We recently had the chance to connect with Kristin Weissman and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kristin, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
I think the most surprising thing that I have learned about my customers is that no matter how much you strive to create the perfect service, product or environment, business is truly about connection. I have found that every adult is so very similar – no matter your age, your background, or your personal level of experience, adults today are looking to be seen and to be heard. They are seeking connection and kindness. Something that I feel we are deeply missing in the last several years, and that outstanding customer service is sadly no longer that easy to find. Giving your customers the attention they deserve and being genuine with a warm and friendly smile to let them know that they really matter to you and to your business, reaches them on a level that your service or product could never do. Remembering why you love your business and showing how grateful you are for your customers by going that extra step to open up to them and create a lasting relationship, is what resonates most of all. It really is that simple.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kristin Weissman and I am the Founder and CEO of Studio K (www.studiokorlando.com) in Orlando, FL! Founded in 2010, Studio K is the first studio of our kind in the nation featuring the largest variety of dance and fitness classes for adults of all levels of ability. What makes us different is that Studio K not only offers unique class offerings and specialty Workshops created in-house that you just won’t find anywhere else, but most importantly, Studio K offers a kind and supportive environment with zero judgement for brand new beginner dancers, to the top pros in the industry. At Studio K, you will see every age, shape, size, and level of ability, and even members with disabilities who thrive in our dance family. I truly believe we are so much more than just a dance studio – seeing our members grow with confidence, create new friendships, and fall in love with dance for the very first time or all over again, makes every day matter.
This year marks the 15-year anniversary of Studio K and this August, we are so honored to announce that Studio K was named the #1 Best Studio Body and Soul for the 10th consecutive year and the #1 Best Gym/Workout Facility over fitness giants, LA Fitness and Planet Fitness! Studio K has also been recently selected for inclusion in a popular travel book series, the “111 Places in Orlando That You Must Not Miss.”
A a 25-year professional in the Public Relations industry who has loved dance since I was a little girl, when the time came for me to find a much-needed stress reliever to improve my health and well-being, I was too embarrassed to go to the gym and just wanted somewhere I could take a dance class and have fun. A studio without children, a place that didn’t only feature professionals, and something other than a regular fitness class in a gym in a glass room where everyone could watch – I quickly found that did not exist. Studio K was born and the entire course of my life changed forever! Today, in addition to owning Studio K, I also own Kristin Weissman PR which has also won the #1 Best PR Firm in Orlando for the last three years.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Without question, my Mom and Dad taught me the most about work and even more about having a strong work ethic. My Mom worked in a corporate environment for the entirety of her career, and my Dad served as a Philadelphia Police Officer and later as an entrepreneur. Through their lifelong example, I saw that anything is possible with honest hard work and dedication. I am also an only child and from the time I can remember, my parents always taught me to stand on my own, to earn everything that I wanted to achieve, and to know that through hard work, dreams and determination, anything is possible. I can definitely say that my family has fought to earn their success through the good times and the bad, and I am forever grateful to have had them as my inspiration and as my mentors to this day.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
When I opened Studio K in our very first home, I resigned from my full-time successful career in Public Relations and took the biggest risk and investment in myself and in opening my new business. After two amazing years, we had a shocking blow when a popular retail outlet purchased our space for expansion and we were forced to leave. It was something I never thought possible and something as a first-time brick and mortar business owner that I never imagined would occur. I lost everything in a blink of an eye and I was forced to close our doors because I did not have the financial backing to do it all again on my own so quickly and to rebuild when everything, and I do mean everything, was put into the first location.
Most of all, I was so deeply hurt because I felt that I had failed. I had let everyone down as no one really knew what truly happened which was tremendously embarrassing and the most defeating experience I had ever faced.
To heal, I did what I do best – I worked. I worked three jobs for three years to recover all that I lost. I was exhausted mentally and physically, but I was more determined than ever to make a comeback and to prove to myself that my business did not fail – that I did not fail. It was something that happened and I had to fight for my dream and try again. I brought Studio K back and for the last ten years, I have proven that I’m a survivor and destined to be an entrepreneur. We made it through that, we made it through COVID, and we have made it through so many other obstacles thrown in our way and Studio K continues to thrive and to rise. That is what heals me. Coming in every day and seeing the smiles, feeling that connection, and knowing I’m doing all that I can to make a difference – it is all so very worth it.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
There are two powerful celebrity entrepreneurs and philanthropists I admire deeply for their character and how they present themselves in business and how they personally relate to the public – Marcus Lemonis and Sara Blakely. I have followed both for many years, and what connects with me the most is their kindness, their work ethic and their genuine love for people.
They have equally proven their success by the hard work and the empires they have created, however, it is how they connect to others and how they teach that motivates and inspires me. I had the honor of meeting Marcus once and everything I had ever felt to be true about his character, he demonstrated effortlessly that day. The type of entrepreneur they consistently say that they are seeking in business is one that I know in my soul that I am and I very much believe that I am meant to work with them someday and introduce them to Studio K. Both he and Sara are my business inspiration from afar and I feel so grateful for the work that they do and for how they show up in the world to encourage us all to strive for greatness and to always remember that people come first, and absolutely everything else is secondary.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I’m gone from this world, I hope that people will remember the legacy of Studio K and how it made a difference in their lives. I hope they say that because of the business I created, I touched their life in some way and made it brighter, that I made them feel happier, or that I truly made them smile and forget about the stresses of the day.
I hope they say they knew how very grateful I was every single day for their business, for their friendship, and for making my life deeply matter. I do not have children and come from a very small family, so the family I have built within this business is without a doubt, my legacy. I believe those closest to me will say how much I sacrificed or how hard I worked for many years, or that standing up for the underdog is what fueled my passion, but what I hope is remembered most of all is that I always valued kindness above all else, and I always wanted everyone in the room to know how important they are.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.studiokorlando.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/studiokorlando
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinweissman/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/studiokorlando
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/studiokorlando
- Other: My personal sites are: www.kristinpr.com and www.kristinweissman.com.
Image Credits
My Photo is credited to Tamara Knight Photography.
