LightFull Lady–Kristen Horler
Our LightFull Lady, Kristen Horler, founded Baby Boot Camp to help new moms’ balance baby time & personal fitness!
Q. We all are looking for our own perfect balance in our lives, but I recognize that "balance" means something different to everyone. Describe your own perfect balance.
A. I’m pretty sure that I don’t achieve “perfect” balance in my every day life…but I do create a little something each day that I can savor. This could be something as simple as having lunch with my husband (instead of my laptop) or making dinner with our children (instead of tossing a pizza in the oven). It’s a constant balancing act to find some sanity, peace and fun in each and every day, with the understanding that today’s “balance” won’t be the same as tomorrow’s.
Q. What do you do when you want to reward yourself?
A. I step away from my office and have some down time with my family. Reading, cooking, walking, it doesn’t matter what we do, as long as we’re together. It’s a successful day when I do this.
Q. What is a typical day for you?
A.
- 5:30 am - swim, bike or run for 60 minutes
- 7:00 am – 2:30 pm – office work/teach Baby Boot Camp
- 2:30-4:00 pm - pick up kids from school/make after-school snacks
- 4:00-6:00 pm – office work
- 6:00-9:00 pm – as a family: make dinner, do laundry, dishes, make lunches, read with the kids. SLEEP.
Q. Family: How many children/grandchildren do you have? What are their activities? Which activities do you make a priority and why?
A. I have 2 children. Madison is 6—she is in Kindergarten, excited to be learning how to read and write. Tyler is 4—he is in preschool and loves to come home and do homework with is big sister. Both of them love to swim, go boating and play in the backyard on their play structure. They are also very into Lego’s and puzzles right now. Any activities that do not involve the television are a priority in our house.
Q. Tell me about your career, and how you got to where you are.
A. I am the founder and CEO of Baby Boot Camp. I started Baby Boot Camp over 6 years ago, when Madison was born. I was a personal trainer in San Francisco, but I was not interested in leaving her with a babysitter while I trained clients all day inside the walls of the gym…so, I grabbed 3 other new moms and took them to the park for a semi-private personal training session. It worked for them, because they didn’t have to hire a baby sitter and they were able to pay less per session, since it was semi-private training. It worked for me, because I was able to do what I love doing, which is to help women achieve their health and fitness goals, while spending time with my daughter. Baby Boot Camp rapidly gained interest throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and with some assistance from my Chief Operating Officer (and husband), Mark Horler, we began franchising Baby Boot Camp just a few years later. We now have over 100 franchise owners across the United States as well as in Bermuda, Canada and the United Kingdom. I have never worked so hard in my life and enjoyed my work so much. The funny thing is that I don’t teach my children how to exercise, but they do push ups and lunges (in the middle of Target) just to show me they’re watching my every move.
Q. Community: What community service are you/have you been involved in? What inspires you to contribute your time to these charities?
A. I contribute regularly to non-profit preschools in my local community and women’s shelters. I believe in giving back to my community and supporting local and national women’s and children’s causes.
Q. What are your secrets for keeping your energy up and staying positive, focused and balanced in all of the activities that you juggle?
A. My job as a mom and my job as CEO of Baby Boot Camp are both very rewarding to me. I enjoy working in the same office with my husband as we both assume very different roles within the company, but we are both financially and emotionally invested in the success of our franchise owners and the company overall.
Q. Do you have any tips or tricks that you can share to help fellow busy women stay in balance?
A. Sleep is a good thing. Exercise, proper nutrition and hydration all play an important part in addition to family and social life. It’s not about cramming it all into one day (work, family, friends, exercise, etc)…it’s about ‘a little here’ and ‘a little there’ and setting priorities in your life.
Q. Describe a time when you felt out of balance. How did you get back on track?
A. I work every day to find balance in my life. Finding time each day to be with my family and making time for fitness rounds out a very busy work day.
Q. What are your goals for the future?
A. My goal is to be the best role model I can for my children.
Q. If you could leave the world/your children with one gift, what would it be?
A. I would like my children to know that they can do anything they want to do. There are no boundaries and their parents will support them in every possible way.
