Our very first HQ Academy member of the Month is, Tara Campbell. Tara is one of the founding members of Pilates HQ Academy, joining in March 2020, just as lockdown 1.0 hit for Victoria. Tara is a Pilates Teacher and also owns and runs a Pilates Studio called Pilates on East!
Tara is originally from a country town in northern NSW, where all of her family still reside. She now lives in a small town in country Victoria with her fiance and three young children and has recently opened her own Pilates studio in Daylesford.
Between entertaining her kids, practicing her own Pilates, and opening her own Studio Tara has also been kicking Ass inside my online mentoring program for Reformer Teachers.
Read on to find out all about why Tara become a Pilates Teacher, started her own Studio and some of her WINS as part of HQ Academy;
MEET TARA!
Why did you decide to do your pilates teacher certification and how long have you been teaching Pilates for?
I decided to obtain my pilates teacher certification after having my second child in 2015. I had a traumatic birth resulting in an emergency c section and it took a long while to get feeling back in my TA [Transverse Abdominus]. So after regular pilates and feeling and seeing the benefits personally, I thought that other women need to understand the benefits that this form of exercise can have. So I decided while raising my young children, (in my “free” time) why not study pilates. So I did just that.
I have been trained since 2017 but because I have 3 young children I didn’t start teaching until this year.
Why did you decide to open your own studio?
I had done pilates when up visiting my family in NSW and it was the one form of exercise I loved and have so much passion for.
When I moved to Daylesford there was no place in town that did the style of pilates I liked and I was unable to get into Ballarat, with 2 children at the time, I thought why not open my own studio in town?.
I wanted to give people that opportunity to do what I love and make it affordable and accessible to those people in town so that people don’t have to commute to Ballarat, Gisborne, Kyneton.
Best decision I have made!
What was the most enjoyable part of opening your studio?
Having only been open for a month, the most enjoyable thing is seeing new people come in that have never done reformer pilates before, rebooking, and coming back because they are loving what I am offering them. They are loving it and seeing people loving Pilates like I do and turning up each class sometimes 2 -3 times a week is reassuring that I am doing something right and all that doubt I had was unwarranted.
What was the biggest challenge in developing and opening your studio?
I had a few – I was stressing about my family, my kids, finding time to run a household, raise my children, and be there for them, as well as running a business. I didn’t feel comfortable putting my youngest in care so finding a babysitter who I felt comfortable with (I have one now and she is an absolute legend) was a big challenge. The next huge challenge was COVID! I had my studio set up and established from March and because of isolation and being in lockdown I thought I would never get a chance to open. The studio sat there for 3 months unopened, untouched. It was pretty devastating and hard to be optimistic. A positive that came out of this crappy situation was having those 3 months to sign up to Pilates HQ Academy and build my teaching skills.
What's your big dream for the studio and your teaching future?
I would hope that eventually down the track to get a slightly bigger space with 2 more beds would be ideal. Owning a couple of studios would be nice but we will see how this studio goes before dreaming too big.
How have you enjoyed your time as part of Pilates HQ Academy so far?
I have loved the support Steph has provided. It was exactly what I needed. She said you are going to make mistakes and you'll correct them – and I did.
It was in making those mistakes and having Steph to turn to for help that I realised how simple things are to correct. I corrected my mistakes, learned from them, and smashed it in the next class. So I would say that is a win.
She broke things down and put things simply. She reassured me that no teacher is perfect, they all make mistakes. She told me not to compare my way of teaching to others and that we all have our own style that’s what makes us all so different.
Sometimes you just need to hear that and be given reassurance.
Tara is an amazing Pilates Teacher and person and is an incredible inspiration. She shows us that if you have a dream and a passion, Pilates related or not, that you should 100% chase it! There is never a right time, follow your heart, take a leap, and do the things that set your soul on fire!
To find out more about Tara and her studio you can head to her Instagram (@pilatesoneast) Facebook page or send her an email by clicking here( pilatesoneast@gmail.com)
Next time you're out in the Daylesford or Hepburn Region treating yo self to a spa, wine, or some delicious food, then hook yourself up with a 45minute Reformer Class whilst you're at it, you won't regret it. Book a Class here
Steph Neal Xx
P.S Want to learn how to become a more confident reformer pilates teacher? Join my Free Workshop by clicking the button below.
