Community Highlights: Meet Latricia Wilder of Vibe Ride Detroit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Latricia Wilder. 

Hi Latricia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised on the west side of the inner city of Detroit, a product of two parents who were the same, meeting at the former Detroit Institute of Technology in the Cass Corridor area of the city. I graduated from Cass Tech and had the privilege of attending Howard University in DC. Post-college my sales career took me from DC to NYC to LA and back to NYC, yet Detroit has always been the only place I called home. Throughout living in other major cities, I was able to witness the projected image of Detroit from an outside perspective and became very aware of how misinformed others were about my city, and how misrepresented the media and outsiders presented the city. I attended USC for Graduate School and focused my thesis on city branding and re-imagining the city of Detroit through branding techniques. My career was in sales, and I was determined to sell the city I loved to promote growth and revitalization. The fitness portion of my journey began as a former dancer becoming a working adult who wanted to continue being healthy but was never one to go to a big box gym and simply workout. The group aspect of fitness is what kept me encouraged and motivated, as it was similar to the feeling I had when being a member of numerous dance companies, and living in NY and LA I had some of the best experiences with boutique studios. The disconnect happened when I came home as the lack of options were evident within the city limits, having a variety of studio presence in the surrounding suburbs. Post having my daughter I got into the cycle community, as cycling is a great way to build cardio, protect your joints, and I thought continue enhancing my fitness community, yet soon into my journey I began to feel how elite, exclusive, isolating, and expensive that community was becoming. I pitched the idea of bringing multiple studios to the city of Detroit but based off the image people had, and the “lack of their target customer base”, no one wanted to touch the city…MY CITY. I then researched how Detroit was listed as one of the most unhealthiest cities in the country, both mentally and physically, and began to question why these people, weren’t their customers. Health and Wellness is a necessity not a luxury and living under the principle that you are either part of the problem or the solution, I decided that if they won’t build it, I will. I challenged myself to be a disruptor to the elitism that was present in the fitness industry, and create a way of combining technology, luxury, and education, in a studio setting that is warm, welcoming, at a price point that every day, working people can attain. The quality of the facility, the experience, and the training should not have to lack because you are not wealthy, especially in high-density black and brown communities. In 2018 I started Love Yourself LLC with the intent of providing people with the necessary tools and education needed to live their best lives from the inside out, and in 2019 I quite my corporate job and focused full time on building my company and opening the first Vibe Ride studio in Downtown Detroit. Building a Tribe of people unafraid to “get their lives” and show up for themselves and their community, as their best selves, is my mission! 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am of the model that bumpy roads mean you are exploring uncharted territory, and this journey has definitely been a challenge. From the beginning, it was a process to get accepted, approved, and finally a space in the downtown area. As a female, minority business owner, I hit roadblocks with garnering funding and was denied by numerous banks despite having money in my account, and a 760+ credit score. Overcoming a massive buildout on the space, major construction delays, and costly miscommunications were just the beginning because as we opened there were a lot of community learning needed on the difference between a studio and a gym, and why incorporating lifestyle habits is better than having a cinched waste. Now add a global Pandemic to the journey, which shut us down for 11 months, and gave little to no resources to the health and wellness business sector despite this Pandemic proving how desperately needed we are, and you have the uphill battle that I am still fighting through as I write. I am hopeful for where we are going as I know the mission is pure, the drive is unmatched, and our tribe is exceptional! 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Vibe Ride Detroit?
Vibe Ride Detroit is the premium group fitness studio in the central business district of Downtown Detroit, and the only studio that provides a full range of group training classes in one location. You give us at least one hour of your day and we will provide you with Rhythmic Cycling, Pound, Pilates, Bootcamp, High-Intensity Interval Training, Guided Meditations, Nutrition education, and a chance burn up to 1000 calories and be a part of our unparalleled Vibe Tribe community. In addition to being an Equitable, Inclusive, and Female Minority-Owned Small Business, we elevate and provide retail opportunities to other Female and Minority-Owned Small Businesses within our space, some of which have not had the chance for brick-and-mortar sales prior to having shelf space within the studio, at no additional charge to them. We also donate a portion of our sales back into the inner city of Detroit, as we believe the revitalization efforts taking place in the city should be felt throughout the city, not just in one focused area. By providing free community classes, health educational seminars, purchasing yoga mats for public school children, partnering with mentorship programs, purchasing sponsorships for black and brown LGBTQ+ initiatives, supporting STEM programs, and giving financial and supply donations to nonprofits and other outreach organizations, we are doing our part to make Detroit a better place for all! 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The true belief that it is our responsibility as human beings to leave the world better than it was when we entered it, and the knowledge that it takes a collective effort for real evolution to happen. You have one life, and none of us will get out of this life alive, thus learn from the past, live in the present, and love your way throughout it all. 

Pricing:

• First Class is $11

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: theviberide.com/detroit
• Instagram: @viberidedetroit_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VibeRideDetroit/

Image Credits
Christopher Fox
Kelly Aleex West