GOOD VIBES! Savanna Stevens brings her best self to everything she does in the changing world of yoga and fitness.
JULY 2020 VOL. 2 NO. 9 WWW.FIBO-USA.COM
A REED EXHIBITIONS EVENT
FIBO FOCUS • July 2020
One-on-One With …
SAVANNA STEVENS
W
ith the catchy taglines of “Sporty Sexy Cool,” “The Queen of Good Vibes!TM” and #GirlBoss, Savanna
Stevens is certainly a multi-faceted woman, first as founder and CEO of S3 YOGA, a company and commu-
nity that takes a fun, unparalleled approach to yoga and wellness, and also as a yoga instructor (RYT200 and Yoga For Athletes Certified), writer, speaker, FIBO Fitness Global Ambassador and, last but not least, successful model. Savanna uses her influence and platforms to bring yoga and good vibes to people of all races, ages and backgrounds. Savanna has pioneered an Instagram segment, SIP STRETCH SWEAT!TM, a happy hour yoga Cover Photo: Alejandro Poveda
class that takes a fun, welcoming approach to yoga for beginners, well-seasoned yogis and everyone in between. Savanna is unapologetically living her truth, creating her own lane and inspiring a generation to do the same and she tells FIBO Focus all about it. 2
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That is quite a resume. Can you take us on your fitness journey to this point? I was born and raised in the heart of New York City and I come from a sports family. My father played American football and all my sisters and cousins (including myself) played basketball. Sports and fitness have always been a staple in my lifestyle, leadership style and core values. When I was 16, my father suddenly passed away from a heart attack. Shortly thereafter I tore my ACL playing basketball, had surgery and nearly died due to complications. These two moments were very defining in my life and career. It made me realize how precious life is! My story is a lifelong journey of turning pain into purpose! Those certainly would seem to be some defining moments. Yes, and as a result I’ve been extremely ambitious and relentless in creating and living the life I’ve always dreamed of! What is that life? At 25, I was working as a sports and entertainment producer with five NBA All-Star Weekends, the NBA www.fibousa.com
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Savanna Stevens took a significant leap of faith to start her S3 YOGA business and hasn’t looked back since. 2K League, Superbowl LIV, NFL on FOX, two MLB All-Star Weekends, BET Awards, Hip Hop Awards, Soul Train Awards and Essence Festival under my belt. Additionally, I had worked in the front office of the three-time NBA champions Miami Heat, producing their events. So, why yoga, and when in the world did you have time to start your business, S3 YOGA? During an impromptu trip to Bali, yoga taught me how to become the absolute best version of myself mentally, physically and spiritually. I immediately realized two things. First, working a 9-5 job was not my vibe and, second, I had to find a fun, practical way to bring these teachings to my community of professional athletes, Millennials and people of color. 3
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So, I took a leap of faith, quit my dream job with the National Basketball Association, started S3 YOGA, secured a modeling contract (my other dream) and have not looked back since! Life is short, you’ve got to take action if you’re going to live the life of your dreams! Please explain what S3 YOGA is all about and how it is different from other programs? Let’s be real, yoga classes in the Western world are a privileged and primarily white space. S3 YOGA is a company and community that facilitates private, group and online yoga sessions and events. The word “yoga” means union and at S3 YOGA we are an inclusive and unintimidating community.
How do you accomplish that? We take a fun, unparalleled approach to yoga and wellness. Our yoga instructors are RYT200, RYT500, Trauma Awareness and Yoga For Athletes certified. All of our online classes are free and we are accepting donations to support organizations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Who is your target customer and what is the role and goal of your S3 YOGA community? S3 YOGA came about when I brought together my circle of professional athletes, corporate executives and yogis. So organically, our target customers are from all walks of life. It is our role to help our community become the best version of themselves mentally, physically and spiritually. www.fibousa.com
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You are called “The Queen of Good Vibes!TM .” How did that come about and what does it mean to you? The Queen of Good Vibes!TM is more than just a gimmicky title for me. It truly represents who I am and what I stand for. It got to the point where every time I would meet someone, they would tell me, “I love your vibe!” or “You have such great energy!” I liked that I can make an impact in the length of a short conversation and wanted to expand this impact and reach throughout all of my platforms. So, after about the one hundreth
time of someone telling me they loved my vibe, I realized that was my thing! I decided to step into my power, declare it, and ‘The Queen of Good Vibes!TM was born. So what is your “vibe?” “Vibes” is short for vibrations. And as author and spiritual teacher Lalah Delia states, “Vibration is the constant bridge between the mind, body, spirit and outer world.” Thanks to yoga, I am going out into the world as the best version of myself mentally, physically and spiritually. Whether I am teaching yoga, modeling or working with
brands like FIBO, I am always bringing good and positive vibes to all! That seems even more important these days. Especially in the current climate of the world, we are all conduits and the vibrational energy we put out and surround ourselves with is vital in reaching our highest potential! How do you possibly fit your modeling career in with your yoga/speaking efforts? You sound pretty busy. I am quite busy, but I would not have it any other way. Whether I
THE COVID-19 IMPACT
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your business the past few months and how are you adapting going forward? I saw quarantine when it happened and realized that people were at home, super-engaged on their phones and looking for something to do. With SIP STRETCH SWEATTM, it has been a win-win-win. S3 YOGA is providing much-needed yoga and good vibes during these trying times, building brand and community while reaching audiences locally and globally at scale, and raising money for those in need. Throughout the pandemic, all of our online classes are free, with donations going towards supporting COVID-19 workers and organizations fighting police brutality and systemic racism in America. Your efforts also promote social awareness causes. I cannot emphasize enough how much Black lives matter. There will be an expiration date to quarantine, but moving forward there are two major practices that will last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. First, it will be mandatory for fitness trainers, gyms and studios to have an online platform with content accessible whenever and wherever. Second, it will be extremely important to have philanthropic efforts ingrained in your company’s DNA in support of black lives and marginalized communities. How do you think the overall fitness industry is positioned to recover from the COVID-19 impact and what is it going to take to recover? COVID-19 has reminded us how important our health is. We 4
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see how vulnerable people with pre-existing health conditions are during these times. As we all recover from this pandemic, the fitness industry is in a very good spot. People will want to take care of their health, now more than ever! How can this be accomplished? It will be imperative for us to be innovative in our safety efforts in preparation for the new normal, while simultaneously expanding our online platforms.
www.fibousa.com
FIBO FOCUS • July 2020
am running the S3 YOGA business, modeling for a yoga brand or speaking on health/wellness/entrepreneurship, everything that I do is interconnected. This allows me to streamline all that I have going on. Everything is a building block to my purpose and mission. No matter what I am doing, my goal is to be the absolute best version of myself mentally, physically and spiritually and to inspire others to do the same. It sounds like everything you do is related in some way. I am freely and fearlessly living my truth. As a black yoga instructor, entrepreneur and model (who is too big for the fashion industry’s standard size 0, and too small for plus size) I am creating my own lane in all areas of my life. I have to ask, what is SIP STRETCH SWEAT!TM Instagram segment all about? Sounds like fun. Our event series, SIP STRETCH SWEAT!TM are happy hour yoga flows to make you feel ah-maz-ing. It initially was an in-person event with live DJs throughout Miami. The goal was to take the edge off yoga and blend it with something relatable for beginners with music, dancing, a glass of wine — an overall good vibe!
The S3 YOGA community is inclusive and welcoming to all ages, creating an environment that is even more important in these challenging times. How does being a female entrepreneur position you within the health and wellness business? What strengths do you bring? As a black woman and entrepreneur, it is undeniable that the odds are against me, facing societal hurdles that my white and male
How has technology allowed you to reach out to a global audience? Technology has allowed me to create a global community. In addition to our free online yoga classes, our S3 YOGA blog showcases how-to guides and athlete interviews that make room for inspiring, empowering and real conversations within our community. S3 YOGA is growing rapidly thanks to technology.
You can’t go wrong with a glass of wine involved. But that all must have changed with the coronavirus. Is that when it became a virtual event? With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have transitioned to online via Instagram and YouTube. The class is open to beginners, well-seasoned yogis and everyone in between. It ties back to our mission at S3 YOGA to make yoga fun, practical and a vibe! 5
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counterparts have not. I have a unique ability to be incredibly relentless and resourceful with limited resources. In my pursuit, I am bridging the gap in the fitness community and building an inclusive network and community of likeminded individuals who strive to be just one percent better than they were yesterday and, in turn, creating a better world for all!
Why should health clubs and trainers utilize S3 YOGA? What are the benefits to them and their clients?
www.fibousa.com
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To learn more about S3 YOGA, visit s3official.com or email info@s3official.com
S3 YOGA has tapped into a market that is not traditionally included in the yoga scene.
Health clubs and trainers should utilize S3 YOGA and our ability to make yoga accessible, marketable and inclusive. We have tapped into a market that has not been included in the yoga space. What type of social media effort do you have and how does it relate to your overall marketing efforts? Our social media efforts reflect our overall marketing efforts as we focus on bringing value to our audiences organically. Oftentimes, social media marketing feels 6
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inauthentic and forced. At S3 YOGA, we work with like-minded individuals and brands within our community to bring value, increase our reach and impact as many lives as possible. It is important that we showcase members of our community and their testimonials. We let our work speak for itself. Finally, in what direction is your company headed beyond 2020? With the current state of the world in 2020, specifically since the public display of police brutality in Minnesota with the murder of
George Floyd, it is important for us to spread awareness and raise money in the fight to end systemic racism in America. How are you doing that personally and professionally? S3 YOGA is working with likeminded athletes, celebrities, companies and organizations in the fitness industry and beyond to create awareness and raise money. This is not a black/white issue. It is a human rights issue and we all need to come together, one yoga class at a time! n www.fibousa.com
FIBO FOCUS • July 2020
COVID-19 IMPACT
How to Sell Gym Memberships In a Post-Pandemic World By Kory Angelin
IF YOU ARE A FITNESS OWNER, manager or even a head trainer, you might be thinking about how you are going to sell memberships once you reopen for good. What do we need to change about our sales process in order to increase new members, as well as, retain our old ones? The answer is simple: nothing. That is, if your sales process focuses on your customer experience. I always think about the first time you check out a gym and the “Membership Advisor” approaches you. It is at that moment that a sale is either gained or lost. Most of the time you proceed to go on a “museum tour,” walking around and showing everything about your facility and what you have to offer. I always thought that was interesting since the average person really only uses two to three areas of any gym. So the question is, What is your customer experience like and do you make it personalized for each member? What we know is that people can’t wait to start getting fit again. The “at-home” live streaming is great and companies have done a great job in engaging members through those platforms, but nothing beats an in-studio experience. So, if you truly are worried or wondering how you are going to continue to sell gym memberships post-COVID, the answer is to make sure you focus on your customer experience. I often say that the reason I go to 7
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Starbucks two times a day is to get coffee. The interesting part about that is that it isn’t my favorite coffee and yet I still go there repeatedly. The reason is because of the experience I get when I arrive. You can accomplish work sitting at a Starbucks table. You speak different languages when you order ”Venti Machiatta.” We do not even call employees at Starbucks employees, but rather “baristas.” Make no mistake — a powerful customer experience can have a big effect. With that in mind, as the fitness world gets ready to open its gyms, here are a few key aspects to keep in mind when trying to sell a membership. Goals. No matter what anyone says, it is not about a great promotion you are running or a drop in price. The reason someone buys a gym membership is to reach a goal. Make sure that every customer interaction covers what a person’s goal is, as well as why they are trying to reach it in the first place. If I do not believe I can reach my goal at your facility, it does not matter what price you are offering. Personalize a Tour. Gone are the days that you just show a customer everything that you offer. Empower a customer to tell you what they want to see. I very often would ask a customer, “What is the first area you want to see today — strength, cardio, group classes?” Don’t Devalue Your Brand. The problem in the fitness industry is that
companies are constantly devaluing their brands by running promotions. Great brands have two key qualities. First, they believe in their brand and, second, they charge a premium price. That is the difference between a great brand and everybody else. If you believe in your product, then make sure the price reflects that belief. It serves you no purpose to diminish what you offer by running a discount every other month. There is no doubt that the fitness industry will see success again and that the public is yearning to come back. By creating that great customer experience you will not only build trust with them but will increase your chances of them becoming a member. n
Kory Angelin is an Award-Winning trainer and author with more than 25 years in the fitness/business industry. He has worked for some of the top fitness brands in the world, including F45, Lifetime Fitness, Equinox and 24 Hour and has partnered with Nike to launch their SPARQ brand. www.fibousa.com
FIBO FOCUS • July 2020
FIBO FOCUS: ULTIMATE FREESTYLE CALISTHENICS LEAGUE
A PASSION FOR
MOVEMENT THE UFCL BRINGS CALISTHENICS COMPETITION TO A NEW (HIGHER) LEVEL
P
lay, but on a competitive basis, is perhaps the best way to describe the phenomenon that is the Ultimate Freestyle Calisthenics League (UFCL), the brainchild and passion of founder and CEO Fabian Benavides. Viewed by many as one of the next big waves within the fitness, lifestyle and sports industry, UFCL can best be explained as calisthenics with an attitude — a combination of athleticism, strength, showmanship, and yes, a little bit of play. What it most definitely is not is the calisthenics most people remember from gym class. Benavides, along with his partners, Angel Guerra (COO) and Chase Vecchio (CBO), created UFCL as a Pro Division competitive platform based in the United States, where the best Freestyle Calisthenics athletes from across the globe compete at its Ultimate Championship events. For those not familiar with it, Benavides describes UFCL as the ultimate level of bodyweight movements done in a Freestyle way. Competitors perform gravity-defying bodyweight movements that combine pure body control strength with high explosive dynamics. The events
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themselves are inspiring and entertaining to watch. https://youtu.be/ A161SYHNFO8?t=7839
Fabian Benavides has brought his vision to life in the growth of UFCL.
The UFCL Story is Inspiring UFCL was established in 2018, with six successful events under its belt and a seventh still scheduled for November in Memphis, TN. But getting to this point of international recognition was hardly an easy journey, as Benavides describes it. “Before Calisthenics, I never understood or knew what having a passion was truly like until the day a childhood friend of mine named Rey Moros (@Fitness_Buddha) visited me in New York City back in 2014,” he explains. “The day he showed me what he learned, I was in shock and believed if Rey was able to learn how to control his body like that, then I could too. That was the moment I felt that fire inside. My passion for the sport and its communities ignited.” He decided in 2015 that he would take it to the next level and plan his own competitions. Realizing that he needed support and advice from those who are already established in the industry, he contacted Brendan www.fibousa.com
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Gravity-defying calisthenics are part of the scene at UCFL events, which have to be seen live to really appreciate.
Cosso, the president of WCO, with his ideas for Freestyle Calisthenics. “Not only did he give me his support, but also shared words of wisdom and advice from his experience,” Benavides recalls. Fast forward to 2018, after two years of World Cup events were canceled, Benavides spent weeks researching, planning, not hanging with friends or training, and reducing his personal expenses, including going from five meals a day to one (losing a lot of weight in the process). In the end, these sacrifices, combined with the support from three brands and two friends, paid off in the formation of UFCL. He thanks Barstarzz for providing the Champions prizes, Killasthenics with getting on board as UFCL’s initial sponsor to provide staff and athletes with apparel, and KenguruPro.Us for providing their Professional Calisthenics Rigs. Financial support made the dream possible with Chase Vecchio sponsoring the First Place athlete’s flight 9
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to the Super Finals in Egypt and Angel Guerra establishing the relationship with Ninja Lounge for the UFCL competitions. Thus the first UFCL event was born. But Benavides wasn’t done. A week after the inaugural event, he continued learning how to create his own business. After months of research, he settled on the moniker Ultimate Freestyle Calisthenics League and asked Guerra to become the COO of the company. On June 11, 2018, UFCL became established. A call a few months later from FIBO Global Fitness was the start of a relationship that really put UFCL on the fitness map. “There are no accidents, everything in life happens for
a reason and at that moment I could see vividly how I was being prepared over the years for that opportunity with FIBO USA,” Benavides recalls. It is fortunate that he was preparing for it because with only four months until the debut of FIBO USA in Orlando, UFCL founded the Ultimate Freestyle Calisthenics Championship and rocked the building at FIBO USA. In 2020 (pre-pandemic), UFCL continues to work with events and organizations such as FIBO Global Fitness, Miami International Fitness Expo, Fit Miami Festival, Opro Mouth Guards, Barstarzz and Kenguru Pro. Its goal is to be recognized as an “official sport” where its athletes’ passions can become opportunities and careers. They are in the early stages of creating an online shop, with a launch goal of mid-2021. UFCL’s Dream Today As an eventful and unprecedented year continues to unfold, UFCL has undeniably become a global brand in the health and fitness industry,
www.fibousa.com
FIBO FOCUS • July 2020
attracting sports and fitness enthusiasts, athletes and fans. Benavides strives to gain more exposure through events and on television. UFCL’s appeal and ultimate strength are not only in how events are presented through live streams, but how they actually work together with other organizations within the same industry. “Some would view us as competitors, but the truth is we all share common goals,” Benavides says. “It’s not about who gets to the top
first, it’s about our communities and athletes within the sport we love. The ultimate goal is to have their passions become careers.” In his mind, Freestyle Calisthenics athletes are no different from the NFL, Major League Baseball or UFC competitors, where participants work hard on their craft to provide Pro Level and Hybrid Freestyle Calisthenics hitting unbelievable moves. “These athletes deserve to be paid just as much as any official sport athlete does,” Benavides says.
“Together we are working towards just that. Freestyle Calisthenics will become an official sport soon — all of us believe it. When that day comes, it will be a dream come true.” Unfortunately, much of that dream has been put on hold a bit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Much like other organizations, UFCL is adapting to the new normal by following CDC guidelines to ensure that its events are safe and following state protocols. It was able to hold two events at the beginning of
DESCRIBING A UFCL EVENT … FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET HAD THE PLEASURE OF viewing an Ultimate Freestyle Calisthenics Championship (UFCL) event live, FIBO Focus asked founder Fabian Benavides to describe a typical event to our readers: “Oh man, I couldn’t say typical, because each UFCL event has evolved by adapting and adding more to outdo previous UFCL events — Ultimate Freestyle Calisthenics Championship (UFCC) and UFCL Battlegrounds (UFCBG) are two totally different formats. Both are Pro level platforms that showcase the world’s top Freestyle Calisthenics athletes meeting under one roof to battle it out and prove they are the Ultimate Freestyle Calisthenics Champion. “UFCBG showcases Freestyle Calisthenics by way of one-on-one battles, organized by weight divisions so that multiple Champions are at play. “UFCC is a bracket format consisting of 28 pro freestyle calisthenics athletes who battle multiple opponents in order to advance towards First Place Gold and bragging rights as the Best Freestyle Calisthenics Athlete in the world. It all comes down to who has the most endurance. Athletes must strategize by adapting during the moment, using the time to their advantage. I’ve seen many greats of our sport lose to a contender because their gas tanks ran out. It takes their training to a whole other level behind the scenes. “Regardless of which event you attend, both will have you at the edge of your seat, amazed at the gravity-defying performances and wanting to see more. It is the only extreme sport where you find opponents cheering each other on to bring out the best. “Our live feeds are amazing to watch and are only getting better with commentators explaining everything going on. It’s still a must to witness an actual live UFCL event to fully experience and meet these incredible athletes in person.”
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Links to Previous Event: Previous Live Feed from last UFCC2 event: https://youtu.be/A161SYHNFO8?t=7839 UFCL Live Stream accounts: YouTube - UFCLsports (with commentators) Facebook - UFCL (with commentators) Instagram - UFCL_sports www.UFCLsports.com
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FIBO FOCUS • July 2020
UFCL allows athletes to engage in their passion in an environment that the founder hopes will eventually allow it to be recognized as an official sport. 2020 – Art Deco Weekend with the City of Miami Beach and the UFCL Battlegrounds at Fit Miami Fest – before the coronavirus forced future events to be rescheduled for 2021. Due to the increased COVID-19 spread in Miami Beach, the late2020 event has been relocated to Memphis, TN, at a large facility owned by Controlled_Movementz. There, UFCL will have the facility closed off for their event, with bolted-down bars disinfected after each battle and everyone following CDC guidelines for temperature
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checks, masks, hand sanitizer stations and social distancing floor marks. A live stream with no onsite audience, except for staff and competitors, will be broadcasting it to the world. (Catch the live event on the UFCL Sports Channels on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at 1:00 pm ET.) UFCL and the Fitness Business Benavides remains optimistic about the future of fitness in a (hopefully) post-pandemic world.
“We all share a common passion and want to help make this world a better place,” he explains, acknowledging that it was extremely difficult for the community when the pandemic hit, especially for those that had to close down their facilities. “Post-pandemic could be doing better, but I do see local gyms reopening to the new normal following protocols,” he says, even events such as Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships (BKFC) and the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) taking place on television, with no in-person audience. “That is amazing and enough motivation for us not to give up and adapt to the new normal. We hope UFCL inspires and encourages others,” Benavides adds. “Forget the macro, just follow the micro-steps to reassure you are doing everything you can to stop the spread of C19. I believe learning from these experiences is what’s making our company stronger.” If successful, the UFCL event in Memphis this November will allow Benavides and his team to focus on strengthening its foundation as a company by building capital, unveiling an online shop, selling UFCL products, building workout programs and scouting for its own facility. “My goal is to have UFCL become the Super Bowl of Freestyle Calisthenics,” he says, while also educating the community and working towards television exposure. The latter would not only involve its competitions but also offer a reality television concept building on an athlete connection while educating viewers on what it takes to be a Pro Freestyle Calisthenics Athlete. “Whether that’s in 2021 or 2025, it will happen, I have no doubts about that,” Benavides says. “This isn’t just another random sport. Freestyle Calisthenics deserves to be recognized because it is the definition of extreme sports and belongs in the big leagues.” n www.fibousa.com