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

Hi Melanie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I fell in love with Pilates when it transformed my body after having my daughter. I wanted to share that with other new moms. So I took the leap of faith and started my small business out of my garage until I grew big enough to rent a space.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I got where I am today with a lot of hard work & due diligence. It was not easy. I just kept trying and never gave up when times were tough. I had to reinvent myself after having my daughter. I was a preschool teacher making $16 per hour with a bachelor’s degree in child development. This was not even enough to pay for childcare for my daughter. I went back to outside sales for a Physical Therapy clinic that offered Pilates and this is where I fell in love with it. I wanted to share my results with other new Mom’s. This is where my journey began.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My best friend was recently in town for my 50th birthday. We went to Venice Beach and ate at the waterfront overlooking the ocean. I took her to the Santa Monica pier and then from Long Beach took the Ferry over to Catalina for a few days. I love sharing where I live with friends and family as it’s a beautiful place.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Mom definitely deserves credit for inspiring me to start my own business. She showed me it was possible when I was a teenager and began an antique/second hand furniture store. It was a lot of hard work, but she showed that starting small and putting in the work pays off. My daughter gave me the motivation to begin a new career in Pilates so that I could afford all she needed growing up.

Website: https://archerpilates.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archerpilates/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArcherPilatesLA/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/archer-pilates-los-angeles 

Image Credits
Archer Pilates

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