WEBVTT - Surviving (And Thriving) Through a Pandemic w/Double Dutch Aerobics 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:03.920 Hey, hey, hey, ba fam. Please follow us on Apple Podcasts 0:00:03.960 --> 0:00:08.600 and keep our audience growing. If your iPhone recently updated 0:00:08.840 --> 0:00:14.000 to iOS fourteen point five, head to Apple Podcasts, search 0:00:14.080 --> 0:00:17.560 for Brown Ambition and click on the plus button in 0:00:17.640 --> 0:00:22.000 the right and click on the plus button in the 0:00:22.079 --> 0:00:25.720 upper right hand corner. Do that and you'll be following 0:00:25.880 --> 0:00:29.840 our show Loop Loop. You can also follow us on Spotify, 0:00:30.120 --> 0:00:34.199 on Stitcher, or on the Amazon Music app. You will 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:35.920 not do all that, you know, if you had to Android, 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:38.400 but you know Apple, that's fine, it's fine. And now 0:00:38.479 --> 0:01:01.960 onto our show. Hey, hey, hey, we're back. We're black, 0:01:02.440 --> 0:01:04.880 We're brown. 0:01:08.720 --> 0:01:13.759 Welcome Black Mandy, Happy Grand Ambition Wednesday. 0:01:14.240 --> 0:01:17.360 I know, first of all, I'm feeling not as black 0:01:17.400 --> 0:01:20.160 as usual because we have guests they're coming on today 0:01:20.680 --> 0:01:22.720 that know how to do a thing that I never learned, 0:01:22.720 --> 0:01:24.000 but you learned it. I'm jealous of you. 0:01:24.720 --> 0:01:27.959 Does this mean I get to keep my black card temporary? 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:28.320 Okay? 0:01:28.720 --> 0:01:31.679 Y'are always trying to come from my black card. You 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:34.760 cannot have it. You cannot have it as sot as 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:36.040 people meet my dad though they're. 0:01:35.880 --> 0:01:39.240 Like yeah, no. Honestly, I was like, oh, Mandy's black Black. 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:43.040 I love your father. But he was like, I remember Mandy, 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:45.360 she just loved her some French frog. I said, that 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:46.400 is a black father right there. 0:01:46.400 --> 0:01:50.920 I don't let the name and the Midwestern accent whatever 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.920 fool you, Okay from this, I'm from Atlanta anyway. Yeah, 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:58.400 in today's episode is lit. I'm so excited. I don't 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:01.600 and we've already talked to the couple. They're amazing, Yes, 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:03.920 and we are so excited to introduce you to all. 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:07.160 This show is also really special because we don't typically 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:10.640 have small business owners on the show really talking about 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:14.880 building their business, let alone how they weathered the storm 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:19.359 of last year's pandemic and the ongoing pandemics. And this 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:21.720 is sort of like a This is a free thirty 0:02:21.760 --> 0:02:25.760 minute masterclass in how to become a resilient small business. 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:29.000 And I love I love the tips and all the 0:02:29.240 --> 0:02:32.320 ups and downs that they share. So tell us, tell 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:33.480 us about our guest Tiffany. 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:35.920 So I don't know how to double dutch, but these 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:39.560 two people do, along with Mandy, and they're all leos, 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:43.639 which I was like, Okay, it's a lot. Yes, it 0:02:43.680 --> 0:02:45.800 was a lot, but it was awesome. So we are 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:50.079 interviewing today Michelle Clark and Sean Clark. Michelle Clark is 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.919 a double Dutch world champion. She's been double dutching since 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:56.320 she was four years old. And I believe she said 0:02:57.120 --> 0:02:59.679 she's one like she does like street double dutch, but 0:02:59.720 --> 0:03:02.119 she all so does like technical skill double dutch, which 0:03:02.160 --> 0:03:05.640 is awesome. And Sean Clark is a master double Dutch 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:10.200 aerobic instructor and they're their owners of Double Dutch Aerobics, 0:03:11.040 --> 0:03:14.880 which combines double Dutch with an assortment of aerobics exercises 0:03:14.919 --> 0:03:20.240 including jumpin jacks, push ups, mountain climbs, and more inside 0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:23.600 the ropes. And that's not all. They've also included professional 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:29.760 competition combinations combinations along with street style jumping. And they've 0:03:29.800 --> 0:03:33.400 got certified instructors that are skilled and trained to teach 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:36.640 anyone how to jump double dutch in less than one minute. 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:39.400 I improved positive when I met them some years ago. 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:41.560 Within literally one minute, I was in the rope and 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:43.800 I was jumping. I mean it wasn't graceful, but I 0:03:43.920 --> 0:03:44.440 was jumping. 0:03:46.440 --> 0:03:47.920 I thought I knew how to double dutch, but now 0:03:47.920 --> 0:03:49.680 I'm sweating. I did not know that was the thing. 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:52.400 You could become a world champion in you know, I 0:03:52.440 --> 0:03:55.680 just thought I had to be you know, let's Tosha 0:03:55.720 --> 0:03:59.400 down the street from me. But yeah, Sewn and Michelle 0:03:59.400 --> 0:04:02.080 their energy so infectious in their business. Not only did 0:04:02.080 --> 0:04:05.160 they survive the pandemic as small business owners, as parents, 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:08.080 as spouses with two and a half children they got 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:10.240 one in the oven number three on the way, but 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:13.600 they actually opened their first studio in the Atlanta area 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:15.880 in this past year. So we will talk to them 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:19.080 about the financial impact as a small business of the 0:04:19.160 --> 0:04:23.599 pandemic and how they really looked under every nook and cranny, 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:26.520 including every skill set they've ever had. I know Sean 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:29.120 was on YouTube learning the market. I mean, they they 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:32.960 seriously looked for ways to bridge that financial gap during 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:37.160 the pandemic, and they're so inspirational. So we're going to 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:39.719 get to that in a little bit. But before we do, 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:42.320 we have a fun announcement. Have we told the folks? 0:04:42.600 --> 0:04:45.640 Have we told the about the new Luke Magie? And 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:51.880 I are basically mardls y'all about to get into it, Martles, 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.400 So I want you to take a look currently at 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:58.800 our Brown ambition. Like I guess you can go on 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:02.920 a logo photo arn't work for Brown ABISSI in the podcast. 0:05:03.600 --> 0:05:06.200 Yes, we'll call it art because Tanetta did do her thing. 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:10.120 You know, it's twenty fifteen art. Yes, but we have grown, 0:05:10.720 --> 0:05:12.440 we haven't had changed, yes. 0:05:12.279 --> 0:05:14.120 And we have age like fine wine if I do 0:05:14.160 --> 0:05:17.000 say so myself, and I do say so myself. So 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:20.480 we went back to Tanetta, our sister girl, amazing photographer 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:23.120 who did our first picture, and we were like, we'd 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:25.200 like some updated pictures and I'm not gonna lie me 0:05:25.279 --> 0:05:26.360 and Maddie looks so good. 0:05:27.200 --> 0:05:31.560 We look so we look so I don't know, just 0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:38.280 just ah like shiny, glittery, glowing, happy, like fulfilled and 0:05:38.800 --> 0:05:42.120 just like they say, what you know, with age comes wisdom. 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:45.400 And I think in our eyes six years ago we're 0:05:45.440 --> 0:05:49.400 like this podcast thing, you know, let's just figure this out. Yes, 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:51.760 but now we know we showed up as you know, 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:55.680 brown ambition. The show has been such a passion project 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:58.360 for both of us. And then he brought her full 0:05:58.720 --> 0:05:59.600 beautiful head of hair. 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:03.880 I was like, yes, Mandy, every follicle, every follicle stood 0:06:03.920 --> 0:06:07.240 two attention, shot up. Its feel so cute and so like, 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:09.320 I just I'm excited for you guys to see, you know, 0:06:09.360 --> 0:06:10.839 when we roll out these. 0:06:10.680 --> 0:06:13.320 Pictures and so yeah, it'll be exciting. That's our kind 0:06:13.320 --> 0:06:15.640 of like our collective Brown Boost because we really want 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:18.840 you guys to get into this episode and so enjoy. 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:22.120 Absolutely without further ado, let's take a quick break and 0:06:22.160 --> 0:06:24.560 we will be right back with our conversation with Sean 0:06:24.680 --> 0:06:27.880 and Michelle from Double Dutch Aerobics. And don't forget to 0:06:27.880 --> 0:06:29.880 go to the show notes because they have links on 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:31.720 links on links where you guys can find out all 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:33.520 about how to attend one of their classes in the 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:37.400 Atlanta area, how to become a Double Dutch certified instructor 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:39.640 yourselves so you can have your own Double Dutch biz 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:42.520 maybe and your own neck of the woods. So so excited, 0:06:42.560 --> 0:07:17.160 let's get right into our interview with Shawn and Michelle. 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:20.760 We're so excited to have Michelle and Sean Clark from 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:25.120 Double Dutch Aerobics from Atlanta in the house with us. 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:36.800 Thank you so much for joining Brown And. 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:35.480 I remember what was the year that? What was the 0:07:35.560 --> 0:07:36.600 Girl Trek year? What year was? 0:07:36.840 --> 0:07:39.280 Because you know, because I was nineteen, Yep, it was 0:07:39.880 --> 0:07:41.760 it was right out Angel. 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:50.480 So I met Shawanna Michelle in Colorado at the Girl 0:07:50.520 --> 0:07:54.720 Trek conference. Girl Trek is this awesome nonprofit that just 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:57.720 it helps black women get moving. To say they have 0:07:57.880 --> 0:08:02.760 energy is to say water is wet. And I just 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:06.080 remember being like, what they people that you never think 0:08:06.120 --> 0:08:08.360 would double I mean, they had people out there eighty 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:12.280 black white age. Now I didn't grow I don't know 0:08:12.280 --> 0:08:14.120 how to the double dutch. I felt that was like 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:16.760 my shame I moved away from my black neighborhood just 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:18.920 to just one year too late before they was teaching her, 0:08:20.080 --> 0:08:21.760 and so I was like, I can't do it, you 0:08:21.880 --> 0:08:28.400 like you can. And so yes, Mandy knows how to 0:08:28.440 --> 0:08:29.720 double dutch. So I'm jealous of her. 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:35.920 Okay, now that was twenty years ago. I'm so excited 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.360 about y'all's business. I think Tiffany knew y'all first. I 0:08:38.440 --> 0:08:41.120 think I might have slid into y'all's DMS or likewise, 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:44.360 but we were, we were chatting on IG and y'all 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:47.760 know I'm from Atlanta and double dutch is just such 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:50.240 a nostalgic activity for me, you know. When I was 0:08:50.240 --> 0:08:52.400 a little girl, that was just you know, we were 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:55.360 latchkey kids in the neighborhood with our bikes and a 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:57.120 couple of pairs of jump ropes and you could not 0:08:57.200 --> 0:08:57.800 tell us nothing. 0:08:57.840 --> 0:08:58.400 We had the. 0:08:58.320 --> 0:09:02.120 Best time, you know, with like the littlest amount of equipment, 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:05.000 and I just loved the concept of this business. But 0:09:05.679 --> 0:09:07.839 as fun as it is and how you know, all 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:11.679 the energy and enthusiasm that y'all bring to you know, 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:14.960 bringing fitness to the Atlanta area, it's also been a 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:19.920 pandemonium as a pandemic the last year. Right, how have 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:22.559 y'all been impacted as a business? You know, where was 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:24.720 your business at when the pandemic hit? Kind of set 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:27.600 the scene for us. Yeah, where were you at right 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:29.480 before the pandemic hit? I mean this is a very 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:34.080 much in person. You're sweating indoors, you know, you know, 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:36.600 jumping and breathing your heart out. And that was all 0:09:36.600 --> 0:09:40.000 of a sudden not okay, yeah, no, it. 0:09:40.760 --> 0:09:41.880 Slapped us in the face. 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:43.200 It's very scary for us. 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:45.440 It was very scary. So it was February. 0:09:45.720 --> 0:09:46.440 It was February. 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:49.600 Well first, we've been in business for seven years, right, 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:56.080 And it's funny because twenty twenty it was our best year, 0:09:56.200 --> 0:09:57.920 Like it was starting off amazing. 0:09:58.520 --> 0:10:01.079 Michelle and I we were like, oh, we finally. 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.880 Hit those were going to the top. 0:10:05.920 --> 0:10:09.400 Yes, New Year's Resolution time, I mean not as it. 0:10:09.440 --> 0:10:13.880 Was becoming our biggest year for sure as a business. 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:18.480 So so in the beginning, you know, we were booking 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:21.160 a lot of events for the summer. So we were 0:10:21.160 --> 0:10:23.880 booked for the summer because we also do so outside 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:27.440 of teaching our normal classes, we do events like girl 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:31.440 Track and essence fests and prisons. We teach at federal 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:35.080 prisons across the country. We do tours, we do you know, 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:38.000 we do a lot of things, and everything was booked. 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:41.040 We had our certification weekend that was sold out. It 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:42.320 sold out in like two weeks. 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:46.320 So what certification weekend is where we certify instructors to 0:10:46.360 --> 0:10:49.679 teach our program in their city or their state. Right, 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:54.000 so we were completely sold out and it sold out 0:10:54.000 --> 0:10:57.760 what in like five days. It was like we're fast, yeah, yeah, 0:10:58.240 --> 0:11:00.720 And that was in February. We had complete the South 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:03.600 and it was going to be in April. Yes, and 0:11:03.640 --> 0:11:05.360 we hadn't done one in a year because we had 0:11:05.360 --> 0:11:08.839 a little human and so we had took a year off. 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:12.959 We took a year off from certification, not from work. 0:11:13.360 --> 0:11:16.120 So this was our year back into certification and the 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:18.400 fact that it sold out so fast It's like we 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:19.840 were finding our groop. 0:11:20.000 --> 0:11:22.240 Yeah, we were in a groove and then. 0:11:22.360 --> 0:11:26.040 Well, y'all, y'all here, and then the world said stop 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:30.720 wait a minute. And at first we were like, you ain't. 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:32.120 I don't care about no pandem and you're not going 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:32.640 to stop us. 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:36.560 We're still doing it. We were still still going. You know, right, 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:39.000 let's just keep going. 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:41.640 Keep going, stop us until they put us to like 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:45.520 lock the doors. You tell us that you cannot leave 0:11:45.559 --> 0:11:47.760 your house until. 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:51.120 Keisha Land's bottom shows up at the door, to get 0:11:51.240 --> 0:11:54.160 till Keisha Land's bottom shows up in person at the door. 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:59.000 Door. I was like what, I was devastated. I was 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:00.720 devastated because. 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:03.760 What did it mean for y'all financially? Like paint the picture, 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:06.040 I mean, did y'all have reserves? We talk a lot about, 0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:09.520 you know, personal financial rainy day funds, but for small 0:12:09.559 --> 0:12:11.800 business owners, I mean, seven years in is still early. 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:13.760 How were you guys financially? 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:15.880 So we we we had a we had a little 0:12:16.000 --> 0:12:20.800 we had a little little reserves, a smitch sitch, but 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:23.079 you know we had to eventually we had to get alan. 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:24.800 Yeah, that got us through it. 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:28.800 And then during the pandemic, I learned the stock market, 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:33.200 so it was actually a blessing because you know, everything 0:12:33.280 --> 0:12:35.680 was shut down. I had nothing else to do, and 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:38.760 at the time during the pandemic, it was actually the 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:42.600 best time to invest. So that actually helped us out 0:12:42.640 --> 0:12:45.599 a lot, you know, investing in the stock market. I 0:12:45.640 --> 0:12:49.240 would literally like study every day. Yeah, I study every day. 0:12:50.559 --> 0:12:53.000 And so we we we we, we did okay with that. 0:12:53.000 --> 0:12:54.120 That that got us through. 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:55.040 That was helping us. 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:58.839 And then out here in Atlanta they opened that kind 0:12:58.880 --> 0:13:01.840 of early. So like when did they shut us down 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:04.440 in March and the beginning of March, so by like 0:13:04.520 --> 0:13:06.839 the middle of May, we start. 0:13:06.920 --> 0:13:10.680 We started. We started class again outside outside because. 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:14.480 The studios that we were renting were completely closed and 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:18.199 the schools where we were working, everything was completely closed, 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:22.559 as you know. So we started classes every Saturday nine am. 0:13:22.880 --> 0:13:24.680 And God was on our side. It didn't rain one 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:30.640 Saturday that entire the high summer from May till September. 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:34.440 It didn't rain one time at our time Monday and 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:38.160 every Saturday. So we were pushing it. So we had 0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:41.720 classes outside that helped us out. I also started to 0:13:41.800 --> 0:13:46.079 dive more into I suffered from fibruarys before having children, 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:48.880 and I healed myself naturally, and I was helping women 0:13:49.080 --> 0:13:51.920 a little bit, but I started to dive into that 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:52.560 even more. 0:13:52.720 --> 0:13:52.800 So. 0:13:52.840 --> 0:13:56.360 I was doing lives once a week, and so I 0:13:56.400 --> 0:13:59.880 started to coach women for money. And then I was 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:03.520 also selling my ebook. So we just started to like, we've. 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:10.920 Just you know, I suffered from I suffered from vibor. 0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:13.559 So we started just dive into that more. And that's 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:15.760 also another passion of mine, so that, you know, you 0:14:15.880 --> 0:14:19.640 just start to to push. I also started to in 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:23.240 terms of mentality, Shawn's a little better than me. I was. 0:14:23.360 --> 0:14:25.240 I was like, oh my god, this is it, This 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:27.760 is it. Life is over, you know, like it's over. 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:29.840 And so I had to get out of that because 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:34.080 I was sean someone we know passed away. It started 0:14:34.120 --> 0:14:36.160 to get more real, you know what I mean. 0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:38.120 And I think I think that was the biggest part 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:41.080 for me. So, you know, we you know, we lost 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:43.680 a lot of money. We weren't making money obviously, because 0:14:44.040 --> 0:14:47.040 we're in the fitness business. We were we were selling 0:14:47.040 --> 0:14:49.720 more ropes and and then okay, so I'm all over. 0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:50.960 Let me go back. 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:55.080 First of all, I gotta I gotta shout out our 0:14:55.160 --> 0:15:01.280 double Dutch community. So like we have so during for 0:15:01.640 --> 0:15:04.680 we have memberships, so we have lifetime members, we have 0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:10.120 yearly memberships, we have monthly membership. Our lifetime members stuck 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:14.080 it out. They came to class every week. They were 0:15:14.120 --> 0:15:17.040 supporting us, they were bringing people to class, so they 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:20.600 were really really helping us. So I just want to 0:15:20.640 --> 0:15:23.080 I just want to. I want to say that things. Yes, 0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:24.840 I want I want to thank them for that because 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:29.640 our community is growing and it's super supportive because Michelle 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:33.240 and I we give one hundred percent of us to 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:35.640 this business, to this brand, and they feel it and 0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:38.120 they know it, you know, So it's all love, you know. 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:41.600 Because our classes did very well outside during the pandemic, 0:15:42.080 --> 0:15:44.120 which was like, oh okay. 0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:47.360 It was probably it sounds like the it sounds like dang. 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:49.520 I wish I had been in Atlanta to weather that's 0:15:49.520 --> 0:15:52.400 out because what I mean, it probably just helps you 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:55.080 meet the endorphins alone, but also just is there anything 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:58.400 more joyful right and double Dutch to be doing outdoors 0:15:59.120 --> 0:16:00.000 during a pandemic. 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:04.000 It's like for that moment everything was okay and that 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:05.400 time being, you know what I mean. 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:08.800 And then second to that, I think most importantly like oh, 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:10.920 like I was saying before, So we were losing a lot. 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:13.560 But what was really important to me, like I said before, 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:15.160 was our health. 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:15.680 Right. 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:18.960 So you know, I'm worried about my mother in New York, 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:21.920 my sister, like my brother, all of them have pre 0:16:22.000 --> 0:16:28.200 existing ILK conditions. And so I started a Zoom Fitness 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:32.480 class online and it was really just family and friends 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:34.680 because in my mind I'm getting emotional hold let me, 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:38.240 let me calm down. In my mind, I had to 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:42.040 make sure everyone was okay. So for me, I was like, 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:44.520 all right, every day we're gonna work out, We're gonna 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:47.000 eat right, we're gonna juice, we're gonna you know, we're 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:50.440 gonna do whatever we have to do to get through 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:52.000 this pandemic, you know. 0:16:52.160 --> 0:16:53.800 So and then Sean and I will work it out 0:16:53.840 --> 0:16:57.360 like crazy, because at first you're like, oh, first sure, upset, 0:16:57.440 --> 0:17:01.000 it's so many emotions happened. First, upset that everything is 0:17:01.000 --> 0:17:02.560 shut down. Then you're like, okay, well I have to 0:17:02.560 --> 0:17:06.439 be home. Let me take advantage of being home. And 0:17:06.520 --> 0:17:09.959 so I was doing what to a day workout. We 0:17:09.960 --> 0:17:11.560 were having the kids when it was my turn to 0:17:11.600 --> 0:17:13.720 work out, you know, thank god for YouTube. Put the 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:17.120 kids on YouTube to work out downstairs. Then we will 0:17:17.119 --> 0:17:20.400 work out outside. I was getting a little fit and 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:25.040 then I mean more fit. Then it's like, wait a minute, 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:29.600 we really tried. Wait are we really tripped? Wait this 0:17:29.640 --> 0:17:32.800 is not going to end like in a month, wait 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:34.680 in two months. So now I don't want to work 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:37.600 out no more. Now I'm suppressed. Now I'm eating like 0:17:37.640 --> 0:17:38.480 a crazy person. 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:38.800 I don't know. 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:42.400 The motivation went away. And then we started to hear 0:17:42.400 --> 0:17:47.800 about people dying, and it's like, my mom, I just 0:17:48.440 --> 0:17:49.480 I just felt down. 0:17:49.720 --> 0:17:51.080 It was just one after the other. 0:17:51.240 --> 0:17:53.239 It was just one after the other. It was like, 0:17:53.320 --> 0:17:55.600 oh my god, this is is this the end of 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:57.400 the world? Wait a minute, is this how happened? 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:01.680 You know, like like you know how your grandma said 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:05.440 it's the last day. It's always it's always the last days. 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:07.320 When they get old, you're like, well, why I couldn't 0:18:07.359 --> 0:18:08.760 do the last days when you were five? You're talking 0:18:08.760 --> 0:18:12.160 about the last days now? But like, if we if 0:18:12.160 --> 0:18:14.960 we dial back, a little bit came. I mean for 0:18:14.960 --> 0:18:17.879 those who are not familiar with double double Dutch aerobics, 0:18:17.920 --> 0:18:21.720 like what how what? Like what made you say this 0:18:21.800 --> 0:18:23.800 is what I want to do? Like because it's such 0:18:23.800 --> 0:18:27.280 a unique business. I would love to know some of 0:18:27.320 --> 0:18:28.240 the origin story. 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:34.359 Okay, So I went to acting school. I did musical theater, 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:39.560 so I you known of musical theater people. We do 0:18:39.600 --> 0:18:43.719 waitressing and bartending and we teach. I was a spin teacher, 0:18:43.760 --> 0:18:45.880 so I was teaching everything in the world. I told 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:47.639 everything you could imagine. I can't even swim, but I 0:18:47.680 --> 0:18:53.600 was teaching water arobics. So during that time, Sean was 0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:56.520 my boyfriend at the time, and I've been jumping double 0:18:56.600 --> 0:18:59.199 unince I was four, so I always told him I 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:01.320 was good, but everybody from New York says they're good, 0:19:01.359 --> 0:19:03.520 so he thought I was good, like regular good, you know. 0:19:04.359 --> 0:19:07.199 And so I also was a world champion, so I 0:19:07.240 --> 0:19:10.640 did street style jumping and competitor style jumping. So we 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:13.679 were at an event for the YMCA where I was 0:19:13.680 --> 0:19:16.440 teaching spin class. So I was teaching five thirty am 0:19:16.440 --> 0:19:18.119 spin class. Sean only came to one of my class, 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:24.359 but that's a different story anyway, So we he he 0:19:24.560 --> 0:19:28.680 saw me teaching and jumping, and he was like, oh, 0:19:29.080 --> 0:19:30.320 I knew you were good, but I didn't know you 0:19:30.359 --> 0:19:34.280 were like that good. And so when I told him 0:19:34.280 --> 0:19:36.280 this idea he was like, oh, you have to start 0:19:36.560 --> 0:19:40.560 next week, like you have to start, and so I said, okay, 0:19:40.800 --> 0:19:42.520 and then I started the next week. 0:19:42.680 --> 0:19:44.600 Yeah, we literally started the next week. Literally. 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:48.639 Now what were you doing at the time, oh, Sean. Yeah, 0:19:48.680 --> 0:19:50.320 What was Sean doing while he was telling you to 0:19:50.320 --> 0:19:51.000 start a business? 0:19:51.440 --> 0:19:54.560 Well, I owned a film company. So I was a 0:19:54.640 --> 0:19:55.600 videographer and editor. 0:19:55.680 --> 0:19:58.040 So my best friend and I we started making movies 0:19:58.040 --> 0:20:00.159 when we were like eighteen and nineteen. We would do 0:20:00.280 --> 0:20:03.840 like one hour shorts and you know, we you know, 0:20:03.880 --> 0:20:06.399 we just for years we were doing it. And so 0:20:06.560 --> 0:20:10.199 I went from filming movies into like film doing like 0:20:10.240 --> 0:20:11.959 corporate events. 0:20:11.320 --> 0:20:14.119 And weddings and things of that nature. 0:20:14.520 --> 0:20:17.280 And then I moved from that and I started a 0:20:17.320 --> 0:20:20.879 teleprompter company, so I was prompting. I was doing like 0:20:21.040 --> 0:20:25.480 television shows, and I worked with like Michelle Obama Beyonce 0:20:25.720 --> 0:20:31.400 like excuse, let me tell you, gool. 0:20:31.320 --> 0:20:34.359 Let me tell you now. So I mean I did it. 0:20:34.400 --> 0:20:35.400 I did it for ten years. 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:38.520 So I worked with literally anybody you can think of, 0:20:38.640 --> 0:20:41.120 I probably worked with them. And so I was doing 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:43.120 that for a while and then, like you know, I've 0:20:43.160 --> 0:20:47.040 always been like an entrepreneur that was young you know, 0:20:47.240 --> 0:20:49.480 my my family and now we opened a record store. 0:20:49.720 --> 0:20:53.639 When I was twenty years old. You know, we had 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:55.600 a record label. It was the nineties, you know, we 0:20:55.640 --> 0:20:59.800 had a record label. We managed groups. I started promoting 0:20:59.800 --> 0:21:01.320 part parties when I was eighteen. 0:21:01.480 --> 0:21:04.199 And actually how I met Sean was he was I 0:21:04.280 --> 0:21:07.160 was bartending and he made a movie called this thing 0:21:07.200 --> 0:21:09.359 called Love. And I was like, oh, they made a 0:21:09.359 --> 0:21:12.080 movie by themselves. That's dope. So I'm trying to get 0:21:12.119 --> 0:21:13.719 me to buy it. But I don't buy stuff at 0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:15.000 work because that's kind of productive. 0:21:17.280 --> 0:21:19.040 You came in with like the box of DVDs to 0:21:19.119 --> 0:21:20.359 sell your movie. 0:21:20.440 --> 0:21:21.000 I love it. 0:21:21.359 --> 0:21:25.840 So my best friend I at the time, I worked 0:21:25.840 --> 0:21:29.280