Meet Barbara Hoffer, Innovative Woman and fitness educator specializing in Wellness, Pilates, Yoga and Nutrition For Life.
How/why did you begin your business?
First a special educator, I envisioned handicapped children being mainstreamed for preschool with non-handicapped children. The federal grant I wrote received funding. Coaching parents and training student teachers was a turning point for me as the mainstream model was adopted by the public school system. “Find a need and fill it”, my entrepreneurial father said often. My need was to lift up others.
Teaching was my calling, yet being an entrepreneur was in my blood. My first business, “Hoffer’s Hats” launched on presidential election eve in Washington, D.C. Selling elephant /donkey hats was catchy enough to be featured on the front page of major DC paper and profitable enough to retire from teaching. I took an 18 month solo trip throughout Asia. My need to have fun making money to travel was fulfilled by others’ need to have a fun hat! Silly? Yes. Fulfilling? Absolutely!
As a professional educator, I used my skills and passion to launch a training company. Recruited into the corporate world, for 15+ years I served their needs by training and coaching leaders throughout the USA. It was exhilarating, until I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Constant travel and undue stress left my body a “wreck”. I could no longer travel for that business; my business was to find a way to heal body, mind and spirit.
What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Deep connections made with women as trainer and coach were hard to leave behind. My identity was wrapped in their businesses success and in coaching them through life trials that came with being an entrepreneurial business woman. After 15 years empowering dreamers to action, my biggest challenge was to dream again and discover my life purpose.
To overcome this loss, I cleared away habits, things and people who no longer belonged on my path forward. Digging deeply, I reclaimed life balance, resiliency and vitality of body mind. Shaping new muscle memory and honoring creative pathways, I have my life anew as a Vitality Coach Certified in both Pilates and Yoga. I’m passionate about lifting others to live from vitality and joy. #yourvitalitybuddy.
How do you define success?
In my corporate world, success often had a price. Celebrating team successes was exciting, yet the toll it took on my body and others was not. After battling Breast Cancer, my definition of success changed.
Success is moving in the direction of my fears, doing something new every day and being in gratitude as a daily practice.
My car shows my success~ BJOY is my license plate! Success is not material wealth. It’s about energetically giving fully of our gifts. Those who succeed laugh often and love much. Successful people always having something to look forward to and a community in which to share with love. Whatever we focus on expands. As I see myself as successful, I attract success all ways.
If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began my business, what would that be?
I wish I’d embraced TECHNOLOGY sooner, so I’d have reached more people online by now. It’s never to late to be a more tech savvy entrepreneur.
What makes you an innovative woman?
A friend saw me “in The Happy Movie Happy” and said, “You’re amazing.” Amazing? Doubtful. Happy? Indeed. Clients inspire me when they’ve said “ You… help me see how much more my body can do” …”are my Fountain of Youth”, “are a healer” …”really get me and accept me where I am”. Does that make me “an innovative woman” or a “woman who serves others from the place of BJOY”?
To connect with Barbara visit her website at www.barbarahoffer.com or connect with her at facebook, twitter.