Today we’d like to introduce you to Helen Perez.
Hi Helen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born into a Dominican family and raised with a strong work ethic, but resilience became part of my story very early. I’m a burn survivor, and after suffering severe burns as a child, I grew up learning how to adapt, push through uncomfortable moments and keep going. I didn’t realize it at the time, but so much of that shaped the woman, coach and business owner I would eventually become.
Fitness later became a huge part of my own confidence and personal growth. Strength training gave me something that went far beyond how I looked. It helped me feel capable, strong and more comfortable in my own skin. Eventually, I realized I wanted to help other women experience that same feeling.
In 2017, my husband, Patrick, and I took a chance on ourselves and opened Level Up Studio in Bayonne. We didn’t have some perfect roadmap for entrepreneurship. We learned as we went. We made mistakes, adjusted, worked long hours and built the business while also raising our family and handling everything that comes with real life.
Over the years, Level Up has grown into much more than a place to work out. It has become a community. One of the things I’m most proud of is creating an environment where people of different ages, fitness levels and backgrounds can walk through the door and feel like they belong.
As a women’s strength and conditioning coach, I’ve also become especially passionate about changing the way women look at strength. I want women to know that they don’t have to shrink themselves, physically or otherwise. You can lift heavy, take up space, be feminine, be confident and continue becoming stronger at every stage of life.
Now, almost ten years into owning Level Up, I still feel like we’re just getting started. I’m 44, I’m still evolving, still challenging myself and still dreaming bigger for the studio, my personal brand and the women I hope to impact. My journey hasn’t been perfect or linear, but I think that’s exactly why I’m proud of it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. Owning a business has been a lot of learning as we go, making mistakes, adjusting and figuring things out in real time.
One of the biggest challenges has been wearing so many hats while trying to balance the business, family and life. Then the pandemic hit, and like so many small businesses, we had to completely pivot just to survive. Making it through that and still being here today is something I’m really proud of.
Finances, growth and learning how to actually run the business instead of always being in the day-to-day have also been big lessons for us. I’ve also had to push myself to get more comfortable putting myself out there and being the face of my brand.
It hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge has taught me to keep moving, adjust when I need to and trust that I’ll figure it out along the way.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about LEVEL UP STUDIO LLC?
Level Up Studio is a strength and conditioning studio in Bayonne that Patrick and I founded in 2017. We offer personal training, semi-private training and group classes, with a big focus on helping people get stronger, move better and feel confident in the gym.
What really sets us apart is the community and the level of coaching. We’re not a big-box gym where you walk in and have to figure everything out on your own. We know our members, we pay attention, we coach, and we create an environment where people feel comfortable challenging themselves no matter where they’re starting.
For me personally, I’ve become especially passionate about working with women and helping them see strength differently. I want women to feel confident lifting heavier, taking up space and realizing that getting stronger can be empowering at any age.
We’ve also continued to evolve over the years, from strength training and conditioning to specialty programs, small-group coaching, events and partnerships within our community.
What I’m most proud of is that Level Up has become more than just a place people come to work out. We’ve built a real community. People come for the training, but they stay because they feel supported, challenged and connected. That’s something Patrick and I never take for granted.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is my family, my health and being able to make a real impact on the people around me.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that success means a lot more than just growing a business. It’s about building something meaningful, being present for the people I love and creating a life that actually feels good to live.
I also care deeply about helping women feel stronger and more confident in themselves. Strength training has given me so much personally, and being able to help another woman realize what she’s capable of is incredibly rewarding.
At the end of the day, I want the work I do to mean something. I want my family to be proud of what we’ve built, and I want the people who walk through Level Up to leave feeling stronger than when they came in — physically and mentally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.motivatetofit.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helen_perez?stkn=N3lyOXd3dnliOWdi&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19VDbs3aN6/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/levelupstudiollc?stkn=MWZqaHBuenFyZTV4aQ==
