Exploring Life & Business with Marisa Huffman of GLOW Fitness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Huffman.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? 
After receiving my MBA with a focus in professional accounting, I joined a major accounting firm while also studying for the CPA exam. I soon realized that I was unhappy with both accounting and Corporate America, leading to my decision to create an exit strategy. Three short days after the lone thought of entertaining other career pathways, I was recruited to join the founding team of what we now know as GLOW Fitness as the Director of Operations. Fast forward a few months, our Buffalo-based team moved to Raleigh, excited as ever, to open our very own group fitness studio in an up-and-coming, warm city. Unfortunately, as we started touring spaces and getting all of our ducks in a row, the pandemic brought our efforts to a halt. Online challenges. endless brainstorming and reconsideration of plans, and never before tested amounts of patience pushed us through the almost 2 years of waiting for the greenlight to give our efforts another shot. During that time, I also became co-owner of GLOW – a major transition for my career. Now, GLOW has been open for almost a year, and the time doesn’t seem to be slowing down! I’m beyond grateful every single day to have had this opportunity to watch a beautiful community bloom and to bring a fun twist on fitness to Raleigh! 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In terms of GLOW – opening alone was a major struggle. Not only did COVID set us back almost 2 years, but once we did start, we still faced several setbacks. Finding an available space that would bring our vision to life was challenging, but the renovations proved to be the biggest battle. It took around 9 months for our renovation plans to be completed and then approved by the city. From there, actually completely the renovations took just as long. Turns out we weren’t the only ones eager to open a business post-pandemic – so supply chain was a never-ending battle. I mentioned how our patience was tested like never before, right? Haha. 

As you know, we’re big fans of GLOW Fitness. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
GLOW Fitness is a group fitness studio that focuses on empowering the community through inclusivity and exertainment (exercise meets entertainment). We have an energetic, refreshing studio space with 3 separate rooms for the several different types of classes we offer (indoor cycling, barre, yoga, strength training, dance, sound healing, and more). Bright lights, good music, and welcoming staff are the baseline of what anyone can expect when walking into GLOW. We’re often complimented on how inclusive and welcoming our community is, both staff and members, which is definitely something that sets us apart and that we’re extremely proud of. Plus, our main focus is always our community – giving back, providing a safe space, hosting events, and enjoying our time together. We’d love for people to know that GLOW is a place where you can come relinquish any gym worries – we’re all just trying to feel good about ourselves while doing something good for ourselves! We believe in a well-rounded wellness routine, so offering different classes for the different needs of our body is important to us. 

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
PATIENCE! Bet you didn’t see that one coming! Opening GLOW almost 3 years later than planned tested me, my dedication, and my patience heavily. Relieving myself of the desire to control what was happening, staying patient, and doing what I could was not easy for me. I have become a much more patient person, though, as a result. 

Pricing:

• First class at GLOW is free for a limited time
• $149 monthly for unlimited classes
• Drop-in classes and packages also available if a membership doesn’t make sense for you

Contact Info:

• Website: glowraleigh.com
• Instagram: @glow_raleigh

Image Credits
Rick
Gorilla Marketing
Mike
Sube Films