Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Alley.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kendra. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a thirty-something-year-old mother to Jackson (4), Lochlan (2) and currently 7 months pregnant with our third boy! I’ve been a yoga + barre instructor for over 4 years. As a competitive D1 gymnast, I ended up graduating college with a fractured back and herniated disc. I was constantly forcing myself to workout and stay in shape, but I was constantly in pain. I knew that if I wanted to keep exercising, I needed to find an exercise program that was low impact – something I could sustain for the long run. I initially got into yoga at the recommendation of my doctor who said I needed to “stop jumping around” and find something that would strengthen my core and give my body a break from the high-impact life of a gymnast.
Within a couple of weeks of yoga classes, I was amazed by the strength I was building and my back had never felt better… my love affair with low-impact formats had begun. I went through my yoga certification while I was pregnant with my first son. I then tried barre, at the suggestion of a fitness friend. She encouraged me to get certified because she knew how well it would match with my fitness style. Within the first five minutes of class, I couldn’t even make it through the warmup, and I was inlove. A little more than a year later, I raved to my friends about how amazing the format had been for my joints and physique. My entire body had been redesigned. As a gymnast, I never had that “lean” look. I was always in shape, but I would describe it as a “powerful” build. Barre changed my body into graceful strength. More importantly, I had never felt better. I didn’t struggle to get out of bed, I stood taller, my posture improved, and my back pain was nearly gone. I was so impressed with my physical improvements – I couldn’t promote barre enough. My friends were dying to take a class of mine, but they were scattered all over the country. So, I did what any millennial would do… and hosted a live Facebook class! I jumped on live, taught a 60-minute class and the response was amazing. I decided to do something clever with the live feed.
Before I started the class, I announced that the class would only be left up for 24 hours to ensure they would jump on the opportunity to take it before I deleted it. I wanted the online experience to be similar to a studio experience. If you miss the “6 pm Tuesday class with Michelle”, you’ll never get that class back. You have to show up for yourself in order to improve yourself. People really loved the idea of being able to get to a barre class without leaving their house- and they were pleasantly surprised at how intense the workout was. They even loved the “threat” of the class being taken down because it actually lit a fire under their booty’s to get it done! I didn’t anticipate starting a company, at. all. Barre can often be intimidating, expensive, and if you have children, impossible to attend because not all studios offer child care. I unexpectedly saw a huge opportunity. I decided I was going to go for it, and I started barreALLEY with one goal in mind: build a virtual program to make barre accessible and affordable to people everywhere. We are just about 1 year old and we have members all over the world!
Great, 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 have grown barreALLEY organically from the beginning. The truth is, I was a stay-at-home mom with an intense passion for barre. I started barreALLEY and was still a stay at home mom. My biggest struggle to this day is balance. I work from home, but I also have my little ones with me. Like all working moms, I struggle to find balance. I have so many things I want to accomplish within the business, but I also have to remember that my little boys are the most important business of the day. I’m not even sure true balance is possible, but I enjoy the struggle of trying to find it! I am extremely scheduled and most efficient when I am busy. I don’t mind taking on the challenge of finding a way to “do it all”. I find pockets throughout the day to get work done so that I can put it off to the side and truly focus on my boys for the rest of the day. I work most early mornings, during every single moment of their nap, and late into the evenings after they are in bed. It makes for a long day for me, but having both responsibilities fills my cup.
Please tell us about barreALLEY.
barreALLEY was one of the first virtual barre studios available online. You can take the classes anywhere, including your living room while the mini babes are napping (but even on work trips and vacations). What makes us different? We delete the workouts from our site after a couple of days. That’s right, we’re here to light a fire under that cute tush and get you sweating. Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or a full hour – we gotcha babe.
I think what sets barreALLEY apart from others is that it’s relatable. I am a mom, I am pregnant, I am working my tail off, my house is a mess, I do the best I can each day – but it’s not always pretty. Ones “online presence” can be intimidating because the perception is perfection. But if you watch just one day of the @barreALLEY Instastory or join our “barre talk” group on facebook- you’ll feel right at home.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
What are barriers?! All kidding aside, here’s what I know. Women (moms) tend to put themselves last on their list of priorities. Everything and everyone gets what they need first, and mom gets… tired. My objective is to help women understand that their health is worth that #1 spot on the list. Taking the time to take care of yourself shouldn’t lead to guilt, it will lead to empowerment. It is amazing how much better you become (for others) when you feel better in your own skin.
Pricing:
- If you decide the free tryout is too much too soon, try our beginner program for $20
- If you’re ready to jump right into it try our on-repeat subscription for $40/month
Contact Info:
- Website: barrealley.com
- Email: kendra@barrealley.com
- Instagram: @barrealley
- Facebook: /barrealley
Image Credit:
Glynis Carpenter, Rainflower Photography
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