Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Mickens.
Stephanie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Miss.Fit Fitness, LLC was created out of my own personal wellness journey. It all started four years ago when I was on a girl’s trip in Miami. We had a mini photo shoot on the beach and one of my friends sent me the pictures. I could see that the pictures were of me, but I did not recognize myself. It was a minor wake-up call as I had been working out a little, but I was still eating poorly and doing my fair share of drinking!
It was not until a few months later, when I went to the doctor, that I got my act together! During my annual physical, I was told that there was the possibility that I had uterine fibroids, which was giving me the illusion of someone who was four months pregnant. I did not have any symptoms beyond the physical appearance of the fibroids in my lower belly region. My doctor immediately started talking hormone therapy and possibly surgery, but I refused. In my heart, I knew that I could do better. I started working out more consistently and enlisted the assistance of a nutrition coach to help with changing my eating and drinking habits.
Once I got better control of my habits, my body began to respond positively. The fibroids did not go away, but they did decrease in size to a level that was deemed acceptable by my doctor. The changes in my body also led me to my passion for bodybuilding. In 2018, I added competing in a bodybuilding competition to my bucket list and embarked on my journey to the stage. I got a coach/personal trainer to help me achieve my goal. In September 2018, I competed for the first time, and I knew things were different. A fire was ignited in me, and my pursuit changed from competing once as a checklist item to training to become a professional bodybuilder. In November 2019, this dream became a reality as I became an IFBB Bikini Professional!
However, the mission did not stop there. Little did I know it was just beginning. As I mentioned previously, bodybuilding initially was a bucket list item that I identified for myself as a one-time thing. I was seeking a challenge, as I was not really experiencing in any aspect of my life, especially professionally. I was bored and looking to channel my energy towards something.
I thought that if I found something to occupy that space that everything would balance itself. Here is the thing about finding your passion. We think that if we find what we are passionate about, then we can use it to cover or help balance the things in which we are not passionate. A lesson I learned as I have gone on this journey is that when you find something that you are truly passionate about, it only magnifies the things in which you are not passionate.
The deeper I went into my personal fitness journey, the more I realized that I wanted to share what I had learned and help others. Which is why I created Miss.Fit Fitness. The mission of Miss. Fit Fitness is to be a resource to women and inspire them to make a choice and make changes in their lives, including their health & fitness.
Alright, 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 would not consider this journey to be smooth; however, it has been very rewarding. The biggest hurdle I experienced was walking away from a career that I had spent 12+ years building for myself. I always thought of myself as a leader and potential business owner but never thought I would jump into entrepreneurship in this way.
I left my job without a fully developed plan. What I thought was going to be a three-to-six-month sabbatical from Corporate America has turned into two years. It took me six months to gain the courage to launch my brand. During this time, I worked with a business coach to help me develop the vision for my business. She was the one who pushed me to select a launch date and stick to it and I am grateful that she encouraged me to launch when she did.
Two weeks after I officially launched my brand, the COVID pandemic hit and everything in Georgia, including the gyms, were closed for two months. Thankfully, the clients I had signed trusted in my ability as I shifted my overall training plans and made whatever was available work.
As you know, we’re big fans of Miss.Fit Fitness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Miss.Fit Fitness, LLC is a health & wellness brand offering resources and programming focused on helping individuals go from a sedentary lifestyle (or somewhere in between) to crushing it in the gym!
Miss.Fit Fitness focuses on personal wellness, which is not just your physical health! Through my coaching, we work to balance all dimensions of life—physically, emotionally, intellectually, financially, occupationally, and spiritually.
The goal is to meet you where you are and guide you to obtaining your fitness goals while introducing you to workouts you might not typically do. I am a Certified Personal Trainer, as well as a Certified Yoga Instructor. I use the teachings from both, as well as my experience with bodybuilding in the development of programming for my clients. It is my belief that cross-training—incorporating a mix of exercises focusing on strength, endurance, and mobility is the key to implementing a consistent workout routine into your lifestyle.
What matters most to you? Why?
Community—when I first started my business, something that I was told that has stuck with me is that while “content is king, the community is the kingdom”. One of the main goals of Miss. Fit Fitness is to build a community for those who are looking to make changes to their lifestyle and are seeking accountability, inspiration, and relatability.
Pricing:
- Miss.Fit Fitness Monthly Membership, starting at $40/month – includes access to virtual fitness classes (8 – 12 classes per month), access to members only events, Miss.Fit Fitness branded merchandise (quarterly), and access to the Miss.Fit Fitness community. Best for beginners who are looking to start or restart their exercise regimen.
- PUSHer+ Online Training Program, starting at $160/month—includes customized weekly workout plans, unlimited access to virtual workout sessions, access to Miss.Fit Fitness Training App, and access to Miss.Fit Fitness community. Best for intermediate/experienced gym goers
- PUSHer+ In-Person Training Program, starting at $240/month—includes in-person training (2 times per week) and unlimited access to virtual workout sessions, access to Miss.Fit Fitness Training app, and access to Miss.Fit Fitness community. Open to all fitness types.
- Coming Soon: Miss.Fit Fitness Personal Training Sponsorships- one-on-one personal training & coaching is a luxury that many cannot afford. One of my goals is to establish a program/sponsorship that would allow for me to coach and train women who cannot afford a gym membership or a personal trainer & coach. The intention is to get them started on a workout and nutrition program and teach them how to implement and maintain a fit lifestyle. This program is scheduled to launch in January 2022. Please follow my Instagram (miss.fit_fitness) or Facebook page (Miss.FitMick) or details to come.
Contact Info:
- Email: miss.fitmick@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.missfit-fitness.live/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miss.fit_fitness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miss.fitmick
- Other: https://viasession.com/missfitness
Image Credits
BikiniProNews Allison Maurer Photography Courtney Bush Photo
