Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Sasser.
Hi Taylor, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Well, I’ve been in the Charleston fitness industry for 10 years. When COVID hit, I decided it was time to step away from big group fitness, (at the time I had a one-year-old at home), and I started a series of virtual classes + training sessions (mostly to help keep my clients sane during the shutdown). Once we were able to, we moved from the virtual world to training in my home garage and quickly outgrew that a few months later. We moved into our “pop-up” location at Union Station on November 1, 2020. We’ve now grown an amazing team of trainers, (including my right-hand man Patrick Judge, who has been there since the garage days), nearly 200 members, and we’re currently in the middle of building out a 4,900 sq ft facility in the retail space underneath the Jasper on the Charleston peninsula. It took a lot of patience and persistence to get where we are. It’s truly surreal to see how far we’ve come in such a short time. We have the best, most dedicated clients to thank for that. Personally, I’m very blessed to have found a kick-ass team along the way to support me and couldn’t be more grateful to the people who have trusted and believed in this thing. Crazy to think it all started in my one-car garage during a pandemic… it’s funny how things fall into place. This is just the beginning for BASELINE, I can’t wait to see how we grow.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
COVID aside, we’ve faced a handful of challenges along the way… just like any other start-up. It has been a major learning curve for me on the business side and I’m constantly learning new things. The most frustrating part was finding our permanent location. We’ve hit other speed bumps, but that was for sure the biggest hurdle… and let’s be honest… being a woman in the business world isn’t always a piece of cake. I got a lot of ‘nos’ before I got an opportunity… but all those ‘nos’ just made it that much sweeter to be where we are.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been teaching group fitness and training in Charleston for a long time…10 years, which is wild. I’ve done everything from barre + pilates, to spin + HIIT training, and I’ve had the widest variety of personal training clients over the years. In the past, I think my clients were drawn to the music and high energy I loved/brought to class… but that isn’t the thing that sets BASELINE apart. This new venture is truly different from anything I’ve done.
We’re a membership-based personal training studio. Our memberships include a combination of both Team Training (our signature 5:1 client-trainer ratio classes) and Private Training… all in that high-energy, music-driven environment. We require/encourage that each member receives private attention at least twice a month with one of our trainers in order to pinpoint areas that need attention, set specific goals, and execute that into their training. Each and every workout is tailored to YOU…. which means no guesswork, and no hiding in a sea of sweat and neon lights. We have nutritionists, flexibility coaches, physical therapists, massage therapists, and then some…all in-house to make sure each member has all the tools for well-rounded, sustainable results. It’s not only about working “harder”, it’s about working smarter… maximizing efforts, and finding a balance that works for you.
We don’t take things too seriously around here… we keep it real and like our members to do the same!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I think you become successful when you positively affect the people around you. It’s really that simple to me! If you think you can touch people outside of your circle, then you should go for it. Trying and failing is better than not trying at all… as long as you make a positive impact along the way.
Contact Info:
- Email: taylor@sasserstudios.com
- Website: www.sasserstudios.com
- Instagram: @sasserstudios.baseline
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baselineasasserstudio
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/user/kti37ja0uod6rd6e4w3t82pge?si=d9ff8a0dc4e44a36
