Conversations with Suzanne Banker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne Banker.

Hi Suzanne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started out as a young mom of four with a passion for fitness and movement but no idea of how to share this with the community. At the time I was a homeschooling mom of four little kids and had no previous business owner experience. I got connected to a fitness professional and method creator by a mutual friend and ended up helping her film some postnatal workouts. She told me I should teach, and this was exciting for me to think that could be a possibility! I then went through months of training and co-teaching to become a barre certified instructor in all levels. I got my start teaching in Nashville at a small studio off Music Row at 5:30 several mornings a week. I would get up around 3:30 to feed my baby and then drive 45 minutes to teach a double class and be home by 7:30 when my husband had to leave for work. It was exhausting but exhilarating. I loved connecting to the many college students that came and just energizing and filling their cups every day. I eventually ended up buying a local studio and learning the business side of everything. I couldn’t get over how much I loved the energy, the fun, the encouragement and the community of a small studio that knows your name and genuinely cares about you. I then decided to grow and expand to a new area, so we rebranded and moved to Franklin in the Berry Farms area in 2017. Getting that location open was an uphill fight for over a year, but we did it! We were instantly flooded with clients and had to keep adding classes to meet the growing needs!

Over the next five years, I learned so much about business ownership and what it takes to be a team leader. In 2019 we started working on a second location concept and launched that studio in 2020 (epic timing, I know). To say this was hard is an understatement. Opening a studio in the middle of a pandemic is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. No one was looking for a new membership to go anywhere and the bills were flooding in and we didn’t qualify for any government assistance. It almost broke me. But through that, I grew and learned things that made me and our studio who we are today. We were on the brink of closing when suddenly people just started showing up. Lots of prayer and long, lonely hours putting in the work started to bring the community to fruition. Now we are busting at the seams! Our passion is welcoming every person that comes through the doors and letting them know they can do this. All levels, all bodies, all backgrounds, all goals are welcome.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being an entrepreneur/creator of a brand is challenging because you don’t have the support like you would in the corporate or franchise world. You have to do a lot yourself, put in the work, research, and develop creative collaborations. You wear all the hats! It’s been important to build a team and outsource what I can, but also the lights go off and on with you. Leadership can be lonely and burnout is a real thing. I’ve learned a lot along the way about asking for help, saying no, and not comparing myself to others. I have to stay in my own lane and keep the main things the main thing.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before becoming a fitness trainer, I always loved the creative side of things and I loved people. I love to cook and I love to write music, so I’m always thinking of ways to spice things up and make things exciting and fun. But beyond that, helping people make connections, feel welcome, and know they belong and are cared about is my greatest passion. Every job I had before this was in customer service and I learned so much about working with people and the human need to be known and valued.

Today, I have completed countless certifications and teach many methods and modalities, but I truly cannot describe to you the joy of a full room of clients ready to work, sweat, laugh, and have fun. Sometimes clients drag in the room exhausted, weary or with a heavy heart. I just want to meet them where they are and serve them the best I can. There’s nothing better than someone releasing stress, proving to themselves they can, or crying on the mat after a hard class. Living life out there is hard – and movement is more than just your physical body looking good, or a certain pant size, or six packs abs. That’s not really the point at all. It’s taking care of yourself so you can take care of others better. I call it “cheap therapy.” While it’s no substitute for real therapy, it’s amazing what an hour of sweat and hard work can do for your mental, emotional and spiritual health too. Sometimes when life is really hard you need a workout to be harder. It just helps you release it and prove to yourself you CAN. The mental grit gained in the workout translates to real life, too.

I am the instructor that wants to build you up. Wants to push you just enough to remind you that you can do hard things, but also remind you that it’s ok to rest. It’s ok to modify, back off, and listen to your body. It’s ok to yell, scream, cry or laugh. This hour is for you and I love facilitating this safe space for everyone that walks through the doors.

Some of my favorite classes to teach are interval or HIIT style classes incorporating strength, cardio and stretching, and fly bounce, our mini trampoline class! It’s a blast where you feel like a kid again and it’s a total heart-pumping total body workout. Everyone has to try it!! Low impact and great for your joints, heart, and coordination.

How do you think about happiness?
I love laughing and hanging with my family and friends! We have a big family of 6 and it’s always a big ruckus. We love going to the beach, smoking bbq and having a neighborhood block party, and making music together. I also genuinely love hard work. I love setting goals and finding ways to crush them. I love dreaming up new ideas and the visionary part of the business. I also genuinely love connecting to people. I love love people, their stories, and what the power of community can do.

Pricing:

• Most people get started on our intro offer. It’s 2 weeks of unlimited classes for $49. We do this because we have SO much variety and want new clients to get a feel for all we really offer. This way you can try to fly bounce, a yoga sculpts, tabata barre, flow and restore, circuit strength and 11:11 yoga fusion and decide which classes are your favorite!
• After that, most clients hop on the VIP unlimited monthlymembership. It’s auto renewing but there is no contract. We never want anyone roped into a long-term commitment because we believe if you want to be here, you will. Our classes and instructors are that good, you’ll keep coming back for more, we just know it!
• You can also buy a 10-pack of classes or a drop-in if your schedule doesn’t allow you to visit as frequently as you would like.

Contact Info:

• Website: freeflowyoga.com
• Instagram: freeflowyogafranklin
• Facebook: Free Flow Yoga

Image Credits
Photos by @heyworldbethany and @jenniepyfferoen.familyfilms