Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Falivene.
Hi Maddy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always been an athlete and competitive. I began competitive gymnastics at 5 years old and by the time I was in 3rd grade my coach was asking my mom to home-school me so I could train to possibly make it to the Olympic level. Gymnastics was something I was good at but it wasn’t want I wanted. I switched to competitive cheerleading and had the opportunity to compete at The Cheerleading Worlds in Disney winning the silver medal in 2008. I went to TCU (cheered there and was in the honors college). Got my masters at Tufts University and ended up cheering for the New England Patriots. I got the opportunity to cheer them to a victory in Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks. But it was while I was in Boston that I fell in love with group fitness. I went to my first Soul Cycle class with Erin (who used to be a Rockette 😍) and knew I wanted to do what she did. So when I moved to Houston for my “Big Girl” job as a dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital, I almost immediately auditioned to be a spin instructor at a local Houston studio. I made it (yay!) and taught spin from 2016-2021. However, around 2018 I knew that group fitness was something I wanted to make into a career and went full-time fitness. Leaving my position at TCH. In 2020 I was hired at Barry’s. Since then I have left the spin instructor role and stepped into a leadership role within Barry’s. I’m a principal instructor and talent development lead. I help recruit and train our instructors here in Houston. I continue to work with and develop our talent team and I genuinely love doing it! I get to encourage and help thousands of people, it is an incredible job to have as a group fitness instructor.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been smooth. Going through COVID as a group fitness instructor, I really wasn’t sure if I was going to have a job, really ever again. Luckily, I did and I do. I believe it is important to remain truthful to your morals your beliefs and to find a company or community that aligns with them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a group fitness instructor and instructor development leader. I lead fitness classes while also developing a group of instructors that can grow and maintain and strong studio community. I’m involved in recruitment, training, skills development, scheduling and community events with our studio here in Houston. I am most proud of the team of instructors I have created since stepping into my role. We are one-of-a-kind. I think what sets us apart is our incredible talent but also our incredible culture. Everyone is cheering for everyone else. Instructors are supporting and encouraging other instructors and it’s so refreshing to not be in the old school toxicity that can be in boutique studio fitness.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We would love to do pop-up classes, or special events. We are happy to set up group sweats for teams, companies or charities. The easiest thing to do is come take a class and experience Barry’s for yourself!
Pricing:
- First time is FREE
- First time package options
- Corporate pricing available
- Available through class pass
Contact Info:
- Website: https://profiles.barrys.com/madelyn-falivene
- Instagram: @maddyfals
