Female emPOWERED: Winning in Business & Life

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and in today’s episode, we’re diving into a concept that can revolutionize your business: the “offer ladder” (also known as the “value ladder”). Whether you own a pelvic health physical therapy practice, run a Pilates studio, or operate another type of wellness business, having a strategic pricing struct...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today, we’re diving into the state of the boutique fitness industry and what to expect as we head into 2025. Whether you’re a physical therapy clinic owner, a Pilates studio owner, or just someone passionate about boutique fitness, you’ll want to hear how remote training, wearable tech, and even some unexpected fitness trends are sha...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re diving into a topic that could be costing you thousands (even hundreds of thousands) of dollars in missed revenue—an undertrained and underutilized team. I’m sharing real-life case studies from fitness and wellness businesses that have left more than $500,000 on the table simply because o...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re talking all about how to transform your fitness or wellness business in 2025. Whether you’re looking for growth, sustainability, profitability, or simply better systems, this episode is for you! I’ll be sharing why standard operating procedures (SOPs) are the secret to stepping out of the...

Welcome back to another episode of Female emPOWERED! Today, I'm going to talk about pricing or how to price your services for your boutique fitness business or your cash-based physical therapy practice, as this can go through for any client-based business. Pricing has nothing to do with what we all think, but a hundred percent reflection on what the customer thinks or what they feel is valuab...

Welcome back to another episode of Female emPOWERED! Today we're going to talk about what's required of you to surpass $300,000 revenue in your business and a couple of phases in business that you have to go through in order to achieve success. Let's talk about... Tips to maximize profit or increase revenue How to grow a team Important role of mission and vision in your business Ess...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re diving into a topic I’ve often shied away from—money. In this episode, I’m getting honest about my own financial journey, from the discomfort of out-earning family members to embracing the responsibility and freedom that come with financial success. We’ll explore the historical, generatio...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast ! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re spotlighting an inspiring business journey with Dr. Laura Summer, the founder and CEO of In Motion Physical Therapy. Dr. Laura’s story is one of resilience, growth, and learning to lead with intention while balancing the demands of business and family life. In this episode, Dr. Laura sha...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast ! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re featuring an inspiring story of unexpected entrepreneurship with Beth Adas, owner of Balance Yoga and Pilates in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Beth’s journey into business ownership is a testament to taking leaps of faith. When the previous owners of the studio announced they were closing, Beth—...

Welcome back to another episode of Female Empowered with your host, Christa Gurka! In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that can completely change the way you experience entrepreneurship: cultivating a mindset of gratitude. Especially during the busy holiday season, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget to appreciate the privilege of building something meaningful. Here’s a s...

Welcome back to another episode of Female Empowered with your host, Christa Gurka! Today, I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the Women in Wellness Business Summit , our fourth annual event that just wrapped up, and it was an absolute game-changer. Not only did we sell out for the first time ever with 25 incredible women, but the event was packed with hands-on learning, strategic planning,...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we have a fantastic episode featuring Dr. Amanda Frank, the founder and CEO of Uplift Physical Therapy in San Antonio, TX. If you’ve ever thought about starting your own physical therapy practice—or are curious about the world of pelvic health PT—this episode is a must-listen! Dr. Amanda Frank...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today’s episode flips the script a bit as Latasha Doyle, founder and CEO of Uncanny Content, takes over as the host to interview me, Christa Gurka! We’re kicking off a special series where we highlight different business stories, and what better way to start than by diving into my journey of building and growing Pilates in the Grove?...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today’s episode is perfect for the spooky season—filled with scary tales of studio ownership and fitness instructing. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just getting started, these stories will entertain you and give you some valuable lessons on how to avoid these “spooky” situations. In thi...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Napolitano, an experienced commercial real estate landlord, to dive into the ins and outs of negotiating effective commercial leases . This episode is packed with valuable insights for small business owners, especially in the fitness and wellness industries, who are navigati...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today, we’re talking all about alternatives to price discounting for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As business owners, we often feel pressured to slash prices during the holiday season, but I’m here to show you how you can add value instead of gutting your prices. In this episode, I’ll share several strategies you can implement to m...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we have a special guest joining us—Monica Spoelstra, a PR expert and holistic health coach. In this episode, we’re taking a look at how business owners can learn to be their own PR agency and take charge of their media presence. Monica and I talk about the key differences between marketing and...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka, and today we’re talking all about planning for Q4 and reviewing your business’s success in 2024 to set yourself up for an incredible 2025. In this episode, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to evaluate your business performance, identify areas for improvement, and develop a strategic plan for...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today, we’re diving into an important topic for all fit biz studio owners, wellness business owners, and private pay physical therapy practice owners—building a personal brand. In this episode, our host Christa Gurka shares her own journey of creating a personal brand alongside her Pilates studio, Pilates in the Grove. She explores h...

Welcome back to the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today’s episode is a must-listen for boutique fitness and wellness business owners looking to elevate their presence through personal branding. Joining us are expert guests Latasha Doyle and Lauren from Uncanny Content. They share their invaluable insights on how to effectively balance a business brand with a personal brand, ensuring each has its uniqu...

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! Today, our host Christa Gurka is going to take a look at the essential difference between marketing and sales and how to adeptly manage both to thrive in your business. In this episode, we explore the distinctive roles that marketing and sales play within a business, especially using a Pilates studio as a real-life example....

Welcome back to the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! In this episode, I’m excited to discuss teacher training and continuing education programs in the fitness industry. Running a teacher training or continuing education program involves a lot of work but can be incredibly rewarding. It helps build a pipeline of high-quality instructors and generates additional revenue streams. With the current challenges...

Welcome back to another episode of the Female EmPOWERED Podcast! I’m your host, Christa Gurka. Today, we’re discussing an important topic for fitness and wellness business owners: how to prepare your business for the fall and the end of the year. In this episode, I’ll be covering several key strategies to ensure you’re set up for success as the year wraps up, including: Evaluating and adjusting st...

Hello everyone! Today is a new episode of Female Empowered and I will share with you how six- and seven-figure business owners manage to take a month off and how you can do it, too!   My Take Years Ago On Business Owners Who Step Away From Their Business Seven or eight years ago, I used to look at people who can take the time off from their business as not real business owners. I thought that if y...

Welcome back to another episode of Female emPOWERED! Do you want to know what I learned the hard way when I first started (and then tried to grow) my business? Not all Google advice is good, and not all free strategies apply to your business. If you're trying to start your own gym, serve physical therapy patients, grow a studio and help people feel better in their bodies... you have a unique...