“How Did You Decide That You Were Going to Start Milwaukee Movement?”

This is often the question I get asked when working with a patient for the first time. There’s a lot, and also not much, that went into my decision to start a business.

So, without further ado, here’s what went on behind the scenes in the creation of Milwaukee Movement.

Graduating Into a Global Shutdown

I graduated (from my couch in the family room) in the spring of 2020 with both my Bachelor of Science and Master of Athletic Training degrees. That puts us in the thick of a global pandemic.

The world shut down. Hospitals and any health-related clinics were strictly caring for COVID patients. The Olympics were postponed a year. The NFL and college sports were at a standstill. Athletic trainers were furloughed or taking temperatures in clinics.

For the first time in my life, there were no jobs in athletic training, when typically there are never enough athletic trainers to cover all the sports events that take place on a weekly basis.

This was a devastating time for me, coming off my summer internship with the Houston Texans and then a season with the Milwaukee Wave semi-pro soccer team. Prior to the shutdown, I was so excited to continue on in the arena of high-level sports and see where my career could take me.

Then COVID.

From Sidelines to Storytime

Most of college, I nannied for a family (🤍), and overnight in the spring of 2020, I became their full-time nanny as daycare was no longer available.

I went from spending most of my days on the sidelines—taping, rehabbing, traveling, and the excitement of game day, to potty training, attempting Zoom kindergarten, learning the theme song to Bubble Guppies, and decorating endless batches of sugar cookies to make the time pass.

My world, and everyone else’s, literally got flipped upside down, with no telling when, or if, it would go right side up again.

The Phone Call That Started It All

During nap time, I started reading and studying to get my Certified Strength and Conditioning certification.

Then, fast forward to June, coaches I had previously worked alongside started calling. They were asking if I could come and work with their women’s soccer teams to help reduce risk of injury upon return to sport.

I told them if they could work around my nannying schedule, I would be there. They agreed immediately and then asked the question:

“How much do you charge?”

I had never been asked that before. All of college, my work was free due to gaining clinical experience. So, I consulted Google to figure out the going rate for the work I would be doing. I told the coaches my rate, and shortly after, I was showing up at the practice fields.

The “What If” Moment

It wasn’t long before I started to wonder: what would it look like if I turned what I was doing into a business?

I realized that I had connections in the community, a niche knowledge and skill set, and that I was a female showing up in a male-dominant space to work with female athletes. Coaches were willing to work with my schedule and agreed to what I asked for in pay, so it sounded promising to me.

The Unforgettable Chat with My Dad

My dad is also in business, so one evening I brought my grand idea to him, to which he responded:

“I’m not going to tell you no. Commit to it for the next five years, and even if it doesn’t work, you won’t even be thirty yet.”

And that was all I needed to hear.

Getting Milwaukee Movement Off the Ground

At this point, I had a few nanny families I was working with, but the common thread was that the moms were in positions of leadership, two of them having part or full ownership in their practices. Because of that, they were both excited for me and very supportive in helping me get everything in order to get my practice off the ground.

From July through September, I was getting the legalities and formalities in place:

• various insurances
• buying my domain
• incorporating Milwaukee Movement
• purchasing equipment
• learning how to take payments
• meeting with the bank and starting a bank account from ZERO

Then came the logo, the first website (which got hacked in less than a month and needed to be completely redone), finding a booking platform, a brand shoot, the first merch drop, and so much more.

I could fill a book with all of the firsts that had to get in line to even get my business off the ground, but that will come in a later post.

The Soft Launch

By mid-October 2020, I soft-launched Milwaukee Movement!

I began learning my process, marketing like a crazy person, sending emails, cold-calling, meeting with anyone who would listen, and giving away free services to build connections. I did this while still nannying so that I could have some form of income.

My First Full-Time Job

On January 1, 2021, Milwaukee Movement became my full-time job.

All of my time, energy, and focus shifted to this little start-up, where I offered three services:

• personal training
• injury prevention & sports performance training
• sports medicine therapy & rehabilitation

I did whatever I could to make money. I was there from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. if I had to be.

And that drive from 2020, and so many other variables, is what has pushed me through to today.

Looking Back at the Beginning

There were a lot of sacrifices made in the first five years, some of which had a deeper impact than others. Yet in spite of the heartache and trials that filled those start-up days, the victories and success have become all the more rewarding.

The Lord has used this business to make me solely dependent on Him and His strength in order to build the flourishing business that is Milwaukee Movement today.

I have endless appreciation for finally feeling confident in my skill set and the services I offer, my processes, working fewer hours, much less anxiety, and having time for life outside of work.

If I’m Being Honest

Milwaukee Movement was born out of desperation, to use my degrees and make money in the heart of a global pandemic.

Everything after that is nothing short of a miracle.