Every week at Hoboken Girl, we’re lucky enough to feature {+ get to know} so many #bossbabes in our area. It’s even more special, however, when that woman is the face behind a brand that so many people know and love. Introducing our Hoboken Girl of the Week, Noël Fiorentinos of Work it Out, a gym that aims to empower all women. Read on to learn more about her personal life, owning Work it Out, and some of her Hoboken and Jersey City favorites:
About Noël
8 years ago, I founded a fitness lifestyle brand called Work it Out, that is right here in Hoboken. We consider ourselves a safe haven where women can work out in an environment that feels comfortable and where they won’t be judged. I love to create and this brand is an extension of who I am and an evolution of a creative vision that I am constantly refining. Opening a business always felt like the only road for a few reasons but mainly because I’m a boss by instinct. I’ve been bossing people around since I was a little girl. There was such a thing as an “I hate Noël club” dubbed by cousins and sisters. Being in charge of a company gives me an outlet to lead and direct, which is nice. My husband thinks so too. I often have to remind myself that he is not my employee, poor guy! On the personal side of things, I’m about to turn 32, have been married for 5 years and am a new mom. My daughter Vaida just turned 1 in early May.
On What Inspires Her
I have to say for inspiration, it’s definitely Instagram just because I’m on the platform so often. It’s so powerful to have access to everyone’s creativity which is obviously translated by images. Instead of going through a magazine, ripping out the pages and creating a story, it’s now screenshotting different subjects that help you translate your mood/vibe into your own unique creation. It’s powerful… creativity and style transcend, you know? It doesn’t matter where you live or what your subject is, Instagram allows it to be at your fingertips. If you have an eye for trends and art, it’s all right there for you. I used to live in Manhattan and when you walk around you see different cultures and styles and fashion and it’s inspiring. For me, the platform gets my creative juices flowing because of the exposure, regardless of the falsehoods, it could also represent.
What Keeps Her Up at Night
What keeps me up at night are the people that are directly affected by my business. It is my number 1 priority to keep everyone satisfied and happy. I have to remind myself regularly that keeping everyone happy is not always possible and that I am 1 person who’s just doing her best and to be proud of that.
On Her Goals + Passions
My goals for this year are to find more consistency with my work/life balance. Last year I was very focused on being a new mom. This year I need to find more time during the week for work and being present in the studios. I’m in the process of figuring out what the best solution is for childcare. Being a mother and business owner is no joke and I’m still a rookie at pretty much both.
In terms of my goals for Work it Out – we are stepping up our game with our gymnastics program this season. We’re hoping to double our enrollment. Also, we’re planning for the next 5 years and lots goes into that. Our end goal is to launch an NYC location.
A Typical Day in the Life
A typical day looks something like… I get up around 8am, I wish it was earlier but it’s not. Vaida sleeps until 8:30am. As a family, we put on music, make coffee, check our emails and eat a healthy breakfast. Nick and I take turns getting ready. I usually clean up and take care of Vaida while he showers, then we switch. The baby goes down from a nap between 11am-12pm for about 3 hours which is my prime work time. I work from my home office and usually bang out a good chunk of emails and phone calls. That part of the day is fairly consistent, the rest of the afternoon is a tossup between a work out (anywhere and anything will suffice), an activity with Vaida, or more work and I’ll coordinate a babysitter. I get down to the studios about twice a week to check in and have meetings with whomever needs my attention. Dinner is made at home, we love to grill and make simple, healthy, delicious meals. I love unwinding with a glass of wine, Bravo TV and my hubby.
See More: Hoboken Girl of the Week Leigh Scheps {Inside Edition Reporter}
On the Highs + Lows
Highs and lows have a very simple/obvious answer. Highs of my job are when everything is running smoothly, lows are when they are not.
Highlight of Her Career {So Far}
The most rewarding (and hardest) part of what I do is managing our team. Our business model does not allow for many full-time employees, so I’m coordinating, communicating and directing about 45 staff members and their different roles and responsibilities every single day. I love getting better at being a boss, learning new ways to communicate effectively, motivating staff to get better at their jobs, watching them grow, it’s truly rewarding and honestly making me a better person. Instructors are front and center with our members motivating them, teaching them – I’m front and center with our instructors and desk staff trying to do the same.
Also, the community of members that make up Work it Out is truly inspiring. It’s so exciting to acknowledge the amount of people that are directly affected by something that was an idea in a notebook of mine, 10 years ago. Work it Out has two Hoboken locations with over 40 employees and over 1,000 active members. We operate a gymnastics program with over 100 children in attendance. That’s a lot of people! I’m most proud of the very strong community of women that WiO has built. Over the years I’ve gotten so many emails and heard so many different stories where Work it Out was at the center providing them with confidence and relief and stability.
I’ve had women go into labor on bikes, make major career shifts, battle serious illness, lose tons of weight, combat depression all because they were members of our community and Work it Out gave them strength and courage. This is by far the best part for me.
What a Day Off is Like
Be with family and friends. My husband and I love to host, cook, eat, drink, travel… to be happy – enjoy all of the amazing things we were blessed with. Life is good and we try to embrace that, especially on our days off!
Advice to Someone Pursuing the Same Career Path
My best advice would be to understand that there is no textbook way to run a business. Everyone has a different formula. The obvious number 1 rule that all entrepreneurs should know and abide by is that the bottom line is everything – which is true. But! Every business minded person has a unique set of skills and as long as you can acknowledge and embrace your own and be open-minded to who and what can help you with the rest, you should be good to go. No one is great at everything. Building your team is instrumental to your success and that’s difficult to do. Also, to understand that a business needs to evolve and you need to evolve with it. You have to allow your business and yourself that flexibility.
Hoboken + Jersey City Favorites
What is your favorite restaurant in the area?
I love Kitchen Step. It’s cozy and the food is amazing.
What is your favorite boutique in Hoboken?
Pepper Parlor all the way. I get at least one piece a season there.
What do you love most about Hoboken?
That it’s evergreen in terms of evolution.
READ: Hoboken Girl of the Week: Jordan + Joelle {From the HG Team!}
What is your favorite thing to do in Hudson County?
I would be lying if I didn’t say… going to Garden State Plaza.
How long have you lived and/or worked in Hoboken?
The long answer is that I grew up in Secaucus, went to High School in JC, was a competitive cheerleader for Hoboken my Junior and Senior year of HS, and then opened Work it Out 8 years ago, in 2010. Both of my parents grew up in Jersey City and Union City. I now live in Englewood, NJ but I’m a Hudson County girl through and through.
What is your favorite outdoor place to spend time in Hoboken?
Pier A.
What is your favorite place to work out in Hudson County?
Work it Out of course.
Where do you go out with friends in the area?
I like Porta, the bands are always cool. I just recently went to the Rooftop at Exchange Place in the Hyatt – it was beautiful and the drinks were great.
What is something you think needs to come to Hoboken or Jersey City?
I would take anything fashion-related. Maybe Brandy Melville? Madewell? Club Monaco? A great shoe store of some sort… It’s nice to have options when you’re shopping in town.
Thanks for chatting with us, Noël! Stay tuned to see who our next Hoboken Girl of the Week is <3
Want to be featured or nominate someone as an upcoming Hoboken Girl of the Week?
Email hello@hobokengirl.com about your/her story.
Have you joined our Facebook group yet? Request here to gain access to even more local tips, and connect with fellow Hudson County residents.
