dallas – Page 2 – GRIT By Brit

Celebrating 1 Year of Business at GRIT Fitness

January 28, 2016 No Comments

Hey hey friends! My baby (GRIT Fitness) turned 1-year-old this week – YAY! It feels like yesterday I wrote this post recapping our grand opening party. It’s crazy how much good stuff happens in 365 days.

We kicked off the business birthday celebration with a Friday night VINO + VINYASA (wine + yoga) party at my studio. Over 50 members of our GRIT Family came out to celebrate! The party was complete with wine, cupcakes and my favorite birthday jamz (e.g. Rhianna Birthday Cake).

We’ve kept the party going all week with themed classes. (See above our full list of themed classes – I’m pretty proud of our creativity here). Today was our final round of themed classes, “Crunk Party HIIT’s” = High Intensity Interval Training classes set to our favorite party songs. Lots of sweat and lot of smiles guaranteed!

Some of my rockstar instructors and advisory board members at the Vino & Vinyasa party. From left to right: Emily H. Emily T., Annabel, Ariana & Tarra

As I reflect on the past year I pinch myself because I can’t believe this is really happening! Just over a year ago I was a traveling management consultant, disengaged with my career and pouring myself into this blog as a way to escape my “real life”. But now this is my life. We really did it! We built a business and a community out of a simple idea and lot of hard work. The accomplishments and experiences (good and bad) from this past year give me so much confidence and hope that the best really is yet to come…

Me and Jenny, our VERY 1st member at GRIT in January 2015 – thanks for the loyalty Jenny!

In only 1 year we’ve grown to over 2,500 active members, 15 instructors, 35 classes per week and 7 original class formats – WOW! As I said in the last post, “teamwork makes the dream work.” But the best part of the journey are the personal relationships I’ve made with the #GRITFAM and they’ve made with each other. Nothing is more important than family – #GRITFAM included!

Sophie (Maria’s Daughter), Me, Maria & Jenny smiling after the sweating Flexin’ Flow class at the Vino & Vinyasa party

Stay tuned my friends…this is only the beginning of the GRIT Fitness revolution. I have some exciting news to share in the coming weeks and I want you to be the first to know!

THANKS SO MUCH for following my journey to and through healthy living and entrepreneurship. xoxo, Brit

Dallas GRIT Fitness, Inspiration & Motivation

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

January 26, 2016 No Comments

Hey Friends – happy 2016! First off, my sincere apologies for the sporadic blog posting. We have been crazy busy at GRIT Fitness with a rush of new members who are ready to get fit and feel fabulous in 2016. I’m not one for excuses, so I’ll just say “my bad” and start doing better. Most posts coming – I promise!

To kick off the New Year, my team and I met for an inspirational brainstorming and goal setting session. We chatted about things that were going well at GRIT and things that we can do better. We also spent time articulating our vision of an “amazing fitness experience” and then set some team and personal goals around that vision.

Fortunately, I had a great boss back in my consulting days who taught me about setting SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time Bound. What are your goals for 2016? I encourage you to also set smart goals – they are more effective for driving to results!

As a small business owner and new entrepreneur I value this quality time with my team. Sure, I see these ladies everyday as sweat and smile during our classes at GRIT, but the most important thing I’ve learned during my first year as an entrepreneur is that my business success is 100% dependent on the engagement and performance of my team. Without my team – I have nothing! #realtalk

As a self-proclaimed “independent woman” this was a tough pill for me to swallow because a part of me prides myself on developing the concept for GRIT Fitness on my own and getting it up and running by leveraging my skills and experience. But as we continue to grow, there are SO MANY things that I simply can’t do by myself and SO MANY things that I just don’t know. I have to develop and empower my team to be leaders in their own right, take risks and to share their gifts with others.

While I absolutely LOVE group fitness and feel so blessed to wake up every day and pursue my passion, I get so much more joy from serving my team and creating a foundation for us all to pursue our passions together. I’ve learned that “it’s great to do what you love, but even greater with the great team.” Teamwork really does make the dream work. xoxo,Brit

Maria, GRIT Body Sculpt & HIIT instructor, showing off her mug

Just for Fun

If at first you don’t succeed, pick yourself up and try again

December 14, 2015 No Comments

Good morning friends! I hope you’re ready to kick-start an amazing week. This weekend I enjoyed not 1, not 2 but 3 fabulous holiday parties and today I’m in major need of a sweat session to burn off holiday cookies and champagne (sooooooo good!)

I wanted to share update with you that I hope gives you hope and encouragement. If you recall, a few weeks ago I traveled to San Antonio to participate in the local SBA InnovateHer business pitch contest and I didn’t win. (You can read my recap here). I expressed my disappointment, but resolved to keep pushing forward to make the vision of my business come to life.

Me making my pitch (once again) at the InnovateHER pitch competition in Dallas, TX

Well…today I’m happy to announce that I recently competed in another local SBA InnovateHer business pitch contest and I won 1st place! This means that my business pitch will be submitted to Washington, DC for the national competition after all. I’m overjoyed and feeling proud of myself for not giving up after my setback. I’ll be honest, I had to give myself a major pep talk to go at it again after losing the week before. But I figured I had nothing to lose but my pride. It was worth it!

As icing on the cake I connected with a fabulous group of Dallas women entrepreneurs. We’ve already hung out since the competition and I invited them to come represent their brands at the #GIRLBOSS women-owned business showcase to take place at my fitness studio this Saturday!

Me with the judges and fellow contestants in the Dallas, TX InnovateHER pitch contest – November 2015

My ultimate mission with the GRIT by Brit blog and the GRIT Fitness studio is help others develop the mental grit needed to best their lives. Each day I have to practice perseverance to make it a habit. It’s not easy, but I believe we can train ourselves to be “gritty.” By choosing not to quit in the business plan competitions, I’ll more readily persevere through the next challenge I face.

That said, I don’t believe failure is anybody’s destiny. Life if too good for that 🙂

xoxo,Brit

Dallas GRIT Fitness, Dallas, TX

#LUKESGRIT Challenge – Complimentary Fitness Classes in Dallas this Holiday Season!

November 29, 2015 No Comments

Hey Hey friends! I hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving Holiday and ate lots of yummy food that you love 🙂 No need to feel guilty for indulging because I have five, free, super-fun workouts in store for you this holiday season. If you live in Dallas, come join me and my friends from Luke’s Locker for the #LUKESGRIT Challenge! Me and 3 instructors from my studio will teach a sweaty series of high energy, motivating classes during the month of December.

The #LUKESGRIT challenge aims to provide a fun environment that encourages women to stay active during the holiday season. Generous prizes from Luke’s Locker will be awarded to those who complete 3 or more community classes in the month of December.

The challenge begins this Sunday, Dec. 6th with a kick off “GRIT mash up” class and shopping event at Luke’s Locker – Mockingbird, Dallas, TX. Each week following, members of the Dallas community can participate in a complimentary community workout at the GRIT Fitness studio located at 3821 Ross Ave. Dallas, TX 75204.

KICK OFF DETAILS

Date: Sunday, December 6, 2015
Time: 10:00am
Location: Luke’s Locker 3046 Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75205
Cost: Free & open to the Dallas community
Details: Enjoy a 1-hour “mash up” workout led by GRIT Fitness instructors, followed by refreshments and shopping. The kick-off class will consist of Dance Cardio, Body Sculpting and Cardio Kick Boxing. Space is limited – class participants must register online!

SIGN UP FOR COMPLIMENTARY CLASSES

Kick Off – GRIT Mash Up Workout – 12/6, 10:00am at Luke’s Locker – Mockingbird, Dallas, TX
Class 1 – Dance Club Cardio, 12/9, 7:30pm at GRIT FITNESS
Class 2 – Turbo Kick, 12/16, 6:30pm at GRIT FITNESS
Class 3 – GRIT HIIT, 12/23, 6:00pm at GRIT FITNESS
Class 4 – Body Sculpt Express, 12/30, 5:15pm at GRIT FITNESS

You can visit the GRIT Fitness website to read the description of each class format. I hope to see you there! xoxo, Brit

Lifestyle

My 2nd Business Pitch Contest

November 23, 2015 No Comments

Brit Rettig- Business Pitch at InnovateHer

Hey Friends! Last week my mom and I made road trip down to San Antonio, TX where I competed in the InnovateHER Women’s Business Pitch Competition sponsored by the SBA (Small Business Administration). It was a bittersweet experience as I practiced all week, picked out the perfect outfit and thought through all of the questions the judges may ask. Alas, I didn’t win 🙁

However, I felt really great about my pitch delivery. Unlike the competition I recently won at the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC), this was a true “pitch” competition meaning I only got 2 minutes to speak and could only have 1 slide on the screen. That said I had to prioritize the most critical aspects of my business plan and immediately excite the judges. This experience definitely pushed me past my comfort zone and elevated me to a new level of public speaking and handling high-pressure situations. Also, I got to the meet the founders of these 4 awesome, female-owned start up companies – I highly suggest you check them out and show them some love!

The 5 Finalists – Me and the fierce female entreprenuers who presented our businesses to the judges – I was so inspired by their awesome ideas, passion & energy!

In the spirit of “keeping it real” I was super bummed about the outcome (I even shed a few tears when I was alone in the lady’s room). Honestly after watching the video of my pitch, there wasn’t anything I thought I could have significantly improved. Fortunately, my competitive nature is getting the best of me and now I’m even more motivated to spread the positive vibes of GRIT Fitness and impact women all over the world! #CantStopWontStop

Before I went to bed that night, I came across this post that gave me so much peace, hope and purpose.

“I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time. Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”
― Brené Brown, Rising Strong

I remember being in my corporate career with my steady paycheck and awesome expense account and thinking to myself, “I want more than this. I want to take a risk with my life and pursue my dream.” Now I’m living boldly and there are several ups and downs, but boy is it exciting! I hope this quote positively impacts you as much as it did me.

Keep up the good work ladies and shout out to all of the #GIRLBOSS chicks out there! xoxo, Brit

Me and my Mama Kay enjoying margaritas and Mexican food on the San Antonio River Walk after the competition – you can find a silver lining in EVERY experience if you just look for it!

Just for Fun

My First Business Pitch Contest

November 3, 2015 No Comments

Last Thursday morning I participated in the #WEDALLAS (Women Entrepreneurs of Dallas) pitch contest hosted by the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) and I WON! I was so nervous I could hardly sleep the night before. I even persuaded my front desk volunteers at GRIT Fitness to help me practice while working their shift.

Before presenting my business pitch to the live audience, I had to complete an online application / business summary. After that, four women-owned start-up companies were chosen to the present at the pitch competition. I was so inspired by the hustle, drive and creativity of the other women entrepreneurs. From new technology apps to non-profit incubators, there are so many innovative new companies spearheaded by a #GIRLBOSS in Dallas!

When it was my turn to present, I took a deep breath and (in typical athlete fashion) gave myself a pep talk. Fortunately, I felt super confident because I practiced my butt of the day before and have been working on my presentation since May of this year. I had a blast and felt so grateful for the opportunity to share my vision for the future of GRIT Fitness. Here are some pics and a short video clip from my pitch…

Of course I can’t talk about GRIT without giving MASSIVE props to my #dreamteam – they are simply the best!

Brit Rettig Business Pitch Winner — After the judges tallied their votes and announced me as a winner, Courtney Kerr presented my grand prize! (She was also a judge.)

Overall, this was such a rewarding experience. Not only did it push me out of my comfort zone but I also won prize money to help expand my business! I plan to participate in a few more pitch contests later this year. My goal is to raise enough money to build a flagship studio and expand GRIT Fitness to serve as many people as possible.

Have you ever participated in a speech or pitch contest? Any words of wisdom for success?

Dallas GRIT Fitness

Dallas Dance Cardio Party!

October 8, 2015 No Comments

Hey hey friends! I hope your day is off to a great start! I’m Chicago bound this morning to visit some friends and do a little market research among some leading studios in Chi-town. As 2015 wraps up, I’m kicking my innovation juices in high gear a developing some fun, fresh new class formats to introduce at GRIT Fitness in 2016!

But before I get a ahead of myself, I’m wanted to share an upcoming event that I’m super excited about – our first ever Friday Night Dance Cardio Party! Talk about a “healthy happy hour” huh? So, 3 of our super fab dance cardio instructors are teaming up to bring a 2-hour dance party. Better yet, our friends from Fabletics are providing swag to all attendees.

If you live in Dallas – I personally invite you to join the party on Oct. 23^rd at 6pm! I’ll be there shaking a little something along with the other members of our GRIT family. Can’t wait 🙂

Dallas GRIT Fitness

Lorna Jane Active Nation Day 2015 – Dallas, TX

September 21, 2015 2 Comments

Hey Friends – Happy Monday! To compensate for my recent posting hiatus, I’m coming back strong with 2 blog posts today – yeah buddy!

I’m so excited to announce that this Sunday (Sept. 27th) my fitness studio GRIT Fitness will be the official Dallas leader of Lorna Jane Active Nation Day! Join me and fellow GRIT instructors Annabel and Emily as we lead you through a super special “Shake, Sweat, Sculpt: GRIT Mash Up Workout” = Dance Cardio + Turbo Kick + Body Sculpt! The class is 100% free and open to the public – it will take place next Sunday at Dallas’ NorthPark – Center Park Garden at 10:00am. Shop styles from Lorna Jane NorthPark and enjoy healthy bites along with your sweat session! ****BRING YOUR YOGA MAT****

Dallas friends can RSVP NOW at https://goo.gl/CgLfvO

“Active Nation Day is a movement created in 2012 by Lorna Jane to inspire women, their families, communities, cities and the world to live a more Active Life!” (Lorna Jane). You can learn more about Lorna Jane’s Active Nation Day at http://activenationday.com

Get excited! I can’t wait to see you there! xoxo, Brit

Just for Fun

GRIT Fitness on Fox 4 Good Day

August 6, 2015 No Comments

Image: Brittni (Marketing Manager for Westin Hotel, Fox 4 Anchor and Me posing on set!

Hey Hey friends! I hope you’re excited for the weekend…especially if you live in Dallas! My studio is partnering with the Westin Galleria Dallas to host the 3rd Summer Sweat Series event. This time we are offering a free Turbo Kick class at 2pm this Sunday! After class you can enjoy complimentary passed bites, Sangria and pool access. It’s going to be a blast!

Since the first 2 Summer Sweat Series events were so successful, Fox 4 News asked us to come on their morning show, Good Day, and demo some of the Turbo Kick moves that we’ll be rocking on Sunday. In case you can’t tell, I LOVE being on camera! My childhood dream was to have my own talk show….sigh….some day. haha. Check out the video segment below! We had a ball kicking, punching and jamming on camera.

Fox4News.com | Dallas-Fort Worth News, Weather, Sports

In the spirit of kickboxing, I highly recommend my at home “DIY Cardio Kickboxing Routine” for your workout of the day. Set aside 30 minutes, blast some crunk music and break a sweat. You won’t regret it.

Wishing you a wonderful day of sweat and smiles. xoxo, Brit

Dallas, TX, Just for Fun

#SummerSweatSeries at Westin Galleria Dallas

June 15, 2015 No Comments

Image: GRIT Fitness Flexin Flow class at the Westin Galleria Dallas Summer Sweat Series on June 14, 2015

Hey hey friends! I hope your weekend was good to you! I enjoyed another fun, busy weekend of fitness fun. Our studio, GRIT Fitness, has a new partnership with the Westin Galleria Dallas called the “Summer Sweat Series.” Each month this summer we do a free fitness event at the hotel followed by a pool party – hey! Yesterday was our first event in during which we led a free Flexin’ Flow class. Huge shout out to our GRIT Fitness instructor and my dear friend, Maria Rowe for leading the pack! Follow her blog at www.marlizrowe.com. The turn out was amazing as you can see blow…

Post workout photo – yay for sweat & smiles!

After class we posed for a fun group photo before enjoying free Sangria and passed bites! Also, the Westin and other Galleria retailers raffled off 22 gifts including a free weekend stay at the hotel. Holler!

Me, Maria and Kortani posing by the pool after Maria’s booty-kickin’ Flexin’ Flow class!

After class we kicked it by the pool and celebrated yet another awesome fitness event! I’m so grateful for my energetic team and the corporate partnerships that we’ve developed and strengthened over the past 2 years. This is only beginning of even bigger things to come!

If you live in Dallas, join us for our next event on July 12th. We’ll lead a free Zumba/Dance Club Cardio workout followed by a pool party. CLICK HERE to RSVP and get more details. Hope to see you there. Happy Monday! xoxo, Brit