Meet Jessica Cohen of Baby Boot Camp Sherman Oaks & Studio City

I was introduced to Jessica through a mutual friend of mine. Jessica is the franchise owner of Baby Boot Camp in Sherman Oaks & Studio City. When my daughter was 4 months old (about 8 years ago), I remember wishing that I could workout at my local gym. I rarely went though because the place that I belonged to at the time didn’t have infant childcare. If only they had a Baby Boot Camp in the Valley back then!

For Valley moms with infants who are interested in getting their exercise groove on, you are in luck! Jessica opened up this stroller fitness program serving the Sherman Oaks/Studio City area earlier this year. They meet several times a week at Sherman Oaks Fashion Square. I think this is a great resource & really wish this was available back when my daughter was young.

Please meet the latest Real Mom of the SFV, Jessica Cohen!

(Photo Credit: Jessica Cohen)

How/why did you begin your business?
Jessica: I began my Baby Boot Camp business out of both necessity and passion. I enjoyed the job that I had before baby, working in franchise support, but knew that the constant travel would mean barely seeing my daughter, and that just wasn’t going to work for my family. I’ve always been a fitness enthusiast. I trained as a classical ballerina starting at five years old. My first job at sixteen was teaching ballet. I kept up my passion for health and fitness throughout my life, going as far as waking up at 5am every morning, throughout my pregnancy, to make it to yoga and TRX classes. I had seen Baby Boot Camp listed in Entrepreneur magazine’s top 500 franchises. I LOVED the idea of stroller fitness and LOVED the Baby Boot Camp mission and values. I was already a nationally certified fitness instructor through the American Council on Exercise. After spending time with Baby Boot Camp CEO, Kristen Horler, and other Baby Boot Camp owners, I knew this was the perfect fit for me. I got to own my own business, which was dedicated to helping mamas get fit while allowing them to have baby along, and I got to be there for my daughter. I can’t think of another career where you are encouraged to bring your baby along while you work!

As a working mother, what is one tip or piece of advice that you would give to other female entrepreneurs?
Jessica: Take time to recharge. You can easily find things to do 24/7 as a business owner, especially when you’re a one woman show. When you add on the job of being mom you’re doing more than the average entrepreneur. My best ideas about how to improve my business come after I’ve taken a little time to do something for myself.

What do you like best about having a business in the San Fernando Valley?
Jessica: I love the diversity and comradery of the mamas I work with. The mamas in my classes come from different backgrounds, have different parenting styles, have different fitness goals and yet we all feel like part of the same mama tribe. I love to see mamas helping each other out. I think in the San Fernando Valley there’s a greater sense of community.

If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
Jessica: I wish I would have known how empowering my set backs would be. Failure is not a bad thing, it’s a great way to learn. For every failure I’ve been motivated to accomplish a handful of wins. At the start of my business I would take it personally when things didn’t go my way. Then I realized these failures were good opportunities to spark my motivation and creativity.

I love the way Jessica is able to “flip the script” when it comes to her business setbacks. To be able to change your perspective of failure & take it as a life lesson is a great way to look at things!

If you are interested in taking a class at Baby Boot Camp in Sherman Oaks, check out their website here & don’t forget to follow them on Facebook!

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