August 19, 2025 • 26 mins
Welcome to the 300th episode of the Female emPOWERED podcast! I never imagined we’d reach this milestone, and I want to use this special moment to honor the women who made this possible.
In this heartfelt solo episode, I’m reflecting on the incredible journey from launching the podcast in 2021 to now. But more importantly, I’m celebrating the designers, mentors, team members, clients, business besties, and podcast guests who helped me grow not just a podcast—but a movement for women in wellness who are building profitable, sustainable businesses.
Whether you've been a guest, a teammate, a listener, or simply shared this podcast with a friend, this one is for you. It's a celebration of women supporting women, and how collaboration—not competition—is the secret to real growth.
💬 In this episode, I share:
- How Female emPOWERED got started and why I resisted launching it
- Shoutouts to my first mentors, mastermind sisters, and clients
- The behind-the-scenes team who helped build Fit Biz Strategies and Pilates in the Grove
- Personal stories of support, growth, and being lifted by other women
- Why this milestone isn’t just mine—it belongs to all of us
🙌 Featured Mentions & Shoutouts:
- Team members past and present: Michelle Fernandez, Kristen Kaplan, Latasha Doyle, Darcy Smith, Amanda Rashford, Sarah (Catch Creative Labs), Courtney Moody
- Mentors and mastermind leaders: Nikki (The Cocktail CEO), Isha Hawke, Claire Pelletreau, Ashley Brock
- Clients and collaborators from Inner Circle & Fit Biz community
- Special thanks to Mitch McGinley and Kristen from Boutique Fitness Broker
- And all the amazing podcast guests who’ve shared their stories
✨ Thank you, listeners.
300 episodes wouldn’t have happened without your support, your shares, and your belief in this mission. I can’t wait to bring you 300 more.
🎧 Tune in, celebrate with me, and tag someone who’s empowered your journey too!
📩 Work with Christa or join a mentorship group:
fitbizstrategies.com
📱 Follow along on IG:
@christagurka
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Christa Gurka (she/her) (00:00):
Hey there everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Female Empowered Podcast.
This is the show for women inwellness who are building.
Profitable, sustainablebusinesses that they can be
proud of and make as much of animpact in their communities as
possible, as well as in theirown family.
So today's episode is a superspecial one.
(00:24):
I never thought we'd get thismilestone, but we're I am now
recording my 300th episode.
It's crazy.
300 episodes.
I remember back in 2021 when myteam at the time, consisted of
Michelle Fernandez.
She was helping me with socialmedia.
Kristen Kaplan was my projectmanager.
(00:45):
And Latasha Doyle, who still mycontent strategist, were saying,
I need a podcast.
And I was like, no.
I can't have one more thing onmy plate that I have to be
responsible for.
And they said.
All you have to do is record,record the episodes and we will
take care of the rest.
And basically that is whatsparked the Female Empowered
(01:07):
Podcast.
It started with, I was doingthese series called Female
Fridays, where I was featuring,just women in wellness and
fitness and it, transformeditself into a podcast and I'm on
my 300th episode.
It's crazy.
So today what I'm gonna do is Iam going to.
(01:28):
Shout out a bunch of otherpeople, specifically women who
have helped me make this podcastas well as my business, what it
is today.
So rather than spotlightingmyself, I wanna use this episode
to spotlight all of the womenthat helped me get to where I am
today.
(01:49):
the designers, the mentors, thebusiness besties, my podcast
guests, my clients turncollaborators, my Pilates in the
Grove team, and women whoempower other women every single
day.
'cause I truly believe that it'sall about collaboration over
competition.
And so.
Tune into this episode.
(02:10):
Maybe your name will be featuredon this episode, and so today is
a celebration of you, acelebration of all of you, a
celebration to my listeners, acelebration to the women who
have helped me get to where I amtoday.
So let's get started.
How about it?
So first off, I.
(02:34):
Would be re miss if I didn't.
First and foremost, thank mymother, Maria, Christina
Ramirez, Nina, who brought meinto this world and showed me
what.
Real work ethic is, single momraising three kids without a
college education.
And I certainly would not havethe opportunities I have today
(02:57):
if she had not paved the way,set the ground rules sacrificed
for herself so that we couldhave more.
So, mom, I don't think youlisten to my podcast, but I just
wanna give you a shout out andsay, none of this.
Would be what it is todaywithout her.
(03:17):
secondly, I wanna give a hugeshout out to my mother-in-law,
Leslie Gurka, who's no longerwith us.
we miss her every day, but she.
Gave me one of the first checkswhen I was, expanding from
Pilates on the beach to Pilatesin the Grove.
She cut me a check, no questionsasked.
She was one of our biggestsupporters, a client, and she
(03:41):
was an amazing, amazingmother-in-law.
Mother to my husband and mybrother-in-law, Seth, and an
amazing grandmother to my twochildren.
so those two women certainlywere impactful in my life, as
was my grandmother, my mom'smom, who again, is no longer
with us, who made us laugh.
(04:02):
Every single day of her life whotook me to Vegas many times.
And actually there's a funnystory.
Some of my closest friends knowthe story.
She brought me a diamond ringone time at the middle of the
blackjack table, which was very,funny and confusing to everyone
else at the blackjack table.
And just said, Christa, she hada Latin accent.
(04:24):
Christa, I think you want this.
This is, this is beautiful likeyou, and this is for you.
I love you, Christa, so mygrandmother, I love you and miss
you all the time.
And now I'd like to start withwomen who've poured into me as
my own personal mentors andcoaches.
(04:45):
The ones who held space for me,who taught me.
To see bigger than the vision Ihad of myself who challenged my
thinking and who reminded methat I did not have to figure it
out all by myself.
So back in 2013, I think it was,my first.
Business experience and businesscoaching was with Nikki.
(05:07):
I can't even remember her lastname at this point.
her company was called theCocktail, CEO.
And she's the one that actually,I, I think I was on a webinar,
and I'll never forget this.
I've told a story a bunch oftimes.
They were talking about brickand mortar businesses and I
didn't even know what a brickand mortar meant.
I had to Google it while we wereon the call.
What does brick and mortar mean?
And so that was my first,experience with business
(05:29):
coaching.
And she was amazing.
And she really, really showed mewhat it was like to have a
business, to own a business.
she helped me design my corevalues with my team.
And so.
That was my first realizationthat this could be bigger than
myself.
other people that I have learnedfrom, people whose mentors,
(05:51):
mentorships or masterminds I'vebeen a part of, Isha Hawk.
I was part of her mentorshipback in, 2020, Claire Paltro,
who did get paid marketing her,I did her mentorship.
Mastermind twice.
I'm currently in Ashley Brock's,win with paid Ads Mastermind.
and all led by women and so alsoall ran their businesses a
(06:14):
little bit different.
So it was really exciting for menot only to learn from these
women, but also to see how theyrun their businesses from the
inside out so that I could takewhat.
Worked for me and leave whatdidn't.
And it's always great, to reallyto sit in space with other
business owners and just see,recognize that the issues and
(06:38):
the problems that we're, wehave, we all have and that
everything is figureoutable.
yeah.
Definitely, I learned a lot fromall of these women and I feel
like I'm a lifelong learner andso I love being in learning
mode.
those were great mentorshipsalso, I've been very
transparent.
I loved my boutique fitnessmastermind that I was in.
(06:59):
Coming outta COVID.
There was, the seven figure tierand that is where I met some of
my.
business besties, which I willshout out and highlight a little
bit later.
But I really appreciateeverything that I learned in the
Boutique Fitness Mastermind andthe lifelong friendships that
(07:19):
will, I will certainly, I feelhave for the rest of my life.
I wanna acknowledge also thewomen behind all of the
spreadsheets and contracts, thefinancial minds, the legal
experts who helped me makesmarter informed decisions and
build a business that's bothprofitable and protected.
So these women have broughtclarity to the chaos and helped
(07:42):
me own my role as CEO.
Shout out to Sandy York, a FitMoney Coach, who's been my
bookkeeper for.
The last four years maybe I,everything again, blurs together
after 2020.
But I believe the last fouryears she really, really helped
me and was a huge, integral partof the transition and my
(08:05):
acquisition, sitting in on callsand helping explain the books,
doing the quality during thequality of earnings report.
She is a.
An amazing asset to any team.
So shout out to Sandy Fit MoneyCoach and also to Danielle
Hayden and her team, Aubrey andKelsey, and all of them over at
Kickstart Accounting.
(08:26):
They're the money team inside mymentorship programs, so they
have helped the businessesinside my program tremendously,
and I've also been greatsounding boards for me when I've
had some questions.
Their company is a full servicebookkeeping, and they even offer
accounting services as well.
So Sandy York Fit Money Coachand the women over at Kickstart
(08:48):
Accounting Inc.
Have really been integral in thegrowth of not only Pilates in
the Grove, but also Fitbitstrategies and my Christa Gurka
brand.
Now for the creatives, the womenwho helped bring my vision to
life and helped me reallyclarify my vision from websites,
to brand photos, to messagingthat actually resonates with me
(09:12):
and my ideal audience, the womenthat helped me look as
professional as I was.
Growing to feel in myprofessional life.
So my website, my branding, myvisual identity, Jess Creatives,
Jessica Freeman from JessCreatives.
She built my website at Pilatesin the Grove and really brought
(09:34):
that business, that brand tolife.
and then My Ride or Die, LatashaDoyle, founder and CEO of
uncanny content.
I truthfully don't know where Iwould be without this woman.
she will be featured on anepisode very soon because I'm
flying out to Denver to have aVIP day with her and work on
more branding and marketing andcontent for everyone.
(09:57):
So she literally has been withme since, right after the
inception of, my Christa Gurkabrand.
and has made Christa Gurka whatit is today.
She's my sounding board.
She helps me with a podcast,with the words, with the
messaging, with a website copy,with my emails, with my ad copy.
(10:21):
I mean, literally, I reallydon't know what I would do,
without her.
She's also one of the coaches inthe group.
She's expert.
She's helps with these womenwith.
SEO with website copy, withemail promotions, and she is a
plethora and a wealth ofknowledge.
And like I said, I don't knowwhere I'd be without her and her
(10:42):
business.
She writes, for the most part,all the words that you read on
my website and in my emails.
And so it has been a tremendoushonor to work.
For these last four years, thispodcast wouldn't be what it is
without the women who said yesto being on the mic with me.
Truthfully, each guest broughther own perspective, her wisdom,
(11:05):
her vulnerability, and.
Their stories have not onlyinspired me, but countless of
women who listen every week.
And you as listeners havereached out to me and let me
know how it's affected you.
And it's just really, reallyamazing that some of these
women, what they shared and I'mso grateful to them.
So anyone who has been on mypodcast, some are repeat guests.
(11:27):
Thank you to all the womenwho've had a voice, took a seat
at the mic, and volunteeredtheir time to be on this podcast
with me.
Next I'd like to give a shoutout to the women who have
mentioned my name, shared mywork, shouted me out in rooms.
I wasn't in and believed in whatI was doing, even though they
(11:49):
didn't have to.
Your support to me, yourreferrals.
Our price list.
So shout out to ShanteColefield, AKA, the movement
maestro.
She has sent me more referralsand shouted me out on her
socials.
I appreciate you.
Lex Lancaster, who's been a hugesupporter of mine as well.
(12:10):
people that have added me totheir websites and have shared
my name and my podcast, each andevery share is.
It is just so appreciated by me,and if it gives me the platform
and the ability to help one morewoman in wellness and help them
(12:31):
create a business thataccomplishes what they want in
life.
I'm just so, so appreciative forall of you that are always
sharing my podcast.
There's a lot of you out therethat share my podcast.
Katie Dato, balanced by Katie.
She's always sharing my podcast.
Laura Sommer.
She's always sharing my podcast.
Carrie Pages shares my podcast alot.
(12:53):
there's so many of you out therethat share my podcast.
I really, really appreciate it.
Beth, from Balance Yoga andPilates, there's just so many of
you that I am, I'm so incrediblyappreciative of, you know, the
opportunity to share my wisdomwith you and that you find it
valuable enough to share it withother people.
(13:14):
There are then women I'velearned from some from afar,
some through books, courses,different online content, and
you may not realize the roleyou've played, but you've made
me a better therapist, a betterbusiness owner.
A better mom, a better leader, abetter Pilates instructor.
And so some of the women thatI've learned from, Anna Hartman,
(13:36):
from Movement Rev, she's one ofthe smartest people I know.
Anna.
I hosted her to teach one of hercourses at our studio at Pilates
in the Grove.
Sherry Berkowitz, MadelineBlack, Carrie Pages.
There are so, so many people inthe Pilates and physical therapy
realm that I have learned fromthat leveled me up to be a
(14:01):
better practitioner, a betterinstructor, a better.
Business leader and coach.
And so there are so many of youI really, really appreciate.
And like I said, the women thatI learned from before, Claire
Paltro, from on marketing,Ashley Brock, who I'm learning
from right now on paid ads.
There are so many people that Iam honored to be in the room
(14:23):
with, and.
And I hope to be that for otherpeople as well.
Then there, there, there are thewomen that I talk to on the
regular, my business besties, mymastermind sisters, the close
friends who hear the wins andthe meltdowns.
The ones I Voxer with on thetreadmill or zoom with late at
night or FaceTime with from timeto time, you've all kept me
(14:45):
sane, grounded, and couragealways.
So the women that were in my BFSMastermind.
Amanda Freeman, Carrie Seitz,Felicia Alexander, Hagen Willie,
our sole male who was alwaysthere and is currently always
(15:06):
there.
Lisa, hers, Solomon, BethBishop, all of you guys.
I know that if I picked up aphone and needed something, you
would all be there.
Carrie, Felicia, Lisa, you guyshave been my rock during the
acquisition during the hardtimes.
Maybe some tears along the way.
(15:27):
I really don't know where I'd bewithout your friendship, without
your inspiration, without yourstand by me ness.
I'll never forget entering theroom, the zoom room of that
mastermind.
I'm thinking, damn, I'm in thisroom with the founder of SLT and
the founder of, fitting Room andJennifer Mane, the founder of
(15:51):
Physique 57.
I was I am, what am I doing inthis room?
And the kindness and the factthat we have now become, again,
what I think is lifelongfriends.
I really, don't know where I'dbe.
'cause I think it was you womenthat showed me what was
available to me in terms ofselling my business, in terms of
growing my business, in terms ofbeing able to step away from the
(16:13):
day to day.
And whether you know it or not,I'm eternally, eternally
grateful.
For all of you, so thank you somuch.
the behind the scenes heroes,every successful business is
built with a team.
And if you don't think that'strue, you're kidding yourself.
So I've been lucky to work withwomen who truly care, whether
(16:34):
it's podcast editing,scheduling, onboarding,
operations, this.
Is takes a village to do what wedo.
You guys deserve more creditthan I could ever give in one
episode, but I'm gonna shout youout anyways.
Now, Sarah was my very first VA.
I hired her back in 2020.
(16:55):
Catch Creative Labs is hercompany.
She's based outta thePhilippines.
She did my podcast, editing myvideo, editing my website.
She built my first website.
She built, one of the Pilatesand Grove websites.
She and her team wereinstrumental in me growing to
where I was able.
(17:15):
To get to and, I couldn'timagine that we would've worked
together more than three months,let alone she was on my team for
like three and a half years.
So Sarah, I'm eternally gratefulto you and your team, Courtney
Moody, my, current VA who we'vebeen working for over a year
now.
So thank you so much foreverything that you have done.
Kristen Kaplan, who was my veryfirst project manager, she was
(17:37):
the one that.
Helped me streamline, get myselfon Asana, you know, get myself
on different Airtable anddifferent types of platforms.
That really, really helped mestreamline my operations.
My current executive assistants,Darcy Smith and Amanda Rashford,
there really, really.
(17:58):
Helpful to me.
I can text them on a weekend atnight, ask them to help, and
they're always available to helpme out.
Again, Latasha is currentlystill on my team and I couldn't
imagine what I would be doingwithout her.
Thank you to Kia.
Kiko, PPC, who helps me.
When I need help running ads.
She has also helped some of thewomen in the group.
(18:20):
I'm always eternally gratefulfor your support and your
guidance.
and then finally the, when thepeople on my Pilates and the
Grove team, I mean, there are.
So many women and men thathelped me get to where I was
when I exited the company.
I'm definitely gonna forget somenames here, but I'll try to see
(18:41):
if I remember as many people aspossible.
So, Tracy, Deandra, Terry, Alex.
Kelsey.
Kelsey.
Kelly.
Kelly.
We had a lot of Kelsey's and alot of Kelly's.
Claudia Marisha, Tiffany,Marvin, Imani, Lauren, another
Lauren, couple, Stephanie's.
(19:02):
We had Stephanie and Stephanie.
Becky my very first.
Hi.
Well, she was an intern from,back when I opened in 2010.
Becky, I still remember you.
You were so inspiring back then.
So, Marcia, Lisa, Steve andJosh.
My COOs, Steve, the first COOIever hired.
(19:22):
I mean, so, so instrumental inhelping me turn Pilates in the
grove around Marilyn, Julie,Kristen, Kaitlyn, gosh.
There's so many people, so manypeople, Courtney, two
Courtney's, we had Ashley.
So I just, I'm eternallygrateful for everything you all
(19:44):
have done.
putting up with me when I wasdifficult.
I recognize I was a lot, I, andsticking with me seeing the
vision all the way through andhow all of you have really
handled the, Transition with metransitioning out, other people
transitioning in.
I'm just really proud to haveworked alongside you for, you
(20:07):
know, over the years and gettingto watch what Pilates in the
Grove has come to be over, the15 years that we were.
Open and working together.
I would be re miss if I didn'tthank Mitch McGinley and Kristen
from Boutique Fitness Broker whohelped me get my deal across the
finish line.
(20:27):
Thank you guys for sticking withme through thick and thin.
I really, really appreciate allof that.
I'm quite sure that there arepeople that I am missing, but I
wanna thank also the, the womenwho have I.
Seeing the value in what Ioffer, the women that have
(20:52):
signed up for my groups, mycurrent inner circle members,
Beth and Carol and Rosie, and,Amanda and Karen and Jen, Donna,
Erica.
Lauren, Amy, Audrey.
(21:12):
There are so many.
Nicole, there are so many of youwomen that the first women in
the inner circle.
Lauren and Katie, my women inthe Fit Biz community, Melissa,
Amanda.
Kristen, Molly, Laura.
(21:33):
oh my gosh, there's so many ofyou, Bridget.
I'm definitely forgetting namesat this point.
Molly.
Megan, there's just so many ofyou and I just wanna say thank
you.
Thank you, thank you so much forbelieving in me for.
Trusting in me to help you andyour business journey.
(21:56):
I am forever indebted to you.
'cause without you, the Fit Bizstrategies Christa, Gurka brand
would not be here.
Thank you to all of the clientsthat have, Come to Pilates in
the grove that believed in me,all of the athletes that saw
value in what I was offering,and were willing to work around
(22:17):
my schedule to be able to workwith you.
I really am just so grateful.
I have a wonderful, wonderfullife, a wonderful business, a
wonderful family.
I am truly.
lifted up and passionate aboutwhat I'm doing and without
(22:42):
people that have trusted me,vested in me, lifted me up,
shouted out my name, gave me achance.
That's one thing.
People that have given me achance to be in the room, I'm
just so, so grateful.
And if I forgot anybody, Iapologize, but know that.
If you've had any little bit ofa touchpoint with me, I am
(23:06):
grateful for all of you.
So as I wrap up this 300thepisode and looking forward to
the next 300 more, I'm remindedthat no woman builds a business
alone.
None of us do.
We rise together, we.
Fall together, we havebreakdowns together, and whether
(23:27):
we work together for a season oryou're still by my side day to
day, I thank you for being partof my story, for being a part of
my journey.
This milestone belongs to all ofus, and until next time, my
friends, bye for now.
Hey there everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Female Empowered Podcast.
This is the show for women inwellness who are building.
Profitable, sustainablebusinesses that they can be
proud of and make as much of animpact in their communities as
possible, as well as in theirown family.
So today's episode is a superspecial one.
(00:24):
I never thought we'd get thismilestone, but we're I am now
recording my 300th episode.
It's crazy.
300 episodes.
I remember back in 2021 when myteam at the time, consisted of
Michelle Fernandez.
She was helping me with socialmedia.
Kristen Kaplan was my projectmanager.
(00:45):
And Latasha Doyle, who still mycontent strategist, were saying,
I need a podcast.
And I was like, no.
I can't have one more thing onmy plate that I have to be
responsible for.
And they said.
All you have to do is record,record the episodes and we will
take care of the rest.
And basically that is whatsparked the Female Empowered
(01:07):
Podcast.
It started with, I was doingthese series called Female
Fridays, where I was featuring,just women in wellness and
fitness and it, transformeditself into a podcast and I'm on
my 300th episode.
It's crazy.
So today what I'm gonna do is Iam going to.
(01:28):
Shout out a bunch of otherpeople, specifically women who
have helped me make this podcastas well as my business, what it
is today.
So rather than spotlightingmyself, I wanna use this episode
to spotlight all of the womenthat helped me get to where I am
today.
(01:49):
the designers, the mentors, thebusiness besties, my podcast
guests, my clients turncollaborators, my Pilates in the
Grove team, and women whoempower other women every single
day.
'cause I truly believe that it'sall about collaboration over
competition.
And so.
Tune into this episode.
(02:10):
Maybe your name will be featuredon this episode, and so today is
a celebration of you, acelebration of all of you, a
celebration to my listeners, acelebration to the women who
have helped me get to where I amtoday.
So let's get started.
How about it?
So first off, I.
(02:34):
Would be re miss if I didn't.
First and foremost, thank mymother, Maria, Christina
Ramirez, Nina, who brought meinto this world and showed me
what.
Real work ethic is, single momraising three kids without a
college education.
And I certainly would not havethe opportunities I have today
(02:57):
if she had not paved the way,set the ground rules sacrificed
for herself so that we couldhave more.
So, mom, I don't think youlisten to my podcast, but I just
wanna give you a shout out andsay, none of this.
Would be what it is todaywithout her.
(03:17):
secondly, I wanna give a hugeshout out to my mother-in-law,
Leslie Gurka, who's no longerwith us.
we miss her every day, but she.
Gave me one of the first checkswhen I was, expanding from
Pilates on the beach to Pilatesin the Grove.
She cut me a check, no questionsasked.
She was one of our biggestsupporters, a client, and she
(03:41):
was an amazing, amazingmother-in-law.
Mother to my husband and mybrother-in-law, Seth, and an
amazing grandmother to my twochildren.
so those two women certainlywere impactful in my life, as
was my grandmother, my mom'smom, who again, is no longer
with us, who made us laugh.
(04:02):
Every single day of her life whotook me to Vegas many times.
And actually there's a funnystory.
Some of my closest friends knowthe story.
She brought me a diamond ringone time at the middle of the
blackjack table, which was very,funny and confusing to everyone
else at the blackjack table.
And just said, Christa, she hada Latin accent.
(04:24):
Christa, I think you want this.
This is, this is beautiful likeyou, and this is for you.
I love you, Christa, so mygrandmother, I love you and miss
you all the time.
And now I'd like to start withwomen who've poured into me as
my own personal mentors andcoaches.
(04:45):
The ones who held space for me,who taught me.
To see bigger than the vision Ihad of myself who challenged my
thinking and who reminded methat I did not have to figure it
out all by myself.
So back in 2013, I think it was,my first.
Business experience and businesscoaching was with Nikki.
(05:07):
I can't even remember her lastname at this point.
her company was called theCocktail, CEO.
And she's the one that actually,I, I think I was on a webinar,
and I'll never forget this.
I've told a story a bunch oftimes.
They were talking about brickand mortar businesses and I
didn't even know what a brickand mortar meant.
I had to Google it while we wereon the call.
What does brick and mortar mean?
And so that was my first,experience with business
(05:29):
coaching.
And she was amazing.
And she really, really showed mewhat it was like to have a
business, to own a business.
she helped me design my corevalues with my team.
And so.
That was my first realizationthat this could be bigger than
myself.
other people that I have learnedfrom, people whose mentors,
(05:51):
mentorships or masterminds I'vebeen a part of, Isha Hawk.
I was part of her mentorshipback in, 2020, Claire Paltro,
who did get paid marketing her,I did her mentorship.
Mastermind twice.
I'm currently in Ashley Brock's,win with paid Ads Mastermind.
and all led by women and so alsoall ran their businesses a
(06:14):
little bit different.
So it was really exciting for menot only to learn from these
women, but also to see how theyrun their businesses from the
inside out so that I could takewhat.
Worked for me and leave whatdidn't.
And it's always great, to reallyto sit in space with other
business owners and just see,recognize that the issues and
(06:38):
the problems that we're, wehave, we all have and that
everything is figureoutable.
yeah.
Definitely, I learned a lot fromall of these women and I feel
like I'm a lifelong learner andso I love being in learning
mode.
those were great mentorshipsalso, I've been very
transparent.
I loved my boutique fitnessmastermind that I was in.
(06:59):
Coming outta COVID.
There was, the seven figure tierand that is where I met some of
my.
business besties, which I willshout out and highlight a little
bit later.
But I really appreciateeverything that I learned in the
Boutique Fitness Mastermind andthe lifelong friendships that
(07:19):
will, I will certainly, I feelhave for the rest of my life.
I wanna acknowledge also thewomen behind all of the
spreadsheets and contracts, thefinancial minds, the legal
experts who helped me makesmarter informed decisions and
build a business that's bothprofitable and protected.
So these women have broughtclarity to the chaos and helped
(07:42):
me own my role as CEO.
Shout out to Sandy York, a FitMoney Coach, who's been my
bookkeeper for.
The last four years maybe I,everything again, blurs together
after 2020.
But I believe the last fouryears she really, really helped
me and was a huge, integral partof the transition and my
(08:05):
acquisition, sitting in on callsand helping explain the books,
doing the quality during thequality of earnings report.
She is a.
An amazing asset to any team.
So shout out to Sandy Fit MoneyCoach and also to Danielle
Hayden and her team, Aubrey andKelsey, and all of them over at
Kickstart Accounting.
(08:26):
They're the money team inside mymentorship programs, so they
have helped the businessesinside my program tremendously,
and I've also been greatsounding boards for me when I've
had some questions.
Their company is a full servicebookkeeping, and they even offer
accounting services as well.
So Sandy York Fit Money Coachand the women over at Kickstart
(08:48):
Accounting Inc.
Have really been integral in thegrowth of not only Pilates in
the Grove, but also Fitbitstrategies and my Christa Gurka
brand.
Now for the creatives, the womenwho helped bring my vision to
life and helped me reallyclarify my vision from websites,
to brand photos, to messagingthat actually resonates with me
(09:12):
and my ideal audience, the womenthat helped me look as
professional as I was.
Growing to feel in myprofessional life.
So my website, my branding, myvisual identity, Jess Creatives,
Jessica Freeman from JessCreatives.
She built my website at Pilatesin the Grove and really brought
(09:34):
that business, that brand tolife.
and then My Ride or Die, LatashaDoyle, founder and CEO of
uncanny content.
I truthfully don't know where Iwould be without this woman.
she will be featured on anepisode very soon because I'm
flying out to Denver to have aVIP day with her and work on
more branding and marketing andcontent for everyone.
(09:57):
So she literally has been withme since, right after the
inception of, my Christa Gurkabrand.
and has made Christa Gurka whatit is today.
She's my sounding board.
She helps me with a podcast,with the words, with the
messaging, with a website copy,with my emails, with my ad copy.
(10:21):
I mean, literally, I reallydon't know what I would do,
without her.
She's also one of the coaches inthe group.
She's expert.
She's helps with these womenwith.
SEO with website copy, withemail promotions, and she is a
plethora and a wealth ofknowledge.
And like I said, I don't knowwhere I'd be without her and her
(10:42):
business.
She writes, for the most part,all the words that you read on
my website and in my emails.
And so it has been a tremendoushonor to work.
For these last four years, thispodcast wouldn't be what it is
without the women who said yesto being on the mic with me.
Truthfully, each guest broughther own perspective, her wisdom,
(11:05):
her vulnerability, and.
Their stories have not onlyinspired me, but countless of
women who listen every week.
And you as listeners havereached out to me and let me
know how it's affected you.
And it's just really, reallyamazing that some of these
women, what they shared and I'mso grateful to them.
So anyone who has been on mypodcast, some are repeat guests.
(11:27):
Thank you to all the womenwho've had a voice, took a seat
at the mic, and volunteeredtheir time to be on this podcast
with me.
Next I'd like to give a shoutout to the women who have
mentioned my name, shared mywork, shouted me out in rooms.
I wasn't in and believed in whatI was doing, even though they
(11:49):
didn't have to.
Your support to me, yourreferrals.
Our price list.
So shout out to ShanteColefield, AKA, the movement
maestro.
She has sent me more referralsand shouted me out on her
socials.
I appreciate you.
Lex Lancaster, who's been a hugesupporter of mine as well.
(12:10):
people that have added me totheir websites and have shared
my name and my podcast, each andevery share is.
It is just so appreciated by me,and if it gives me the platform
and the ability to help one morewoman in wellness and help them
(12:31):
create a business thataccomplishes what they want in
life.
I'm just so, so appreciative forall of you that are always
sharing my podcast.
There's a lot of you out therethat share my podcast.
Katie Dato, balanced by Katie.
She's always sharing my podcast.
Laura Sommer.
She's always sharing my podcast.
Carrie Pages shares my podcast alot.
(12:53):
there's so many of you out therethat share my podcast.
I really, really appreciate it.
Beth, from Balance Yoga andPilates, there's just so many of
you that I am, I'm so incrediblyappreciative of, you know, the
opportunity to share my wisdomwith you and that you find it
valuable enough to share it withother people.
(13:14):
There are then women I'velearned from some from afar,
some through books, courses,different online content, and
you may not realize the roleyou've played, but you've made
me a better therapist, a betterbusiness owner.
A better mom, a better leader, abetter Pilates instructor.
And so some of the women thatI've learned from, Anna Hartman,
(13:36):
from Movement Rev, she's one ofthe smartest people I know.
Anna.
I hosted her to teach one of hercourses at our studio at Pilates
in the Grove.
Sherry Berkowitz, MadelineBlack, Carrie Pages.
There are so, so many people inthe Pilates and physical therapy
realm that I have learned fromthat leveled me up to be a
(14:01):
better practitioner, a betterinstructor, a better.
Business leader and coach.
And so there are so many of youI really, really appreciate.
And like I said, the women thatI learned from before, Claire
Paltro, from on marketing,Ashley Brock, who I'm learning
from right now on paid ads.
There are so many people that Iam honored to be in the room
(14:23):
with, and.
And I hope to be that for otherpeople as well.
Then there, there, there are thewomen that I talk to on the
regular, my business besties, mymastermind sisters, the close
friends who hear the wins andthe meltdowns.
The ones I Voxer with on thetreadmill or zoom with late at
night or FaceTime with from timeto time, you've all kept me
(14:45):
sane, grounded, and couragealways.
So the women that were in my BFSMastermind.
Amanda Freeman, Carrie Seitz,Felicia Alexander, Hagen Willie,
our sole male who was alwaysthere and is currently always
(15:06):
there.
Lisa, hers, Solomon, BethBishop, all of you guys.
I know that if I picked up aphone and needed something, you
would all be there.
Carrie, Felicia, Lisa, you guyshave been my rock during the
acquisition during the hardtimes.
Maybe some tears along the way.
(15:27):
I really don't know where I'd bewithout your friendship, without
your inspiration, without yourstand by me ness.
I'll never forget entering theroom, the zoom room of that
mastermind.
I'm thinking, damn, I'm in thisroom with the founder of SLT and
the founder of, fitting Room andJennifer Mane, the founder of
(15:51):
Physique 57.
I was I am, what am I doing inthis room?
And the kindness and the factthat we have now become, again,
what I think is lifelongfriends.
I really, don't know where I'dbe.
'cause I think it was you womenthat showed me what was
available to me in terms ofselling my business, in terms of
growing my business, in terms ofbeing able to step away from the
(16:13):
day to day.
And whether you know it or not,I'm eternally, eternally
grateful.
For all of you, so thank you somuch.
the behind the scenes heroes,every successful business is
built with a team.
And if you don't think that'strue, you're kidding yourself.
So I've been lucky to work withwomen who truly care, whether
(16:34):
it's podcast editing,scheduling, onboarding,
operations, this.
Is takes a village to do what wedo.
You guys deserve more creditthan I could ever give in one
episode, but I'm gonna shout youout anyways.
Now, Sarah was my very first VA.
I hired her back in 2020.
(16:55):
Catch Creative Labs is hercompany.
She's based outta thePhilippines.
She did my podcast, editing myvideo, editing my website.
She built my first website.
She built, one of the Pilatesand Grove websites.
She and her team wereinstrumental in me growing to
where I was able.
(17:15):
To get to and, I couldn'timagine that we would've worked
together more than three months,let alone she was on my team for
like three and a half years.
So Sarah, I'm eternally gratefulto you and your team, Courtney
Moody, my, current VA who we'vebeen working for over a year
now.
So thank you so much foreverything that you have done.
Kristen Kaplan, who was my veryfirst project manager, she was
(17:37):
the one that.
Helped me streamline, get myselfon Asana, you know, get myself
on different Airtable anddifferent types of platforms.
That really, really helped mestreamline my operations.
My current executive assistants,Darcy Smith and Amanda Rashford,
there really, really.
(17:58):
Helpful to me.
I can text them on a weekend atnight, ask them to help, and
they're always available to helpme out.
Again, Latasha is currentlystill on my team and I couldn't
imagine what I would be doingwithout her.
Thank you to Kia.
Kiko, PPC, who helps me.
When I need help running ads.
She has also helped some of thewomen in the group.
(18:20):
I'm always eternally gratefulfor your support and your
guidance.
and then finally the, when thepeople on my Pilates and the
Grove team, I mean, there are.
So many women and men thathelped me get to where I was
when I exited the company.
I'm definitely gonna forget somenames here, but I'll try to see
(18:41):
if I remember as many people aspossible.
So, Tracy, Deandra, Terry, Alex.
Kelsey.
Kelsey.
Kelly.
Kelly.
We had a lot of Kelsey's and alot of Kelly's.
Claudia Marisha, Tiffany,Marvin, Imani, Lauren, another
Lauren, couple, Stephanie's.
(19:02):
We had Stephanie and Stephanie.
Becky my very first.
Hi.
Well, she was an intern from,back when I opened in 2010.
Becky, I still remember you.
You were so inspiring back then.
So, Marcia, Lisa, Steve andJosh.
My COOs, Steve, the first COOIever hired.
(19:22):
I mean, so, so instrumental inhelping me turn Pilates in the
grove around Marilyn, Julie,Kristen, Kaitlyn, gosh.
There's so many people, so manypeople, Courtney, two
Courtney's, we had Ashley.
So I just, I'm eternallygrateful for everything you all
(19:44):
have done.
putting up with me when I wasdifficult.
I recognize I was a lot, I, andsticking with me seeing the
vision all the way through andhow all of you have really
handled the, Transition with metransitioning out, other people
transitioning in.
I'm just really proud to haveworked alongside you for, you
(20:07):
know, over the years and gettingto watch what Pilates in the
Grove has come to be over, the15 years that we were.
Open and working together.
I would be re miss if I didn'tthank Mitch McGinley and Kristen
from Boutique Fitness Broker whohelped me get my deal across the
finish line.
(20:27):
Thank you guys for sticking withme through thick and thin.
I really, really appreciate allof that.
I'm quite sure that there arepeople that I am missing, but I
wanna thank also the, the womenwho have I.
Seeing the value in what Ioffer, the women that have
(20:52):
signed up for my groups, mycurrent inner circle members,
Beth and Carol and Rosie, and,Amanda and Karen and Jen, Donna,
Erica.
Lauren, Amy, Audrey.
(21:12):
There are so many.
Nicole, there are so many of youwomen that the first women in
the inner circle.
Lauren and Katie, my women inthe Fit Biz community, Melissa,
Amanda.
Kristen, Molly, Laura.
(21:33):
oh my gosh, there's so many ofyou, Bridget.
I'm definitely forgetting namesat this point.
Molly.
Megan, there's just so many ofyou and I just wanna say thank
you.
Thank you, thank you so much forbelieving in me for.
Trusting in me to help you andyour business journey.
(21:56):
I am forever indebted to you.
'cause without you, the Fit Bizstrategies Christa, Gurka brand
would not be here.
Thank you to all of the clientsthat have, Come to Pilates in
the grove that believed in me,all of the athletes that saw
value in what I was offering,and were willing to work around
(22:17):
my schedule to be able to workwith you.
I really am just so grateful.
I have a wonderful, wonderfullife, a wonderful business, a
wonderful family.
I am truly.
lifted up and passionate aboutwhat I'm doing and without
(22:42):
people that have trusted me,vested in me, lifted me up,
shouted out my name, gave me achance.
That's one thing.
People that have given me achance to be in the room, I'm
just so, so grateful.
And if I forgot anybody, Iapologize, but know that.
If you've had any little bit ofa touchpoint with me, I am
(23:06):
grateful for all of you.
So as I wrap up this 300thepisode and looking forward to
the next 300 more, I'm remindedthat no woman builds a business
alone.
None of us do.
We rise together, we.
Fall together, we havebreakdowns together, and whether
(23:27):
we work together for a season oryou're still by my side day to
day, I thank you for being partof my story, for being a part of
my journey.
This milestone belongs to all ofus, and until next time, my
friends, bye for now.
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