"Play the long game" with Sarah Pelc Graca

Sarah Pelc Graca is an online weight loss coach and NASM-certified trainer who helps her clients lose weight without giving up chocolate and wine. Her signature coaching program, the Freedom with Food Formula, teaches men and women the skills and habits needed to lose weight (and overcome emotional eating) without the extremes of fad diets.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I grew up in Flint Michigan and was a dedicated ballet and modern dancer. I attended the University of Michigan as a Dance and Psychology major. While in college, like so many others, I developed some unhealthy nutrition habits (late-night pizza and too many sugary coffee drinks). After graduating, I pursued a career in dance but the weight that I gained during college didn’t help my dance career at all. I knew I needed to make some changes and that fad diets weren’t for me. I started small with a few simple changes like drinking more water, eating more vegetables, and I slowly began making small, incremental adjustments to my diet and lifestyle. I eventually lost 15-20 pounds from making those tweaks and have kept it off since.  

What inspired you to start your business?

An unfortunate ski injury ended my dance career, but it ended up being the biggest blessing in disguise. After dedicating my entire life to dance, it was all gone in the blink of an eye. This forced me to continue my education in nutrition and personal training. Now I can help my clients successfully lose weight without giving up their favorite foods by sharing the practices and principles I learned on my own journey and through my education.

Where is your business based?

Novi, MI but I serve clients online, so I work with people all over the world. 

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

My business started as a personal training business and then from there I transitioned to online coaching. When I first started my business, I was living in Chicago at the time and there were so many high-rise apartments and condo buildings that had gyms in them, but the residents didn't have access to a trainer. So, I actually became friends with the door men of these buildings, and I would give them business cards to hand out to interested residents in the building. That is to say, the very first step I took entailed making myself and my business known to people who would be interested in my services.  

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

Consistency! Consistency has definitely been the key to my success. When I was a personal trainer, consistency meant constantly finding new buildings, new door men, and actively trying to meet new residents when I was in a building to train someone else. For my online coaching business, that consistency has been all about how I show up online. For example, posting to Instagram on a regular basis, getting to know my followers, and continually asking them what they need help with when it comes to losing weight and being healthy. It is so important to authentically get to know your customer base if you’re looking to bring awareness to your business.

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

The biggest challenge was growing my client roster, which really comes back to what I just mentioned, which is consistency. Regardless of how my business was doing any given day, I showed up every day, was present and connected with my followers, even on the days I didn’t want to. Building a successful business really boils down to your consistency and also patience. Know that it is going to take a while, so you need to buckle up, be patient and enjoy the journey.

How do you stay focused?

I wouldn’t be able to do it without the help of my loved ones, specifically my husband. He’s been by my side through every step of my career from when I was dancing professionally, to returning to school for personal training and nutrition, to starting my own business. Having his support is what keeps me focused on my goals and being able to help more women achieve a healthier lifestyle.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

One of the biggest things that differentiates me from my competitors is that so many weight loss programs trigger deprivation (elimination of carbs, no alcohol, etc.) I teach my clients to ENJOY their favorite foods (in moderation) while still losing weight and creating lifelong healthy habits!

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

I would say it is connection. What I mean by that is I really take the time, space and energy to get to know my followers. Don’t be afraid to talk to your customer base and get to know them. Ask them what they are struggling with the most right now, or if they know of anyone who may be interested in the services you offer. I also like to ask my followers questions in my Instagram stories, like asking if the information I share is resonating with them, or if anything I’ve shared recently has stood out to them. These connection techniques have been my most effective marketing strategy by far.

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

Play the long game. Ironically, the same piece of advice can be said for weight loss as well, which is what I coach! So many people get into business or entrepreneurship thinking they are going to make 6 figures overnight and that’s just not reality. Even 3 months or 6 months isn’t enough time to achieve that reality. For the majority of business owners, it takes years and years of consistency, hard work and action. When playing the long game, think about what is going to help your business grow in the next 5-10 years, not so much “how am I going to get the most clients to make the most amount of money possible these next couple months.”

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

App: Trello. It helps keep me super organized both with to-do lists and client work.

Book: I’m a huge bookworm so I don’t necessarily have just one book that comes to mind. But I’d say for 2020 the two most memorable books I read that stick out to me are Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Becoming, which is Michelle Obama’s memoir. 

At the moment, I don’t have a favorite blog! 

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

Google Suite because I can do so many things all in one place. I save all of my work and materials to Google Drive, I use Google Forms when I need to compile client information, my team also uses Google Sheets to keep track of clients. It’s just so convenient to have all of my business and client assets in one convenient place. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

I have a few, but one that I can think of right now -- and these are my Michigan roots coming out -- but Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors. She has done a great job in closing the gender inequality gap at GM. In 2018, GM was one of only two global businesses that have no gender pay gap. I think this achievement can be traced back to all her work since starting at GM. She has also invested a lot of money in electrical vehicles, self-driving, rideshare services...she’s very forward thinking, particularly with her environmental efforts. I also love that during the pandemic she made the decision to shift GM’s production lines to help make ventilators for hospitals in need.  

How do you balance work and life?

Boundaries are the best way. I’m very rigid with my calendar. Work tasks are in my iCal as one color, workouts have their own color, as does personal lifetime -- even if it is as simple as “Netflix time'' or “time to decompress,” everything is scheduled in my calendar, which in turn helps me stick to my boundaries.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I’m an avid runner and love to go on runs to decompress. As a Michigan girl, I always need indoor workout options as well. My husband and I recently purchased a Peloton and it has become my new favorite hobby. Peloton offers a variety of rides, some as short as 20 minutes, so it is a great resource to have. I can blow off some steam in between work calls, or squeeze in a quick workout at home before beginning my workday. I also like how Peloton has done such an excellent job creating a virtual community for riders. Especially during the pandemic, it has been so nice to have that community with me. Also, as I’ve mentioned, reading is a big passion of mine. I read between 30 and 40 books last year alone, so I’m a huge book nerd to say the least! 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I recently just hired a second coach to my business, and she is starting in the next week. I am so excited to welcome another team member and over these next 6 months I’d really like to continue that growth, serve more clients and teach them that being healthy and losing weight does not mean depriving yourself or following the latest fad diet. I’d love to bring on 1-2 more coaches and expand on both who we reach and how we reach them. 

How can our readers connect with you?

Your readers can find me on my website or by connecting with me on Instagram or Facebook!