Who is Vicki Anstey outside of being a business owner?

Being a business owner is often the last thing I consider myself to be!

But as you might imagine, much of my time is spent training (I’m currently training to row the Pacific next year) and being with my two lovely dogs, Ebony & Olive.

What inspired you to launch Barreworks?

I discovered the Lotte Berk Method around 15 years ago. I was in a high-stress, high-pressure job in advertising and had completely neglected my health and wellness. I decided to make a change and someone recommended Lotte Berk to me, they promised it was ‘like exercise, without really exercising’ so I signed up on the spot. Within the first few minutes, I realised I had been totally mis-sold (it was torture!), but I loved it and was instantly hooked.

I went from a weekly class to becoming completely obsessed and decided to train. I visited New York to take in the scene there and realised what the UK was missing. I knew there was a business opportunity that was as yet unexploited and I knew I had the passion and marketing know-how to create initial demand. I took a huge leap of faith opening my Studio during the recession of 2009 but trusted my instincts and worked extremely hard to make it work. I taught 24 classes a week for 3 years solidly until I could afford to train my own Instructors and begin to grow the business.

Barreworks uses a lot of ballet exercises to condition the body. Can anyone take part?

Absolutely! I had zero ballet training before I started (although since training in barre, I went on to train with the New York City Ballet, so it’s really never too late!). Barre is based on ballet movement and positions, but it is broken down to make it accessible for any level of ability, and it’s actually more focus on strength and conditioning than ballet, so no experience is necessary.

How diverse are the exercises? Would you recommend it as a pre/postnatal workout class?

We literally go from top to toe, working through every area of the body and leaving no muscle ‘un-turned’. We keep our warm-up and final stretch the same (like bookends) but in-between EVERYTHING changes. Our promise is that you will never take the same class twice.

Barre is perfect for pre and post-natal and with actually very few modifications required. We adapt as pregnant clients progress through their pregnancies but we don’t offer dedicated pre and post-natal classes because the method is versatile enough to cater for everyone – plus our class sizes are small enough that we can closely monitor movements and offer modifications as needed.

What role do you play within the business?

I work across every area of the business, from teaching to marketing, managing the accounts, strategic planning and development, instructor training, scheduling and more recently COVID-compliance! I believe in understanding my business at all levels, but we are also small, independent and streamlined so it is a necessity!

Your brand is centred around rediscovering ballet and its incredible benefits. What tips would you give to other female founders wanting to build a niche business?

Follow your passion. I live and breathe my brand – and (I hope I) exemplify it. Running a small business is extremely hard work, you have to have a strong intrinsic motivation for doing it – the reward has to be in the process, not through financial gain or any other reason. There are a lot of late nights, working weekends and you never really switch off. The other aspect of building a niche business is that if or when it takes off, you will create competition for yourself – embrace that, essentially you are driving overall market demand and ultimately that’s a really positive thing!

What’s the best decision you’ve made for your business so far?

I decided early on to keep the brand distinct. I’ve had so many approaches over the years from yoga or pilates instructors keen to rent space and run classes from my studio, but have always resisted that in favour of maintaining a clear brand image built on the foundations of barre and ballet specifically. I believe quite strongly that you can’t be everything to everyone. Stand for something specific and you will thrive.

Is there such a thing as the right platform to build an audience, if yes or no, why?

I always say word-of-mouth is the most powerful marketing tool. Social media is something of a necessary evil – horribly addictive, although it can be a great showcase for your brand experience and is increasingly the go-to way for consumers to research a brand, product or service.

How can fellow founders cut through the noise and build a brand they are proud of, whilst reaching the right audience for what they have to offer?

My best advice is to be as authentic as possible, stay close to your business (however big it gets) and listen to what your customers want. Focus on what you do and do it brilliantly, and don’t let yourself get distracted about what your competitors are doing!

Is barre a massive part of your daily routine before putting your business hat on?

I call barre ‘the glue that holds my body together’. I have a really diverse training regime that includes weight training, rowing, running and crossfit, but I always find time for barre – aside from building strength in key muscle groups, promoting and maintaining good posture and flexibility, it keeps my ligaments, tendons, joints and stabilisers in check. It keeps me injury free and supports a robust, resilient system.

Do you have anything new happening at Barreworks that you’d like to share?

Since lockdown, we have (like many other businesses) had to take our operations online and as such have created an enormous On Demand library with over 300 hours of workouts. The value of this (especially given the current climate) is huge. Our clients have shown incredible adaptability and now that the Studio has re-opened (albeit under restricted capacity) we have a new hybrid model that offers much wider accessibility, more convenience and means that if there are further lockdowns, we have a fallback solution.