Meet Jessica Gonzalez | Mobile Swim Teacher/ Aerial Yoga Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Gonzalez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
The habits I feel that have helped me the most are:

1. Do not be afraid to ask!
I used to be so ashamed to ask for help, or even advice when running my own business. Being told “no,” felt like a defeat when I had a past mindset. I was afraid of be viewed as uneducated/unknowledgeable, but in fact it is the complete opposite! Asking questions has helped me gained so many more perspectives, solutions, positivity, clarity, and of course knowledge! I would not be where I am today without always asking questions and doing my research.

2. Be confident in your business!
Remember to talk about what you do and advertise in the way that best suits you. Don’t be afraid to talk yourself up to people. I didn’t want to come off as annoying or self-centered about teaching but remembering all my years of experience have got me to this present moment. Know all you can about your business so you can confidently answer questions people have. Social media, specifically Instagram, is my biggest form of advertising. When you are good at what you do, and have a passion for it, it shows with the people you work with, and the right kind of people will notice. Don’t be afraid to be confidently you!
Pricing was always something that made me feel uneasy because I didn’t want to make people feel like they couldn’t afford them, but once I raised my prices it also showed me the people who took me seriously and valued my time and style of teaching. It also helped me avoid burnout. If you are trying to run a successful business stand confident on all things related to your business. As this is something that I am still working on myself, this is crucial. Not everyone will see nor understand the things you do for your business, but you must know that it is in the best interest for you and that’s why it is YOURS.

3. Prioritize Self Care Habits
It is crucial to make sure you have days off. These are what help you in the long run. Those days should be filled of doing things that make you happy and that are away from work. Its important to set good work/life boundaries to avoid burnout. The more happier and refreshed you are on your days off, the more it reflects onto your work. You feel more motivated and energized when working with people and want to provide the best service. When you are constantly working and not prioritizing yourself, you have no motivation or drive to keep doing what you are doing resulting in burn out. Take time for you and honor your off work boundaries.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In summer, I am a private mobile swim teacher, meaning I come to you to teach swimming lessons. I also teach kids aerial yoga at If I was a Bird Yoga Studio. I focus on inclusion and acceptance when teaching swim or aerial yoga. I want to make sure kids and/or adults feel seen, validated, and accepted for what ever level they come to me at. Things that get me excited about teaching swim lessons is that moment when kids overcome their fear of something. In aerial yoga, I get excited when the kids come in showing me a new skill they have mastered. I started working professionally with children since 2012 and have been continuing to guide them to realizing their fullest potential ever since. A couples challenge I had to overcome along the way was burnout and people pleasing! I was making myself available to everyone and was having a hard time saying no because I didn’t want to make people upset. I realize to have a successful business, that you are not going to make everyone happy and you need to put yours own needs first and stick to your boundaries or that will lead to burn out. Thats why I mention owning your worth in the past question. I really had to prioritize my self care days and set clear boundaries on my days off. The biggest take away that I want people to remember to be more accepting and inclusive to everyone! And to just keep swimming….

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As someone who was born and raised in South Bay San Diego, I was super privileged to grow up in a community rich in culture and diversity. As I grew up, I got to explore more outside of South Bay San Diego and found myself always venturing to the beach and specifically Ocean Beach. Ocean Beach is a small little beach community with all my favorite things! My favorite place to take a yoga or aerial yoga class for adults its Pier to Point Wellness. If you wanted to check out some local art, there are 2 art shops I’d recommend: Vervor and Connect SD. On Wednesdays you can find the Farmers Marquet going on with lots of tasty treats and vendors selling handmade goodies. Of course we would make a beach trip and then go tide pooling. Some of my favorite places to eat/snack on in Ocean Beach are: Azucar, Ultreya, OB Noodle House, and Its Raw Poke.
Azucar is a Cuban Style pastry shop with the most delicious guayaba and queso pastry. Although I am not a coffee person, Ultreya is known for their coffee and matcha. My favorite is the Happie Hippie bagel with a Butterfly Pea Tea. OB noodle house is a classic that has been on Dinners Drive in and Dives and is pretty well known for their chicken wings. Its Raw Poke has the best Poke in San Diego! Its is fresh and they do not add extra toppings like other places in San Diego. You are getting real poke.
Lastly, a little trip to Kate Sessions park to catch the sunset. If you have kids, there is a cute indoor play place in OB called BlueBird. It is literature themed and they host different events. The OB library is a fun place to take your kids too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate this to anyone trying to pursue what you love and turning your passions into a business.

A friend I would like to shout out is my friend, Brenda Gutierrez. She was the one who really motivated me to teach swimming lessons as a real business and confidently believed in my abilities.

I would also like to shout out Amy Thai and Emily Artalejo, for their continued guidance and support in my Aerial Yoga journey and Tiffany Gullberg for hiring me to teach kids aerial yoga, and create a sensory friendly aerial yoga class to those on the spectrum.

Instagram: @justkeepswimmingwithjessica

Image Credits
Photo Credits to:
Amy Thai
Jenna Richarson
Elizabeth Gonzalez