Cindy Sites

Founder, Go Figure Fitness

Tell me how you got interested in exercise as a profession.

Really my interest was dance and I danced from the time I could walk. And it was when I came to Greenwich that I discovered a method called Lonnie Burke. And it was the closest thing that came to a real dance class. One thing led to another and I started teaching for Lonnie Burke. Kids, got busy, husband’s travel plans got in the way…and I stopped teaching. And after teaching and having probably a nice following I was asked by a number of old clients if I would start teaching again. And I thought if I do it, I have to do it my way. So I kind of put together my own routine and I drew from my ballet background and the many different methods I had taken over the years –so yoga and Pilates – and sort of put together into an hour long class that we now call Go Figure.

Now originally, were you the only instructor…?

Well I only had one other instructor - at the time my partner. So she and I…it was huge leap of faith. Again, we both had young children at home but we felt like we could handle it. And so we were open 7 days a week and it was just she and I teaching all of the classes.

Were there some dark days where you just thought what was I thinking?

I think there were plenty of those days. Yea it was hard to teach those one on ones esp at 7:30 in the morning, when we’re leaving our children, eating their cereal, and trying to get dressed and here we’re flying out the door and you arrive at the studio hoping for at least a little bit of a crowd and just finding that one die hard client and you know, we still had to give it a 100 percent as we were teaching a class of 30.

What does it take to be an instructor…?

The first question I ask potential instructors – why do you want to do this? And if the answer comes back I really like to exercise or I really love this method…its kind of a red flag for me. It’s not about the instructor its about the client. So they have to have a real love for teaching and wanting to help people.

Don’t you have to be bit of entertainer also?

We are entertaining in a way for one hour and clients are paying a lot of money for that one hour so you better be on…you better just leave whatever’s bothering or bugging you at the door and come in, put on your happy face and give them a good class.

If someone wanted to get into this field what would they do…?

Well certainly there are many organizations out there that you can become certified as a personal trainer...in college you can take classes in kinesiology. All those things are wonderful…they just add to your tool belt. I don’t require any of those certifications of my instructors. It gives you more confidence…as I said you know it just gives you an extra tool to work with. You know I think there’s nothing better than that in-class training. My best instructors are the ones that don’t have all the certifications. They are ones that just learned the method and again they just really care and they want to help people.

Now when you – going back to the early days- what were some of the surprises you encountered...businesswise…?

It just felt easy because I was doing what I loved. The business part of it fell into place. Yes I have all the accounting stuff and the insurance...you know all that stuff just fell into place because I loved coming in everyday and doing what I did. And I think…that was the biggest surprise that it felt so natural. So my biggest piece of advice to anyone – do what you really love and are passionate about because the rest just kinda follows.

What is it that you enjoy most about you do?

I think I’ll always teach – you’ll have to carry me out. And they probably will! I will always teach and I will always train the instructors. I think that’s very important to the on-going success of the business – to be hands-on is critical. I’m at every studio at least once a week.

How is your family...how do they feel about it…?

They’ve been so supportive. I have a daughter who is now 16 and she was 11 when I started the business. My son is 14 so he was nine. What’s interesting – especially with my daughter – she’s never really known me as anything but a working person. And that’s had a huge effect on here and how she views not only me but herself.

Now growing up did you ever think about running your own business…?

I thought I was going to be lawyer – go figure. Never, never for a minute thought I would do this. And it has been – aside form my children and family – the best thing that has ever happened in my life. I cannot wait to get out of bed everyday and come here and it’s been 5 years. I keep waiting for something to happen where I say ok, enough - hasn’t happened yet.