On Thursday, February 7, I attended the seminar, “How Does an Engineering Degree Prepare You to Open a Gym?” Guest speaker Chantelle talked about how her Cornell education and tech industry experiences helped her to launch her group fitness studio, FLX Fitclub. Such an odd title for a seminar immediately piqued my interest, and I had no idea what sort of discussion I would be walking into. I had never heard about FLX Fitclub prior to this seminar, but I can understand why so many people are attracted to the concept. For Chantelle, exercise is not just a means to reach the end goal of becoming physically healthier. The exercise itself forms part of the entertaining experience. The people around you motivate you to keep going and hold accountability. I agree with Chantelle and believe that everyone should fit exercise into their schedules for healthier minds and bodies. In the future, I hope to attend one of Chantelle’s classes for myself.

Because I am interested in start-ups and entrepreneurship, I enjoyed listening to Chantelle’s story about how the FLX Fitclub originated. She described the struggles of operating a start-up and delved into all the logistical aspects that an entrepreneur needs to consider. I appreciated Chantelle’s advice about learning on the job. She said that it is okay to not know things and ask questions constantly. Although no one likes to be wrong, I will try to become more comfortable with making mistakes and learning from them accordingly. Entrepreneurs like Chantelle must be willing to take risks and accept that they will fail. But they must also be able to bounce back.