"Discipline, Drive & A Whole Lot of Heart"

In this powerful debut episode of The Mental Lift Podcast, host Karla Hutcherson sits down with special guest Danielle Cornett, owner of Shapes Fitness in Flower Mound, for a conversation that goes far beyond the gym.

Danielle brings her signature energy and authenticity as she shares her journey of building a women-centered fitness community rooted in discipline, resilience, and heart. From reconnecting after years of friendship to diving into the realities of entrepreneurship, personal growth, and staying motivated through life’s challenges, this episode is filled with insight, laughter, and real talk.

Together, Karla and Danielle explore the deeper connection between mental strength and physical fitness—what it really takes to show up for yourself, stay consistent, and push through obstacles both in and out of the gym.

Whether you're just starting your wellness journey or looking to level up your mindset, this episode will leave you feeling inspired, empowered, and ready to take your next step.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The role of discipline in building confidence and long-term success
• How community and connection fuel motivation
• Real-life strategies for staying consistent when life gets busy
• The intersection of mental health and physical strength

Tune in, lean in, and get ready to build a stronger mind and a stronger body.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

It is my pleasure and my honor to introduce Danielle Cornett, a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, kickboxing coach, functional kettlebell specialist, and the powerhouse behind Shapes Fitness, an all-women's gym in Flower Mount, Texas. Danielle began her fitness career training and leading boot camps at a co-ed facility, but quickly discovered her true passion was helping women transform into space designed specifically for them. Beyond the gym, Danielle does not slow down. She and her husband Clint, married 34 years and proud parents of two adult kids, own C2 Racing Stables, a competitive, thoroughbred racing operation that has proudly sent two horses to the Kentucky Derby, maybe three, and celebrated two Breeders' Cups champions. Welcome, Danielle, to the Mental Live. Thank you for having me. So excited. We've been wanting to do this for so long. It has been amazing, but I'm so glad you're here. And now with the mental lift, we really have a lot in common. Yes. On how on things that we love to do. We've known each other since elementary school. Let's kind of go back and look at that. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

What do you remember about who you were back then? Nothing like I feel like I am now. I really lacked confidence in elementary school when we were friends. I didn't feel very seen, I guess, when I would walk into a room. Maybe I tried a little bit. I was just more on the shyer side. I wasn't near as personable, I don't think, as I am now.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

That's so funny. I I don't remember that because I remember I was new to the school. And I just, you and our friend Jennifer, we just kind of all connected right at the beginning. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:38

I think maybe I was just getting like my small little friends in doing our dances and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

I think we competed one one year. The rainbow connection. Yes. You know, I think that was amazing for our little talent show at school. Um, when you think about your younger self, what qualities were already there that show up in your life now?

SPEAKER_00 1:56

As I got a little bit older, more into you know, probably middle school, high school, I don't want to say I had leadership, but I was kind of I started to develop more of wanting to take charge of things. Maybe it was bossy. Hey, to be a boss, you gotta be a little bossy, right? Um so probably like my bossiness came out a little bit, but it's I think too, I wanted to always kind of be the head of something, the boss of something.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

We're gonna call you those entrepreneur skills were there from the very beginning. Yeah, for sure. I I mean I think that's super cool. And I think that for for many people, that is a trait that's kind of innate. Like you just automatically know that that's what I'm meant to do. Yeah, and when you work for other people, you're like, this isn't right. Yes, yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

It's super hard to do that when you have that drive in you. For sure. Yeah. That's even when we talked about the starting of the gym, it kind of came into that too. There were I remember my husband telling me, you don't want to start this, like going there before I even owned it, because you're gonna start just taking things over. I was like, no, no, no, it'll be fine. And here we are. And here you are.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

But it kind of was meant to be it. It it was an opportunity that came to you, even though it was previous under I mean thousand percent.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Yeah, like wasn't expecting it, planning for it, or thinking thinking about it, but it's exactly where I'm supposed to be.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

That's awesome. So, you know, you and I lost contact. I think you left to go to private school. Yes, and then I kind of continued on my path. So we didn't meet up again until our freshman year in high school. Yeah. In an English class. Oh, were we in English class again? Yes, that's we reconnected in English class.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Hopefully you helped me some.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Classes weren't my specialty. So super funny. But then, you know, I think even in high school, even though we were there, I think you went through a tragedy in your life. Yes. That probably when you talk about just that maturity and that that ability to lead, you kind of had to do that. Oh, you were kind of a thousand percent.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

Yeah. My I guess it was the end of my freshman year when my dad passed away with pancreatic cancer, and um, it happened pretty fast. I think it was seven months from the time he was diagnosed till the time that he passed away. And so um, and just a year previous to that, my parents had divorced, and so it was kind of, you know, as a teenager, that's a lot. Um, and I lived with my dad when that all happened too. So it was um that was a lot. So I did, I think I really I had to grow up pretty quick. And and had to learn too. I remember coming back to school um after being out for a while after he died, people not really knowing, you know, we're just kids, right? So they didn't really know how to talk to me or what to say. No, and so again I came back and kind of felt alone for a little bit, not because it was anybody's you know fault, it's just you don't know what to say when you're that young to somebody whose whose dad has just passed away. But it also in turn it grew up pretty quick. And um and I'm thankful for that because it's it's I know how to take care of myself. And and not that I my mom was there, I still had family, but I on a day-to-day basis. On a day-to-day basis, and she was applied to tenant flea, so she was gone a lot. And I hope it's helped with take care of my brother, who was seven years younger, so it was, you know, there was a lot on my lap, but it it didn't seem like it was a lot, I don't think, really, at the time. It just was this is just what we're gonna do now.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

Yeah, that that is tough stuff. And I remember like we were in high school together and we spent a lot of time our freshman year, but then it kind of just faded off. And I think that a lot of that was just you going through so much and being in different circles.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Yeah, and I think just kind of trying to find my place at that time. Yeah. I wasn't really sure what it was.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Well, I think you kind of found your place because you met somebody really special. Yeah. I did. Yeah. That seemed to have worked out pretty well for you. I did. My prom date is my now husband, 34 years.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

That is so amazing, you know, that you met them in high school. You don't you don't hear about high school sweethearts very often. And he was already graduated from our school. Yeah, just I think for both of us, we just kind of connected in a different way and stole my heart. And it's, you know, looking back, we were just kids. But um, and he will say too, without having found me, he would have been gone a completely different direction um and not been the responsible, great, you know, human that he is now. But um, it was then we just kind of grew up together. And it's and again, you can't say that for everybody. I don't know why that worked for us so well.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

Yeah, I think you know, that's it's a big accomplishment for 34 years of marriage. And what do you think really makes your marriage work?

SPEAKER_00 6:21

And you were best friends. That's it's so important. Yeah, we and I love being with him. Like he's my favorite person to hang out with.

SPEAKER_01 6:27

I think that's awesome. You could kind of say that for uh people who get married really early. You end up raising your kids and they move move out and everything. So it's uh you're still so young when you then are older. And I'm kind of in the same boat because we got married so early as well. And I think there's a a way to say either way, you're either gonna become best friends and do everything together before you have kids, or you're gonna do it afterwards. But either way.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

I guess that's it. Now we're having fun, the fun we didn't get to have because we were so young. Yes. Right there with you.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

Well, that's hard work and that's entrepreneurship, and that's not giving up or giving in, or it's just a constant focus on, you know, continuing to improve yourself. So interesting because as we look at kind of our relationship and how we kind of keep falling off and getting back on and falling off and getting back on, you know, after high school, I didn't really we never crossed paths until our kids were at the same school, which was just so weird because it was a private school. Yes. And I just looked up one day and I'm like, there's Danielle. So random, so random.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

And that our same random we're in the same grade. Same grade, same age, same grade, same picture ball together. Yes. That was it, instead, when I think about that, I'm like, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 7:37

So I thought that was super neat. But what was really neat about that time is I was a member at Lifetime and you were also a member at Lifetime. And your whole love for fitness was already developing back then. I don't know if you were a certified personal trainer yet, but you just you would go in the gym, you'd work out really hard, and people would just be drawn to you and ask you questions, and you would give instructions. And I think you even trained me a little bit pre-certified trainer, right? Yeah, yes. We worked out a couple of times together over at Lifetime, and um, you know, I think you just you felt you found your love.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

I did. I don't think I realized it was my love until I really started doing it. Yeah. And then was and especially I think connecting with women in that way. Because I think I've always thought of myself as a guy's girl. Yes. Um, and I didn't have as close of relationships with women, but now I feel like that's not the only relationships I want, but now I thrive in that. You're driven by that transformation. Women transform into stronger women in all aspects of strength.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Yes. And I think that's where you and I really connect right now, is because even though we're coming at it from different angles, it's really about women empowerment. And really, what I really love is seeing that transformation. Because there's nothing better than that. And and I've been through that transformation personally, right? So I am totally um that's what's kind of driven me to start the mental lift, to start, you know, this uh new practice that I've started with my um mental health and my physical training. So I love that. So going back to when you decided to get your personal training certification, and then you worked in a co-ed gym. Tell me a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_00 9:17

Yes, let's um when my son graduated from high school and I I had been working out at this gym, and that was kind of that time of my life where I'm like, okay, I want to, this is what I want to do. This I think I started first, I got my um fitness or my group fitness instruction to teach boot camps there. And I did not realize how much I was gonna love just being in that group and shouting and you know, having all these things going on, and just the drive of it and the pump of it and loud music playing, and it was just, and it was men and women, and I was thrilled by it. And then not long after that I got my personal training certification, and I trained both men and women. Um at the time, I didn't see it being any other way until I was approached by an all-women's gym to come. Um, she was looking at that time for a manager or something, and I was kind of not interested. I thought I was good where I was, until I wasn't and decided to just go down a different path. And I wasn't sure I wanted to be in the fitness industry at all anymore. And um so I subbed a few classes for her at an all-women's gym that had opened up in Flower Mound. Um the truth is, as they were building it, both Clint and I said to each other, this place is never gonna make it. No one's gonna want to go to an all-women's gym. Like we dogged on it. And I started subbing classes there. The next thing I knew, I think it was three months later, the previous owner asked to meet with me and um pretty much was like, I I I'm out of money, I can't do this anymore. I need you to take over the gym or buy the gym for me. And so we kind of started down a path of Clint helping her, you know, mentoring her through it and trying to help her through it until the day that she finally came into his office. And he just said to her, What if I told you you could walk away right now, I'll take over your debt? And she said, I've been praying that you would ask me that. And he literally sent me a text and said, You own a gym.

SPEAKER_01 11:03

And I was like, Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

Okay. I did not know it happened like that. So I wasn't sure that I wanted to put that much effort into working. Um, so I was excited, but really scared and nervous because I was gonna be in charge of these women now and a gym and a whole business, and I I I was nervous about it, but it very quickly I realized this it was really what I was supposed to be doing, and I never wanted to work out with or train a man again. No, that men out there. Men are amazing. I like them a lot. Um but there's something to working out with women that's just it's it's just different. And it's they're not they know they're not competing with anybody but themselves. They're whether they smell better, they're they're that is very true. They're driven harder and to do better in the gym, I feel like. It's not just about coming in there and just you know, picking up heavy stuff and and grunting and sweating. Not that that's what all men do, but there's just a different mentality to how women train when they really want to get progress versus how men train, I feel like.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Oh, a hundred percent. And I right now I train in a gym that's you know does a lot of bodybuilding and it's it's men and women. And um, let me tell you, I've been in your gym, gorgeous gym, pink everything, sparkles, beautiful. I go into this other one, it smells like men. And I get on the equipment sometime, I'm like, is that me or what is that smell?

unknown 12:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

So you know, we worry sometimes about are they, you know, are they looking at my bed or do I look weird, or do I look weird to them, or if it's a like if it's a bodybuilder, a man bodybuilder, are they gonna you would worry, are they gonna look at me like I'm doing something wrong? Yes. Um, and I can remember even at lifetime when I would meet girls over there and they would be like, Well, I want to get comfortable in the guys area. I'm like, well, there's not a guy's area. What do you think? But I think to them, the free weight area with the dumbbells and things like that felt very intimidating and like a guy's area. Yes. Even though it is a co-wet place to be. So we don't have that.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

And what's really neat about weightlifting and strength training is the fact that you know, people have that misconception that it's gonna make me bulk, it's gonna make me get big. No, it just makes you more beautiful, toned, and and you don't have to bulk lifting heavy weight. No, but as women, on top of that, it's scientifically better for us, it's better for our bone structure, it keeps our bone density strong. 1000%. It's so it's so important.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Muscle makes you lean, muscle doesn't make you big. And that's that's the number one thing that I get questioned about all the time. When I first meet someone, we start training. I bulk easy, I don't want to bulk. And that's the first thing I tell them you're gonna train hard with me. We're gonna lift heavy, yeah, we're gonna work hard. The only reason you're gonna bulk is if you're eating the cupcakes and pizza. You cannot bulk by gaining muscle.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

You cannot outwork your diet. You cannot outwork that diet. 100%. So I try to, and one of the reasons I uh what I love what I'm doing now is incorporating strength training into counseling. Number one, it's whole body strength from the inside out. I mean, we're not just physically transforming, we're mentally transforming. To see somebody see the difference and look in the mirror and see the difference, you can see that depression rise, that anxiety rise, and all those different things. So combining those two are just so important to everything. It's it's amazing, and I love it. So you have decided that this, I mean, and guys, you have to see her gym. If not, go on her website, you know, shapes. You have to see how beautiful this gym is. It's really amazing. Um, what do you think that women really need from fitness space spaces that traditional gyms miss?

SPEAKER_00 14:38

The sense of community. I think when you find a sense of community, you're going to keep coming because you're gonna feel like you belong there. And so it's and it's it organically happened at my gym. And I I know that it happens at other gyms. I know CrossFit gyms are really known for their community spirit too. And I think um what we have is the women, they come in and when someone's new to class for their first time, these girls in my classes automatically will come to me. So and such over there is brand new. It's her first day, her name is Emily. It's her first class, you know, ever doing anything. And they want to help her and they want to make sure she's gonna be able to do that. And then they're after class, they're talking to her and making her feel so welcome that when in turn, six months later, when Emily's in class and someone new walks in, Emily's gonna be the one to go and greet them. So they just it circles upon each other and they all um they all together enjoy each other and welcome each other and and support each other, and they notice the changes that are happening within each other, too. That's amazing. It's just you know, built-in cheerleaders all over the place.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

It's awesome. I love that. What mental barriers hold women back more than physical limitations? Confidence.

unknown 15:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:43

People are scared to come into a gym the first time if they haven't been coming. They're scared to come into the gym if they think that they have fallen off the wagon and um don't look the part. I think people think I've got to look fit before I go to the gym. But uh, that's what you're doing. Why are we here to help you with that? Like, come now. I don't care if you've never picked up a weight in your entire life. I don't care what gym you're going to. You've got it the hardest stuff is to walk into that door, sign that membership, and then keep coming. I will I don't know the exact percentages, but I would guarantee probably 70% of those that reach out to me for the three three-day trial, I won't see for maybe another six months.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Really? It takes some time.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

It takes some time to work themselves up to actually getting in there and doing it. But then the second they come in, I'm I hear all the time, I don't know why I waited so long to come here. I wish I'd come sooner. I wish I'd come when I first reached out.

unknown 16:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

I just get nervous. I think it's because they're not confident enough in themselves to walk in that door. I don't, I think they think the expectations are more than they are. Nobody's looking at somebody coming into a gym, uh-uh, any gym, and they shouldn't be if they are, thinking, oh, this person shouldn't be here.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

No, I'm like, go girl. Yes. That's what I'm like. Look at you, go, girl. I'm gonna go. You are here.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

I'm so excited you're here. Let's get to work. And that's even like the New Year's um, you know, we get the New Year's rush after that and the New Year's resolutions and that. And so, but before that happens, I start prepping my girls in the gym already in all of my classes. We are not, we are excited that we're about to get busier. We are excited that people are having their New Year's resolutions or having their new goals of coming to the gym. We're not gonna make them feel bad for our classes being more full, or because they're standing in your space that you like to stand in. This is exciting because they're starting a new journey, and we want we want women to be stronger and start these new journeys no matter what that looks like or what time of year it is.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

I I love that. And it's a lot, it is true, and you do see that that change in the gyms in January and February. The sad part is by March it starts to fall off. And that is such a challenge to say, how do we keep them coming in? How do we keep them sticking with this resolution? I think resolutions, we tend to start them and leave them behind.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Especially if you're expecting quick results. Yeah. You know, uh progress takes time. Oh, yeah. And it's and I I tried to show also progress over some of my clients. It has taken two or three years for those before and after photos to really show. But then when you see them next to each other, you can't even believe what's happened. So it's not you can't give up after two months because you've got still so much work to do.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

And it takes commitment.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

It does. It's a whole lifestyle change to really be invested in your physical health. It is. It's a whole lifestyle change. Yeah, it doesn't mean you have to give up everything. I think people think, oh, if I start this, I've got to, you know, eat little bites of chicken all day long and some spinach. You know, I mean, but that's not true. No, it's not. It's not. You're gonna change your nutrition habits, you're gonna improve them, but it doesn't mean you gotta give up everything you love. No, no.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

There's there's always room for everything. Yes. It's moderation, it is paying attention to it, and then it's not going completely overboard.

SPEAKER_01 18:47

I think you know, when you get back to it, it's a lot of discipline. Yes, it is. Discipline is good, but it also I think it shows us a lot about ourselves when we think we can't do something and we have we start to have that discipline to do it, and you see, wow, I can accomplish anything.

SPEAKER_00 19:01

And then when you do it and you start really inwardly feeling better, like you have more energy, you feel less sluggish, all these other things start happening, that's gonna make you want to change more because you're starting to feel the effects of it.

SPEAKER_01 19:13

You know, I think back to my 30s and 40s, and oh my gosh, I I I in my 50s I feel 10,000 times stronger, better, healthier than I ever did in my 30s and 40s. Same. Because I don't know that we really preached this back then.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

We didn't. And there wasn't even studies that were happening back then in fitness industry were all around men. It's just been in the last five to ten years that they're really studying women in fitness and women, women with creatine and women in in muscle building and women in longevity. So it's so we're getting to learn more now than there was back then, and knowing that we are we are structured different and we may not work out the same as them, and we aren't gonna bulk like you know, with them because we don't, you know, we don't have that much testosterone running through our bodies. So it's there's a lot there's so much more knowledge out there now than there was back then.

SPEAKER_01 20:03

So it's which I truly love because I feel like women have been done a disservice over years based on our physiologic physiological changes that we go through. And I think for many years people just accepted them. Yes. Rather than realize, oh, there's so much more I can do about that. How many women do I have coming as clients into my office just crying? They're down so much on themselves because their bodies have changed. And it's like, I don't eat out, I don't do all this, I don't, and it just it just keeps the weight keeps coming on, the body changes keep coming on, the mental aspects keep coming on. And I think for so long people were scared to to really try different things. Right. And it's getting to be more acceptable to understand hormone replacement therapy and the importance of strength training and the importance of working out and all these things that we can do to change that. We can and we can live our best lives. We do not have to be at our mature ages. Yes, and we don't have to be victim to those mature ages.

SPEAKER_00 21:00

No, and just because it's what 90% of the women are at this age, it doesn't mean you have to be. Yes, we can fight against that.

SPEAKER_01 21:09

I I agree. I refuse to give in. No. We just don't have that personality, Danny. So what is what are the biggest shifts you see when you see people finally give in and say, I'm gonna lift?

SPEAKER_00 21:23

Well, their confidence change. Oh, yeah. It's that's I mean, and in so many ways. Like, um, like I'm thinking of one of the girls at the gym right now that when she first came in, I could just tell she was nervous and quiet and really looked down a lot and wasn't doing much. And I can remember I would see her and I remember she had cute tennis shoes on and complimenting on her tennis shoes. And because I love my tennis shoes.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

Oh, tennis shoes are great.

SPEAKER_00 21:45

And she has been solid. This girl, she's in there now four to five days a week. And I've seen her transforming, but not just physically. Now she's every time she walks in, she's like, Hi, Danielle. She says hi to other people. She's just smiley belly, she's trying classes, she's doing trying, you know. All these different workouts, she's open to asking me questions on the floor, which sometimes they're scared to even ask me a question out there because they're I think they're embarrassed that they don't know already what to do. But from her staying consistent and seeing progress on her own, she has just she has totally come out of her shell. She's got this personality that I never would have thought she'd had when she first walked in the gym because she was so to herself and literally just kind of licked down all the time. She didn't want to be seen. And I want them to make sure you're you're I still see you. I'm gonna give you some time, but I see you and we're gonna we're gonna come out of that.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

I love that you just said that because I wanted to ask you this next question. What do you hope women feel when they walk into your gym? Be seen.

SPEAKER_00 22:40

And in my notes, I that's exactly what I put. Be seen. I want them to know because and also even as a culture in a gym, if you know, if you feel missed or like you feel like somebody's seeing you when you're there, you're more likely to keep coming. Because they might, what are they gonna think if I don't show up to class this day when I'm always in this class? Or but you want that accountability.

SPEAKER_01 23:02

You want someone reaching out, texting you, hey, where were you? Meet we missed you.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

You want that accountability. So it's and it's not even just being seen by me, it's being seen by the community of people at these friends that you've made because you've been consistently coming in there. That's the biggest thing. I want them when they walk in to feel like I see you, I want you here, and let's just do this together.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

Absolutely. I love that. And I think people need to be seen, they need that accountability. You know, I've been working at, I guess, heavy lifting for I don't want to say eight, eight or nine years now. And if I didn't have my trainer constantly holding me accountable, I can't tell you the number of times they've they've like challenged me, both of my trainers have challenged me to some heavy weight. I'm and I gotta put this out there. I just leg pressed 540 pounds yesterday.

unknown 23:47

What?

SPEAKER_01 23:48

Yeah, very good. Yeah. So I mean huge. You could have not told me if someone told me to do that a while back, I would have thought you were crazy. But when they're just constantly, you can do this, you can do this, you've got this in you, and it's constantly holding you accountable. And she's watched your strength grow and knows that you can do that. Oh, 100%. But at the same time, she doesn't let me quit. If I like try to like weasel out of something, oh no, no. Yeah, it's not happening. But I love that level of accountability because there's so many times if you're working up by yourself, you will stop short of what you're capable of. For sure. Well, you personally, how do you reset when you're feeling overwhelmed? Because you have so many things going on.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

I mean, honestly, just to chill at home and do nothing is one of my favorite things right now. I love when we travel to go see our horses. Yes. Um, like next week I'm traveling to San Diego to go see my daughter. And for my son to just come home, hang over and you know, cook something together, just to do be with my dog, be with my dog, my husband, my horses, or my kids. Those are that's it. Yeah. What habits protect your mindset as a business owner? Not to take things too personally, not to take everybody's everybody else's that mood that day as it's something on me. It's there, they come in with a mood, that's that's their mood. I'm still gonna give you everything I've got and and but it's I'm not I'm not gonna take it personally that you're having a bad day with me.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

What has been your hardest entrepreneurial moment? I I'm gonna guess what it is. And if I don't guess, okay, you guess COVID. I remember seeing all of your videos during COVID and you're trying to you just got this gym, right? And you're trying to keep it running, and then they shut down everything.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Yes, we had so we officially owned it in November of was that 2019? 2019, COVID happened in March. So yeah, so we had to close the gym for three months. We froze all memberships so that people didn't have to keep paying, and we um continued to pay our employees. But I will tell you, without my husband, we would have just had to shut the doors. We would have never come back.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

But what I did notice at that time, Danielle, is you used your entrepreneurial spirit and you started creating online classes, online videos. You were constantly on social media, you're selling merch, you're whatever you could to do. Remember that.

SPEAKER_00 26:07

Oh, yeah. Yes, every day. And that was my getaway too from COVID to get out of my house. Every day I went to the gym, um, all by myself, and I went in my studio. I turned on my camera and my music, and I taught class. Yes, like I was teaching it to a room full of people and talked to them like and I would call out people even. I see you, Vicky, to work, you know. Um, and that built it built our gym and our us being seen through that time.

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Right. You got recognized by several newspapers. You were on the news, you were on because you weren't gonna stop.

SPEAKER_00 26:38

Now so many gyms shut down and you were determined just to keep going. And I couldn't believe that people were actually doing these workouts at home. Yeah, I kept them super basic, dumbbells, bands, you know, nothing crazy. And they were, and then they would send me videos of them working out at home to my videos. It was all on Facebook Live, which you can't even do now as much as you could then. Um, but it was it gave me a sense of purpose and something to do during that time. And then them too. And then on top of that, we did we started doing um selling selling shirts, um, Shape Strong, and I went through a whole tie-dye phase where I was tie-dyeing all these sweatshirts for people, and then my girls that worked for me because they were getting paid anyway, they would come in, I would go label them all with everybody's addresses, and they would go hand deliver them to people's porches during that time. So they would still have all their shapes merched and posted on on the social media, it was crazy.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

But I think having that knowledge and and just the the foresight to do that, by the time things opened back up, it drove people into it.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

People that had been watching the videos and taking and it taught them because I think also in the beginning, because we were all women and we're pink, it had a reputation of being, you know, not like a real gym. Um, but then where they got to see the kind of classes, because I was literally teaching our exact kind of classes that we do now, they got to see that we we we're pink and we're girls, but we work hard. And they loved the classes and it it did, it brought them in. When we opened back up, we we grew pretty quick after that.

SPEAKER_01 28:03

Yeah, I can I mean I I kind of watched it all happen from afar, but you know, I was trying to figure out my own path there, and I was like, wow, this is this is pretty impressive. So you have this following on social media. What are you doing with that?

SPEAKER_00 28:15

Well, um, I'm actually it's that's kind of something I'm trying to work on right now. I've had so many requests from people all over um the US asking for me to be online doing something. So, and more so than what I'm doing, you know, I put up weekly an exercise, you know, or certain things that I do, but um I am looking to now into um pulling out an app where because that's the other thing. In my own gym, I see girls on apps doing workouts, and I'm like, well, I should be the one on that app that they're working out to. A hundred percent. Um, when because my obviously, and I've got so many trainers, and everybody's really full, so there's not always that availability, you know, to have so there's a shapes app trainer away. So it's it'll be uh on an app soon, yes.

SPEAKER_01 28:59

I love that, but especially like I travel to Colorado a lot. So when I leave, you know, I still want to do my workouts. This is a way they can still be invested in their workouts when they're traveling and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 29:09

And have a whole other thing of home workouts, just dumbbell workouts, just kettlebell workouts, and so um, just band workouts. You can make them all, they'll they'll be everything for everybody.

SPEAKER_01 29:19

I love that you have such an infectious, bubbly energy. How do you stay so joyful in high pressure situations?

SPEAKER_00 29:26

It's so funny. Um I love what I do, honestly. I think because I love what I do, and it's and I say this all the time. I might that morning not be feeling it, not be feeling like going to the gym today. I'm not feeling like teaching that class, my body hurts, I'm grouchy, whatever. But there is something about the second I walk in that door, and I mean this genuinely. Um and I think anybody that's out that the door where I'm where I enter, sees, knows this. I second I walk in, I just feel like let's go. And it's and then I'm on right there because they're counting on you. They're counting on me, and I'm greeted with their smiles and seeing how hard they're working and they made it in that day to do this. And I I don't have to force it. I don't have to force my bubbly when I'm there because I just really freaking love it that much.

SPEAKER_01 30:10

I've worked in so many different environments as a counselor, nothing excites me more than what I'm doing right now. Number one, it's so innovative to combine strength training with mental health therapy, but at the same time, it's like it's a it's a part of me I get to actually put into my business, right? So I really love that. It's uh something that I I totally get what you're saying, where you're like, I come to work and I'm joyful. Yeah, and I love that feeling. There's so many times in the corporate world I was like, I am not joyful, I'm just getting through this day.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Yes, just need that paycheck. Yeah. But it's no, I just I love it. I love these women. I love what they they I think they think I'm giving these things to them. It's I'm they're giving to me every day by by being there and doing what they're doing.

SPEAKER_01 30:54

That's amazing. That you're it's not you're not just giving, but you're getting at the same time. A thousand percent. What would you tell women who want to start something but they're waiting for permission?

SPEAKER_00 31:03

Um, from who?

SPEAKER_01 31:05

Exactly. That was my exact thought when I heard when I saw that question. I was like, from who? You're my own boss.

SPEAKER_00 31:11

You want to do it? Go do it. Exactly. Especially when it comes to your your mental health and your and your body. Yeah, you're you're the ones in charge of those two things. So if there's something financially holding you back with from that, that's one thing. But you still can figure out a way to work on both of those things with financial um financial things. It's no I don't need anybody's permission to do absolutely take care of me.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

And I don't need any excuses either. You know, I people women are going to have kids. And and and kids are a lot of work, they're a full-time 24-hour day, seven days a week job. You can still find it. You can still find it in there, you can still find ways to work around. I know you have a nice little daycare center in yours so that they can bring them.

SPEAKER_00 31:59

They can't bring kids home, their grandkids. And I think though, too, which is it's kind of crazy to me because I'm so far out of that stage of life. But moms feel guilty. Like they feel guilty doing this for themselves. A hundred percent. And they could be home doing puzzles or things like that. It's one hour. You've got plenty of time to do your puzzles and color and take your kids to 100%. Chuck E. Cheese or and gymnastics and all the things that they do. If you don't do that one thing for yourself, you're not doing anything better for them.

SPEAKER_01 32:26

I I am very unapologetic when it comes to taking care of myself. Yeah. Because when I am at my best, it affects everyone I love. A thousand percent. I'm gonna be able to give my best to them. Yes. 100%. So yeah, I I feel like a lot of women fall into that trap of thinking that I don't have time. I I I gotta focus on my kids, I gotta, and I think it's setting an example for your kids of what it's like to put yourself to to really care about yourself enough to make that time.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

And I that's another one of my favorite things when these because kids have to walk through the gym to go back to the kids' zone, and they are walking through there like this. Like it's I love it that they're seeing all these mommies, you know, they don't know if they're mommies or not, all these mommies are in there working out too and being strong. And then when they I love it too when they see us if I'm in a one-on-one kickboxing session with someone, they're just in awe of what's happening. Like, they're hitting that lady's hitting her, and it's so you know, but they and they they'll ask they and I've tried it too, and I've seen to let them know your mommy worked so hard today, your mommy is so strong because it's our kids need to know that mommies can be just as strong, if not stronger, than daddies. It's not just daddies get me strong. Yeah, so I love that the kids get to see that and that they're they're giving that to them already at this young age.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

So, moms, if you're out there, hear that. Yes, do something for yourself, put yourself forward.

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Yeah, it's you're making a life better for your child to see those healthy habits if you're putting them, if you're giving them to yourself.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

And as a therapist, I'm saying it's so important. Your marriage relationship is better when you have the confidence of yourself and and know that you look good and feel good, your marriage is better. Sure. Your relationships with your kids are better, your relationships with your friends are better. It's just you are able to put your best self forward. Yes. And it's so important to do those things. So don't be unapologetic about taking care of yourself. Please. Yes. All right, finish this sentence. Strong women are beautiful. Yes, I love that. I can think of many words, but beautiful. It's in every way. Yes. 180% every way. Heavy lift or high reps? Heavy lift. Okay, me too. Squats or deadlifts. Deadlifts. Uh squats, but I I need to do deadlifts for it. I love squats. As do I. Deadlifts are so good for you. So and when I do them, I feel so strong. Yeah. All right. Early mornings or late night. Early morning. 100%. Gym playlist or silence? Gym playlist. It's got to be some good old-fashioned 80s and 90s music. It has to be uh PR day or consistency day?

SPEAKER_00 35:05

Consistency.

SPEAKER_01 35:07

Train hard, train smart. Yes. Both. All right. Um personal record or personal growth? Personal growth. Yeah, I agree. Motivation or discipline?

SPEAKER_00 35:26

I think discipline's harder. So I would say we work more on discipline. Yeah. I agree. Leader or mentor? So I I use a term a lot with people, be the inspiration. So I think when I want to say mentor because I want other people, I want the other girls, once they feel that confidence and feel that strength to be mentor for other people.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 35:55

So start with leadership and start with leadership, but then but mentor everybody. I want everybody to be a mentor to somebody else to help them get to the spot that they're now in.

SPEAKER_01 36:05

I agree. Risk big or play safe.

SPEAKER_00 36:08

Risk big. I mean, I don't race horses.

SPEAKER_01 36:12

Oh, I do want to hear a little bit about that. Let's put a plug for C2 C2 stables.

SPEAKER_00 36:18

C2 racing stables. If you like horse racing, you need to follow us.

SPEAKER_01 36:21

It is so fun. Since you've been doing that, you know, we didn't ever really watch the Kentucky Derby. Now we're like, we're tuned in and we're watching in the Breeders' Cup and all those things. It's just it's a whole nother level. It's a whole nother level.

SPEAKER_00 36:33

It's very exciting.

SPEAKER_01 36:33

It's it's so fast. It's very good.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

It's two minutes. It's about two minutes of of speed and and you're heart stopping. And um, it was my it's my husband's passion a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_01 36:43

It looks so much fun. Tell us about a couple of your horses. What are they doing?

SPEAKER_00 36:46

So White of Barrio, um He's kind of the first big name, y'all. White of Barrio is our our world champion. Yeah. Um won the Reeders' Cup championship a couple years ago. He's the most beautiful horse in all of the world. He is so gorgeous. He's gorgeous.

SPEAKER_01 36:59

Um so different looking. You don't see any others like him.

SPEAKER_00 37:02

So white, and the older he gets, the the more white his his coat gets, and um, he's just beautiful with his little pink nose. He's so cute. Um he is racing into retirement, so he probably has a few more races and he'll be retiring to go on to to be a a stallion and breed. And then you had one, another one in the breeders' cup, was it? We did. We had Sullivan Angel in the Breeders' Cup um year before last, and she won. She was she was in the uh Philly one mile sprint. So Watabario was in the classic, which is the the the Super Bowl. Yes. And she was in the one lead pregame of the Super Bowl, yes.

SPEAKER_01 37:39

The the other one that ran the Kentucky Derby, and it was beautiful horse, brown horse. Uh Neo Equus.

SPEAKER_00 37:44

Yes, yes, yes, and Neo Equus is still running. Um how did he finish in the Derby? He he did pretty well. Seventh. I think he was in the lead. Yeah. He was in the lead for a while. I think we thought this is about to happen. He's a he's a we're about to win this. And then the horse that he just kind of finished out right there at the end. I think he might have come in, maybe he came in fifth, fifth or sixth. But um, but he's still he's an amazing horse, and he's still running doing great and winning.

SPEAKER_01 38:09

So I what I like to do also is highlight a product that that makes a difference for for you, something that you would want our audience to say, hey, this is something you might want to try. It really makes a difference for me. Okay. So I've brought two little things.

SPEAKER_00 38:24

One is super basic, but it's a resistance band. Oh my gosh, you cannot live without those. They do so much. I use these in the gym when training all the time, but I encourage people too to take them. They're in my my go bag for when we travel because we've gone a lot. Um, my bands are in there. So if I can't make it to the gym or even I go to McGym, I'll take them with me because you can work your entire body with these bands. Absolutely. Um, so it's easy. They're little, but this is this is just it's a no-brainer to me for everybody to have a set of bands in different levels. Like this is the heaviest, I think, of some of mine, but they come in um. If you buy them on Amazon, they'll be like they'll have light, medium, heavy. Yeah. And pack a five for like $15. So this is the no-brainer thing. Then my favorite thing is the hypervise sphere for healing. Yes. So it vibrates, you can put it into those muscles or joints right where it's bothering you, put pressure on it, and kind of work those things out. So it's kind of above this.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

If you ever did like a Rosti or some deep tissue massage, yes, this is something that's very similar. You can put it on the wall, you can lean into it and roll it.

SPEAKER_00 39:26

You can roll the floor into it and um plantar fasciitis, which I'm having right now some out of. So I'm standing on this and kind of rolling it into my foot all the time. But um, this is just a great tool. I agree. This and the gun. I love both of those for if you're training hard and lifting heavy, you're gonna get aches and pains. That doesn't mean it's the end of your lifting days.

SPEAKER_01 39:46

No, it just means we're working a muscle that needed some work. Yes. So we're gonna we're gonna heal it. I love that. So, where can our listeners find you and how can they support your work?

SPEAKER_00 39:57

Um, well, follow me on Instagram and uh and Facebook, Instagram's uh shapesfitnessflowermound.com, both of those. And and be sure to put in flower mound because at one time there was other shapes. I think we're the only one at this point, but um uh put in that so you can follow us there. And if you just following and supporting our social media, because that's what's helping me grow and that's what other people see, even though people see it from around the world. If I can get into the algorithms and the people in the DFW Metroplex. 100%. We're not trying to get out of here. That's important to me. Um, and for all of you that um already do follow me, like and comment them. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it is because it helps more people to see us.

SPEAKER_01 40:36

And it does, it builds the algorithm. Uh the the neat thing about what you do on social media is not only you're giving tips that people can use either in the gym or at home, you do nutrition stuff on there. You show some recipes, you give little cocktails of supplements to use, you promote other kinds of products or things you can be doing outside of the gym. So all of those things are on her social media. So you make sure you follow her to make sure, and and we'll put all that in the comments, all of your different um contact information. So this conversation with Danielle has been such a reminder that strength evolves. It is not just about what we lift, it is about what we carry. It's about what we overcome, and it's about who we decide to become in the process. If this episode resonates with you, share it with another strong woman in your life. And as always, remember strength isn't optional, growth isn't accidental, and your mental lift starts with one intentional decision. Until next time, keep lifting. The Mental Lift Podcast is intended for informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The content shared on this podcast reflects the personal opinions and professional experiences of the host and guest and is not intended to replace professional medical, mental health, or therapeutic advice. Although the host is a licensed mental health professional and certified fitness trainer, listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist client, a counselor client, or a trainer-client relationship. The information shared is not a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. Always seek the guidance of your physician, licensed mental health professional, and other qualified health professional regarding any questions you may have about your physical or mental health. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, emotional distress, or thoughts of suicide, please seek immediate help. You can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which provides free and confidential support 24 hours a day in the United States. If you believe you are in immediate danger or need urgent assistance, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Support is available and reaching out to a trusted professional, loved one, or crisis service can help ensure your safety and well-being. Thank you for listening to the Mental Lift Podcast. If today's conversation encouraged you or inspired you, or gave you something to process and think about, be sure to subscribe, share this episode on your platforms, share this episode with someone who needs a lift, or leave a review to help others find the show. Remember, real strength comes from training both the mind and the body. Until next time, keep building strong bodies and keep building stronger minds.