The Emergence Podcast

In this week's episode of The Walk, Laura opens up about her recent creative struggles and self-doubt while reflecting on her conversation with Pilates instructor Alexa Idama. She shares her personal battle with perfectionism and the pressure she puts on herself to be exceptional, which has led to a two-week creative rut and emotional breakdown. Drawing inspiration from Alexa's insights about cons...

Laura is joined by Alexa Idama, a third-generation classical Pilates instructor based in Atlanta, founder of Peachtree Pilates, and the voice behind Low Impact Fit. Alexa shares her transformative journey from earning a psychology degree and working in corporate settings to discovering her calling in movement as medicine through a life-changing encounter with chronic knee pain. In this episode, Al...

In this episode of The Walk, Laura reflects on her recent conversation with guest Gabe Snow and expands on the importance of emotional honesty, intentional growth, and redefining strength. She shares her own mid-year check-in process—from setting clear goals and non-negotiables to identifying habits she’s leaving behind in 2024. Laura explores how writing things down can create accountability and...

Laura is joined by Brooklyn-based personal trainer and life coach Gabe Snow, who shares his transformative journey from struggling with mental health, body image struggles, and steroid use as a football player and model to becoming a "mind & body architect" who views movement as medicine. In this episode, Gabe reflects on how his background in psychology and neuroscience shaped his unique trai...

In this episode of The Walk, Laura reflects on her recent conversation with guest Christie Wang and explores the essential balance between ambition and self-compassion in building a career. She unpacks Christie's journey from dance and modeling into teaching and studio ownership, highlighting how rejection can become redirection when used as fuel for confidence. Laura discusses the reality tha...

Laura sits down with Christie Wang, a San Diego–based classical Pilates instructor and fitness entrepreneur, to talk about her journey from college student to studio owner. After years of self-doubt sparked by a mentor’s harsh feedback, Christie slowly built her business from teaching in her apartment with secondhand gear to running a thriving, modern studio rooted in classical instruction. She sh...

In this episode of The Walk on The Emergence Podcast , Laura reflects on her recent conversation with guest Michael Autore and dives deeper into the theme of betting on yourself. She unpacks the idea as a multidimensional practice—emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial—and shares how it’s less about a single moment of bravery and more about cultivating a steady, resilient mindset over time....

Laura sits down with Michael Autore, a New York-based coach and entrepreneur transitioning from his full-time role at MOTIV to focus on his brand SlimThick. Michael shares his journey from small-town Connecticut to NYC's fitness scene. Navigating personal loss during the pandemic while building community through Instagram Live classes, he shares how that shaped his coaching philosophy—one that pri...

In this episode of The Walk, Laura reflects on her recent weekend with guest Saphi Gonzalez and revisits their earlier conversation on community, mindset, and personal growth. She explores the value of showing up authentically, building trust with clients, and embracing the season you're in—whether busy or slow. Through stories from her own teaching journey, Laura highlights the power of grati...

Laura is joined by Miami-based Pilates instructor Saphi Gonzalez, who shares her journey from a career in corporate marketing to running a thriving home-based classical Pilates studio. In this episode, Saphi reflects on what it’s meant to find deeper alignment in her work, the role of faith and gratitude in her business, and how she’s leveraged her digital marketing expertise to build a loyal and...

In this episode of The Walk series, Laura reflects on her conversation with Oscar Arana, a fitness coach based in New York City, and explores the importance of setting boundaries as a teacher. From protecting your energy to learning when to say no, she shares personal insights on avoiding burnout, staying present, and making space for growth, both for yourself and your clients. A grounding reminde...

On this week’s episode, Laura sits down with Oscar Arana, a coach at Session Training in New York. We talk about what it means to meet clients where they are today, not where a program says they should be. Oscar breaks down his evolving coaching philosophy, one that prioritizes sustainability, adaptability, and connection over intensity for intensity’s sake. He also shares his journey from corpora...

In this episode of The Walk , host Laura revisits key takeaways from her conversation with Chaz Knight, a seasoned Pilates instructor based in California. She shares insights from her own practice, emphasizing the power of "less is more," building strong foundations, and approaching the Pilates method as a system rather than a checklist. Laura also dives into the importance of self-pract...

In this episode of The Emergence Podcast, Laura talks with Pilates instructor Chaz Knight, who built a thriving practice in West Hollywood after transitioning from a career as a dancer in Martha Graham's second company. Chaz shares how he learned to hone his skills during the pandemic through virtual instruction, which unexpectedly doubled his business. Now, with a full-time teaching practice,...

In this The Walk episode of The Emergence Podcast , Laura reflects on her conversation with Alexa Javens of Session Training in New York City. She explores the importance of trusting the “season” you’re in, mastering your craft, and investing in growth. Laura shares personal stories of navigating fear, body image pressures, and shifting priorities, leaving listeners with reflective prompts to reco...

Laura talks with Alexa Javens, co-owner of Session, a standout workout studio in New York’s fitness scene, in this episode of The Emergence Podcast. Alexa shares how a temporary coaching role during COVID-19 turned into a long-term partnership with founder Patrick Waters, and how her background at Orange Theory shaped her approach. Now leading client-facing operations, she brings her “simple, not...

Welcome to The Walk , a solo series within The Emergence Podcast . These reflective episodes feature personal insights from Laura, highlight key takeaways from past guest conversations, and explore recurring themes to help guide your fitness, career, and mental well-being. Designed as a companion for your daily walk, each episode invites you to take 30 minutes for yourself—to recharge, reflect, an...

Meet Laura Gunder, your host, in this special introductory episode of The Emergence Podcast. Laura discusses her podcast's mission to connect, empower, and support fitness professionals through conversations with industry experts about finding balance in a challenging industry and chronicles her own journey toward learning to care for herself in order to better serve her clients.

Welcome to The Emergence Podcast, launching on April 15th! Hosted by Laura Gunder, a classical pilates instructor, this podcast is designed to empower fitness instructors through candid conversations about building and maintaining their minds, bodies, and business.