Meet Minna Herskowitz of Sandbox Fitness

Last month I worked out at a new fitness studio in Sherman Oaks called Sandbox Fitness. I really enjoyed the classes at this unique space that offered TRX, Beach Yoga & a class called Tidal Turbulence which combines TRX with Surfset. Click here to read my complete review.

Minna Herskowitz co-owns Sandbox Fitness with her husband David. I got to know Minna during my week-long trial. During that time I realized that she would be an excellent businesswoman to feature on my blog! She lives in the Valley with her husband. Although they do not have any children yet (more on that in the interview below), this brand new business which opened up only a few months ago is like her baby. So in my mind, she qualifies for a Real Mom of the SFV spotlight. 🙂

(Photo credit: Minna Herskowitz)

How/why did you begin your business?
Minna: I have been a personal trainer for over 8 years now and have always enjoyed sharing my passion for health and fitness with everyone. I had dreams of opening my own gym since I was in high school and finally after running a mobile fitness company for years my husband and I decided to open up our own place. I want to be a mom and have a family one day and I knew that driving around Los Angeles working from 5am till 10pm wasn’t conducive. I knew I would need something with a little more stability.

My husband and I both have injuries and whenever we would go to the beach we would workout. We discovered that working out on the beach gave our muscles a workout like they’ve never had before, plus our joints weren’t feeling the pain. We were sick of driving to the beach and that’s when it hit us…why not bring the beach indoors!!!!!

What is one tip or piece of advice that you would give to other female entrepreneurs?
Minna: Don’t let a bunch of “NO’s” stop you from finding that one “YES”.

What do you like best about having a business in the San Fernando Valley?
Minna: I love having a business in the SFV because it’s close to home. The people in the area are friendly and are open to trying new things. Ventura Blvd has tons of foot traffic and is always busy with people. The other good thing about being in the Valley is that we are not near the beach so we literally have no competition.

If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
Minna: I wish I knew how much marketing and advertising was gonna cost. I can’t believe how much people spend on it, and I wish I would have thought about it in depth when asking for the loan.

I love Minna’s passion for owning a business in the San Fernando Valley. She gives such valuable advice, don’t you think?! I especially like her message of not letting “no’s” stop you from finding that one “yes” which I find so inspiring.

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. All images are mine unless otherwise noted. The image shown in this post is used with permission. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.