Week 5 of Tapping in with Business features SweatXServe! Created by two UT Austin students and a student from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, SweatXServe offers donation-based fitness classes, with all proceeds going to the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund!
Provide a general overview of the business/ What is it all about?
SweatXServe offers donation based live virtual fitness classes. Our classes are
taught via Zoom. We are certified fitness instructors in specific class styles. We teach Yoga Sculpt, Barre, and Pilates weekly and we also have weekly guest instructors that teach various styles! 100% of the proceeds we raise will be donated to the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund. This fund provides healthcare providers with essential supplies and protective equipment, helps pay clinicians and staff, and aids in providing testing and care for COVID-19. Our mission is to help our community during the COVID-19 pandemic not only through donations to a cause, but also through connecting individuals together virtually while exercising.
What made you want to start a business?
When COVID-19 hit Austin and our daily lives changed, we came together to
brainstorm ideas on how we could help out during quarantine. As pre-healthcare professional students, we understand the severity of COVID-19 and the implications brought about with it. We are all certified fitness instructors and we realized we can use our unique talents and do our part to help out in this crisis. That's when we came up with our organization SweatXServe. We are passionate about helping our community while doing what we love: teaching fitness classes and connecting the mind, body, and spirit.
How has it been balancing a business and college life?
We started SweatXServe in late May when classes had already ended. However,
each of us has or will be taking a summer course. With everything it is all about balance! You have to dedicate time to work on business, classes, family time, and fitness! We are all very big on planning ahead and being communicative with each other.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Reaching out to individuals who do not have an Instagram! We are currently
working on our website to facilitate this. It is difficult to connect with our friends and people who are interested in our classes who do not have an Instagram!
What has been the most fun?
As previously stated, we are truly passionate about fitness. SweatXServe is the
product of what we love to do: exercising, giving back to our community, and connecting with individuals virtually across the country. It has been such a joy to do what we love! The people we have met in our classes and through our instagram have been inspirational.
What is your advice to other college students who want to start a business?
Find the intersection between your passions and ways to help out in your
community. If you love what you do, then you are going to love your business! I
think it is also true that if you are truly passionate about your business other people will realize that too! It needs to be organic and truly yours! Do not be afraid to go for it. Every business or organization started from scratch at one point and it is not embarrassing, it is just a stepping stone.
Little bit more information about the founders: Sweat X Serve was founded by two UT Austin students, Ingrid Villarreal and Becca Friday, and by a St. Stephen’s Episcopal School student, Isabella Villarreal. Ingrid, Isabella, and Becca are all from Texas!
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