Meet Ashley Marand Iwanicki | Founder of The Collective Studios

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Marand Iwanicki and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I actually don’t believe in the concept of balance. Balance by definition means that all things are equal or that everything receives the same weight. Many people strive towards balance because it’s what we are told we should do and what will make our lives feel content. We try to give everything in our lives equal attention and are let down and feel like failures when we can’t. The reality is that there are always going to be different areas of our lives that take priority and more importantly, different areas of our lives that we choose to give weight and attention. These priorities are unique to each of us and will shift in different phases of our lives.

Instead, I like to focus on harmony by asking myself how the areas of my life that I am choosing to give attention to can meld together and co-exist with ease. I shift my focus to how I feel and the emotions that present with the blend of things I am prioritizing in life.

For me, right now, I am placing a strong emphasis on work and rest – anything else that fits in beyond these two buckets is a bonus. I am in a phase of life where I am singularly focused and driven to build The Collective Studios. But, because of the pace I am moving at with the business, my other focus is on making sure I give myself plenty of time to rest so I can maintain how I am working.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Collective Studios is New Hampshire’s first and only Megaformer™ studio and leading destination for movement, wellness and community. We are a fitness & lifestyle brand home to various class formats such as yoga, sculpt, indoor cycling and Pilates. The Collective Studios is so much more than a fitness studio though. We are a space that inspires greater health, genuine human connection and empowered, personal growth through a collective dedication to sweat and joy; we are redefining fitness by creating transformative experiences to help our community live well and be well.

Our clients like to refer to us as their third space. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of a third space, it’s a spot of comfort and familiarity where you can connect with others (that you know or don’t know) over a shared interest. ⁠These spaces catch us at our best moments as well as give ourselves time away from the daily burdens we have at home + work. That’s what the studio is. It’s not just a place to workout. It’s a community. It’s a place our clients come to leave their worries at the door and focus on bettering themselves with the support and encouragement of others who are doing exactly the same.

The road to get here was not easy at all – not just for me, but for many fitness entrepreneurs over the last couple years. We optimistically signed the lease on our studio March 2020, a mere few days before the pandemic world imploded. The sequence of events that followed included the financing we needed to build and open the studio being taken away at the last minute, a year spent pitching more than 40 financial institutions until I was finally able to secure the funds we needed to start and another year spent trying to grow a business in a shuttered industry.

I was able to work my way through the challenges and to find the motivation and determination I needed to keep going by coming back to really foundational wellness practices: meditation, gratitude, breath work and movement. This business was build on grit and resilience and that’s something we try to empower our clients to tap into. We try to show them how strong they are and to pull out versions of themselves they didn’t know existed.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’re so fortunate in New Hampshire to have quick and easy access to so many different experiences and activities! No trip to NH is complete without a drive to the Seacoast (Rye Beach is my favorite – make sure to get a drink and bite to eat at Kooks), a trip into the White Mountains (amazing in both summer and winter – hike, snowboard, horse back ride, go to a pancake house… so many options), and of course, head to The Collective Studios for a good sweat!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s a well known analogy in the entrepreneurial space that says starting and owning a business is a lot like riding a lion. People look at the entrepreneur and think, “wow, look at this person. They are so brave and have it all together!” Meanwhile, the entrepreneur is thinking, “how the hell did I get on this lion, and how in the world do I keep from falling off and being eaten?”

To be candid, it’s quite like that most days. You constantly feel as if you’re trying to control an animal that is untameable and as exhausted as you may be, you know if you let go you’ll fall off and risk losing everything you’ve worked so hard for.

In my opinion though, and I think the part of this analogy that is missing, is that the entrepreneurs who are able to beat the odds and grow successful businesses understand that the unlock is you can’t do it alone. While you might lead the pack, controlling something so wild and unruly requires a team of lion tamers working together.

So, my shout outs go to:

TO TCS COMMUNITY – Whether they know it or not, there are so many days they are the ones who lift us up when we need it most.

TO MY TCS TEAM – A group of incredibly talented + hard working people who are somehow able to keep pace with me.

TO TCS PARTNERS + ADVISORS – For creating opportunities for us and for caring for TCS as if it was your own. I’m so grateful for your constant support and guidance.

TO MY HUSBAND – They say your business lives and dies with your spouse and I know for sure that there’s no way any of this would have been possible without his support. Despite having his own full-time job, he gives up nights, weekends and random hours to do anything and everything that might help lighten my load. He is truly the unsung hero of TCS.

Website: thecollective-studios.com

Instagram: @ashleymarandhealth // @thecollective_studios

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecollectivestudios

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/collective-studios-londonderry

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEGw_N7bNcEPAStR6QpfKSQ

Image Credits
Photography Credits: David Salafia and RaeEllen Photography