I?ve never met Kristin in person, but her enthusiasm for Stroller Strides and fitness, and her passion for helping mothers comes through in every communication I?ve had with her.
Her Stroller Strides classes are about more than getting in shape. ?It?s really just a side effect,? she tells me. ?Part of my job is to get the moms in shape, but I also make sure they have time to focus on themselves.? Kristin considers another big part of her job to be keeping the kids the moms bring to class entertained. ?A lot of people say, ?Oh, my kid will never sit in his stroller during classes.? I promise you, they will.? She says during a typical class, ?We sing songs, blow bubbles. I get a little silly. I use puppets. We make sure they?re having a good time.?
Kristin also knows how tough the first steps can be. That?s why she offers a first class free, and she lets new members bring a friend. ?It?s hard to be the new girl,? she says. ?I want people to feel comfortable.?
Stroller Strides currently have exercise classes on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 8:30am. at the Salmon Run Mall, where they meet in front of Sears. Play groups are Friday after class. Those attending their first class should wear comfortable clothes and bring water to drink and a towel or yoga mat for floor exercises. Snack and stroller toys are good ideas for the kids too. Exercise bands are included with the membership, though you can borrow some at your first class. When the weather becomes warmer in the spring, classes move outside to Thompson Park. More information about classes and what to expect can be found on the Stroller Strides of Watertown website.?Those interested in trying a class are welcome to contact Kristin through Facebook, email or by phone. You can also register for a class on the website.
Kristin?s job as a Stroller Strides instructor is a perfect fit for her, and her classes are obviously a perfect fit for her list of growing clients. Why? Read below for more about Kristin and Stroller Strides of Watertown:
NNY Life: Where are you from, and what brings you to Watertown?
Kristin: I am originally from the Watertown area (and maybe one of the few who?ve moved away and came back.) After college I married and moved out of state. We?ve lived in several different areas of the US and after thirteen years, my husband?s job brought us back to NNY.
NNY Life: Tell me a little about yourself.
Kristin: In my professional career, I am a RN with a background in maternal child health and pediatric nursing, mostly in pediatric ICU at large urban hospitals. Personally, I?ve always been active and enjoyed traveling and outdoor activities.
I caught the fitness ?bug? several years ago after working with an inspiring personal trainer who was an avid weight lifter. She educated me about clean eating and encouraged me to make incredible changes in my body that I never knew were possible. From there I went on to study nutrition and women?s strength training on my own. It?s become a passion of mine.
NNY Life: Why did you choose Stroller Strides and how is it a good fit for your family?
Kristin: I chose to bring Stroller Strides to Watertown for so many reasons. When my son was born, we lived away from family in New England and my husband had a job that took him all over the country and overseas every week. I experienced first-hand what it is like to be a new Mom and not have family close by for support. Fortunately, at the time, I had access to several Mommy & Me style programs where I could bring my son and connect with other new Moms. Once I got the courage to get out of the house and go, meeting other new Moms made a world of difference.
When I moved back to NNY my daughter was born, I was frustrated that there weren?t the Mommy & Me activities that I was used to. I still really wanted and needed that Mommy camaraderie. With this, I was determined to start something on my own and I knew it would benefit our community too, but wasn?t sure what I would do.
I began to brainstorm. I already knew that I?d wanted to share my passion and knowledge of health and fitness with other women and had been considering branching into personal training for some time, although, I didn?t want to leave my newborn daughter any more than I already did working part time as a nurse. I was familiar with the Stroller Strides program from a close Mom friend in New England who loved it. I knew one of the pearls of Stroller Strides is that I could bring my daughter with me while I taught fitness classes to other Moms who also could bring their stroller-age children with them too. It seemed to be a perfect fit. From there the process of applications and interviews began and I purchased my franchise last summer.
NNY Life: What are some of the challenges you face as a business owner?
Kristin: As a mother of young children I think balance and time are always challenges no matter what you do in life. Starting a business has been much more time-consuming than I realized.
Getting the word out to my target audience has been a challenge as well. I started with what I knew and reached out to healthcare professionals in the area (Pediatricians and OB doctors). I received great feedback but most said they couldn?t endorse Stroller Strides because it?s not a non-profit organization. It?s been a challenge to get to the Ft Drum market because I am a civilian.
One of my biggest challenges has been taming the misconceptions about Stroller Strides. These are the ones I hear most often:
1. People think Stroller Strides is only for new post-partum Moms. Not true! We currently have children from 5mos up to 4.5 yrs old. As long as your children can ride in a stroller, they are welcome.
2. Several women have contacted me saying they are very interested in trying Stroller Strides but are worried because they are overweight or really out of shape. My response is not to worry because that?s what I?m here. Our group is made up of Moms of all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels. (We really are!)
3. Some think that we are strictly a stroller walking group. Stroller Strides classes incorporate cardio and strength training. I make sure every workout can be tailored to the clients of all fitness levels.
4. Finally, we are NOT only about exercise. We also have weekly playgroups and monthly mom?s time outs, too. Stroller Strides is about supporting women and motherhood. Motherhood can be isolating after the baby showers are over and Dad has returned to work. New Moms often feel they are the only ones who feel the way they do when in fact many of the experiences of having a newborn are somewhat universal. Regular activity has been shown to improve mild postpartum depression, too. Moms of older stroller-age children also benefit from Stroller Strides!
NNY Life: How do you promote your business?
Kristin: I?ve promoted Stroller Strides of Watertown using community flyers, brochures at a few pediatrician and obstetrician offices who have agreed to support the program. I also have a website, a Facebook page, and list the classes on Craigslist. I am constantly looking for more ways to reach our NNY Moms.
NNY Life: What are some of your business goals?
Kristin: One of the Stroller Strides mission statements is ?Stroller Strides helps Moms make strides in fitness, motherhood and life.? I truly believe in that. Even though it may sound clich?, I really want Stroller Strides of Watertown to be a resource to connect, support and empower women with young children like those programs did for me when I was a new Mom several years ago.
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Meet Nova Schenk of The Pilates Room and the Watertown YMCA
You might recognize Nova Schenk?s name from yesterday?s Music Education Centers giveaway. When I started looking around for business owners to participate in the 12 Days of NNY Christmas giveaway, Nova was one of the first people I contacted. Not only did she offer far more than I ever expected ? a four session package of one-on-one Pilates instruction in conjunction with The Pilates Room in downtown Watertown (a $180 value), she also offered the music lessons package without being asked. That?s just an example of what a generous person she is. She doesn?t just give generously, she does so without hesitation, without wondering what she?ll get in return and with a big, genuine smile on her face.
She answered a few questions about her background and the career she?s building for herself out of a basic hope for the happiness of everyone she meets.
NNY Life: Where are you from, and what brings you to Watertown?
Nova: I am originally from the Albany area, but lived in the Rochester area for fifteen years before moving to Watertown. I am here in Watertown because my husband, Christian, just recently joined the US Army as a bandsperson.
NNY Life: Tell me a little about your education and background
Nova: I have a BS in Recreation Therapy and a Masters in Public Administration. In 2005 I decided to be a stay at home mom and finish my Masters degree. After having my second child in 2006, I decided to become an aquatic fitness instructor at my local YMCA and began teaching general aquafit and aqua pilates classes there. I continued teaching until I moved to Watertown in 2011, then began instructing aqua pilates and aqua yoga, as well as land classes in both. I? have just finished my Pilates Certification and am looking forward to working more intimately with my clients in a 1:1 or small group setting.
NNY Life: Why did you choose the business you?re in and how is it a good fit for you/your family?
Nova: I have always been into sports, but my interest transformed once I became pregnant and began taking aquatic exercise classes. Once that medium transformed to land exercise I was hooked ? I love being a part of people?s happiness and overall health. My work is a great partner to my husbands musical talents and schedule, as it is quite flexible. I feel I am setting a great example for my children and they typically become my first clients. My husband and I also run a music lesson studio (Music Education Centers), which allows me to work from home and develop my instructional skills.
NNY Life: What are some of the challenges you face as a business owner?
Nova: Balancing between being flexible to accomodate other?s needs and interests and setting firm boundaries for the sake of the business.
NNY Life: What are some of your business goals?
Nova: Happiness has always been the goal of any route I have taken in my life. Exercise has been a huge contributing factor to my ability to be a happy and successful wife and mother. I have always wanted to work for myself and be able to bring my dogs to work with me 
I ultimately want to create an all-encompassing space, called ?Feel Good Inc.?, where one can find yoga and pilates classes, musical instruction, small concerts, a small cafe and library, massage therapy, art shows and displays, and other local boutique type commerce. A place where anyone of any age can go to feel good, because after all that is what it?s all about.
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This will most likely be the last proper survey for 2012, a look by MMD, Mobile Marketing Data Laboratory, at mobile carrier satisfaction levels, as reported by japan.internet.com.
OS X: My roommate recently lost her voice, and that's been a challenge because we talk a lot. To fix the problem, we decided to get her Mac to talk for her. This is easy enough if you just use the TextEdit app included with OS X, but it gets a little tedious because you have to access the menu each time. Here are a couple of more convenient solutions. 
