Conversations with Rita Guillen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Guillen

Hi Rita, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
So growing up I grew up as a dancer and have always loved movement. And as I got older I stopped dancing between the ages of 30 to 34 and also missed teaching people how to move. Which made me miss it. So when I turned about 40 I decided to go ahead and become a Pilates Instructor because I knew that I needed to make sure that I moved, in a similar manner, and also be able to keep my stress levels under control. So I started working at Pilates studio at the front desk because I am someone that loves to learn about the whole industry. I had worked in retail for over 20 years and it pretty much developed a bunch of pelvic floor stress and just bad habits of posture even though i grew up as a dancer. And I knew that I needed to learn how to recover and help other people recover from any past injuries. That’s what’s great about Pilates. Because not only do you get a work out but you also get to heal and recover from past injuries. And then I got my certification in 2019 and then what do you know, covid happen! So my change career totally then switch over to virtual teaching for a little bit and then slowly get back into the studios. Which I think really pushed me to learn in a faster manner because a lot of instructors were not willing to go back to the studio or teach on line. So got me to become very creative in my teaching process. The biggest reason that I became a Pilates instructor and to work the front desk was because I knew that eventually I wanted to work for myself . I was recently asked what my bucket list goal is as it instructor for one of the studios that I work out because I have just celebrated an anniversary with them and I said to become famous for just being myself and that includes my love with movement my love of trying to make sure that my lifestyle is healthy in a fundamental or rather a functional manner and to work with my body and ultimately help other people with my body type to also be healthy and to feel confident and strong. So I am able to rent studios I am currently renting two different ones because the joke is that ‘I get around”. My most natural talents that I was told while working in retail is the ability to net work. I’ve worked at probably 20 different studios as a sub and then I also have a couple studios that I’ve stayed at since Covid. I love the ablity to connect with people I love being able to help people connect with them selves and that’s where my passion lies with Pilates. Pilates is really easy to be able to combine the mind body and spirit together as you move

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think every entrepreneur can tell you that the road is smooth and it’s also not smooth. It’s smooth because you get to be true to yourself and your purpose and your passion. It is a smooth because it’s a challenge to make an income and not compromise who you are because you do you need to create an intact. Some of the most challenging things have been as a entrepreneur I’ve been that marketing is The hard thing. Because he have to promote yourself you have to find ways to affordably for me yourself. But that’s what has been on the easier side because there are so many inexpensive sometimes free ways of being able to market your business. I think another huge challenge for any entrepreneur is to figure out what your branding is your niche. And I think because I I have also had the benefit of working for other studios and owners is that I’ve been able to figure out what my niche is. And it is under the umbrella of finding your strong strong in your body strong your confidence strong in your ability to just keep going and doing your best. Another huge challenge is you have to do a lot of things on your own. And if you don’t know how to do things on your own like marketing yourself or promoting yourself, It’s going to be very difficult. The other piece is very very challenging is if you’re older and you’re not used to using some of the newer apps on how to use it towards your benefit of marketing. Thankfully I have a younger brother who is very good at being able to help with up to you say it really fast able to help me understand with the algorithm things that change that come and go within Instagram so I’ve been very lucky to have support in that way mind you I do have to pay him! But I do find it much more affordable through him then going through so many other venues that could possibly become a scam I also have a younger sister that is also help me so having your siblings that are very used to using apps and you know the new technology has been a benefit for me so I can confidently say that my struggles are huge for me but I know that they are less than for othrs

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What do I do? Well, if I wasn’t umbrella my umbrella would say that I help people feel confident. And the way that I do that is free teaching Pilates and safe movement. I say that I specialize in confidence building because if you feel comfortable in moving your body in a controlled manner, you can then feel confident because you have been able to strengthen your posture find your inner strength and just all-around feel healthier! I am most proud of all of my very close clients. In the sense that they’ve been able to grow in their own ability to support themselves to feel strong. What is my most rewarding moments have been to have an older lady like in her 70s become comfortable to really Move her body freely and to feel stronger. It’s also really nice to see when I see older ladies have never been able to connect with her whole core to them finally be able to feel the strength within themselves to roll up from the back and up to seated position. It is so amazing to see that smile that they have a new bike oh my goodness I was able to do that! Able to just cheer them on celebrate their ability and aptitude of connecting with her body after so many years of not being able to feel like they could. I think what sets me apart from other people is that they really try to find those small little details to help people and produce a very safe and healthy exercise movement, even after many years of them thinking that they couldn’t do something. And the ability to help them think about something that’s hard to overcome versus just a roadblock.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is such a funny word! I Ike to think of it as an affirmation of a small step in direction of a bigger project you are trying to archive. If we were only to think of success as a completion of a whole project then what happens when we don’t complete that project? In terms of a career success then that’s up to the individual. If it’s a certain aspiration to attain the ability to move a certain way, then you need to be able to break it down to having your technique down in so many other little things to create a successful healthy movements. In terms of being an entrepreneur, I think that being able to sustain a living lifestyle at the beginning of your budding growth, then that is success. I think that success in definition is situational.

Pricing:

• Private session – $85 good for one month
• 4 privates sessions – $320. Good for six weeks
• Drop-in for. group class -$45 Good for two weeks
• Class pack of fours classes – $168 good for six weeks
• Virtual -$1 per minute

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Missreetzinclusivepilates.com
• Instagram: @missreetzessentials

Image Credits
Rita. Guillen