Meet Rachel Schultz | Founder of Lerin

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

Hi Rachel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
After being in the fitness industry for over 11 years now as an athlete, marathon runner, trainer, brand ambassador and pilates studio owner, I always found that I would wear cute sets to teach in but when it came time to workout, I would have to change into a more functional set. I decided to create Lerin to fill this gap and create functional but fashionable athletic apparel.

What should our readers know about your business?
Lerin began about 2 years ago. We started out with a few samples from a local manufacturer and had a few struggles along the way with material and fit of the garments. I did not want to release my line until it was absolutely to my standards. We had to work with a few manufacturers to finally find the right one who understood our vision. From there, we started to create our product. My design process starts with the vision of the piece to the creation of a tech sketch. From there our manufacturer creates a sample in which we try out. Sometimes the samples come out perfect but most times we have to alter it ourselves. My one employee and I turned the dining room of my house into our area and brought in a floor mirror with scissors and a sharpie. We would try on each piece and “alter” it ourselves by cutting it or drawing different lines on it. From there, our manufacturer fixes the piece and it is created! Once we receive all of the final pieces, we test it out in various styles of workouts from lifting to cardio to pilates to yoga to ensure that it stays in place and works. I work out 2-3 times a day every day and make sure that it is up to my standards before releasing it. What sets us apart from other brands is that we are a female owned, functional and fashionable, athletic apparel brand. Since we are a women owned company, We believe in empowering women. We have had a few interns and brand ambassadors across the country who have been trying to work towards bigger goals. By joining Lerin, we like to empower them along the way. We want to also create a community where women can make new friends and feel comfortable in trying new fitness experiences so we do a lot of events to bring people together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite thing about Miami is how many people here prioritize wellness. The majority of activities that I do in Miami are outside. We are lucky enough to live in a place where we get nice weather all year round. I love being able to go out on a walk with my son, husband, and Bernedoodle Claude. If someone were to visit me, I would take them on a walk somewhere outdoors in MIami, either around Coral Gables, over the Key Biscayne Bridge or on the Miami Beach boardwalk. To workout, I would go to Kamps, Bunda, or Barry’s, as those are places I tend to workout at often. If there is a Lerin event happening, I also would make sure that my best friend is going to attend to try out a set of ours! Another part of the itinerary would be to go to Pura Vida. Out of all of the places in Miami, I always find myself eating at Pura Vida. I would say I eat there for a majority of my meals throughout the week, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everything I have had from there is so fresh and healthy that I can’t resist.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to all of my clients who have got me to where I am today. With owning my own pilates studio, I built a community of people through my clients who have supported me even after closing my studio to focus on my athletic apparel line. They are the reason I am able to follow my dream of creating my own brand.

Website: lerinusa.com

Instagram: instagram.com/lerinusa

Facebook: Facebook.com/lerinusa123

Image Credits
Mike Russell