At Paceline, we’re all about the intersection of fitness and finance. So what’s more apropos than fitness entrepreneurship? That’s the thinking behind our Fitrapreneur franchise in which we ask those who’ve been able to turn fitness into a profession, how they did it, what inspired them, and any advice they have for others trying to live healthier. First up, The Sculpt Society founder Megan Roup

“The power of movement.” That’s the gist of why Megan Roup started The Sculpt Society (TSS), her bi-coastally popular sculpt and dance cardio workout app: To share her own love of movement—and everything it does for her—with others. And it’s also why she’s excited to partner with Paceline. “I am such an advocate for daily movement, but I think for so many people, there is a lack of motivation,” says Roup. “Or, if there is motivation, being consistent with it is hard.” 

In fact, how to be consistent with workouts is a question that slides into her DMs on the regular. “Paceline is disrupting the space, and is going to give people motivation from a financial perspective to get up and move their bodies,” Roup says. “When they see themselves receiving those rewards or that cash back, that’s a really powerful incentive to be consistent with movement.”

Roup is offering Pacers who hit their streak a seven-day free trial and a three-month membership for $19.99 to TSS. As part of their exercise rewards, Pacers can also unlock 20% off merch and equipment on the TSS site. “If we can have someone experience what The Sculpt Society is for three months, I think most people are going to love it and see how much content and value we can provide for that monthly fee,” Roup says. “And there really is something for everyone on the app, and it’s all friendly and approachable.” 

So, head on over to the Paceline app to redeem your reward. And read on to learn more about Roup’s journey to become a Fitrapreneur. 

Describe your path to becoming a Fitrapreneur in 150 words or less. 

“As a former professional dancer, I started in fitness as a side hustle and fell in love with it. I decided to pursue fitness as my full-time career and launched The Sculpt Society in 2017. And I saw fitness as a way to impact women’s lives in the way that I had always wanted and needed myself. It’s a way to empower women through movement.”

What hurdles did you face and how did you overcome them? 

“Initially, finding a home for The Sculpt Society was a hurdle. I didn’t have a presence on Instagram yet and I had to prove myself and what The Sculpt Society was. Fast forward to 2019 when I launched The Sculpt Society app. My degree from NYU is in dance with a minor in media, not tech. There were all these little things that I didn’t understand about leading a tech business and what those hurdles would look like. I feel like I’ve been in business school for the last three years and I’ve learned so much, just understanding a little bit more about what it takes to run a tech business.”

What’s your personal fitness routine?

“Luckily for me, my job is to teach fitness classes. My routine really looks like my classes that I’m teaching live on The Sculpt Society app. Pre-pandemic days, I was teaching hours of classes and privates and because of the pandemic, I really had to slow things down. And that was a blessing for me because I’ve realized I don’t need as much as I thought I did. Teaching live on The Sculpt Society app a couple times a week and then here and there doing my own TSS class at home for 20 minutes is really all I need.

As far as recovery goes, that’s been something I’ve been really trying to do more of. I love products from Therabody, like the Theragun and compression boots. I feel like they’re really disrupting the space in recovery and making it a lot easier for people to fit it into their busy schedules. I also love an infrared sauna, whenever I can get into one. And then for mental wellness, movement is my meditation, but when I can fit in a five-minute meditation or journal, I try to get that in a couple times a week.”

What came first: Your passion for fitness or your passion for entrepreneurship?

“Initially I would say fitness, but the more I think about it, my dad is an entrepreneur. I think it was entrepreneurship.”

Where would you like to be in 5 years?

“For The Sculpt Society, the main focus is continuing to grow the community, put resources back into the company, and continuing to make this the best experience online and in full-body sculpting and dance cardio.”

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve gotten?

“One that I took way too long to implement: To delegate so that I can elevate. I think only in the last year have I started to really understand how important it is to build a team around you so that you can really do what you do best.”

What’s the best piece of wellness advice you’ve gotten? 

“There’s so many, but Gabby Bernstein often talks about slowing down so that you can actually do less so that more can come in. And I think there is something to that. The New Yorker in me wants to push and go all the time. But when it comes to wellness and balance, it does require downtime and it doesn’t need to be a go, go, go all the time.”

What role does fitness play in your business life?

“Fitness and business definitely play into each other. Especially as I’ve started to grow my team, [the benefits I get from movement impact] how I show up to meetings and leading. And I want the same culture I’m creating in my TSS classes to the be the culture of the business.” 

How and why do you make time for fitness despite a busy career? 

“Some days it means I just need to wake up earlier, which is hard for me. Even though I’m in fitness, I’ve never been a morning person. But maybe that means I’m getting up at 6:00 or 6:30, so I can squeeze in a 20- to 30-minute workout before Harlow gets up. Or, I’m taking a walk outside in the sunshine to get coffee and that’s my moment of wellness with my husband.

The old Megan would think that if I didn’t do an hour to two hours of movement a day it wasn’t enough. With the pandemic and with becoming a mom, I think my moments of ‘me time’ are just smaller, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not as impactful. You can have an amazing fitness routine that only requires you to do 20 to 30 minutes of movement a day. I’m all about committing to less to show up more when it comes to fitness and the impact a short workout can have on your day to day is so powerful.” 

What advice would you give to someone looking to turn health & wellness into a career?

“Education is so key. Educate yourself, get certified, and then just get that experience. If it’s fitness, get out and teach as much as possible. Those early days when I first started teaching, I was teaching the 6:00 a.m. classes, but it didn’t matter to me because it was the experience. 

When it comes to health, wellness, and even fitness, if you are an entrepreneur, make sure you’re coming into the space with a fresh perspective. How is your approach different? There’s a lot of people in the space, but there is room for everyone. I do think if you can come in with a different and a fresh perspective, that’s always going to help your company stand out.”