Meet Jessica Taylor of The Ground

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Taylor.

Hi Jessica, 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?
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, I received my degree in Modern Dance Performance at Point Park University Dance Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the same time, I spent my summers attending Elements of Wellness School of Massage Therapy in St. Louis and graduated from a 1000-hour program to go on to specialize in Myofascial Release and Deep Tissue Massage.

It was also at this time that I received my Reiki Level I and II from Lucinda Sohn. I then moved to New York City to pursue dance and was fortunate enough to find the Half Moon Pilates Certification Program (now called The Lab) in DUMBO, Brooklyn under the direction of Lawson Harris. There, I became certified in Mat, Apparatus (Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, and Ladder Barrel) and became a Pilates-based Personal Trainer, performing private sessions as well as teaching group fitness classes. Jessica also specializes in classes and training on the rebounder (personal trampoline).

On top of all of this, I was also the Founder/Artistic Director of contemporary dance company DAMAGEDANCE in NYC and in Denver until 2018. In the past two years, I have wanted to be a student again! I received meditation training through The Power of Awareness program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and is currently finishing my meditation teacher training through Yogamu, which will give her the ability to be a Certified Meditation Teacher (CMT) recognized by the Meditation Alliance International. Most recently, I obtained my Holy Fire™ Usui Reiki Mastery under Denise Albritton, of the legacy of William Lee Rand, who trademarked Holy Fire™

I have run businesses both non-profit and for-profit for the past 11 years and have learned my best professional and personal lessons through my work and interactions with the many people I am so honored to work with. I am currently continuing to grow my business and mentor my staff, who are all graduates of the in-house Pilates certification program I teach. My clients are so phenomenal and I am blessed every day to feel the reward of helping them stay above the wellness line!

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?
A smooth road for a small business owner? I’d love to meet that person! In all seriousness, the main struggles that have come my way are maintaining good work/life balance (I truly believe I finally listened to myself on this just only 2 years ago or so), but the ongoing struggle would have to be keeping up with the growth of the business with new and different ways to support that growth.

Staying creative in the day-to-day is hard sometimes but is crucial in keeping my job vibrant and inspiring and keeping my studio fresh and welcoming to all clients, old and new!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Ground?
The Ground is an environment that invites any type of person to enhance their wellness in a fun, non-intimidating, and non-judgmental way. With highly educated, form-driven, and knowledgeable staff, you can expect to experience work that will change your life, keep you above the wellness line and create a home that you can always come to. Here at The Ground, we take our work seriously, but ourselves, not so much!

We specialize in form-driven private, duet, and group instruction in Pilates (Mat and Apparatus), Yoga, Edge and Edge Lite (our cardio/strength class original to The Ground), meditation, and Reiki. We also offer Pilates certification programs. We are known for keeping our clients the minute they walk through the door due to our incredibly quality-focused work. We make sure that each class and session is customized to the client, not the other way around, and we work for longevity at The Ground, not just feeling good at the moment.

Because of this, our work is hard, but not high impact, and our clients have the most amazing things to say about their journeys with us… check out our testimonials page on our website! From rehabbing injuries to preventing them, from weight loss to general wellness focus, increased flexibility, coordination, or strength, we have you, no matter what your fitness goals are. PLUS, we are such a fun and inviting family and community! Our space is intentionally small to give everyone personal attention so no one is left out.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I absolutely love building my referral network and partnering with other small, local businesses. I also love connecting with businesses much different from mine for events (we just had a killer “Pilates and Pints” event at Copper Kettle Brewing Company that was so amazing!), but in terms of support, word of mouth is by far the most powerful tool for us to receive clients.

We hope to help as many people as we can possibly fit one in each class without compromising our desire to help with everyone’s detail in their form. So, tell your friends! Folk can join on our intro three-pack of classes to try things out, and we have ongoing incentives for our current clients who refer their friends… the more family, the better!

Pricing:

• Intro 3 Class Pack $44
• Single Private Pilates or Yoga Session $75
• 10 Pack Private Pilates or Yoga $650
• Virtual Guided Meditation $10
• Group Class Packages and Monthly Memberships Available!

Contact Info:

• Email: info@thegroundco.com
• Website: www.thegroundco.com
• Instagram: @thegroundco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegroundco
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCx0ByCYYW7yVAIzEVE6Eczg

Image Credits
Lydia Gillis Photography