“I didn’t just want to open a studio. I wanted to change the way people feel about moving their bodies, and about themselves.” Tessa Arneson opened Maven STRONG with more than just fitness in mind. The sleek, light-filled Pilates studio was the first brick in what would become the Maven DISTRICT - a hub of women-owned, health-focused businesses in Salt Lake City’s Central City neighborhood. But in the beginning, it was simply about creating a space for strength and self-trust, built from Tessa’s own personal transformation.

“I called it Define Fitness because I believe health looks different for everyone. You get to decide what it means to you.” From the border city of El Paso, Texas, to the heart of Millcreek, Utah, Valeria Macias has carved out a space that is deeply personal. Define Fitness, her women-centered studio, opened in the spring of 2025, is the culmination of a life journey shaped by hardship, healing, and the belief that fitness is for every kind of body.

“This is my first interview ever,” Molly Mullane laughs, admitting her slight trepidation at sharing her story. As the owner of two Club Pilates studios in the Salt Lake City area, Molly’s journey from a small farm town in Indiana to becoming a fitness business owner is both inspiring and relatable.