Today we’d like to introduce you to Derith Cass.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I found F.I.E.R.C.E., I was desperate. It was December 2014, and I was questioning everything in my life… how I got here, my purpose, my relationships, and my heart. I needed to find a way back, back to Derith. As I was feverishly searching for anything to pull me out of this spiral, a quote popped up in front of me, and there it was:
“This is the year I will be stronger, braver, kinder, & unstoppable. This is the year I will be FIERCE.”
I realized that F.I.E.R.C.E. was what I used to be: strong and feminine, healthy and balanced, fit and fun, content and driven, confident and curious, and above all else, truly, wholeheartedly happy. I knew I could get there again & was determined to figure out how.
As a personal trainer of 16 years at this point, the one thing I was certain of was fitness so I used that as my starting point. I reached out to the women in my life and asked them to join me on this adventure of finding our true happy place by simply prioritizing ourselves and our health. And it worked…
Now, hundreds of lives have been changed, thousands of pounds have been lost, even more, inches are gone; and there are countless stories of women embracing change, choosing to show up, getting back up, the power of community, & new beliefs about what is possible.
It started with fitness but F.I.E.R.C.E. quickly evolved into a way of life that nurtures balance, acceptance, self-compassion, self-care, and deep friendships:
-Fight for what we believe in
-Inspire others to do the same
-Encourage each other along the way
-Reach out to those that need us
-Coach ourselves and each other
-Empower all to believe it is possible
This is about starting where YOU are right now, finding the path that best fits you, and pushing yourself beyond where you thought you could go! This is why I created F.I.E.R.C.E. We become our best by prioritizing our health because we feel our best!
I invite you to join us at the Garage Gym if you live in MA or to join our F.I.E.R.C.E. Membership if you aren’t local.
We are a community of strong women ready to take care of ourselves through health and fitness and mindfulness, all the while supporting each other along the way. It’s YOUR time to become F.I.E.R.C.E.! All women. All ages. All stories. All destinations. It starts here. With a single choice. Let’s do this, together!
Has it been a smooth road?
Hahaha… smooth road. Nope. Picture riding a bicycle on a railroad track… yeah, it has been THAT kind of bumpy.
FIERCE began online and when I started, the online space was new to me. So, the first 4 months were a little bit of everything, basically seeing what sticks. Now, the beauty of this experience is that I had the chance to explore so many different options that I found what worked: being completely open and honest with my personal journal and struggle which is what resonated with my tribe and allowed them to open up and do the same which resulted in remarkable transformations both physically and mentally. It all came down to the connection.
Then, after 1 year of coaching FIERCE online, I moved from TX to MA and launched a LIVE version of the program. That was really the only missing piece – the in-person connection and the launch was a huge success! The program ran strong for about 11 months due to many helping hands and then there were some more bumps…
Primarily these bumps were due to me trying to change FIERCE to fit into a platform that didn’t share the same vision. These changes took FIERCE in another direction that started to feel inauthentic to the purpose it existed in the first place.
So, after many conversations and attempts to “make it work”, I chose to take FIERCE on a solo adventure to a new space. And, that worked. FIERCE has been unleashed and we are feeling fiercer than ever!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the FIERCE By Choice story. Tell us more about the business.
FIERCE empowers women to feel confident in their skin by prioritizing their health through conscious and consistent daily choices.
It is that simple. FIERCE allows women to become their BEST self-possible through health. When we remove the physical and mental barriers to what’s been holding us back, we stop starting over and being moving forward immediately. We recognize that we’ve had the power all along, it just needs to be uncovered.
FIERCE specializes in women’s wellness and creating a feeling of strength, confidence, and worth from the inside out.
We are most proud of the mental transformations that occur in our clients when they realize what they are truly capable of; and this transformation has a ripple effect into kids, spouses, friends, coworkers, and more. To see what is possible when women learn to take care of themselves FIRST is something that is indescribably powerful!
What sets us apart is that we connect the dots for women. Information is not an obstacle. We are in a time of information overload where we can get millions of articles, ideas, and guidance in seconds which can be wonderful and at the same time cause confusion. How do we know what is best for us when EVERYTHING sounds like it was made just for us?
FIERCE takes the necessary information, narrows it down to what is relative to each client, and then shows them how to connect the dots between fitness, nutrition, daily behaviors, mindfulness, and reclaiming the power to choose our experience.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The fitness industry seems to shift by the second and what was GREAT yesterday is bad for you today. So, in that space, anything could happen.
What seems to be gaining interest is the combination of restorative movement and mindfulness and I think this is mostly due to our overstressed, overwhelmed, and overloaded lives and schedules. We are craving pause. We are craving pain-free days. We are craving that ability to get it all done and still have the energy to take care of ourselves.
The answers to these cravings lie in creating awareness around what our bodies need both internally and externally which includes bringing the mind, the body, the breath, and the heart together. I see this evolving as a massage meets yoga meets meditation meets dancing meets strength – type workout.
I also see a trend of getting OFFLINE. You can pretty much access any type of workout online these days through apps and computers, etc.. I think there will be a shift back to in-person workouts because there is nothing like it.
Bringing a community of people together to go through a physical challenge, like a workout, as a team is extraordinary. The energy is palpable and you truly believe you are not alone. That is what people want.
This is what FIERCE provides. Community. Camaraderie. Tribe. Yes, that will happen and part of my mission with FIERCE is to reignite the interest in this piece.
Pricing:
- Unlimited Class Membership $249/month
- 10-Class Pack $200
- One-on-One Behavior Coaching $199-$299/month
- Online FIERCE Membership $27/month
Contact Info:
- Address: 19 Tech Circle Natick, MA 01760
- Website: www.fiercebychoice.com
- Phone: 832-221-4966
- Email: coachd@fiercebychoice.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiercecoachd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FIERCECoachD/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fierce-by-choice-natick
Image Credit:
LJR Images, Wellesley Weston Magazine
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