It was nearly a year and half ago that I decided I needed a change. I was a successful career woman in the tech industry, making good money and working for one of the hottest companies in Boulder. I just had my second child and life was great yet there was still something missing.
I realized as I was watching and helping other entrepreneurs grow their businesses that, I too, wanted to feel the excitement, energy, and freedom they were experiencing as they worked on something they believed in. I have always enjoyed being healthy, eating right, working out, staying active. I even taught Spin classes for three years while living in San Francisco in my 20’s. And, in the back of my mind, I’ve always had this burning desire to open my own business. The coupling of this desire and watching others follow their hearts helped me quit my job and begin the journey of opening a luxury fitness studio.
So much to do…but first you must have a great name. I sat with my husband one night, in between binge watching Netflix, and we brainstormed different ideas. We talked about cool logos, things that sounded great but, ultimately, decided it should mean something special or come from something/someone we love (it’s how we named our children and that worked out wonderfully). It’s at this time that I realized two things:
- My love of fitness and an active lifestyle was instilled in me by growing up in Boulder
- I wanted to pay homage to my mom, who helped me become a strong, independent woman
It’s important for me to clarify. My mom, Lena, was from Sweden. We spent a lot of time in Sweden as children and it always felt like my 2nd home. The traditions and the culture, full of simplicity, beauty, esthetics, are something I feel very attached to. My mom passed away just days after I had my first child. It is an event that has impacted me in ways I will never be able to articulate. I miss her everyday. I also try to honor her memory, and the pieces of her that I know my children would enjoy. So, Sweden is particularly close to my heart.
I spent the next day looking through a Swedish online dictionary, going through the entire alphabet for Swedish words, and finally stumbled across kondition, which translates to “fitness” in English.
Kondition. It was so perfect. It truly represents the vision that I’m building in Boulder. A community built in a spa like facility, enabling our members to reach their greatest potential for…Fitness. I know my mom would be proud.
