Terri Dreger and Kristi Bieber don鈥檛 just share a business, they share a passion.

Co-owners of the , both are driven by their desire to see women improve their fitness and gain empowerment through high-intensity exercise.

鈥淚t鈥檚 helped transform so many women鈥檚 lives, they gain confidence, they鈥檙e empowered by it, and the strength they find from it is really quite amazing to see,鈥� said Dreger. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very satisfying to see women find out they鈥檙e capable of much more than they ever thought possible.鈥�

With franchises all across Canada, 30 Minute Hit offers a women鈥檚-only environment where clients go through a circuit of 13 different high-paced exercises for two-minute intervals.

Dreger, a former competitive snowboarder, originally opened a 30 Minute Hit outlet in her native Edmonton in 2007. Last year, she partnered with Bieber to share ownership of the 91大黄鸭 location.

Formerly a stay-at-home mom of three, Bieber moved to the Okanagan from White Rock and opened the 30 Minute Hit franchise in Vernon in 2015.

All the pieces were in place for Bieber to make her debut as a business owner.

鈥淲e had three kids who were growing up, my husband is an entrepreneur who works from home and I鈥檝e always loved the Okanagan, so the time just felt right to go out and start my own thing,鈥� Bieber said. 鈥淪elf defense and fitness have been a passion of mine, it goes to the real heart of women. It seemed like a really good match for me.鈥�

And Bieber has learned much about herself and the business world in the three years since opening in Vernon, then adding the 91大黄鸭 gym last year.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of competition out there, and I found that it helps if you鈥檙e open to helping others, and you鈥檙e also open to being helped,鈥� she said. 鈥淯se other owners as a resource and listen to the experience of others. It鈥檚 really helped me grow as an owner.鈥�

There was a time when Dreger couldn鈥檛 have fathomed owning and operating her own business. Today there鈥檚 nothing she鈥檇 much rather be doing with her life.

鈥淚f someone had told me way back that I鈥檇 one day be running my own business, I would have laughed,鈥� said Dreger. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 business-minded at all. But I soon found if you鈥檙e passionate enough about something, you鈥檙e able to learn the business side and become successful and competent at it.

鈥淪eeing women find themselves through fitness and carrying that over into their lives and careers,鈥� she added, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 what gets me out of bed in the morning.鈥�

If all goes as planned, Dreger and Bieber hope to one day expand their presence in the Okanagan with a 30 Minute Hit location in West 91大黄鸭.

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whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
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