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

Hi Rachel, what is a piece of business advice that you don’t take?
I cringe when I hear companies say that they “under promise and over deliver.” I don’t believe in setting average expectations and beating them and I don’t believe that customers should expect a moderate experience.  My business, The Studio, is a boutique fitness studio in Bankers Hill. The world of boutique fitness is super competitive and I want to impress our customers every step of the way so they become raving fans and part of our community. We plan to “blow your hair back” at The Studio and we promise a phenomenal experience the second a customer walks through our doors. I expect that our team will over promise and over deliver! We go above and beyond when necessary and we to do our jobs exceptionally, no exceptions.

What should our readers know about your business?
We call The Studio, the re-imagination of boutique fitness. To me and my team, this means that we are building a sophisticated business and brand; and we are relentlessly focused on creating an experience that is  better than our customers can imagine. That experience starts the second you sign up for class and extends well after your first class experience. The Studio offers a variety of class styles (not just one style) that are designed to challenge your body, build your strength, grow your endurance, and take you to the next level (our classes are also a lot of fun). We believe in constant growth and we want to give our customers the opportunity to grow in every area of their fitness journey which is why we are focused on providing a variety of quality experiences. It’s pretty incredible! We have customers who take Yoga, HIIT, Barre, and Dance classes with us every week… they literally get a full fitness experience at The Studio. Most importantly, our team sets us apart. My executive director, Sean, and I spend a lot of time hiring the right people and maintaining the quality of classes. This is definitely time consuming, but, we don’t accept instructor applications. Each of our instructors are handpicked to teach a specific class. The instructors we bring on board have worked very hard to become the very best at their craft- I’m super proud of the team we have- they are incredible. Opening in the middle of this pandemic has been tough, but, it’s also solidified our commitment to our customers and to sophistication & quality. So, while tough, this has been a great time for us to open our doors because we have the opportunity to start with a clean slate and with a high level of cleanliness and service. We don’t have to fix bad habits or change our procedures. Excellence and cleanliness is our baseline.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

San Diego is MY FAVORITE place to host friends (I am not from here, so, I have visitors come through all the time). I live in Coronado, so I always start the weekend with a breakfast trip to Claytons and then we head north to hike through Torrey Pines State Reserve. I usually end the hike with a walk down to Blacks Beach and grab lunch lunch in La Jolla Village.

Must do’s while friends visit: Sunset at Ocean Beach, Smore’s on Coronado Beach, Little Italy Farmers Market, Dinner at Civico 1845, a ferry ride from Coronado to the Broadway Pier and then a walk to brunch at Morning Glory. A North Park Brewery Crawl (I created a map for a great crawl if your readers want one). Sailing or paddle boarding the Bay, a bike ride through Balboa Park, and OF COURSE a visit to The Studio…. OH, and when we can, we ALWAYS go to a Padres Game… it’s the best stadium. Basically, I love hosting friends in San Diego!!! If anyone needs tips to make this town fun for friends, hit me up!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A friend of mine says, “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by a community of incredible humans who are true over achievers in every aspect of their lives (business or personal). I am constantly inspired by my friends who fearlessly move forward and never remain stagnant. My friends challenge me, keep me accountable, and support me. I’m lucky. And, while, it would be unfair for me to call out just one person, I do have to say that my mom, Debby, showered me with love and encouragement while growing up and taught me that I had zero limitations.

Website: www.thestudiosd.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thestudio.sd
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelracz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thestudio.sd

Image Credits
Head shot by: Kendall Iller (NASTYAF Productions)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.