Entrepreneur to Watch: Carolyn Williams of The Bar Method

Carolyn Williams is the owner of The Bar Method Vancouver. The Bar Method is an hour-long total body workout that combines isometric interval training, dance conditioning and sports rehabilitation to quickly and safely burn fat and carve muscle.

What inspired you to start your company?

I was hooked after my first Bar Method class – I had never found a workout to be so thorough and efficient. As soon as I moved from California to Vancouver, I missed the class and said to my husband: “I want to open a Bar Method studio here!” Two years later, it has become a reality and I am so excited for Vancouver to get the opportunity to experience the “burn”!

What is your company all about?

I think the Bar Method is such a phenomenal form of exercise because it not only gives you an incredible workout, it also helps to build body confidence and total body awareness as you are working out muscles you probably never knew you had. It is an exercise where you can constantly challenge yourself, combining ballet barre, Pilates and yoga.

What’s your vision for your company?

I see the Bar Method studio as a community – one where people come to get a great workout, but also meet people and share the hour-long class together. The studio will be a place where you get to come and treat yourself for an hour solely on yourself.

What excites you about what you’re doing?

I love the idea of people coming to work hard for themselves, not because they have to, but because they want to. They want to live a healthy lifestyle and I will feel honored to be a part of that.

What are some early examples of success?

After deciding to start the Bar Method in Vancouver, I turned my garage into a small studio and slowly started teaching people. The group turned from about 10 people into 100 just through word of mouth. One of the best parts was watching everyone meeting, building a supportive community in and around their individual experiences with the Bar Method.

What about challenges?

Definitely my biggest lesson so far is that when you realize you have made a mistake, change it. The longer you put it off the worse it gets.

What’s next for you?

Opening in the beginning of October – this is a pretty solid focus for me at present! My long term goal is to open three to four Bar Method studios in and around Vancouver.