RTDM: Karen Kleiner
Karen Kleiner
Owner, Anatomy Wise
Denver, NC
Tell us about yourself: Where you came from, where you've been and how you're living your dream?
I am from Connecticut, married, divorced living in Virginia, met the love of my life in Virginia, got married and moved to Dayton Ohio . I was a Ultrasonographer for 25 years when back and neck pain forced me to quit my much loved profession. My husband encouraged me to find another career that I loved, and it 42, with young kids going back to college wasn’t an option. During my recovery the only exercise I could do was Pilates, so there it began. I did a full training which took about 2 years, then trained for three years to become a Alexander Technique teacher. I worked at a home studio for about 5 years, being a stay at home mom and movement teacher, then I had a client with severe scoliosis which I took additional training in Scolio-Pilates to help her. Fast forward to today, after that specialized training I realized that the way we treat scoliosis in the US is behind the times, and with my business associate, Karen Thek, founder of Scolio-Pilates, created a hospital based scoliosis program at Dayton Children’s . That program at Dayton Children’s has propelled me to open up my Anatomywise Studio in Mount Holly, NC, where we offer camps for adults and children with scoliosis. My goal is to have this program become the standard of care for people affected with scoliosis , as it is in Europe. I am living my dream by helping people with back , neck pain and scoliosis find that they can exercise and learn how to become pain free, and that they can do it themselves.
How do you define success?
Success to me is doing what you love, helping people, and always having a goal.
What did it take to make your dream happen and how do you make it sustainable?
It took a lot of motivation and courage on my part, it was very scary for me to invest money and open a large studio, and have faith in myself . I have no business training, so I have had to learn a lot and really put myself out there to market my business, and let people know about my studio.
What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!
After only being in Business for a year, I was voted “Vision Entrepreneur of the Year”, by the Gaston County Chamber of Commerce, very humbling . Sometimes you think no one sees or knows what you do and what your purpose is, and then something like this happens.
What was your biggest obstacle/fear and what was your turning point?
My biggest obstacle is always myself, and fear I will fail. Turning point for me has been having some successful camps and slowly making progress with the medical community about awareness of the problem for those with scoliosis.
What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?
To have confidence in yourself, and never give up on your goals.
How do you stay motivated and purposeful when you feel overwhelmed?
My clients keep me motivated, they are thankful I am here and are learning methods to help them become pain free. If I feel overwhelmed, I refocus on my real purpose.
Tell us a time when a perceived failure was actually a blessing in disguise or served you in a surprising way.
When I really couldn’t return to doing my previous career due to the pain, and had to find something that would fill that same niche for my purpose. Time and drive has allowed me to carve a new path for myself and allow myself to grow and help other in ways I never though was possible.
What is your favorite vice/guilty pleasure/strange habit? Come on now, we all have them!
My favorite vice, I have two, waking up early and having coffee and watching the news when nobody else is up, it is my quiet meditation time and how I get ready for the day ahead. The second vice are my two dogs, they always make me happy and help me feel grounded.
What's the smartest investment you’ve made for yourself?
Continuing to educate myself business-wise and professionally .
What’s MOST important to you right now?
Staying focused on my goals and maintaining a healthy work/home balance. Learning when to disconnect is very hard when you have your own business.
Share 1-2 books that have impacted you the most:
Leo Buscalia’s ‘Living, Loving and Learning”, and the Wright Brother’s by David McCullough.
What have you learned to say no to?
Volunteering, and over committing!
What's something surprising about you?
I’m an introvert by nature, I am not the same person I was 15 years ago. I have found my voice.
Who is The Risk Taker Dream Maker(s) that inspired you?
The person who has inspired me most, has recently passed away from breast cancer this past spring. Her name was Marti Cole, she was instrumental in modeling for me how to use your voice to bring awareness about causes that are important to you. She was relentless in pursuing fund raising for our school, and other causes important to her. I learned so much by watching her.
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