Spinning to Success

If you’re looking for a new activity to get your body moving during the winter months, look no further. Spin classes are a fun way to exercise, regardless of your athletic experience. For local studio Just Cycle, breaking down barriers and making spin inclusive to all is the key to their success. We sat down with owner Brittany Burke and her business partner Hamzeh Afani to discuss Just Cycle’s first year in business, and the community they’ve built so far.

For the last 11 years Brittany Burke has been teaching spin, an indoor cycling workout. After finishing her undergraduate degree at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, she moved back east to Halifax and began instructing at a local spin studio. When a different studio opened, Brittany was part of the first group trained to teach there. It was at this new studio that Brittany fell in love with the activity even more. Along with the beat of the music, she loved that spin gave her a refreshing new outlook on exercising. 

“I find, especially as women, we associate numbers with working out; we need to hit this [calorie] burn… spin was the first time there were no numbers associated with it.”

Brittany explains that she was able to enjoy her workout while being in a group. “I always played sports growing up, so it was nice to have that reconnection with people.”

Brittany knew she wanted to make spin a full-time job and applied for a management role at a studio in Ottawa.

“I applied, got the job and moved, all in under a month. That was at the tail end of 2018, early 2019. There, I really kind of got thrown in because the manager at the time had left about five to six weeks after I got there. I ran the studio there for two years, one of which was during the pandemic. I absolutely loved it.”

Brittany immediately noticed a difference in the Ottawa spin community. “We had different body types, which I love to see. There really wasn’t one type of person.” She also saw people from across generations come to class, with her oldest rider at 70 years old.

At that time Hamzeh Afani, Brittany’s business partner, was a big advocate for opening a studio in Halifax.

“I always kind of felt ‘not ready,’” Brittany explains. “And then once the pandemic happened, I think it really pulled the veil on a lot of things for people. Just what you value, what you see for your future, what you want out of your future. It kind of put a wrench in everyone’s grind. It made everyone stop and re-evaluate what they really do want out of life. I just realized I always wanted to move back out east. I really am a coast person; I love Halifax.”

At the same time, the Black Lives Matters movement was gaining prominence. As Brittany explains, “a lot of people I cared about and loved were affected, and it shifted my priorities a bit. I noticed this exclusivity that was being built around spin and the fitness industry, and that was something that I didn’t align with. Ottawa gave me such a unique perspective to see that this really can be for everyone. People of all ages can be interested in this. People of all body types can do this and enjoy it.”

In 2020, Brittany and Hamzeh began working towards making their Just Cycle dream a reality. However, securing loans and opening a studio during the pandemic proved challenging.

At the recommendation of a friend of Hamzeh’s, they turned to CUA. It was here that they were able to take advantage of CUA’s Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, a unique financing program designed to empower small businesses in Nova Scotia to succeed.

As Brittany explains, “A lot of the time with banks, it’s kind of like ‘okay you have your loan, move on’. I’m not a giant fan of dealing with banks, and [CUA has] definitely been my best experience. Everyone we’ve talked to is very friendly, very helpful.”

Their new Small Business Advisor, Angela, has played a big role in this. “She’s on top of things,” Hamzeh says. “A lot of times with other banks we talk to people, and you wait two to three days, and if it’s urgent for you, you want to hear back right away. She’s been great and replies right away, and I think that’s huge.”

Brittany says that when they leave CUA, they leave with a solution. “It’s been wonderful with CUA.”

Just Cycle opened its doors in October of 2021. With an emphasis on ‘feeling good’ over aesthetic appearances, Brittany and Hamzeh agree that taking care of your body for the mobility aspect, the health aspect and to be comfortable to move at any age is what Just Cycle is all about.

To help customers achieve their individual goals, breaking down perceived barriers is key. “We really try to meet everyone at every level,” Brittany explains. “The biggest thing I always hear, and I almost laugh when people say it to me now, is ‘I’m not fit enough to go to a spin class’. I think there’s this misconception that you have to be at a certain athletic level in order to do it, so we really try to break that a bit.”

Hamzeh also emphasizes that there is often a perceived gender inequality in spin, “Usually if I tell other men ‘Come on, try it out with me’ they say ‘No, that’s not for us.’”

Having had knee injuries in the past, Hamzeh explains that low impact exercises such as spinning are very beneficial, which is why he says it is so important to educate people on the importance of it, and how Just Cycle can help individuals with physical movement in life.

The name ‘Just Cycle’ comes from the expectation that customers are just showing up to spin.

“You’re just as you are, you move just as you need to,” Brittany says. “There’s no extra, there’s no expectations. Our motto is ‘perfection is myth.’”

So far, Just Cycle has built the community they hoped to achieve: riders of various age groups from different backgrounds enjoying movement, together. Having a small team of five instructors promotes professional development as each is able to teach more frequently, be more present within the community, and get to know their riders.

Brittany explains, “People genuinely, from the feedback we’ve received, do feel like they can show up as they are, and push their body in the way that best suits them best on that day.” She also acknowledges that while as an adult it can be difficult to make friends, “it’s really incredible to see not only our team members but also our riders connect with one another and get to know each other, just because they see each other every week.”

Their advice to new business owners? Start small.

“I think starting small and building on what you have is easier than going big and trying to retain what you have,” Brittany says. “I think it’s one of the biggest learning curves we’ve had.”

Going forward, their biggest goal is to build up the studio. “We’d love our team to grow,” Brittany says. “We have hopes to expand the studio into different locations. So, I think Hamzeh and my biggest goal is to get the current studio into a spot that we can start acting on that goal and having the revenue and community to support it.”

They’d also like to continue growing their community and getting their brand out there to help others understand what Just Cycle is about.

Looking back on their first year in business, the two are happy with the community they’ve built with Just Cycle so far.

 “I can safely say it’s been a crazy ride,” Brittany says. “But a wonderful ride.”

Your first spin class at Just Cycle is free, and beginner classes are $5.00 with proceeds going to Hope Blooms. Interested in a one-on-one class to get introduced? Visit Just Cycle’s website for more details.

In keeping community close to heart, CUA offers a unique financing program designed to empower small businesses in Nova Scotia to succeed. Learn more about the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program. Call us today at 902.492.6500 or email us at info@cua.com.