Meet Trailblazer Lauren Jones

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Jones.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was fortunate to be raised in an outdoorsy family that exposed me to hiking, biking, backpacking, camping, watersports and travel at a young age right here in the foothills of Colorado. With this, my parents instilled that wanderlust and curiosity that led me to continue to search for what was around that next bend in the trail.
I studied exercise physiology and sports performance in college and continued to explore new outdoor hobbies and adventures all around the world.

After working in the health and fitness industry for many years, I had some clients and friends curious about my trail running. Some of them being new to the state were shocked that people actually ran on hiking trails and up and down mountains. “Where do you start,” they asked? “What if you see a rattlesnake or mountain lion?” they worried.

This sparked the idea behind Life’s 2 Short Fitness, to use my background, experience, and expertise in the health and fitness field and in the outdoor spaces of Colorado to develop beginner centric courses and programs for women to try new things in a supportive, education and encouraging environment.

Now, three years later, we’ve expanded our offerings to hiking, mountain biking, stand-up paddleboarding, and snowshoeing adventures and programs.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think a smooth road exists for female entrepreneurs and as a trail runner and mountain biker, the rockier the road, the better the reward at the end!

Besides some contract and consulting work, for the most part, I have been self-employed right out of college so I don’t know anything different.

There are times that I look at my friends with a steady income and set routines and wonder if I have made the right decision to continue forward. Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. You have to be willing to take risks, get used to unpredictable income, unusual work hours (especially as a mother with young children at home part-time- much of my work gets done from 9pm-midnight!), get outside of your comfort zone and have unwavering confidence and faith every single day that things will work out.

However, for me, the reward heavily outweighs the risk: I set my own schedule, I have had the privilege of staying home part-time with my kids, can travel whenever and as long as I desire, and I can follow my dreams and passions.

For those seeking to take the road less trodden, find something you are truly passionate about. Find a niche that needs to be filled, do something that you feel not only improves your life but the lives of those around you.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Life’s 2 Short Fitness – what should we know?
Life’s 2 Short Fitness is passionate about creating support, community, camaraderie, and empowerment for Colorado women to try a new outdoor adventure like trail running, hiking, snowshoeing and obstacle course racing.

What really sets us apart is that L2S programs are just for women and we cater to beginners. All courses, clinics, and events are a part clinic and part hands-on experience focused on the physical training and skills for an adventure activity.

I guess you could say that I am the chief architect of the business. I love to create things. Prior to this my husband and I came up with several creative event concepts that at one point were in 15 cities- which was extremely stressful and part of the reason behind launching this new endeavor three years ago. Life is “2” Short to be doing something that you are not passionate about and takes you away from the most important things.

I develop all of the programmings, manage most of the logistics, still do some coaching myself and am happy to say that our little team has grown to now 4 trail running/hiking coaches, 3 mountain biking coaches and over 10 “trailblazers”, women who have graduated from our programs and join sessions on a volunteer basis to provide support and encouragement for participants.

I’ve teamed up with an amazing partner for the Mountain Biking and SUP programs, Brie Bustos who owns Switchback Chics of Colorado.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Be bold. Create something unique. Follow your passion and just go for it! My biggest strength is my biggest weakness: I think of an idea and before I know it a website is live and the little idea is now a business.

I don’t think I will ever regret taking the leap because these lessons can be learned along the way- create your own path and use your mistakes as stepping stools along your journey!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://lifes2shortfitness.com/
• Email: lifes2shortfitness@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifes2shortfitness/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifes2shortfitness/

Image Credit:
Ragnar Relay

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.