We had the good fortune of connecting with Jay Jiggins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jay, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I believe no one knows your potential better than yourself. I have always had a very good work ethic as I am an “all in, or not at all” type person, I felt that If I am going to put my all into something, I wanted it to be something I was passionate about and to reap the rewards of that in both flexibility and finance.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Finesse Corporate Wellness (FCW) provides Fitness, Activities, Games, and Teambuilding in the Tri-County area. We create memorable experiences by combining fitness and fun and doing it with Finesse! In the world of fitness, we offer every type of group fitness class you could imagine, from the zen experiences such as Yoga, Meditation and Tai Chi, through to much more energetic classes such as Zumba, Boot Camp, Dance classes, and Cardio Kickboxing. We also offer personal training and gym consultation and management. We have a complete children’s program that offers arts and crafts, hip hop, soccer, little chef’s culinary experience, pool games, race games and so much more. We offer adult games and fun that include an obstacle course, an amazing race, salsa classes, Karaoke, beer pong, flip cup, tournaments (Volleyball, dodgeball, table tennis, etc..) We offer team-building events such as scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, team olympics, self-defense workshops, etc.. I am passionate about a few things: My children & family, hospitality, real estate (I have my realtor’s license) business management, fun, and of course fitness. I am blessed to be able to bring my expertise and passions together to find great solutions for our clientele. We have four main clients: Hotels, Luxury Residences, Corporations (Small, Medium, and Large Businesses), and private clientele for personal training or adult or children’s parties.

Resort Program for Hotels: FCW is the perfect solution for hotels. We separate them from the competition by putting in an amazing program that provides, Fitness, Poolside Activities, Children’s Programs, and Fun Events. These lifestyle activation programs bring value to the resort fee and obtain amazing reviews for these hotels which increase their occupancy and allow them to charge more per night along with ensuring they beat out the competition.

Employee Program for Businesses: We also provide an excellent employee program, and I am pleased to see that companies are now realizing the importance of looking after their staff. Of course, the cost of hiring and training staff these days is very expensive, so providing benefits that increase loyalty to the company as well as create a more healthy, positive, and productive workforce is a very smart decision for Employers. For these companies, we offer an ongoing fitness program at the office location. We can work in conference rooms, offices, even car parks, and our team brings everything they need with them to create a successful fitness class. We also offer fun company retreat events that include our fun and fit team builders. Our program also brings reduces the cost of company health insurance.

Amenities Program for Condos and Luxury Residences: Many condos have a gym in the building but by offering a full fitness schedule they actually build a community in the building. This makes the building more attractive to buy or rent in and also increases the desire of the residents to want to stay there. When justifying both the price of these expensive units as well as the maintenance fee, these programs are a wonderful sales point. Many of our Luxury residence partners also offer community events on a monthly basis, our fun games, classes, and team-building events are a great way of getting everyone together.

Private Individuals: We have a large database of trainers. For our personal training clients, we first do a full physical assessment and goal setting session. We then pair the Client with the perfect trainer that will work with them in exactly the manner they are looking for. We are also a great option for Birthday/Bachelorette/Engagement parties and also offer fun packages for children’s parties. We can provide options both in person and via Zoom. I feel the cumulation of events that have happened in my life have brought me to exactly the right place in my career and I could not be happier doing what I do, I feel that the variety of what we offer and my knowledge of the industries my clients are in, allow us to bring them very tangible results that directly affect their brand and bottom line. The combination of industries I have worked in has led me to exactly where I am today. I have worked as a performer on cruise ships, I have worked extensively in the hospitality industry, I have owned and operated my own gyms, and have created my dream company: Finesse Corporate Wellness. My mission is to make smiles brighter, hearts healthier, and businesses and locations more successful and to do it all with Finesse! The Journey has not always been easy, I read a quote the other day by Elon Musk. He was asked the question, “What words of encouragement would you give an entrepreneur?” He answered, “If you need words of encouragement, don’t become an entrepreneur”. It rang true in many ways. The entrepreneurial journey can be a lonely one. You are pretty much carrying the ship alone. You must truly believe in your capabilities and have resilience and determination. I have had to wear many different hats all in the space of one day while running my company. Being able to time manage and prioritize is crucial, being able to pivot when necessary and look for the opportunity even in times of adversity is what has carried me through. That being said, I love to mentor, motivate and coach people and am always happy to give time to help others in their entrepreneurial journey and I always learn from that experience too. I do not believe business is ever a smooth road but the desire to keep growing and creating is an amazing fuel. During my IronFlower Fitness years,(The Gym I owned) I ran into several obstacles. Some good problems to have, such as outgrowing our space and needing a bigger one and some not so good, such as having to move several times and losing a lot of clientele and money in the process. There have been many struggles, but one of the most important things I think I could convey is that you cannot do it alone. Reinvest in your company by hiring good people to work with you. This may mean taking a step back financially, but you will take much larger steps forward as you grow. Do make sure to hire slow and fire fast though. The right people are essential to a business. I also believe in doing and shining at what you are good at but outsourcing what you are not. Dot your I’s, cross your T’s, and put the correct paperwork in place. Make a decision as to what type of business and life you want to have. Really think it through and make sure you keep it in mind as you grow. Explore your own core values and bring them into your business, this will ensure your team is on board with you and will operate in the manner you wish them to and perhaps the biggest lesson for me is to be sure you believe in, and love what you do. Make sure it is totally in line with the lifestyle you want to lead. We spend too little time on this planet to not be happy. If you enjoy what you do, long hours, meticulous detail and sacrifices will still bring smiles to your face.

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.
I am blessed to live in Miami Beach which is literally paradise. We have so many fun spots here. Many of the hotel properties we work with offer day passes for people to hang out, so I would definitely take them to several of them. If they were coming in for the weekend, we would go to Surfcomber Hotel for their Friday afternoon Salsa class and their complimentary wine hour. It has a beautiful back deck to hang out in and is right by the beach. We would stay for dinner as the food at their restaurant “Social Club” is delicious. On Saturday morning we would catch the Aqua Zumba class at Z Ocean Hotel as it is so much fun and is open to outside guests by booking on Eventbrite for $10. We could then get brunch at Front Porch Cafe. We would then take a drive over to Wynwood and see all the cool graffiti art and perhaps visit a cool art gallery or two. Then it would be time to head to The Royal Palm Hotel at 4 pm for their Whine and Wine activity to learn some fun Caribbean dance moves and have a cocktail or two before heading to The Gates Hotel South Beach for some fun Poolside games. If my friend still had energy after that I think we would take a drive to a super cool restaurant called “Casa Florida” by the Miami River. This place is very relaxed and has a huge garden that feels like you are in the Florida keys and then maybe go for drinks at “Sweet Liberty” a cool bar with great live music and vibe. Sunday we would probably make a little more relaxing and perhaps visit Kalma Spa for massages and spa treatments and take a walk along Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue to see all the cool Art Deco buildings. Perhaps we would finish the weekend by visiting Brickell City Center to check out one of their many restaurants or bars.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people, so many books. I have belonged to several organizations that have helped me along the way. Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, BNI Miami Dade, (Specifically The Miami Beach Chapter) Mentors/Business Advisors/Friends: Orlando Espinosa, Marcy Rosenbaum, Marizza Contreras, Wendy Kallergis, Wendy Unger Shapiro, DeAnne Connelly Graham, Michelle Villalobos, Jessica Kizorek, My Parents,

Website: www.FinesseCorporateWellness.com

Instagram: @FinesseCorporateWellness.com

Linkedin: finesse-corporate-wellness

Twitter: Finesse Corporate Wellness

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

Youtube: Finesse Corporate Wellness

Image Credits
Keith Spurlock Photography, Meli B Photography

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