The Female Equation: Liz Lowe

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When I was transitioning from New York City to Los Angeles, I spent a few weeks back at home in sunny Sarasota, Florida. While I was home I wanted to find somewhere to workout and a good friend recommended Scorch Fitness, created by Liz Lowe.

I got my butt kicked, but I loved it!! Since that day, I’ve been a huge fan of Liz and her daily hustle to inspire others to be their best selves.

Liz graduated from the University of Vermont in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training Education and is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She’s been a personal trainer for eight years and most recently managed and created the workout programming for IMG Academies, Ignite 360 fitness facility.

Scorch isn’t just a gym, it’s a lifestyle center where you can go to focus on your goals in a clean, professional and motivating environment. Liz’s workouts and training advice have been featured in Men’s Fitness Magazine, Muscle and Fitness, and Schwarzegger.com and I’m so happy to be featuring her today here on Positive Equation!

Q1: When did you decide to start your biz? Was there an “aha” moment?

A1: I wish there had been an “aha” moment! It probably would have made things a little easier for me. Technically, I decided to start my business back in October of 2014…the doors didn’t open until December of 2015.

I worked for a very large corporation that gave me a lot of insight into the strength that the workout programs I had created for them could have. I saw the inner workings of what it was to start, manage, and grow a business. I saw what it took to make sales and the best part, what it was to create a team to run the whole thing.

If it wasn’t for the constant push from my friends and former business partner I would have never (at that time) thought about moving forward with Scorch. If you had told me I would have owned my own gym I would have said a giant, “Heck NO!” Now here I am, over 3 years in and getting ready to expand. Life is crazy.

Q2: What challenge have you overcome and how?

A2: Owning my own business has come with about 98476738 challenges but the biggest so far has been splitting from my original business partner. When we first opened the doors, everything was great, but what I’ve learned is you can never change anyone’s views, mindset and passion…or just HOPE they eventually share the same mission as you. Every person is different and you need to be able to respect that.

The challenge didn’t only come from finding funds for the buyout itself, but actually digging deep down and recognizing that this brand is who I am and I do have the strength and capabilities to grow it with or without others.

I feel like a lot of the time as women or honestly people in general, we lack the ability to see ourselves accomplishing our ultimate goals without the help of others. I had to dig so deep and scare the shit out of myself to realize I have everything it takes to grow my dream. Does this mean not working with others? Absolutely not! It does mean recognizing who is on a similar path as you and who you are able to communicate with effectively so that things actually get done. It also means believing in your brand so much that you’re comfortable guiding other experts to effectively help you to make things happen.

Q3: Who’s an inspiration or mentor to you in this rollercoaster ride of owning your own biz + one piece of advice they’ve shared with you.

A3: This one is a tough-y for me since I’m actively searching now for a mentor. The fitness world is very saturated and it’s full of fads and gimmicks and things that don’t actually help people.

For this reason, I’ve looked to strong businesswomen and men who have started companies outside of my industry from nothing to guide me, but I’ve found I get my true inspiration from elite athletes.

I pride myself and the success of my business on the athlete mindset…the performance mindset. Everything you do in your life (from relationships to business) should be centered around performance…and I think the quote from Des Linden, 2018 Boston Marathon winner says it perfectly, “Some days it just flows and I feel like I’m born to do this, other days it feels like I’m trudging through hell. Every day I make the choice to show up and see what I’ve got and try to be better. My advice: keep showing up.”

Q4: We all need fuel! What’s your current go-to podcast or book right now?

A4: Right now I’m switching between two books. The first is “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller and “The Employee Experience Advantage” by Jacob Morgan.

I’ve been trying to focus on what it is to truly get a team of people to run a business who live and breathe the culture. It’s very easy for me as the owner to love the Scorch brand, but what is it to my employees?

To be a strong contender as we expand in the fitness franchise world, all employees of Scorch need to love the brand, culture and mindset as much as me…so I’ve been trying to do a lot of learning around that and what influences brand loyalty and a growth mindset for every team member.

The second part of that is, how does this culture and mindset come across to our members? Scorch helps me be better in all areas of my life.

Q5: What does a “positive equation” look like to you?

A5: A positive equation to me is when you pair a performance mindset with actual purpose you can change the world. Performance Mindset + Purpose = Change.

Liz, you rock! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience with us in this #TheFemaleEquation feature! You can find Liz on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @lizlowefitness.

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