Dear Hot Mamas,
Many of you have been asking how Hot Mama did at the Small Business BC Awards. Erm, well…if we had won, it would be all over the place, but alas, it wasn’t to be this year. And you know what? That’s a-ok! So, why has it taken me so long to fill you in?
Your OHM needed time to process.
We lost.
Did I cry? Yup. I did.
Was I upset that we didn’t win? Nope. Not at all.
Did I feel like I let my team and this community down? Yup. I did.
Do I feel that way now looking back at this experience? No. I don’t.
And that’s why it has taken me a few days to process and fill you all in.
Now don’t go and get all crazy on me, I know I didn’t let you down. But, in the moment, seeing franchise owners fly out to be with me, spending hours getting ready, reading message after message of support…I felt bad not bringing this home to you. I felt bad that I couldn’t give you this award.
You matter. Our community matters. Hot Mama matters. And I so badly wanted to honor you and all you do. You all go above and beyond when it comes to supporting this Hot Mama community, I truly wanted to win this award for you…to show you that what you do is acknowledged and appreciated. You give money, time, energy and love day in and day out. We fundraise, we love, we support and we empower. YOU have tremendous community impact and I really wanted to celebrate ALL of YOU with this award.
I wanted the media to recognize the work you do, not the work I do…I work behind the scenes…I really wanted attention brought to you and the impact you have on the women you sweat, laugh and burpee beside every week. What we do at Hot Mama isn’t just fitness. We provide a safe place for women to go to be authentically real, to meet other like-minded Mamas and to empower and motivate other women to become a better and healthier version of themselves.
I love that not only do we provide a platform to get healthy, but we genuinely care about one another. Someone gets sick? We stock the freezer with food. Someone gets injured? We help with the kids and housework. Tragedy strikes. We ban together and raise money to help. That’s you, Hot Mamas…that’s all YOU. YOU creating this movement of love and support. YOU creating a place where women can go to cry, celebrate, laugh and/or scream.
So, I felt bad when I didn’t get to bring the award to you and shower you with love and adoration. Because I do…I love and adore each and every one of you.
Now, don’t get me wrong. We had an INCREDIBLE time at the gala. It’s sooooooo nice to get fancied up…hair and makeup done…beautiful dresses on. Wine flowing. Music pumping. So. Much. Fun. And jeez…I couldn’t have asked for a better entourage. I had some of my best friends beside me, a few franchise owners who I love and respect, their husbands (because, yes, we have their support too) and an evening filled with joy, love, dancing, a lot of vodka and fun.
But, when we didn’t win? I felt awful. Not because we didn’t win the award, but because I felt I let you down. I’m not sure how many times I said “I’m sorry” throughout the evening…and as the vodka flowed, it happened even more. But…after taking a few days to reflect…I’m still sorry…but I can use this platform here to shower you with my love and adoration.
Hot Mama would be NOTHING without all of you. Nothing. From my franchise owners who believe in our mission so completely they’ve changed their lives paths to help me build community through family fitness. To our incredible Hot Mama clients who are the most loyal women and support their Main Mamas by getting to class and participating, laughing and cheering on one another. To the Minis who love and adore all we do and are learning healthy living from Day 1.
It’s a humbling experience to reflect on defeat and realize that there’s no way we actually lose if we stick to our message. If I continue to find women who love and support and believe in our mission, if I continue to fight for health and wellness on the proper safe and effective platform I’ve been yelling from for years and if I dig in and fight for our kids to get active…I can’t lose.
But I can only win if you’re with me. Beside me. Walking tall and loving what we do. I’ll forge ahead and we’ll make a difference. I know our community impact is extensive. I just needed a few days to wrap my head around it all.
So Hot Mamas, if I had an award I would have handed it over to all of you. But, I don’t. All I have is this incredible feeling of gratitude and support for all we stand for.
I cannot thank you enough…so for now, I hope these words land in your heart and fill you with love. I will fight for this company and all we stand for until I feel we’ve made the impact we need to make. Day in and day out, I’m here for you. And I absolutely know you’re here for me.
With love, respect and gratitude,
Your OHM
While it is always nice to be acknowledged with an award, in no way does this measure the impact of your business. Not even for a second. When I think of impact, I think of this Sunday when I did a workout only because I had your voice in my ear telling me what to do in your new box podcast; I think of the hill and strength tough middle training I never would have completed without all the other mamas doing that training; I think of my son and daughter who each pull out the yoga mat and ask me for exercises that they can do ‘like bootcamp’; I think of the inspiring community that you’ve created that motivates us all to keep moving, to aim higher, to support each other and to be well. These are SMART measures – i.e. number of women and kids who participated in exercise at least three times a week because of the hot mama community in the last year. Number of participants who have achieved their goals… etc Perhaps you could collaborate with an up-and-coming exercise science grad student who is looking for a research project ?. Hot mama is an enormous winner in my books, well done Lindsay and main mamas. ❤️