For the longest time I kept dreaming of hosting a Tone It Up meetup to celebrate all the wonderful women in my life.
I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our strengths than working out together and bonding.
After attending an event hosted by Morgan from Bun Undone, I got the courage to finally host one myself.
I thought, what’s the worst that could happen?
I’ve realized lately that I’m pushing myself to go past the “what’s everyone going to think/say?” and simply follow my passions.
If you’re thinking of hosting a Tone It Up meetup or any other community event, I’ve got some tips for you.
Set a plan
Before announcing or inviting anyone, decide what you’d like to do.
I’m personally a huge fan of barre and The Barre Code, so I knew I wanted to host a Tone It Up meet up at The Barre Code.
Luckily, The Barre Code Lombard (my favorite studio!) lets you organize private events. I told Mel, the owner, my plans and she was on board right away.
Once I figured out a date and time that worked, I started telling my TIU babes my plans.
The best part about this community is that I had all of their support and they continuously offered to help.
Contact vendors
I knew I wanted to give the girls an amazing swag bag full of my favorite goodies.
I wrote down a list of all my favorite products and snacks and contacted all companies via Instagram direct message (DM) or their website. During this process, I learned that a lot of brands have a ‘Partnership’ section on their website specifically for donation requests for events.
All this time I kept thinking to myself there would be no way brands would agree to giving away products for free, so I decided to contact a lot of them to make sure I’d have enough products.
Well funny enough, all brands except one said yes.
I thought it would be a complicated process but really, all I did was explain the purpose of the meet up and let the brand know I’d be tagging them on social media.
Brands want to get their names out there, which is why they love sending out products to promote.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to all the brands you love and ask for their participation. You’d be surprised how caring and supportive they all are.
More than just a workout
When I started planning the meet up, I thought it would be fun to do a barre class but I also thought it would be fun to add more to it.
In addition to the swag bag, I wanted to make sure all guests felt like it was a fun relaxing day. So I decided to include Delos Therapy to give the girls mini muscle therapy sessions.
They have been a part of other events I’ve attended at The Barre Code, so I knew I’d be working with great people.
They were so nice and worked with me to make sure we could offer sessions to all attendees without making them wait a long time.
I also wanted to include a lunch option so they wouldn’t go hungry (I knew I’d be starving by the time class was done).
I reached out to The Protein Bar and Real Good Juice Co. because I knew they had healthy and delicious options. Seriously, you should try these places if you have them nearby.
Luckily, they both agreed to donate items and I was so happy and relieved that everything was coming together.
Promote your Tone It Up meetup
Once your plans are in place, spread the word!
I created an event on Eventbrite and promoted it on Facebook and Instagram.
I used Canva to design images to share on an Instagram post and Instagram Story.
To my surprise, the event sold out in just a few days. I couldn’t believe that had happened but it just proved to me the power of the Tone It Up community.
The day of the event
The days leading up to the event I spent packing up all the swag bags and creating more excitement on social media.
Once the day arrived, I was so excited and ready to spend it with all of my friends.
We had a great barre class and we were all burning and shaking.
I can honestly say everything worked out smoothly and everyone seemed genuinely happy.
To be honest, the day flew by! I felt so happy and loved and realized what a wonderful community I am a part of.
I highly recommend hosting your own Tone It Up meetup. It is so worth it and you will feel the love and strength of these friendships.
And if you don’t want to host one, just attend one! I promise it is just as fun.