May 16, 2017

Meet Stephany Esmay of PraxisFit in Batavia

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephany Esmay.

Stephany, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I worked in Corporate America for over 20 years in accounting, forecasting/budgeting, sales operations and finally sales. I really enjoyed my sales job, but at the end of the day I didn’t feel as though I was contributing anything to my community. I was doing a job that paid me well, but wasn’t satisfied. I have always loved fitness and helping others achieve their fitness goals. I was born in IL and raised in WI, my family is here and we own a Massage Envy in South Elgin. It just made sense to open a gym that created a culture of acceptance regardless of your athletic ability. I wanted to create an environment that was encouraging and welcoming for all of our members. So far I think we have been successful in our mission. The best feeling is watching our members achieve their goals. We want to be the gym that people know they are going to get a great workout, and hopefully, create a few friends along the way.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Whenever you start a business the road isn’t always smooth. You learn as you grow the best way to get your name out into the community. You also figure out what class times work the best and what studio classes will be different and challenge our members. Our best advertisement has been word of mouth, which is very satisfying. Social media has changed the way people find out about your business and also can determine how much people will trust what you are offering.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a family owned business that offers small group personal training and studio classes. We train everyone from grade school students to retired adults. We specialize in functional movement and ensuring that you are challenged, but that you are doing the exercise correctly to prevent injuries. We offer a variety of studio classes, Pilates, Barre, TRX, HR Monitoring, HIIT, KickBoxing, Tabata, Cardio Crush and so much more. I am proud of the community that we have created! Our members care about our success as much as we care about their success. That is definitely what sets us apart from other gyms in the area.

What were you like growing up?
I was very active and loved laughing and having fun with my family and friends. I was involved in every sport that was available. I was always outside doing activities. I have always loved fitness and as a kid developed my own workout schedule when I wasn’t practicing. I have always been a big dreamer, goal driven and determined to make a difference. This gym has allowed me to do what I have dreamed about for a long time.

Pricing:

Elite Studio Membership – $115/month (unlimited Studio classes, including HR monitoring classes)
Premier Studio Membership – $75/month (unlimited Studio classes, excluding HR monitoring classes)
Punch Cards for Small Group Personal Training – 10 sessions for $200 or 20 sessions for $340
Small Group Personal Training Membership – $175/month (includes 15 personal training sessions/month)

Contact Info: