ABOUT CHELSEA
When we live in courage, we unlock our true potential. When we live on purpose, we find true contentment.
The Basics
I grew up with five brothers and three sisters in Rochester, New York. Along the way, I have learned the value of humor and a good F bomb to cope with chaos and new adventures. I also learned the value of empathy and human connection.
When I was 16, I moved in with my Grandma to provide extra support as her body was failing quickly. Playing nurse at a young age taught me a bit about the fragility of life and the quality of our relationships. I had a similar opportunity to repeat this experience with my mother-in-law 14 years later.
I am a wife, mother, leader, writer, mentor, personal trainer, lululemon ambassador, best friend, caretaker, student, health and wellness advocate, and multi-unit business owner of Burn Boot Camp fitness franchises.
I love burpees and I even have cellulite on my calves.
Marriage
Meet Ted. He’s a serial entrepreneur and loves BBQ and bourbon.
I met him shortly after I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to earn my Bachelors in Business Administration. We both thought the other person was “about 25.” I was 18, he was 31. Suckers. We fell in love quickly and married seven years later.
We worked at Bank of America and later left to pursue his IT business full-time. Our marriage has been chock-full of stressors and the natural ebbs and flows of any relationship. Owning multiple businesses, earning an MBA, caring for family members, baby-making and baby-raising, losing one pregnancy, being separated for five months, training a puppy and moving three times got us good. We are a work in progress with high standards.
Motherhood
Transitioning to Motherhood changed me. At 20 weeks pregnant, I learned that our first child, Max, had Trisomy 13 - a genetic disorder deemed “incompatible with life.” And, it was. This unexpected news stole my spirit and darkness followed. Depression set in.
I turned to fitness to self-medicate, and my heart yearned even more for Motherhood.
We later found light in the birth of our healthy children, Connor and Clara.
With this joy of my new role, "Mom," I struggled to keep my sense of self and my marriage suddenly felt strained. I had lost a piece of myself, yet felt guilty for feeling this way after enduring such a tragic loss.
Transformation
At the peak of life chaos, I joined Burn Boot Camp. Ted was at an all-time high of stress in his business; I was busy raising an infant, toddler and taking care of his Mom who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Of all the people that needed me, I needed “me” the most.
I was struggling to accept my new body and all the ways it didn’t feel like mine anymore. The constant family demands rested solely on my shoulders. What made me “ME” became a distant memory. The dreamer in me was buried under the stress in our home that spread like cancer. The energy was heavy.
Upon joining, losing my "baby fat" was my answer to happiness. I was obsessed with a number and placed my value in weighing 132 pounds.
Instead, I gained 15 pounds of muscle, lost 7% body fat, and later competed, qualified, and placed in the Top 8 of the Burn Athlete Games.
Burpees changed me. I no longer felt defective or flawed. I felt strong. It was never about being skinny after all. It was about gratitude, confidence, and feeling empowered to do my best. I shed skin and renewed the trust and love back within myself. I started to believe that I was worthy of my fullest potential, and I felt this deep calling to pay it forward.
Business
Shortly after the passing of Ted's Mom, we realized we were hustling for all the wrong reasons. Our lives were being steered without direction and we needed purpose. We bought into the Burn Boot Camp franchise to open the St. Louis, Missouri market in 2017.
I flew out to St. Louis to open our first gym - Burn Boot Camp Manchester. I had planned to get the operations up and running and head home to Charlotte until our official re-location to our new city. There was no going home. I was short-staffed and needed to stay on-site to keep the business alive. I became a permanent hotel resident while my husband doubled down on being a single Dad back in Charlotte. My drive to succeed was lit on fire.
Five months later, we reunited and bought a home in West County. With time, I was able to hire help and build a team of 80+ bringing talent and passion to all areas of the business. This team is my second family. We quickly grew to four locations and paused in 2021 to re-build from COVID-19. The expansion to seven continues.
Our success has led us to multiple Burn Boot Camp awards including Multi-Unit Franchise Partner of the Year, Brand Champion and Fantastic Philanthropy. I was awarded 40 Under 40 by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2021, and the gyms have been recognized multiple times as an A-List winner by St. Louis Magazine.
The Truth
I know what it is like to be merely in motion. To drift through life yearning for more. I have felt my own battle wounds of grief, solitude, sadness and self-sabotage tear me apart. I have also witnessed my wounds heal and learned how to harness my own strength to create a life that serves me.
I know how scary change feels. And, I know how life-giving change can be.
I understand the challenges and rewards of aligning action with intentions. I now know success, self-love, and purpose.
And now, I am here to help you create a life that serves you. Lock arms with me and take inspired action to manifest the life we are worth living. We will have fun along the way. Pinky promise!
COMMUNITY-MINDED
Through the Burn Boot Camp platform, our gyms have collectively raised more than $175,000 toward the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 2018.
We host an annual “Be Their Muscle” workout for the public to raise funds for children with various neuromuscular-related diseases.
KEEN, Kids Enjoy Exercise Now, is a local non-profit focused on helping children with disabilities be active. We host frequent workouts on-site for these KEEN athletes with the goal to empower and build self-esteem.
The Manchester, O’Fallon, South County, and Kirkwood communities have been active contributors to the Joy of Sox, Circle of Concern, and Sweet Celebrations organizations.
A blog focused on all facets of YOU.
I share it all because the highlights divide us and the struggles unite us. Through these candid confessions and reflections, you will understand that we are all connected. We are united by similar fears, self-doubt and pressures. We each hold a key to unlock our fullest potential through inspired action.
Prefer the shorter version? Connect with me on Instagram.
@chelseatheodoropoulos
