Today we’d like to introduce you to Vivien Micheloni.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Vivien. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I founded Five Nine South as a fitness company designed to merge the multiple components of health to create a space of growth and inspiration. Two of our passions, travel and fitness, help to support this goal – both are based around doing something for your spiritual, mental, and physical wellness! My goal is for Five Nine South and its products to reflect a love of fitness, travel, and exploration, while helping consumers meet and exceed their goals!
In 2014, I developed a herniated disc from improper muscle activation and glute engagement due to having a dormant backside from years spent at a static desk job. I started using a hip resistance band, which helped me focus on engaging the right muscles and strengthening my posterior chain. In turn, my herniated disc healed. As a Crossfit coach, and someone active in the fitness community, I became very passionate about glute activation in order to help others avoid similar preventable injuries. I began mentioning the bands to anyone struggling with similar issues but wanted that assistance to be affordable to these athletes.
I released a line of hip resistance bands as my first product in order to provide a more budget-friendly option for consumers wanting to strengthen, tone, or rehab. These bands are meant to help create a strong, healthy backside – a fundamental component of a strong, healthy body. Five Nine South bands are designed for durability, variability, and convenience – standing by our company belief that fitness and health don’t begin and end in the gym.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to starting Five Nine South has been anything but smooth! I’ve faced quite a few obstacles. From timing and start-up costs to marketing myself and being taken seriously, the journey has not been easy or simple, but it’s been worth it!
Some advice to other women starting out – there is so much to learn! Go into your journey with an open mind and be prepared to live outside of your comfort zone. The hours are long and the work is hard, but it is worth it when you see those incremental successes.
Ask for help and delegate. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, who will hold you accountable and who push you to achieve this incredible task you’ve begun.
Take some time for you. Starting a business is hard. It requires time, dedication, motivation, and a ton of effort – burnout is a real thing. Take that bit of time to reset, then get right back at it!
Most importantly, believe in yourself. You had an idea, a dream that got you started. Refuse to let the obstacles and setbacks steer you off track. Take them in stride and use them to propel yourself forward. Do the damn thing.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am the owner and creator of a travel fitness brand – Five Nine South. We want to provide products that help our consumers create healthier lives that allow them to continue doing the things they love and enjoy – hiking, exploring a city, snowboarding, surfing – just to name a few!
For those chained to a desk job, it’s common to develop chronic back pain from weakened glutes. Over time, this can become severe enough to interfere with enjoying hobbies or even simple day to day activities. Strengthening the glutes can help to reverse some of that degeneration and to alleviate pain. Hip resistance bands are a great tool for building the glutes and activating the surrounding muscles. We’ve created hip resistance bands at a more affordable price so that our consumers can experience the benefits of strong, healthy glutes without breaking the bank.
Our bands come as a set of two with different resistances based on cloth material, not actual band size – another differentiating factor from other band products. We provide movement tips, fun challenges, warm-up ideas, and more on our Instagram and Facebook pages, so our users never have to question what to do next!
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
Women have faced tough challenges for so long. Although it’s been incredibly difficult to overcome these challenges, the paradigm is shifting. Women are finally beginning to be recognized for what we bring to the table – for our dedication, ambition, drive, intelligence – without being reprimanded because of our gender. Women are finding more and more ways to step into roles that continue to support equality, which in turn creates new opportunities for future women! It is very exciting to see this play out! From entrepreneurship to executive roles, women are taking that stand showing we can overcome the challenges, we can reach our goals, and we can make our dreams reality!
Pricing:
- Set of Two Hip Resistance Bands – $32.95
- Five Nine South Crop Top – $24.95
- Five Nine South T-Shirt – $22.95
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fiveninesouth.com
- Email: info@fiveninesouth.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiveninesouth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiveninesouth/
Image Credit:
@dreagonzaphoto
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