Meet Tricia Lauerman: Pole & Aerial Studio Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tricia Lauerman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tricia, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I suppose being a pole and aerial enthusiast as well as owning the studio, you would think that I was very comfortable taking risks. After all, what we do does seem risky. However, I am constantly assessing the risk versus the outcome, determining whether it is worth risking my safety, my money or my reputation. All in an instant. So business decisions seem less risky in comparison. I definitely don’t linger over most decisions as a result. Risky or not, I rely on past experiences to guide me.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own a pole and aerial fitness studio in Frisco TX that teaches brand new beginners pole and aerial fitness . There is no other facility like it in the world, which means there is no model to follow for success. That made it very difficult to plan. I started out in 2013 in a space that was formerly a storage closet. I did all the remodel with the help of my husband. Our daughter was 2 at the time and son 14. We finished it in 30 days. It was quite a marathon! Looking back, I cannot believe my landlord even rented to me! I just started small and slow and started advertising on the internet with $50. Then each time I would get a new client from the ads, I would take that and reinvest in my marketing budget. Over and over. Soon enough, my landlord noticed we were outgrowing the space about 2 years into it. He was starting to develop a new property and asked me if I was interested. I applied for an SBA loan to help cover the costs and I think having someone finally approve of my business plan, gave the reassurance to feel like it was going to be a good investment. It took 2 more years to build it, but I was so incredibly excited when we got to open our doors on Dec 8, 2017. I don’t know if I have really ever overcome a challenge, other than COVID. Challenges are a daily task item. They just seem to hit you rapid fire constantly, so you work through them best you can and I just try not to be too hard on myself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Most people that visit, want to take some classes at the studio, so they can have the experience. For eating and drinking, I love The Star, in Frisco or J Theodore’s patio. The Dallas World Aquarium is also a fun thing to do, Honestly, this is the hardest question, because I never do much since I am working a lot. I kinda just follow others and never plan anything myself.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my wonderful family for always being so supportive of my crazy hours and last minute emergencies that seem to plague all small business owners.

Website: www.altitudefitnessfrisco.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/altitudeaerialarts
Twitter: www.twitter.com/altitudefrisco
Facebook: www.facebook.com/altitudefrisco
Other: I have 2 instagrams: www.instagram.com/altitudepolefitness is the second one.

Image Credits
Mary Cyrus Dapper Framez