The Business of Jazzercise: A Conversation with the Founder in California

A few things I learned from my interview with Judi:

• Change is not only important, but essential to creating a successful business. That’s how Jazzercise has remained such a strong force in the fitness community for 50 years. She talked a lot about her daughter, Shanna, who she encourages to push the limits of the company. “We wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t changed,” she said. I wrote something to this extent in my post about blogging. I was really excited to hear her touch on this a few times during our interview.
• Empower the people around you. It helps everyone grow. Once the concept of Jazzercise began to grow, Judi actually became sick. A doctor encouraged her to pull back. So, she taught a crew of instructors to do the work for her. From the beginning, she wanted those first-time instructors feel empowered to customize and take ownership of their classes. Because of that, the business of Jazzercise grew. Because it grew, Judi then came to a legal crossroads. She had a choice to make everyone at every studio an employee or she could franchise. She chose to franchise because she felt that each studio should have the power to create its own identity and meet its own community’s needs.
• No matter how big you get, it’s important to stay close to your work as a leader. Judi still teaches classes three days a week and plays an active role in choreography creation. In fact, she pulled up right next to me in the class! She knows her audience, knows her instructors, and knows her administrative team. As i toured the corporate office and met dozens of employees, I could tell each one felt proud to be there and comfortable in their environment. When people are happy, feel heard, and are connected to the business’s mission, they perform at higher levels. Judi can confidently make decisions for here employees and customers because of these factors.
• Live your passion.“People who are passionate are like magnets,” Judi said during our interview. By being true to herself, Judi has been able to create something that is real and authentic. When you dive into something you love, you create something that is more powerful than when you aren’t emotionally invested in your work. You “create winning situations for the people you are serving, for yourself, and the people who are woking with you.”
• She’s got a book coming out!You can preorder it on Amazon here. It’s not her first book, but it’s her first book all about how she built her $100 million business. She leaves out the exercise routines and focus on the mental space in which she has sustained and grown the business of Jazzercise. She’s outplayed and outlasted five decades of fitness industry fads and competition. The book is titled Building a Business with a Beat: Leadership Lessons from Jazzercise―An Empire Built on Passion, Purpose, and Heart.

Shop my Jazzercise outfit! Cick here.