"Be patient and be willing to 'pivot,'” with Jennifer Conroyd

Jennifer Conroyd, the founder of Fluid Running, a deep water running fitness company offering group classes and an app-based version of the workouts. She is an Ironman and has and completed 16 marathons, qualifying for the Boston Marathon 15 times. Jennifer is an A.C.E. certified personal trainer, a USATF trained coach, has an Exercise Is Medicine credential, and is a graduate of Miami University in Ohio. 

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

Sure.  After I graduated from college, I began my career in marketing and promotions.  It’s funny because I’m such a “health nut” now, but the clients I worked for in my first three agencies were Domino’s Pizza, KFC, and McDonald’s!  I became very interested in health and fitness in my 30s. I was running marathons, doing triathlons, and even completed the Ironman. I decided I wanted to create a career in the industry so I started by educating myself and getting health and fitness certifications. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I was training for a really important marathon and I got injured six weeks before the race and my doctor told me I could not run.  I searched the internet for a solution and discovered deep water running. That is all I did for the final six weeks of training. I not only finished the marathon but qualified for the Boston Marathon! Crossing that finish line was truly a light bulb moment for me. I thought "wow" I could help so many people with this.

Where is your business based? 

We are a Chicago-based company. 

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

After I finished the marathon, I wanted to be certified to teach/coach deep water running.  There were no certification programs in the U.S., so I traveled to Canada twice to get certified.  Upon completion, I approached my local park district and asked if I could start an interval-based deep water running class. It quickly grew in popularity and I named it Fluid Running! People from across the country started to ask for our program, so we created a “DIY” app-based version of the program that includes instructional videos, all the equipment you need including Bluetooth, waterproof headphones, along with coach-led, music-backed deep water running audio workouts.  We named that Fluid Running H2Go.

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

We’ve been extremely lucky with the amount of press we have received. We’ve been featured in Men’s Journal, Runner’s World, L.A.Time, and NBC News, among others.  

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

I think the biggest challenge is trying to get people to understand what Fluid Running is.  Most people associate working out in the pool with either swimming or aqua aerobics. Most people don't even know what deep water running is. The articles written by the press along with Facebook video ads have been really helpful from both the education and awareness perspective. 

How do you stay focused?

That’s an interesting question for someone with ADD.  I don’t know what I would do without my co-working space.  It allows me to do a little work from home, and then work from the office.  I’m not a person who can sit in one place and work for multiple hours. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

We’re pretty lucky.  I can honestly say we have no competition in the  “sector” of deep water running, and certainly not for an app-based system.  

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

For sure, the early focus on PR.  The press we received not only built awareness of our product but gave us credibility.  One other strategy that has been effective is reaching out to elite athletes who are big Instagram influencers.  When we see that they are injured, we offer to send them a Fluid Running H2Go system, with no strings attached. They usually end up loving it and wanting to share the good news, so they post about it! 

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

Be patient and be willing to “pivot”.  Your planned route to success will likely go off course many times!

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

 I don’t know what I would do without the app LastPass.  It securely stores all of my passwords for everything so I don’t have to remember/find them. I like the blog Mixergy.  It's important to be exposed to a variety of topics when growing a business. So many of the interviews are powerful and inspiring!  I love the book “Shoe Dog.” It’s the story of Nike and so incredibly inspiring for entrepreneurs. The founder Phi Night had so many “fails” but never gave up!

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

Trello. It’s so helpful.  It’s my personal “business manager”.   I use it to organize and plan for team meetings, keep track of my workflows, and keep me on track.

Who is your business role model? Why?

Bombas.  I love their story.  I love their mission and I love their product.  I’m wearing a pair right now!  

What is your beauty routine? What are some of your favorite products?

I probably spend 20 minutes each night doing my “beauty routine”.  It’s actually how I unwind before I get in bed. I exfoliate, always use a serum, and then a moisturizer.  I’m currently in love with The Ayurveda Experience “iYURA Manjish Glow Elixir”. You’ve probably seen these ads on Facebook.  It smells amazing and I love the way it makes my skin look. 

How do you balance work and life?

It’s a challenge because when you own your own business, the workday doesn’t have a “hard stop”.   The emails and orders keep coming (we’re still handling distribution from our home)!. My husband helps with the business, and we really enjoy what we do, so when we’re working together, we’re still spending time together.   I think because fitness is so important to me, I don’t go a day without 45 minutes to an hour of exercise. This is “my time”. I like the philosophy of “work hard, play hard”. I have a lot of fun!

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

A REALLY HOT bath!  

What do you have planned for the next six months?

It’s been an interesting “turn of events” with the coronavirus.  We’re finding that people with residential pools are searching for a way to use that pool to exercise now.   There are over 10 million private pools in the U.S. so this is a big opportunity for us. 

How can our readers connect with you?

You can reach me through our website: FluidRunning.com or email, jennifer@fluidrunning.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/FluidRunning

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FluidRunning

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fluidrunning