Hidden Gems: Meet Kaitlyn VanderMeer of KP (Fit)ness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn VanderMeer. 

Hi Kaitlyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
If you would have told a younger version of myself that THIS is what I would be doing in my life, I would have probably laughed in your face. Public speaking was never a strong suit of mine until I had a professor in college count my “ums” and then everything changed. You’d probably assume that I knew I wanted to go into this field from the beginning. Wrong. I actually have a Bachelor’s of Science in Interior Design and minors in General Business and Creative Writing Fiction. I worked in the Interior Design field for roughly six years before deciding that I needed more out of life. I was never a desk job type of girl, but that’s what I had. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. I craved movement. My yoga practice was on and off, mostly just depended on what my friends wanted to do with me. Then one day I discovered a barre studio in our downtown area and decided to give it a try without any of my friends with me. I was hooked. 

Fast forward a few years later, a lot of personal things were happening in my life to make me question just about everything. I was grieving, I was unhappy sitting at my desk 45 hours a week, but I was busy because on top of my full-time job I decided that picking up a part-time job would also be a good idea. Something needed to change. I needed to make a change. I loved yoga but never thought I could or would want to teach it…. but I thought “I could teach barre”. So, on my first day off in 108 days, I took an 8-hour barre class at my local YMCA. I hated it. It was nothing like the barre that I was used to participating in. So, I brushed it off and went back to the dread that I was in. 

A few months later someone that took the training with me reached out asking if I wanted to start teaching at her studio. I did. From there another studio reached out and asked if I wanted to start teaching for her studio as well. So, there I was with a full-time job, a part-time job, and two studio teaching jobs. Casual. 

I kept this pace for almost 6 months, then I started to think about teaching yoga. I looked into yoga teacher trainings in my area and found one that I was interested in 45min away. That’s an easy drive. So, I signed up almost instantly. The training didn’t start for a few months so I had time. But I’m the type of person that once I get an idea in my head, I have a hard time letting go of it…. and the thought of quitting Interior Design and going fitness was getting harder and harder to let go of. 

January 2020, I put my notice into my full-time job. My yoga teacher training started February 2020. Can you see where this is going? I got a 1.5 months into my yoga teacher training and the entire world shut down and I was stuck at home for 3 months. My boyfriend was still working so I was left home, alone. 

Fast forward to when things started to pick back up. I was back to teaching barre classes, I had picked up teaching group fitness classes (that certification came a few months later), I was back to my part-time job, and I was back to my yoga teacher training. Looking back now, everything turned out for the best. But it sure was hard to see that then. 

So, this is where my new studio can came into the picture. I was still teaching at numerous yoga/fitness studios around Kalamazoo, but then I was asked by a friend if I would be willing to start to teach her private sessions in her basement. Of course, I said yes, a chance to do what I was learning I loved while helping out a friend! As I started to talk about this with other friends they asked if I would be willing to do this with them virtually as well (as they live in other cities). I started to wonder if this was something I could actually do outside of my friend group! I vaguely thought of ideas about how I would run my own (actual) business or yoga studio… from this idea came just an idea for a space to hold private sessions. I love teaching at the other studios but I wanted to offer something more for the clients that wanted a more private setting. That’s when out of the blue, at least it seemed that way to me since I was reading the text while walking into the grocery store, I was asked to be a part of this concept to help open a studio that was really just the home for numerous businesses. I loved it! We can all keep each other accountable but we can all do our own thing. Fourteen days later I signed a lease to a space with two other studio owners. And here we are almost 8 months into it. 

Since then, I have taken a few other trainings, I now offer barre, bootcamp, yoga, private sessions of those three classes, and the newest offering: Thai Massage. Never did I think I would be doing Thai Massage, mostly because I had never heard of it! I won’t say I was bullied into the training, but I definitely said no the first few times I was asked to take the course. But here we are, and it is THRIVING! Now I’m in the process of hosting my first yoga retreat later this year!! 

The studio constantly has new members and I’m starting to wonder if I need to find a bigger space. All good problems to have, they say. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Well, I mean 2020 in itself wasn’t a thrill for starting to completely change my life into a new field. 

Other than that, it has definitely had its ups and downs. The studio space is shared by 3 strong independent women who each have their thoughts and we’ve had to learn how to compromise on a lot of different things. I think I will leave it at that! 🙂 

As you know, we’re big fans of KP (Fit)ness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
KP (Fit)ness is a small yoga and fitness studio tucked away in little shoppes in a small neighborhood. You really don’t know it’s there unless you know it’s there! 

The studio offers weekly barre, bootcamp, and yoga classes. It also offers in-person and virtual 1:1 private sessions of those three types of classes. It also offers weekly Thai Massage sessions. We do events all over Kalamazoo from yoga and beer to yoga and macrame to yoga in a salt cave! This has been some of the most fun… just trying to bring people back out into the world and getting their bodies moving. 

What might set me apart from other studios in the area and it’s a one-man show. It’s just me. I teach all of the classes, I do all of the Thai Massage sessions, it’s me behind the computer screen during a 1:1 session or uploading a picture to Instagram. And I’m pretty dang proud of myself (if I do say so) for doing all of this!

What’s next?
The physical studio space might see some changes, we might relocate. Who knows? I never try to plan anything too far in advanced because you just never know. The world might suddenly shut down again! 

Right now, I’m just focusing on bringing in new clients, bringing Thai Massage to those that have never heard of it, and focusing on my upcoming yoga retreat! 

Pricing:

• $25 for 2-week unlimited group fitness classes
• $30 for 30-minute private 1:1 session or $45 for 45-minute private 1:1 session
• $75 for first time Thai Massage goers, $90 for returning 60-minute sessions, $115 for 75-minutes, and $135 for 90-minutes. The returning clients will experience more advanced poses then the first time they experience a session!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: kpeacefitness.com
• Instagram: kpeace_fitness
• Facebook: kpeace.fitness

Image Credits
Kayla Raquel Photo