Victoria's Lighthouse: Fostering Culture and Community in the Fitness Revolution

When you meet someone who radiates joy and champions a thriving culture, you can't help but be drawn to their story. That's exactly what happened when I sat down with Victoria, the heartbeat of Burn Bootcamp's inclusive community. As the VP of Culture, she's a beacon of positivity, and she joined us to mark her work anniversary by sharing her evolution from a young mother in search of connection to a leading light guiding a fitness revolution. Victoria's dual expertise as a franchise partner and an HR professional gives her a unique perspective on the crucial role of culture in business, and she generously offers up the wisdom she's gleaned from a decade of experience, accompanied by personal anecdotes that will leave you feeling ready to take on the world.

Then, we journey deeper into the symbiotic relationship between physical well-being and spiritual resilience. Celebrating ten years with Burn, Victoria illustrates the transformative power of a supportive fitness community with a personal poem that's as moving as it is motivational. Her story isn't just about achieving physical fitness—it's a testament to the profound effects of a nurturing environment on mental and emotional health, underscored by an unwavering faith. Whether she's changing careers or aligning her life with her spirituality, Victoria's experiences are a reminder to all of us about the importance of being present, chasing our passions, and trusting in a higher plan, even in those quiet moments when we feel most alone. This episode isn't just a conversation; it's an invitation to ignite your spirit and perhaps uncover your own calling.

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Transcript

Lorayne: 0:03

Hey friends, I am so excited for you to join me on this very special episode. I get to sit down and talk to my friend, victoria, who I met at a speaker retreat, and she is the VP of culture at Burn Bootcamp. And if you have not heard of burn bootcamp, I would encourage you to look it up. It is a group fitness workout company, just like the other ones that you have heard of, I'm sure, but burn is like no other, and I get to sit down and speak with Victoria and I wanted to share this with you guys.

Lorayne: 0:45

This is a powerful episode. She's a faith filled, faithful woman and she is bringing her joy to the world, to her community, through burn, through her business tree, the ministry and business that her and her family do to serve the community. So, without further ado, I would like you to listen to this episode and take notes, if none nothing else, to enjoy it, maybe learn something from it. But Victoria is a speaker and author, the VP of Culture at Byrne Bootcamp, but she is an incredible woman and she has a lot to offer. So listen in and I hope you guys enjoy. Welcome back to the Bite Size Podcast. I'm your host, lorraine Michaels, and today. This is a new thing, a new opportunity that I got and I got to invite my friend I almost said Vic, but we know Victoria, but we call her Vic.

Victoria: 1:48

Anyways.

Lorayne: 1:49

I know it's. I hear everyone else call you that and it just rolls right off my my tongue also. So, anyways, this is Victoria. We are at Burn Boot Camp and I just had the amazing experience of doing a live stream workout. I don't know if you've ever tried it before, but burn bootcamp they're everywhere. It's a phenomenal group fitness workout, um, like none other, because I've done some other ones. You all know the names of them, um, but burn is incredible. I absolutely love it. I actually met Vic at a retreat and we became fast friends. We were kindred spirits, connected. We live close by, so that helps. But really distance doesn't matter to me. I have friends near and far, and when a friendship is a friendship, you go the distance right.

Victoria: 2:39

Yeah.

Lorayne: 2:40

So I was like I have to have you on my podcast. You are amazing and I love what you do and what you're about and um, the culture that you represent and the energy and atmosphere that you bring and create and cultivate is incredible, and so, um, that's what I'm about. I'm about, um, bringing it in and really calling people up, and you do that so beautifully, thank you. So Victoria is a writer, a speaker, an author. She's the VP of Culture at Byrne Bootcamp and today, unknowingly I just learned this is her anniversary at Byrne, with being an employee here, and so I want you to jump on the mic and tell us a little bit about what you do here at Byrne.

Lorayne: 3:35

And how did you find it? What brought you to Byrne so cool?

Victoria: 3:39

Well, first, this is such an honor to be with you. We haven't seen each other in about three, four months and we just picked right back up and I'm so thankful that she worked out with me, because what's better than to just pray together and work out together to just like align and just get our energies right? And so, um, love, burn I. Um, I've actually been with burn for 10 years as a member and I found burn when I was, uh, um, a young mom. So I had a four year old, two year old and a one year old, and this was our first building.

Victoria: 4:09

Wow, so, you're sitting in the original headquarters gym and I lived a mile from here. Oh wow, and our slogan was fit community of moms. And I have three boys. They're now 1311 and 10.

Lorayne: 4:22

Thank you.

Victoria: 4:23

And so at the time it was four, two and one Every day. I drove down the street and it said fit community of moms and I was like that's where I need to be. And it's more than a workout. I had to put a hat on because I was so sweaty and nasty Thank God for curly hair, right? I'm like, oh yes, but you sweat, you're challenged, you don't have to think about your workout, you just show up and you're going to get a great workout. But it's so much more. It's literally a community. They know your name from day one. We're all about the high fives. I'm going to high five you again, cause it's just creates this energy and connection.

Victoria: 4:57

And so I was hooked and the journey just to kind of fast forward. I worked in corporate America for about 15 years in the human resource space and love HR, love burn, and so I became a burn franchise partner. I opened two of my own burns in Atlanta and then got bigger plans and I ultimately sold those and then I became the first HR professional at headquarters. Oh, awesome. Today, five years ago, I started part-time their first HR person and my journey is now VP of culture.

Lorayne: 5:29

I love it I love it.

Lorayne: 5:31

And so, like you said, it was a community from the rip and it was something that you drove by and saw. Something I want to touch on there friends, if God leads you to it, he's going to bring you through it right. And so if you're going through a season, he's going to bring you to something. So be mindful of those things, those signs I say signs with quotes because that's the Holy Spirit Um, that's something that was on your heart, that God knew was on Vic's heart, um, needing that community and obviously needing that energy and the fitness Right, and he brought you. He brought you to it. So pay attention to those signs, as you see, cause those are the Holy spirit promptings, and I'm so glad you were obedient to that Cause. Look where it led you.

Victoria: 6:20

Yeah.

Lorayne: 6:21

You know that's incredible. So, vp of culture, but you're also a writer, you're also a speaker and I'm sure, with being in HR, you're speaking a lot. What is something that you are passionate about speaking about, whether it's at burn or in other things that you're doing on the side? What is something you're passionate about speaking about?

Victoria: 6:48

So I love that Lorraine's asking about the speaking question because, um, the end of 2023, I asked the Lord to challenge me and I actually never believed I was a speaker and it's it's crazy how the devil thinks like he just puts these limiting beliefs in your mind. And I'm really strong with my words on paper and I've always been able to articulate with the pen, and so that's why I did the speaker retreat with Tamara and with you and Fit and Faith, and I really just kind of overcame that hurdle of you know we all have a voice. Every one of us is a speaker.

Victoria: 7:30

And so just finding what it is that you're passionate about. And so, to answer your question, I'm really passionate about business first, and I think it's because I grew up in business, but it's really the business of my home, and so I I, you know, I've worked my whole life, like from 15 on. I'm one of nine children I have. I have seven sisters and two brothers, and so we all kind of worked because there was no money for anything, and so very early I was like I need to get a job and so I learned the business world. But it wasn't until, you know, a couple of years into my marriage where I was like I can't keep pouring into outside my home, I need to pour into inside my home. And my husband and I are going to celebrate 17 years of marriage. It hasn't all been rainbows and butterflies.

Victoria: 8:15

It's been a lot of just prayer a lot of doing the hard work, a lot of just like on our knees, like seeking the Lord to like heal some hurts and um, but we're both committed to God first, and then our marriage.

Lorayne: 8:31

And so.

Victoria: 8:31

I like speaking about the home and you got to pour into your it's. I say my King, my Lord, my husband, number two, my kids and um, it's been very life giving kids and it's been very life-giving.

Lorayne: 8:44

So there's something you didn't mention it, but I know it what you started this little? I don't know if it's a business, I know it's a ministry. It's a ministry. Yeah, yeah, yeah, tell us, tell me about that.

Victoria: 8:57

So with this, this journey, I started a little ministry called Casa Joyosa, and my husband and I are both Italian, and so what that means is joyful home, and I don't know if there's anyone out there listening that struggles with, with just being present and finding joy in the right now, like there's so much, like just joy in this space. There's such an honor to like. The Lord has given us this moment to connect, and how often we're thinking about the next thing. And so I, with three boys they're always on the go A husband that's also entrepreneur minded, we're just busy. And so we decided we're going to create Casa Joyosa. It means joyful home and it's being intentional in the home, but it starts with prayer, and then every week we we find a family in need and we we make a meal for them. So I just got chills because I crave a simple life, even though my life is not simple in nature, and I think that's what joyful home is all about. So that's what it is is prayer and preparing meals for families in need.

Lorayne: 10:02

Amazing. And how do you find those families? So through our church?

Victoria: 10:05

home, just connections. You know someone's getting married, someone's having a baby, someone's, you know, gotten a diagnosis, someone's got a husband that's military and they're just like whatever their needs are. We know we hear stuff, you see stuff on social and a lot of times it will just be the prayer and I'll write down and every day that week usually it's all week and then Friday that's when we deliver the meal and sometimes we just drop it off and usually I drop a candle just the light, like it symbolizes Jesus and being the light for the world.

Victoria: 10:40

And we have chickens and I deliver fresh eggs. I love it. I didn't know that part. Oh my gosh.

Lorayne: 10:45

I love it, and we just got ducks. I know, I know, when you said we were coming here to record, I was like dang it. I wanted to see the ducks. So real quick. We're in North Carolina, specifically, I don't know what the county is. I know we're in Huntersville, but Mecklenburg, okay. So if anyone knows of anyone or families in need, where can they reach out to you and how can they reach out to you?

Victoria: 11:07

Yeah, so typically Instagram's the best. At Victoria underscore Cerise or Casa Joyosa LLC.

Lorayne: 11:15

Okay, so I'll put all of that in the show notes, absolutely. And if there is a need or someone that knows, please, please, please reach out. You can reach out to me, I can get it to Vic or, like I said, we'll have all the connections in the show notes and we can make sure we help that family, help bless that family, and you know what. I also want to challenge you, if this is something that's on your heart that you want to do, or that is speaking to you, to start your own, to do something like that in your own community. Like we were saying, there's always a need and we always know of that need, but maybe sometimes we're hesitant or we, I don't know sometimes, you know, satan creeps in and discourages us from doing something that God placed on our heart. So if there is something on your heart, I want to encourage you to lean into that prayerfully. So I love that. I absolutely love that about you.

Victoria: 12:10

I love your heart to serve.

Lorayne: 12:12

Thank you and I think that's what makes you you and you really embody these roles. So every role that I see you in, whether it's momming, wifing here at Byrne and even with Casa Joyosa, you can tell you have a joy about it. You really do practice what you preach. Thank you. You are like a joy ball everywhere. I love it, and she's a tall woman too and I'm a very short, so you are this big ball of joy and I mean that in the most loving way.

Victoria: 12:49

Thank you. I told Lorraine this morning. I could feel some very real energy this morning and I had to pray Lord, temper me, oh, I love it, Just help me, not come in like a wrecking ball and be crazy and just like temper my. Just give me, don't let me be like that stallion out of the box. And so I'm thankful because I have a calm and a peace, and so sometimes I'm not, I'm just yeah, yeah yeah, Energy to the wall.

Lorayne: 13:21

I love that. That might be why you are blessed with three boys. Hey, it's Lorraine. As you know, it's my joy and passion to teach and encourage others through this podcast, but my heart is actually at live events. Currently, I'm available for booking, so if you're organizing a live event, I'd love to share my story. Your audience will walk away with tangible tools on how to overcome limiting beliefs, break down obstacles and discover their gifts, talents and abilities in order to live a life that God created them to live. It's not the size of the audience that's important. It's the connection and impact that I will bring. For more information, email me at lorraine at theboldbeginningscom.

Lorayne: 14:16

Oh, my goodness, so we've touched on the speaking, the writing, oh, the writing. You are incredible with your words. Thank you, I absolutely from the retreat and everything that you talked about. Obviously, you wrote, but I absolutely adore where your heart posture is and how you articulate that. One of the things and I am going to have you share, as we talked about this, is her five-year anniversary being employed at Byrne and she wrote something beautiful as to what Byrne has meant to her and, if you don't mind, I would love for you to share that with the audience. Thank you For those of you who have been to burn, thinking about going to burn, this is coming from a member who has been with burn for 10 years but you know has worked with burn for five now. But what burn has meant to her and done for her in her life and and even touched her family's lives because it's transformed her from the inside out. So I would love for you to share that.

Victoria: 15:22

You have such an awareness and there's just something so beautiful, like we've literally met twice, and your ability to just pull out the depths. I just wanted to thank you for that.

Lorayne: 15:32

Thank you.

Victoria: 15:33

It's very palpable and real and just gosh, it's goodness.

Lorayne: 15:38

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Victoria: 15:39

Okay so, 10 year journey. Okay so, there's no place like burn is the title of this poem. A 10 year journey that started with a sign. I was a mama of three, four, two and one. At the time, I was mentally, physically and emotionally drained and fit. Community of moms is what the sign proclaimed. After doing some recon, this is what I learned.

Victoria: 16:02

I found out there's no place like burn. Challenging workouts that would push you like an athlete and the amazing community would make you feel complete. My first camp experience was everything and more humbling, yet exciting, and I left it all on that floating floor. They knew my name straight away and welcomed me back with it on the second day. A place of encouragement, accountability and high fives, childcare, nutrition, coaching and the transforming of lives. I was hooked from day one and couldn't wait to return as I began to realize there's no place like Byrne. Results became the name of the game. I trusted the process and channeled my inner Sally Flame. She was strong, confident, capable and loving, and with the right mindset she could do anything.

Victoria: 16:51

The blessings have been many, including a best friend Celebrating countless opportunities. This community would lend. The mental, physical and emotional benefits I've earned will always remind me. There's no place like Burn, this place that pulls out such passion and drive, whether in gym, at home or the studio live. I've aligned my heart, passion and gifts to this brand and 10 years later, in the back row at 4.45 am I continue to stand. What an incredible journey that's blessed me beyond measure and a community that will be a part of me forever. Celebrating five years employed at Burn HQ, feeling proud of this journey and a heart that bleeds blue. From member to franchise partner to HQ employee, each step of this adventure has made me a better me. Gratitude to our founders, devin and Morgan, my growth and opportunity to learn. I want you to know. There's no place like burn.

Lorayne: 17:44

I love that I absolutely love that, oh my goodness. So what is something that you are super passionate about that you want to share with everyone?

Victoria: 17:57

Yeah, I think I don't know if you saw my post the other day. I've been praying about being steadfast in the journey and Lorraine mentioned like being a ball of energy and how beautiful it is when the Holy Spirit is near and you feel it and it's tangible it is when the Holy Spirit is near and you feel it, and it's tangible.

Victoria: 18:21

Sometimes you don't feel it, and so my message right now to all of us is being steadfast. He's always there. The Lord is there, and just trusting that he's got you, and so for me, it's being steadfast and looking for the signs it's being steadfast and looking for the signs. There's people that are put in your life and so trust your season that you're in and remain steadfast in that pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

Victoria: 18:49

And for me, right now, it's staying the course and helping to drive a great culture where I work, continuing to write the things on my heart. Most of the time when I write, it's really for me to clear my mind and for my boys, like I, you know, they're at the age now where, like they're little men and so, like I, probably have them for a few more years before the world gets them, and so everything I write is really a testimony for them, um, and then for each other. You never know who the Lord's going to put in your path, and I just um trust the process, yeah.

Lorayne: 19:22

It's so hard. It's so so hard. Um, and I love that you have said that.

Lorayne: 19:29

So the first thing of not know, not not feeling it, all the time like the Lord is always near, the Lord is always with you, and sometimes it doesn't feel like that, and on the way up here, oh, I could just feel the presence and it was so, so good. And I heard you say that you had cried earlier. Yeah, yeah, I cried on the way up here, because it's just been a season lately and I've just been really concentrating on being still and being present in the season and also pursuing what is heavy on my heart and some of you know, if you follow and listen I quit my job again Back in medicine.

Lorayne: 20:17

I went back to it and I quit again and it was because it wasn't serving me and it was definitely affecting my walk, it was affecting my home and it was pulling me away from the things that God laid on my heart.

Lorayne: 20:32

And it took me to make a hard decision and even selling my truck so I can minimize costs and sacrifice. But ultimately it was making sacrifices so that I could be more present and making sacrifices so that I could lean into the spirit. And I just got back from Dallas and it was at a conference, so it was around a ton of people and a ton of mixed energy and I was there to serve. And I'm not saying this to pat myself on the back, but being a speaker and a coach, you give a lot of energy all the time and you're serving a lot, and a lot of time it's with and for connections and we love making connections. But this time I was not there to make connections, I was there strictly to serve and to be in the background as much as possible. So it was very draining and then, when I got back, I just wanted to be with the Lord and I just wanted to be in His presence and so driving up here.

Lorayne: 21:26

I was so, so, so grateful knowing that I was going to be around you and with you and get to talk with you, and I was just incredibly just grateful and I got to see a little bit of the sunrise and I know it was good. It is important to be attuned to that in your life of when you're in that season and to know that the Holy Spirit is with you always. You just need to call on him and be vulnerable and express what it is that you're feeling and ask God to come meet you where you're at. And one of those things was asking to be put in front of people that I need right now and to remove the things that I don't and that are not for me. And sometimes that prayer hurts because God's going to remove people and things from your life that you think you need or you want, but they're not for you.

Victoria: 22:23

Yeah.

Lorayne: 22:23

I love.

Victoria: 22:24

So Lorraine talked about being still even in the hard things. It's so easy to be still when it's good, yeah, and I just got chills and as you were talking, I totally feel the Holy Spirit just in this space with us, and you're being still in the hard thing and that, to me, is even more challenging. The Lord has you here for a reason, and it's more than connection. It's Proverbs 16, 9. So you're going to determine your course, but he's going to determine your steps. This is one step to the next part of your journey, so true.

Lorayne: 22:58

Awesome. Well, it has been a fantastic day. Like you said, we got to work out and get that energy out, and it didn't go as planned because we were going to record first, then work out. But it went the opposite way we worked out and then recorded, which I love either way because it gets those endorphins going, and that was a brutal workout.

Lorayne: 23:18

It was brutal. It was brutal. Oh, my goodness, it's been a pleasure, yeah, and I'm so, so, so honored for you to take time out of your day and hang out with me and get to be on the Bite Size podcast. I know what you're doing is a blessing. You're blessing your family.

Victoria: 23:36

Thank you, thank you.

Lorayne: 23:37

You're an incredible inspiration. You're an incredible gift. Mom and your boys are lucky, thank you, and your husband and this ministry that you have is awesome. So thank you, thank you for being here and I hope to have you on again, can, and this ministry that you have is is awesome. So thank you, thank you for being here and I hope to have you on again. Can't wait. All right, friend, all right guys. If this message has helped you in any way, please like, share, follow. I want you to follow Miss Victoria. We'll have all her information in the show notes. And remember, guys, you were divinely created for a divine purpose and there's no mistake in you.