At Knoxville Moms Blog, we love working with local businesses. We’ve discovered throughout our past year that there are many inspirational and innovative women behind many successful businesses—right here in Knoxville! We’re starting a monthly series spotlighting these amazing women and telling their story. If you know a woman that should be highlighted, be sure to email us at info{dot}knoxvillemomsblog{dot)com and tell us why you think they should be featured on our site.
Be a self starter. Let your first hour set a theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo throughout your entire day. Let what you love be what you do. These are themes that Katy Richardson strives for in every-day life. Katy, who moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in August of 2011, is the founder of NEIGHBORHOOD barre fitness studios, and she has a passion for seeing others reach their goals and change their lives with the NEIGHBORHOOD barre technique. Since opening the first studio at The Northshore Town Center, NEIGHBORHOOD barre has grown to consist of five locations in three states.
Richardson, a certified yoga instructor, graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, Concentrating in Finance, and a secondary degree in Accounting. Coming from an adventuresome household, she has embraced a healthy and active lifestyle since a young age, participating in both cheerleading and outdoor sports. Her passion for cheerleading carried over into college where she was a member of the Samford University cheerleading squad for four years. During her college career she began to develop an interest in non-traditional forms of exercise, such as yoga and pilates. She was first introduced to barre-based exercise in 2009, where she had the “this is it” moment and has since pursued her love for the technique by studying and training in a variety of methods before writing her own classes.
NEIGHBORHOOD barre classes are based off of the ‘Lotte Berk’ technique, but with a little bit of a twist, as the classes are fast paced, extremely dynamic, and deliver an interval cardio effect that is hard to find in most barre-based workouts. Participants can expect to get a total-body workout in each 55-minute class. The program is designed to accommodate all fitness levels, ages, and it is suitable for both male and female patrons. So that clients can break through to a new level, they are encouraged to work to fatigue in every class – i.e. until the arms, legs, and abs actually shake with exhaustion. All classes are low-impact, easy on the joints, and help improve both posture and balance.
So why Knoxville? Katy moved to Knoxville not knowing a soul because of one thing – a gap in the market. “I did not end up here by chance. I chose Knoxville as a place that I could start slowly and build my technique over time. It was always my intention to be more than the ‘little local studio.’ I saw the big picture and have worked extremely hard to grow my business.” Richardson has expanded her barre brand not only through opening additional locations, but also by producing and releasing two workout DVDs in two years. “It was risky, but I knew if we did a good job it would be worth it for brand awareness.” So far, so good, as the “barreSKINNY” DVDs are available on amazon.com and have been sold worldwide since their release. While the future is unpredictable, it is certain that in the here and now barre is it for Katy Richardson. When recently asked to reveal her ‘secret ambition,’ the only answer she could give was “I’m living it!”
Be sure to check out NEIGHBORHOOD barre at their two locations in Knoxville and at their newest studio in Maryville.
