Women in Motion
Alex Senkow
With a demanding young family, a growing business, and a passion for perfection, this young entrepreneur is a master at setting goals and achieving them. This September, she will see another of her goals realized with the opening of a second personal training studio in the southwest end of Edmonton. Meet the woman at the helm of Defining Eve, Canada’s fastest growing personal training company.
There’s a yellow MINI Cooper zipping around Edmonton. And if you live in the city, there’s a good chance that you’ve seen it at least once in the past couple of years. It’s definitely noticeable. And if you were to look behind the wheel of the vehicle (detailed with the recognizable red and green Defining Eve logo), you would inevitably find Alexandra Senkow, the founder of Canada’s first women’s personal training studio.
In the beginning, the car was not merely a form of transportation, it was also an office, a lunchroom, and storage; for three short years ago, Defining Eve was just that, a lone woman providing mobile personal training services to clients in their homes.
Today we find Senkow, now 28, at the helm of a much larger business venture. With twenty odd staff, two locations, and a reputation, second to none, in the fitness industry, Defining Eve is gaining national recognition as Canada’s fastest growing personal training company. The young female entrepreneur is likewise building her own reputation; for her expertise as a functional training pioneer, her sharp business acumen and her commitment to Defining Eve’s clientele.
Edmonton is a long way from the Jordan Valley in Israel, where Alexandra first started her journey into fitness when she was introduced to fitness over a decade ago. Her experiences in the Middle East ignited a passion that inspired her to begin a career in fitness, while helping to shape the training methodology that all Defining Eve trainers follow today.
With a demanding young family, a growing business, and a penchant for home renovations, Senkow often finds herself juggling dozens of projects, year round. She attributes her success to regular and consistent goal setting, her ability to maintain focus.
This September, Alexandra, will see another of her goals realized with the opening of a second personal training studio in the southwest end of Edmonton. Senkow has managed to take an idea and cultivate it- from a mobile personal training company, to Canada’s top personal training studio in Garneau, and now to a second location. With the opening the Defining Eve studio in Hawkstone Plaza, Senkow will reach another milestone of a succinct business plan that has so far taken three years of dedication and sacrifice to execute.
Did you get into fitness through involvement in sport?
It’s actually funny that you should ask that- because I’ve spent most of the last decade trying to teach women that they don’t have to be an athlete in order to exercise. I’ve competed recreationally in several triathlons, including two Half Ironman competitions, but I am not formally involved in any other sports. And while I’m very proud of completing those races, I spend a considerable amount of time and effort educating women that you do not have to be an athlete to be active. Exercise is for everyone.
Have you always been an exerciser then?
As a child I was involved in Ukrainian dancing and ballet. Though in high school I wasn’t really involved in anything, and was not encouraged to be active, being that I was a beanpole. Unfortunately, I think that at that stage in life being athletic is very much synonymous with being active. It took a trip to the other end of the globe to make me realize that everyone can enhance the quality of his or her life through exercise.
What do you find to be some of business’s greatest challenges?
Every day is different. With this rate of growth there is no typical day in the life of- you have to remain flexible, ready to jump at opportunities. Harmonizing work life and my personal life can also be a challenge, and I am always trying to find creative ways to help keep the balance.
What do you feel has given you an advantage?
I’ve been told that I have an insurmountable amount of energy. When we first opened the studio at Garneau, I would routinely teach 20 odd classes a week, train a dozen clients, and handle all of the day to day operations and administration with our newborn daughter Natasha at my side.
If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?
To reach all my goals in life. Twelve down. Only 4988 to go!! Seriously though, I am a firm believer in goal setting. If you want to achieve anything, whether it’s losing 5 lbs or growing a business across Canada in 5 years, you have to write down the end goal and map out the route you will take to get there. It’s also important to identify smaller goals that need to be accomplished along the way,
What advice do you have for women in business?
Women in business often start out by following their passion, it’s instinctive. Women are caring, they’re nurturing; they want to share their skills, knowledge and ideas with others. It’s important to recognize that this passion alone is not enough, which is one reason why most businesses close their doors in the first two years. Business is extremely competitive, and to succeed you need to posses the right skill set to make it work.
What’s next? Where do you go from here?
I’ll be spending a lot of time at the new Defining Eve at Hawkstone studio over the course of the next year, and after that, well, you’ll just have to wait and see!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Taking Defining Eve to the Fortune 500 level. Having a fulfilling life.. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. It’s important to dream big. If you can conceive it, you can achieve it!
