day, email catch up, content creation

g.     10:30p-11:00p – fall asleep to a good book

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

a.     Exercise and time with my family.  A quick walk and good podcast is one of my favorite ways to disconnect and decompress.  You’ll find me listening to Ted Talks, How I Built This, and The Daily.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

a.     Work-wise, I’m finishing up a program called The Works with the Knoxville Entrepreneurship Center, we’re working hard to reach our goal of 170+ PowerUp site partners by the end of 2020, and we have several virtual conferences planned.

b.     Personally, I’m looking forward to one of my sisters moving to Knoxville this fall and a couple of weekend getaway trips with friends.

How can our readers connect with you?

a.     We’d love to connect with you on social: Instagram @powerupfit or Facebook @powerupfitnessllc. 

b.    Email me anytime stacy@powerupfitness.net

c.     Or learn more about PowerUp, how to bring it to your community, become an instructor, or PowerUp at Home on our website. at powerupfitness.net.