Today we’d like to introduce you to Mindi Westfall.
Hi Mindi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As a collegiate volleyball player my body took a beating. After college, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my body. I didn’t want to do a bunch of weight lifting like I did in college. I didn’t want to work out at all! So for a few years, I dabbled in a little bit of this and that. My mom was doing Pilates and said I should try it. So at the time I was working at Nike in Oregon and they had a Pilates studio. I signed up for a reformer class and I was hooked. I could not believe what this machine/piece of equipment could do for me. My body wasn’t being pounded on. My joints felt great and I couldn’t believe how much better I felt. I moved to Colorado and continued to take classes, but my schedule was busy so it was minimal. After a couple of years, I left Colorado and Nike and moved home to IL. My mom took me to the studio where she was taking classes, and I fell in love all over again. I ended up becoming the General Manager for the studio. At the time I thought about teaching, but needed a job with insurance like everyone else I knew. At that time I had started to have some back problems. A bulging disc and pinching the siatic nerve. I was in a lot of pain. I ended up having surgery and Pilates was then my physical therapy. I learned so much about my body through that experience. I was in a much better place after all of that.
Eventually, I moved back to Colorado, took classes here and there, but then in 2018 I decided to enter into a teacher training program. Along the way, in every career, I knew I wanted to help people in some way. I had two teachers as parents, so teaching others came naturally in whatever job I had. Teaching Pilates was a natural progress for me. I had worked through so many different injuries with volleyball and my back surgery that I have been able to help others in a deeper way.
I started teaching in 2019 after finishing a 600+ hour program. I worked at four studios starting out getting a lot of experience and finding my style and my passion. Over the last three years, I slowly worked less in studios and more on my own in my home studio and my online studio. Now I am completely on my own with my own business and loving every minute of it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say entrepreneurship is never a smooth road. And that is ultimately what my path has been about. I always wanted my own business. I always thought it would be a storefront. I worked in retail and thought I would have my own boutique. But then with Pilates, I realized all of the different avenues you can go to make it work! I’m so thankful for the contacts I have in the Pilates industry that have helped point me in the right direction. My mentor/biz coach Lesley Logan is my biggest influence and the reason I was able to get to this point in three years. She has created a tribe that helps each other along the way when we have those struggles. The Pilates business has its ups and downs and planning for those is the best way to make it through. It’s important to have the right people around you. This of course comes with its own ups and downs. Trust is a big one for me. I need people around me that I can trust and if not I move along to the next thing. Now that I am on my own it is exactly what I wanted and needed!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The benefits of Pilates include increased mobility, stronger core, more connection to your body and mind and more ease with everyday movement. Helping people find these things is an incredible thing. When people tell you that they are now able to do things they used to be limited in is such an amazing feeling. It’s the little things. I love working with people that want to get stronger for many different reasons. Play with their kids or grandkids. Able to perform their favorite activity without pain. They want to be stronger for life! Pilates is literally for everyone. Any shape and size as well as any level of activity or injury. I love working with athletes and former athletes because of my background. I feel like athletes have a different brains. It’s fun for me to figure out how to create the program for that specific person and what they do. Bringing fun to the session is important to me. We laugh and have fun while being challenged!
Pilates is done mainly on the Mat or on the Reformer. There are other pieces of equipment that are used also, but these are the main two I focus on with my clients. The creativity that comes with creating sessions for my clients. Pilates is a full-body workout. You leave a session with me first wondering where the time went and also saying “Wow I feel so much better!” I love challenging my clients and move them just outside of their comfort zone. The surprise they get when they do something they didn’t think they could do is the Why behind what I do. I love that feeling!!
I am definitely known for my pink hair in the Pilates community. I have had many different colors over the years, but the last three years it has been pink. I love it because it really shows my bold, bubbly and fun personality. As I develop my business it is a part of it. Lots of color and fun!
What matters most to you?
Health and well-being of my family, friends and self. Having dealt with depression and anxiety for over 20 years, my priority is my mental health. I have worked hard over the years to overcome some of those struggles. I am proud of the progress and that I have found the life that works best for me. I always want to be there for others in my life that are struggling with mental health as well. It is important to talk about it and find ways to help. Pilates has been such a help for my mental health and I hope I can also bring relief to others. When you feel better in your body it definitely helps your head space.
Pricing:
- Between $30 – $80
Contact Info:
- Website: bendymindipilates.com
- Instagram: @bendymindipilates
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bendymindipilates
Image Credits
Professional photos – Girl Squad Media, L.A. CA Studio photos – Mindi
