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Most women entrepreneurs build a business to solve a problem they found in the market. Sadie Lincoln built one to solve a problem she had been hiding for a decade.

Sadie is the co-founder of Barre3, a mindful fitness company with more than 200 studios and an online platform reaching clients in over 100 countries. On Dear FoundHer with host Lindsay Pinchuk, she finally says out loud what took years to admit. A secret eating disorder, a body she was trying to conquer, and a pregnancy that cracked something open she had not been able to reach before.

What she discovered in her living room in 2008 became the foundation of everything Barre3 stands for. And every major business decision since then, including walking away from a deal that would have made her a household name in fitness, has traced back to that same truth.

Female founders who are scaling a business while trying to stay honest about what it costs will recognize themselves here. Sadie built a community for business the old-fashioned way, face painters at a fountain, free classes above a health food store, relationships that no algorithm can manufacture. She course-corrected when outside pressure pulled her away from her values and called it growing without burnout before that phrase even existed. And the personal brand decision she made, choosing to stay small enough to stay true, is one most founders never have the nerve to make.

Know yourself first. Do the research. Surround yourself only with people who are excellent at what they do and who respect why you are excellent too.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Meet Sadie Lincoln, Co-Founder and CEO of barre3

04:00 How Barre3 Was Built Around Mindful Fitness and Why That Was a Radical Idea in 2008

06:19 The Invisible Truth Behind the Business and What Sadie Finally Said Out Loud

09:27 Why the Hardest Moments in Business Are Often the Seed of What Comes Next

13:56 From Living Room Workouts to a Fitness Company Built to Franchise

17:01 The Grassroots Marketing Strategy That Still Outperforms Social Media

21:47 Why Community Is the Actual Product at Barre3 and How That Drives Sustainable Growth

25:25 What Kept Barre3 Standing While Other Boutique Fitness Brands Fell Apart

28:00 The Deal Sadie Walked Away From and the Financial Hit She Took to Stay True

31:53 The Kitchen Moment That Changed Everything

37:27 What’s Next for barre3

40:21 Three Pieces of Advice for Women Starting a Business

Connect with Sadie Lincoln:

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