In this week’s episode, I interview Niyah Marie (Jackie) of Spice Pole & Aerial Fitness located in the heart of Duluth, Georgia. Niyah Marie shares her journey into the Aerial Community and how she fell in love with it. We chat about how she first opened her space (literally from the beginning), how perseverance pays off and how to ask for help when you need it.
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Journey into Aerial Community & Pole Dancing
- Back in 2008, Niyah Marie started getting serious on her fitness journey. She tried so many things that time, doing LA Fitness, Treadmill, and Ellipse. She even got into kickboxing. But at one point, she wanted to try something more that actually challenges her.
- She was encouraged by her friend to try out pole dancing classes but she was hesitant and it wasn’t a “real” workout for her. She was looking for something that challenges her strength and physique. She was inspired seeing her friend performing a pole dance at a house party they both attended.
- She enrolled into a pole dance class that same week. She officially started pole dancing November 2013. She instantly fell in love with the pole community as they are very positive, amazing and supportive women that she was able to make connections with. She also love the great pole dancing music just made her feel the vibe more!
- Niyah Marie first worked as an instructor in a big studio in Atlanta, and she loved it! She loves interacting with her students and seeing them progress but because of business-related changes, she had to go. She got into another Pole Studio but things still didn’t work out several months after and she had to leave.
Building her own Pole Studio
- With the influence of her friends, Niyah Marie started looking for spaces and wanted to see if she could open a studio that is within her budget. She initially just planned for 1 year lease. And let it go when it’s time to let it go.
- A series of events seemed to discourage Niyah Marie. One unfortunate event lead to another that seemed starting her own pole studio far from reach. But one step back is actually two steps ahead into starting a business for Niyah Marie.
- She leveraged those setbacks and started taking steps into starting her own business. From naming the business, registering the business, creating business plan to making her business financial plan etc. And she always believes, what’s meant for you is going to happen to you.
- She started reaching out to Tenant Base and they gave her leads to spaces that she could look into. Decided to give it a go and put up her own business, her friend assisted her with the design and aesthetics of the studio, and she named her Pole Studio, “Spice”.
- Began with 10 pole instructors, she particularly looked for someone who is really passionate into teaching it.
- Grand Opening of Spice was 1st week of July 2018 but classes didn’t start to fill right away. There were classes that were empty but she enjoyed and was happy even just having 1-3 people to teach in her classes when they started. Now her community just keeps growing and growing! And she just keeps adding more classes that are fun and challenging especially for beginners.
- Started with Sensual Dance classes and started adding few touches here and there and added a class with rock music called Alter Ego and now it is there most popular class in the pole studio. Russian Exotic, Exotic Class step up to the Nasty, Spin Pole. Classes are fun and challenging and each class is one hour and covers several of the five Spice Elements that are definitely beginner-friendly!
Quotes:
“The community was really amazing and so supportive and, you know, just meeting positive individuals and making connections with women in a way that I’d never really command for. It just felt good.”
“The seed was already planted and at a certain point, it worked out. But I was discouraged. But I think I had that drive. And I always tell people, what’s meant for you is going to happen. Nobody could have taken that desire from me at that point, no matter what the obstacle was.”
“Anybody can hop on a pole and learn some tricks and be amazing at it. But the people that I want here in my space are here because pole actually is something that’s changed their lives.”
Niyah’s Favorite Performance of herself – PSO Southern 2019 Exotic Level 4- Senior
Niyah’s Favorite Performance of someone else – The queen herself, Ashley Fox from Black Girls Pole Showcase at PoleCon 2019
To Connect with Niyah Marie of Spice Pole & Aerial Fitness:
Studio Website | Niyah Marie’s Instagram | Studio Instgram
Want to hear more? Check out Episode #18 with Torwa Joe and Episode #19 with Squeak Machine & Brian Wolf.