Small Business Spotlight- Barre Forte

Brinn Strange of Barre Forte

1. Tell us about your business; and what is your business philosophy?

Barre Forte is a small fitness studio that provides effective, empowering workouts for all ages and fitness stages. Our one-hour Barre workouts combine ballet conditioning moves, Pilates toning, and yoga stretches to ensure you are both strengthening and lengthening your muscles. At Barre Forte, we believe you should enjoy working out! We have motivating fitness instructors that provide options and modifications to ensure our clients feel successful in their workouts. We prioritize getting to know our clients personally in and out of the studio and making sure we understand any limitations or injuries that they may be experiencing, so that they can get a fun and safe workout. At Barre Forte our motto is to “Meet Your Best.” We want our clients to find the best version of themselvesf when they step into our studio and leave any stresses behind. They often tell us they are their healthiest and happiest here. 

2. Why are you passionate about your commitment to United Way’s Community Investment Fund?

Barre Forte loves being a part of United Way! Our Small Business Partnership is an amazing way for us to get involvement with the Gainesville community, and we enjoy knowing that our contributions are going directly to help local families and individuals in need. Being a part of this community of givers also provides us with an opportunity to meet other influential local leaders and altruistic business-minded individuals. These are people we are interested in collaborating with as we work together to help our community grow and thrive. 

3. What is something interesting or surprising that most people don’t know about you?

I was born in Southern California, but lived in New Mexico for ten years. After graduating with a Masters degree in English from Cal Poly State University in Central California, I taught freshman composition for two years in Southern Mississippi before deciding to commit to fitness full time. I have competed in over 20 triathlons and truly love swimming, biking, and running when I am not at the Barre!

4. What would your older self tell your younger self?

I would tell myself to wholeheartedly invest in relationships with others. Meet someone new; learn their name and something about them. We all have a lot to teach each other. 

5. Favorite quote?

I love the quote “in the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.” We drink a LOT of coffee at Barre Forte, so I am changing this to, “in the latte of life, clients are the shot of espresso.” They are that extra burst of energy that keeps us motivated, and they are the reason we do what we do. We love our clients, and we hope they love their experience at Barre Forte.