“A lot of people are lonely and they don’t even really know it until they find a connection, until they find that sense of community and involvement,” says Sadie Lincoln, co-founder of barre3, a fitness franchise that blends strength, cardio, and mindfulness. In this episode, she joins Alex Raymond to share her personal journey—from feeling isolated as a new parent to building a global community that empowers women entrepreneurs and fosters real connection.

Sadie delves into how barre3 challenges the fitness industry’s harmful messaging, which often promotes shame and an unhealthy relationship with exercise. By integrating mindfulness, barre3 encourages people to honor their bodies and stay present, transforming fitness into something life-affirming rather than just a means to an end. She explains how barre3’s inclusive community prioritizes relationships just as much as the workouts themselves. This sense of belonging became especially crucial during the pandemic when connection was needed more than ever.

Sadie also highlights barre3’s unique business model—194 studios, all owned and operated by women. What drives its success? She credits collective wisdom, local ownership, and core principles like enlightened hospitality and creating workplaces where people truly thrive.

As a leader, Sadie reflects on her growth and leadership style, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, maintaining high standards, and creating space for her team to learn and grow.

Quotes

• “There is nothing like starting your own business and scaling it to learn about yourself. This has been the most humbling journey of my life. It continues to humble me.” (32:21 | Sadie Lincoln)
• “I’m in an environment wherein, within closed doors or in a more public setting, I can share when I failed or when things didn’t go well and what I learned from it because that’s the culture. The culture is just like in a barre3 class. If you choose to do a move that doesn’t serve you and it’s giving you pain in your joints, maybe on all fours you’ve got a knee injury and you’re hurting your knee on all fours waiting on the floor, recognize, ‘Oh, this isn’t working for me. I’m going to modify it. I’m going to stand up and do this at the barre instead to honor that pain in my knee but still move my fitness forward.’ That’s a real metaphor for being a leader.” (41:46 | Sadie Lincoln)
• “I think even in a team setting, what’s even more powerful is to have respect and understanding for other people, where they are, and where their strengths are. That way, we’re not projecting onto other people and expecting everybody to operate the same way we do as individuals.” (44:20 | Sadie Lincoln)

Links

Connect with Sadie Lincoln:

Website: https://barre3.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

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