(Photo provided by Bdefined Fitness)
WILLIAMSBURG — Bdefined Fitness, a boutique fitness studio providing a customized approach to fitness, wellness and nutrition located in New Town, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Owner Bridget Kin-Charlton, who holds a master’s degree of education in exercise science, a bachelor of science in exercise management and several certifications, came to Williamsburg in 1999.
She had a goal to open her own studio before she turned 30.
“I always had a dream of opening my own studio and making an impact on the community,” she explained.
A fitness coordinator at Kingsmill Resort, over seven years, she learned from management and found herself inspired by her clients.
“I think that’s when my vision really started in terms of wanting to create my own company,” she said.
In 2004, she began to explore, looking for a location to start her business. New Town, then in development, fit the bill.
Over the years, she said she has learned a lot about transformation — within herself, and how that applies to Bdefined’s clients, noting how the company has committed itself to its clients and refined its approach to its business model over the last two decades — particularly regarding aging and women’s health.
“It’s really about the relationships, I think. In the beginning — I started the business when I was 29 — I was new to all of this. I knew what I wanted to do, but I think I’ve really grown and developed and learned about relationships and how important they are in the community and serving the community,” she said.
“That’s been the biggest part of my growth, just the journey of our clients and those relationships and how they really formed what the company is and who we are and what we do,” she explained, adding it has also been the most rewarding part.
She credits those relationships for the business’s longevity and success.
Kin-Charlton says anyone looking to start their own business should surround themselves with like-minded people — people who are going to support them in their vision and mission. She also advises learning from others, not just within their industry, but outside, as well.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for later this year in celebration of the anniversary, however, a date has yet to be set. To learn more about Bdefined and what it has to offer, visit its official website.