Running a business can be hard — but making the decision to get started? That might just be the toughest part of all.
Co-founder and Co-CEO of Upstate, Gail Asbell, shares the core advice she wishes she'd had when founding her fitness empire, and reveals how staying true to her purpose has seen the business grow from strength to strength.
"When we started back in 2009, I had been working in brand and marketing — I wasn't even in the fitness industry," said Gail.
The decision to pivot into wellness, however, came following the loss of her brother in a tragic accident. "My sister and I come from the country — from a very close family — so when we lost him in a vehicle accident, it really was that moment of life completely sweeping you off your feet and flooring you," she said.
To work through their grief, Gail and her sister started practising yoga. "I had a profound experience with yoga and found it so amazing for my mental health that I was trying to convince my friends and family to join me," said Gail.
"But the classes were so hit and miss — some were really spiritual, whereas others were really physical — I put on my brand-marketing-consumer lens and saw this opportunity to create an experience that was consistent from class to class."
Gail's goal was to start a brand that was more about how we feel, and less about how we look. "It was all about creating a positive state of mind, so we opened a yoga studio with the intention of helping people through movement, connection and positivity."
This overarching purpose has seen the studio grow from a small business to a nationwide organisation, with new studios launching in New South Wales and Queensland.
"We've loved building our community," said Gail. "Every day you see people coming out of classes with a smile on their face, and that's what really drives us to keep evolving and moving forward."
Having founded Upstate while pregnant with her first child and in her late thirties, Gail believes it's not about finding the perfect time — it's simply about making the decision to hit 'go' on your dreams.
"There was no grand plan for us to do this or to have multiple studios — it wasn't necessarily the 'best time' to open a business, but it was pure passion," she said. "I'd say it's never too early and it's never too late to make a pivot — whether it's in your career or your business."
While it might feel like you need to know all the answers early on, Gail believes it's more about progress over perfection. "Even if it's the smallest step you've ever taken in one day — that's okay! It's a step in the right direction."
Sometimes it feels like everyone has it all figured out and that there's some secret recipe to success, but Gail feels this can be a limiting belief.
"The vision you have of what you think an entrepreneur looks like is actually a made-up thing — we're all on our own journey," she explained. "You can invent your own path — you don't need the three- or five-year plan."
While there's plenty to wrap your head around in the business world, it's often the emotional blocks and barriers that require the most work. For Gail, this issue first appeared following the birth of her child.
"There was this feeling that choosing a career or a business at the same time as being a mum was somehow selfish — I felt guilty for making that choice, and it was a massive hurdle for me," said Gail. "Now I know it's okay to be ambitious, and it's great to have financial goals."
This desire for profitability, however, also came with its own guilt. "I had to change that mindset and story in my own head," she said. "Not coming from fitness, I didn't realise that all the instructors were contractors — they had no sick leave — so my sister and I had a big chat about really wanting to make sure we could create career pathways and put our staff, who were all female, into full-time roles."
The only way to do this was by focusing on growing the business. "You owe it to yourself and all your staff to be a profitable business."
Plenty has changed since Upstate first launched in 2009, but what remains the same is Gail's commitment to the Upstate community.
"Even when we opened our studio in Palm Beach, we invited all of our neighbouring businesses to join us for free classes," she explained. "We really like to build those relationships while providing that level of customer service and quality experience — it's what sees people come back again and again."
It might feel like everyone around you in business is achieving big goals each week; however, Gail believes true success can take time. "I wish someone had told me that it will take longer than you think and cost more than you think," she said.
"Instead of thinking about overnight success, we really look at it as continually evolving and never, never, never feeling safe in business."
Much of this long-term approach comes from Gail's core desire to help people. "It's not just about growth for growth's sake — we're so passionately tied to the mission of movement, and how this impacts how you think, and how you feel about your life," she added.
For those seeking to find their own business purpose, Gail suggests sticking it out until the path becomes clear.
"Just try to stay really focused on what you want to achieve in your own business and what your mission is — and then back yourself. The opportunity is there."
Head to the Upstate website and use code MAMAMIA25 for 50 per cent off their intro offer at all studios, valid until December 31, 2025.
Feature Image: Instagram/@upstate_studios.
