ECDI has a proven track record serving non-tech, “Main Street” businesses, often those deemed by traditional financial institutions as too risky to support. These include food, retail, service, and transportation focused businesses, as well as health and wellness startups like Racquel Bonner’s Personal Fitness Navigators, LLC.
In the past two years, 68 ECDI loans totaling $1.32 million have been disbursed to wellness- and personal care-based business owners, accounting for over 8 percent of ECDI’s total loans disbursed. These business owners have inspired others through health, wellness, and personal care services. When others turned them away, ECDI opened its doors, allowing entrepreneurial dreams like Bonner’s to become a living, breathing reality.
In the world of wellness, there is no one-size-fits-all fitness routine, nutrition program, or mindfulness exercise. Racquel “Rokki” Bonner’s studio, Personal Fitness Navigators, LLC, guides each client on a customized wellness path.
“We’re putting the ’personal’ back in personal fitness,” Bonner says. “In today’s media, we’re exposed to a new fitness fad or diet craze every day. Our system is designed for the customer, tailored to help you meet your goals.”
At Personal Fitness Navigators, every client ready to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle works from a program designed by Bonner, which is based on her three pillars of health: mindset, movement, and nutrition. Each pillar plays a critical role in changing the body.
Through mindset training, clients learn to recognize self-doubting, limiting beliefs, and how to address them with daily positive rituals. While practicing physical exercises, a healthy mind allows intelligent movement, employing a strong mind-body connection. Finally, nutrition serves as a natural medicine, nourishing the body and promoting internal healing. Combining these three actions, clients can reach their goals and achieve lasting results.
For more than 14 years, Rokki has used this holistic approach to help her clients. Seven years ago, she took a huge step by opening a brick and mortar studio located in Bexley. The 2,500 square foot space provides one-on-one personal training, as well as semi-private and small group classes. Her services extend beyond the studio; she has cultivated an online community, where she provides meal plans and workout tips.
As Bonner’s business has expanded, so have her expenses. To meet the needs of her growing business and client base, Bonner required additional capital. Referred by her personal banker, she first came to ECDI in 2011. Subsequently, she has received multiple working capital loans to help support her business, totaling nearly $50,000.
While working with ECDI’s lending department, Bonner was introduced to the Women’s Business Center of Ohio (WBC). The WBC is an ECDI program dedicated to providing women with the tools and resources necessary to build strong, sustainable businesses. Bonner received one-on-one business coaching from the director of the WBC, who helped her manageably scale her business.
“The WBC’s coaching services were a huge help to me, but I would often go to the WBC for the community,” Bonner says. “Most members are facing similar obstacles in business, and the camaraderie and support from fellow women is invaluable.”
Always looking for more ways to better serve her clients, Bonner is excited to see what the future holds.
“I definitely want Personal Fitness Navigators to grow, not necessarily in a physical capacity, but through wellness classes and giving back to the community,” she says.
Speaking of giving back to the community, Bonner is currently working on a social enterprise program to help women re-enter the workforce after incarceration. Stay tuned for more information on this innovative program!
Personal Fitness Navigators is located at 2803 Delmar Dr. in Bexley. To learn more about the fitness center or to connect with Rokki, visit www.pfnstudios.com.
Since 2004, ECDI has assisted Ohio’s entrepreneurs through its one-stop shop business services model, suited to meet the needs of all entrepreneurs, regardless of what business stage they’re in. From providing capital to entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses, to providing focused, business-specific educational opportunities to enhance entrepreneurial skill sets, ECDI works with their clients to meet their unique needs. Whether assisting a new client with a business concept or an acc
omplished entrepreneur opening a fifth location, ECDI’s “never say no” approach has allowed over twelve thousand entrepreneurs to take advantage of the services it provides. Visit ecdi.org today to learn more.
