Ep 42 | Sadie Lincoln

Written By Yasmin Nouri
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Quitting Your 9-5 to Build Your Dream 

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Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of barre3, a fitness company focused on teaching people to be balanced in body and empowered from within.

Sadie was climbing up the ranks, working alongside the founder of 24-hour fitness for over a decade, and realized she was in a crisis when she got pregnant with her first daughter. Despite being financially successful, happily married, and living in the dream house she always wanted, both Sadie and her husband felt broken & empty inside and were longing for a sense of fulfillment and happiness. 

The couple decided to sell everything they had and move to Portland, with their two young kids, to pursue their dreams of launching their own business. They opened their first barre3 flagship studio in 2008, and 13 years later,  the company has grown to include more than 175 franchise studios powered by female entrepreneurs, plus an online-workout subscriber base in over 98 countries. What started as a workout has blossomed into a full-blown movement made up of millions of people focused on body positivity, being empowered, and redefining what success in fitness means.

We’ll chat with Sadie about how she managed to start her business with kids (and why childcare is part of their business model), how embracing her unconventional upbringing allowed her to dream big and be a risk-taker, and why she’s committed to empowering women to feel good in their bodies and live a truly authentic & fulfilling life. 

Show Notes:

  • Sadie opens up about her unconventional childhood and upbringing. [3:24] 

  • How Sadie’s upbringing and being around empowered women helped her thrive as an entrepreneur. [7:02] 

  • Sadie’s relationship with money and how it’s impacted her today. [7:44] 

  • Sadie opens up about her education and what it felt like to not be “conventionally” smart at school [9:06] 

  • Sadie’s decision to move to L.A. and the one job that changed the trajectory of her life. [10:43] 

  • Why Sadie ultimately chose to pursue a path of education; learning is empowering. [12:22] 

  • Sadie’s experience at 24 Hour Fitness and her big takeaway from her time at the company. [14:20] 

  • The importance of advocating for what you are worth. [17:12] 

  • Sadie’s silent struggle with chronic pain and body image during her time at 24 Hour Fitness. [17:24] 

  • How being pregnant helped Sadie become attuned with her body and the ‘aha moment’ that laid the foundation for barre3. [18:40] 

  • What prompted Sadie and her husband, who was also struggling emotionally, to leave their stable jobs. [0:21:32] 

  • How much money Chris and Sadie put into the business and the sacrifices they made as a family. [24:10] 

  • The early days of barre3, starting out giving free classes above a natural food shop. [25:03] 

  • The inspiration and fulfillment Sadie felt once they set up the first studio. [26:50] 

  • How Sadie dealt with almost reaching burnout in the early days when she was doing everything to get the business off the ground. [29:21] 

  • What happened when Sadie’s brand exploded and why this led to her feeling empty again. [33:37] 

  • People were drawn to varre3 because it was authentic and the community pushed back when they became more “mainstream”. [36:27] 

  • How Sadie views the company’s success and why she didn’t build it to sell. [38:40] 

  • The rituals that Sadie relies on to keep her grounded and empowered. [45:17] 

  • Advice for women entrepreneurs who might feel afraid to take the leap. [47:02] 

  • We do not have to be afraid to ask for help as women. [48:35] 

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References:

Yasmin Nouri
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