>> THREE, HANDS UP AND TWO.
SHAYNA: TODAY, HEATHER WHITE IS A LEADER IN THE BOSTON FITNESS INDUSTRY.
BUT FITNESS FOR HER AS IT IS FOR MANY IS A JOURNEY OF STRAIGHT PATHS AND BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.
>> I WAS ALWAYS ACTIVE AS A KID, HE PLAYED A LOT OF SPORTS.
AS I GOT OLDER, I FOUND MYSELF FALLING OUT OF FITNESS ROUTINES AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS A WAY THAT CAN GET ME ENGAGED.
SHAYNA: SHE LOOKED AROUND, LITERALLY.
AND IT WAS NOT WHAT SHE SAW, RATHER WHAT SHE DID NOT SEE.
PEOPLE WHO LOOKED LIKE HER IN BOUTIQUE FITNESS CLASSES.
>> I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS OVER DINNER AND WAS LIKE, THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY.
THERE HAS TO BE AN ENVIRONMENT OR SPACE THAT EXISTS SOMEPLACE OR IF IT DOES NOT, WE CAN CREATE IT, WHERE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN OF COLOR, FEEL ACCEPTED AND IT IS NOT CLICKY AND YOU CAN
FIND A PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG.
>> THAT CONVERSATION TURNED INTO AN IDEA THAT LATER BECAME TRILL FIT, A HIP HOP WORKOUT PARTY.
>> WE HAVE CARDIO DANCE CLASS, A SCULPT CLASS, AND A CARDIO BOXING CLASS.
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT, IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH YOU SWEAT, HOW AM -- HOW YOU COME TO CLASS, IT MATTERS THAT YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU LEAVE AND YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU HAVE GIVEN YOURSELF SOMETHING YOU WANTED.
>> LIFT, PRESS FOR EIGHT.
7, 6 -- FITNESS IS SELF-CARE.
IT IS FEELING GOOD IN THE BODY YOU ARE IN.
YOU CAN LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT AND LEFT AND SEE PEOPLE ALL SHAPES, SIZES, COLORS, AGES.
SEE PEOPLE START TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH OTHERWISE.
SHAYNA: TRILL FIT BEGAN IN 2015 WITH POP-UP CLASSES AROUND THE CITY.
THEY MOVED INTO A MISSION HILL STUDIO IN 2018.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER BLACK FEMALE OWNED FITNESS ENTERPRISES THAT WITHOUT A PHYSICAL SPACE.
I HOPE THE JOURNEY WE HAVE GONE THROUGH IN BEING ABLE TO BUILD OUT A SPACE, I HOPE THIS GIVES FELLOW ENTREPRENEURS THE STRENGTH AND KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN DO THIS TOO.
IT IS A DAUNTING PROCESS.
SHAYNA: WHITE IS PROUD OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS.
STILL, SHE SAYS IT IS NOT EASY.
>> IT IS A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
I BELIEVE IF YOU DO NOT SEE PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF IN POSITIONS OF POWER OR DOING WHAT THEY WANT TO OR ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN THE WAY YOU PICTURE SUCCESS, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT
YOUR PATH WILL BE THERE IF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE DO IT BEFORE.
SHAYNA: WHILE IT IS HARD WORK, THE FUND SHE HAS WITH CLIENTS MAKES IT WORTH IT.
>> WE HAVE SING-ALONGS HERE, WHERE LAUGHING, JOKING, DON’T TAKE OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY.
WE KEEP THAT SPIRIT WITH EVERYTHING WE DO.
SHAYNA: TANESHIA CAMILLO-SHEFFEY HAS A PASSION FOR FASHION.
BUT -- >> THE RETAIL INDUSTRY DOES NOT REALLY GIVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF EMERGING BRANDS.
SHAYNA: WITH A BACKGROUND IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT, SHE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP EMERGING FASHION DESIGNERS.
>> I WANT TO CREATE A BRAND THAT WILL PUT THE EMERGING DESIGNERS ON A PLATFORM WHERE THERE NORMALLY IS NOT ONE.
SHAYNA: SO SHE LAUNCHED HOTHOUSE DESIGN STUDIO, HOTHOUSE UNIVERSITY, AND MADE INCUBATOR.
>> DID NOT WANT IT TO BE A TYPICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM WHERE THEY GO SCHOOL AND TRY TO PUT THEM OUT THERE.
ALONG WITH PROVIDING THEM EDUCATION, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH MANUFACTURING AND RESOURCES TO FUNDING, SO THAT AFTER THE PROGRAM, THEY ARE ABLE TO SCALE AND HAVE A VIABLE BUSINESS.
SHAYNA: MADE INCUBATOR’S PROGRAM PICKS UP WHERE DESIGN SCHOOL DROPS OFF.
>> PLEASE TAKE THEM TO AN ACTUAL MANUFACTURING PLANT SO THEY CAN SEE HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.
HAVING THAT INFORMATION FOR THE DESIGNER OPENS THEIR MIND UP TO THERE IS MORE TO THIS THAN JUST SUBMITTING MY SKETCHES.
SHAYNA: FASHION IS BIG BUSINESS.
A NEARLY $330 BILLION INDUSTRY.
ONE SHE BELIEVES IS OVERLOOKED IN MASSACHUSETTS.
>> WE HAVE SO MANY INDUSTRY PEOPLE HERE, SO MANY DESIGNERS TRYING TO MAKE A VIABLE BUSINESS AND THEY END UP LEAVING AND GOING ELSEWHERE WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LEAVE BOSTON TO CREW
-- BOSTON TO CREATE A BRAND SHAYNA: TANESHIA CAMILLO-SHEFFEY RECENTLY SPENT A WEEK AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PARTICIPATING IN THE YOUNG AMERICAN LEADERS PROGRAM.
A GATHERING OF YOUNG ACHIEVERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SHE ALSO RECEIVED AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG LEADER AWARD FROM THE GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
NEXT, A SOCIAL MEDIA POST CHANGED HIS