Empowerment through movement

After experiencing workplace toxicity, building herself back up during the pandemic, and now thriving as a self-made fitness entrepreneur, Natasha Vujic has created her own “happy place” – not just for herself but for her staff and anyone who walks through her door at Dance Sculpt Fitness Boutique.

Tell us about your journey in business.

You could say Dance Sculpt started accidentally! I used to be a ballet dancer who was once very weak, always injured, and lacked a lot of self-confidence. After my dancing days were over, I started working in the fitness industry and found a true love and passion for helping women feel great about themselves. I unfortunately experienced workplace harassment and was bullied by a former boss. I had to leave this job quite abruptly and it wasn’t long until I had a bunch of previous clients from this business reach out and contact me asking where they could come and take my class.

At the time I was still pretty shaken up after my experiences, but I had an overwhelming number of people who believed in me more than I believed in myself in that moment. Not long after, I ran my first eight-week block of classes out of my old dance school’s studio in Hume. All I knew was that I wanted to create a safe place in my class for anyone and everyone. I wanted to challenge people physically and mentally in my classes because that’s where true growth happens.

I always aspired to have my own studio, but I was still so scared. Past experiences left me very damaged and constantly in my own head struggling with self-belief, even though it’s what I preached most.

Fast forward to the pandemic and hello to teaching via Zoom! My little business went completely online, and I had clients tuning in from all over Australia as well as internationally, which totally blew my mind! When life returned to normal, I wasn’t able to continue renting my previous location, which led me to where I am now, my beautiful Phillip studio that opened in May 2022.

My passion for this business grows stronger every day and my purpose stays clear; I just want to continue changing as many lives as I possibly can, as I truly believe down to my core it is what I am here to do.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in your industry?

About eight and a half years ago I was purchasing a laptop, a month before my first solo trip to America where I was guest teaching around the States. The sales rep asked me what I do for work. I told him I was a fitness instructor and dance teacher, and he laughed in my face and said, “But what’s your REAL job?” He then questioned if my parents supported me doing these “jobs” as a career choice and said, “Oh, you’re young and I guess it’s just a phase, you’ll get yourself a real job eventually”.

A challenge I’ve faced is people not taking me seriously and being made to feel inadequate for what I do for a living, when in fact I feel I genuinely have one of the greatest jobs of all time. I get to change people’s lives for the better because I choose to support, encourage and uplift anyone who walks through my doors. I overcame this because I now have belief in myself and what I offer. I know that what I deliver is not just a class but a safe space for people to come as they are, to feel welcome and to feel that they are more than enough and more than worthy to achieve whatever their hearts desire.

What advice do you have for women looking to advance their careers in your industry?

My advice would be if you are choosing to be in this industry, then choose it for the right reasons. You could say I’ve had some great examples in my past that showed me exactly who NOT to be in this industry. From the way you treat your staff, to how you treat your clients, it all matters. We are here to serve our communities and change lives for the better! It’s taken me until my 30s to finally feel so content with my life.

I choose not to look at anyone as competition anymore as there is literally no point in comparing yourself to anyone other than yourself.

What are your thoughts on the importance of workplace culture?

It is a make or break – again, speaking from past experiences and now being the big boss! I’ve always wanted to create a positive and enjoyable environment for my people. Not just for my staff but for all of the Dance Sculpt members. My studio is such a special place to be, I’ve somehow attracted the most welcoming and humble people and I guess it’s because that is how I’ve built it to be.

People feed off the energy you put out and I could not be prouder of the space that I have created. So, I guess the goal is to create a workspace where your people LOVE to be! We have a mirror sticker on our big arched selfie mirror at the studio that reads “my happy place”. How many people can call their work their happy place?

To find out more, visit www.dancesculpt.com or email [email protected]

Instagram: @dancesculpt