What’s On Your Mind With Natalie Holloway

"Good things come to those who sweat," says Natalie + Max the founders of Bala and we can't help but agree. Now if you've ever taken a ness class in-studio or joined us on livestream, chances are you've seen us pulsing and bouncing with Bala weights. We can't get enough of them! Bala believes in beautiful, functional fitness equipment that is playful, design-led, inclusive, and boundaryless. Sounds similar to our favorite fitness equipment- the trampoline :). We couldn't wait to hear from Natalie for July's installment of What's On Your Mind?

Natalie + Max started Bala on a napkin in 2018, when they sketched out ideas for what would eventually become Bala Bangles and for 2 years they shipped each and every order by hand. They grew tired of an ultra-serious, exclusionary fitness industry – a sea of lookalike brands running the same playbook.

At Bala, they believe that both form and function should coexist because fashion and fitness can go hand-in-hand. With one of their values being design-led, they believe that design alone can inspire movement. Natalie + Max desire to empower everyone to move; through creativity and self-expression.

They say that play is here to stay and we wholeheartedly agree that both play and joy belong in your workout regiment. I hope you're enjoying this series as much as we are!

Let’s get into what Natalie had to say.

What's one way you find your joy in movement?

Taking the pressure off of myself and trying to add more play into my routine. Whether that means a walk or running around the kids somewhere fun, all of it counts as movement. 

What's the best piece of self-care advice you've ever received?

If you are busy, to schedule it in your calendar ahead of time so you won’t miss it. So anything that is important to my self-care goes in my calendar so I won’t miss that workout class or facial or massage. Otherwise, it’s too easy to cancel. 

How do you stay creative, inspired, motivated in your day-to-day life?

Make time for the things I love that give me energy and inspiration… like travel, or a weekend spent with best friends and family. 

What's the biggest lesson you've learned as a founder?

There is never a day when everything falls into place. Being a founder is constantly dealing with obstacles and finding solutions for them on a daily basis. Once you accept that, you find freedom on the other side of it. 

What does community mean to you? And how do you go about finding your own?

People that feed my soul and vice versa. Making the effort to pour time into family and friendships creates a beautiful community. The more I do that, the happier I am. 

We also hit Natalie with 3 Rapid Fire Questions!

What are you:

Reading: All About love by Bell Hooks 

Watching: Dave and Friday Night lights (throwback) 

Listening to: Goth Babe !

To learn more about Natalie and Bala, check out the website here.