The Untold Story of Equinox: From Struggle to Global Fitness Empire

Lavinia, you've built Equinox into a seven plus billion dollar empire and you left at the peak. What's one thing people that don't understand about this kind of massive success?

I did it with my two brothers. It was the three of us that was a big part of our success. We were family number one, Number two, I believe we each had our lane. I think that's the magic. And that's probably why I very rarely today ever invest in any brands that don't have more than one co co founder. Because I really understand what it takes. Takes a lot. It takes your soul like you have to want this so badly. I must also add, not want it for money. You have to want it because you want to make a difference. You want an impact. I want people to know what it feels like to have a body that's alive and vibrant and healthy and strong. All of that. I was just always obsessed with that. Hi, I'm Lavinia Erico and I'm the co founder of Equinox Fitness Club and I have a new brand that I am launching called Joy Lift which I am beyond, beyond passionate about. I've been in the health and wellness journey. I've been on my own journey since I'm actually 5 years old. My friends always joke and they say I probably the amount of time and energy that I've put in and the workshops I've taken, the certifications I've gotten, I probably could have like 5 PhDs by now because this is just what I love to do. It's where I love to spend my time. I am beyond curious on health and vitality and longevity and energy and life force energy and how our mind and our body and our heart and our spirit and how that all connects. I, I'm a little OCD about it and how the, yeah, and just how we feel like how we feel so much joy and how we connect to our God given identity and how we connect to our soul, spirit and how health and wellness and longevity and how it all like intertwines together. Yeah. And that's. I leave the amount of time and energy and passion and commitment and learning that I've, the discipline, the devotion that I've put into this and I just you know, believe it gives me a lot of knowledge and wisdom. More wisdom, a lot of wisdom. And I, and I, as my friends say, girl, you walk the walk, I walk the walk and yeah. So I'm happy to be here with you today.

Thank you so much. Lavinia, you've Built Equinox into a seven plus billion dollar empire and you left at the peak. What's one thing about people that don't understand about this kind of massive success?

I, first of all, I want to clear that I did it with my two brothers. It was the three of us. And I think that was a big part of our success, honestly, is that we were family number one. Number two, I believe we each had our lanes. And not to say that our lanes didn't cross over into other areas, but we really had our lane. And I think that's the magic. And that's probably why I very rarely today ever invest in any brands that don't have more than one co founder. Because I really understand what it takes, especially if it's brick and mortar of what it takes to build something out and takes a lot. I mean, you know, I always say to entrepreneurs, if somebody has to say to you, you should do this, you know, but you shouldn't do it because it literally, it takes your soul, like, you have to want this so badly. And I must also add, Isabelle, not want it for money. You have to want it because it's like you want to make a difference, you want to impact. Like for me, it's like I just want people to get it. I want people to feel so good. I want people to know what it feels like to have a body that's alive and vibrant and, and healthy and strong and feel alive. And you know, like all of that, you know, I was just always obsessed with that. So it, it takes, it takes a big commitment, a big sacrifice, you know, and when you're an entrepreneur, I mean, look, I'm doing it again. And it's like you just said to me before this, I don't know where you get your energy from. You just keep going. I get my energy because I love what I do. And also it's like I just so badly and care about people and I want them, I want them to have what I have. Like, I want people to get out of bed in the morning and not need caffeine and not need crutches, you know, and be able to be like, I'm alive. Like I am alive and, and feel that and just really go after life with that, that appetite and that joy and that connection. And I just want people to feel that because unfortunately I very often feel people suffering and complaining and negative and always seeing, taking their little flashlight and always flashing the flashlight on the part of life that isn't as wonderful. And I do the opposite. I flash my flashlight on all the good that's happening. And that's what part of that keeps my vibration high and my energy level high. I don't sit there and look to turn over every single negative thing. I mean, life is tough. You know, it's tough. Like, it's. It's not all, you know, strawberry shortcake. You know, there's a lot of stuff that's sticky and cooking and. And icky and not nice and not great and. And it's, you know, but at the end when. When that's where joy lives. That's why I love the word joy. Because, like, the world could be falling apart. You could be literally sleeping or living underneath, under a bridge, and we could still access joy. You know, there's joy we still have. We could still find that joy inside of us. We don't need everything from this outside world in order to have joy. So that's why, for me, I connect so much more with joy than I do with, like, happiness. Happiness is a fleeting moment. You know, somebody can give you a compliment, you could feel happy, or somebody. You share a great meal. It's like, ah, you go on a great vacation. But joy lives somewhere else. Like, somewhere else.

I think this is why we connected so well. Lavinia and I have. I hope for those who are watching this, they feel what I'm feeling. Every time you speak, I can literally feel this from your heart. Like, you're doing this with an open heart. You actually want to give back to the world. You want to give your wisdom, you want to give a little bit of your energy. Even you showing up on the podcast, I know you're doing it not because you have to. You're doing it because you want to touch other people's lives. My question with that is I can sense this. Did you have this also before Equinox or. This is something that has come to you years after going through all of this and building. Where's this yummy feeling that I'm feeling coming from?

You know, I always say there's your nature and your nurture. And I think my nature was that, like, I remember even being a little girl, and I think I was going into kindergarten or first grade. And the. We had these twin girls that lived up on the end of our street. And I was like, oh, I was playing with them. I was like, I gotta go. I'm gonna go get my school haircut. You know, it was like two days before school, and they're like, oh, my mom's working. She's not gonna be able to Take us for a haircut. And the next day, I showed up at their house with scissors to cut their hair. I mean, like, because all I couldn't. I was like to myself, I didn't even say this to anybody. Oh, my God. They're not able to get a haircut before school. So I'm going to go cut their hair. And I went there with scissors. And the next morning, the mother shows up at the house with the two girls, screaming at my mom, screaming at my mom, look what your daughter did to these girls. She cut her. Their hair. I mean, it was awful. And I just remember crying. Like, I said, mom. My mother goes, olivia, why would you do that? Why did you do that? And I said, because, Mommy, I just wanted them to go to school and feel good about their haircut. And the point is, like, that was just always my nature. Like, when you know who your nature is. And I also believe, Isabel, when you know who your nature is, it also helps you with your success. You know, like, when I. I can go back, you know, I help women all the time. I have this platform, Joy left, where I help them connect to their God, identity their self. And very often we have to go back to who they were at 5 years old and 6 years old and 7 and 8 years old, and kind of look at. Look at that nature. What was that nature of who they were? You know? And that was just always my nature to want to be around people and to want people to feel good. I just always wanted people to feel good. And then once I started dancing, which I started dancing at 5, and dancing just was my happy place. I mean, honestly, I don't know what my childhood would have been like if I didn't have dance in it. Like, sometimes it actually scares me. I was like, whoa. Because that was my happiest place. Dancing, moving, learning, practicing in my basement, having dance school every single day. And then at 12, making a dance troupe and then having community with dance, I really don't know what my childhood and teens would have been if I didn't have that, you know, So I. So much of who we are as adults, if we want to really connect to, like, layers more of our soul and our passion, we have to go back to when we were young.

Do you feel like there's a connection between physical movement and financial success? Because it sounds like you had this early on.

You know, for me, I always say movement is life, and life is movement, movement is health, and health is movement. So I believe that when you're moving your body, especially if you're moving it in a healthy way. You know, unfortunately, 92% of all women over the age of 38 hate their bodies. So when they're moving and they're going to Equinox, Soul Cycle, Barry's Boot Camp, you know, all these hot yoga, hot Pilates, whatever, they're very rarely walking in and going, oh, I love my body. I love myself. They're very often walking in and, like, I gotta get rid of this backpack. I gotta get rid of the cellulite I got. You know, they. And then they. They notice every single body, every single woman's body in that room. Oh, my God, she ducked in. I'll be like. And they ended up being more stressed. So I'm not talking about that kind of movement. I'm. I'm. But when you really are moving your spine, you know, every organ in your body is connected to your spine. So when you are doing a wave and you're doing everything and moving in a certain way, you're getting your chest to expand and to open, you're getting your lymph nodes moving. You know, you're really getting that body. You're getting, you know, your heart expanding, your heart pumping, your lungs expanding. All of a sudden, it's like. And you're starting to move all the joints, and you're doing the breath work with it. It's like everything starts moving. Like, your thoughts start moving. You get clearer, you release some stress. You release the top. You know, a lot of us have chronic stress in our bodies. You start releasing that stress out of your body. Before you know it, you're clearer. You can see more of what's working in your life, what's not working in your life, where you need to let go of certain things in your life. Like, that's where success lives. You know, success is. It's a journey to success. It's a journey. So when you're on it, like, I was having a conversation with somebody the other day, and I was like, I know. I'm so grateful every day. I'm so grateful for my life, because I also. I know it's in God's hands. Like, I'm doing what I do. But ultimately, it's in God's timing. So, you know, somebody said to me, well, I mean, I would have been disappointed this summer if I would have done what you did. And you didn't close a certain amount of. And I'm like, no, it's all in God's timing, you know, Like, I believe that. I am so grateful, and I know it's in God's timing, you know, I don't. You have to sometimes abide by that. There has to be an abiding of knowing, you know, and I know that. And when I look back at all my successes, no matter what it was, it was. It was. You could feel that it was beyond me. You know, I remember making this professional group at 12, and they were like, no, nobody makes the professional group before they're 14 years old. You have to be a teenager. And the next thing I know, my teacher's like, I want you to be in that professional group. You know, I didn't even beg to go. I said, you know, when the time. I mean, to me, it was like, when I'm 14, I want to go in that group. She's like, no, I think you're ready now. So, I mean, that's how life shows up, right? You know, Now, I. I worked hard for that. It wasn't like I wasn't. I was prepared. I was ready. Because I do live my life. I kind of have these three words here. It says devotion, discipline and enthusiasm. And I do. I'm very devotional in how everything I do, I do it from that energy when you do something, just like I say, devotional or ritual. Those are my two words. I don't do it as a habit, and I don't do it as I have to. I. When you do something and you're devotional in it, like, I don't care if you're an artist and you're devoting your time and energy and creativity, you know, that's the energy I. I do it in, you know, that more of a devotional or ritualistic way. And when I do that, and I do it with discipline, and I do it with enthusiasm, you know, enthusiasm, the Greek of that is with spirit. Like, with God is enthusiasm. Right? So for me, I. Those. The way I put it together is very important, and I believe it's what brings success. Wow.

And what a major success you've had and you continue to have. Did you grow up rich, Lavinia?

No, no, we. But we grew up comfortable. You know, my dad. My dad owned Delicatessen, you know, in New York City. And I started working in my dad's deli. I think by third grade when we were off of school, you know, my mom couldn't. We had six of us. My mom had five kids in two and a half years because she had two sets of twins. So the three big ones would always go to work with my dad when we had no school. And the truth is, I loved going. I loved being in that store. I loved running. When they let me, you know, do the cash register, I was so happy. I just love. I love the excitement of it, you know, or most kids, I think, didn't want to go. I really wanted to go. I loved it all. Plus, my dad was. His places were in Hell's Kitchen, and they were. The. The people that came in was. It was a very, very vibrant group, you know, of people in the middle of Hell's kitchen in the 60s. So I enjoyed it. I liked. I liked all of it. So now,

sorry, you went from being, you know, living comfortable, you can. You can stay rich. But to having millions of dollars. Like, what is the biggest lie we tell ourselves about having money?

Well, I can tell you this. When we sold the company, I thought every day was going to feel like Fourth of July, you know, like every day it was just going to feel like fireworks going off. I mean, because it was just like, okay, you're not going to have to worry about money, or, you know, you're set. You're good. And the truth of it is, I went into the darkest. The darkest time of my life. Nobody ever tells entrepreneurs. I do actually talk about this a lot now on different panels and different symposiums, but I remember walking out. I'm walking out of the playground because I dropped my son off. We sold our business in the month of December, and then we cleaned out our office, and then it was the holidays, and we went. I went to Mexico with my partner or my son at the time, and we come back, and it was like the fourth or fifth, and I drop him off at school, and I start to walk out of the playground, and all of a sudden it was like the whole playground went like this, and my ears got muffled. And honestly, I thought I was having a stroke. I was like. I kind of stopped and went down a little, just in case I was going to faint. I didn't want to fall and hit my head. And I remember one of the women said, are you okay? Let me in. I was like, yeah, I'm good. I'm okay. And I just didn't know what was happening. And again, it was just like, who? And then I walked home. We lived about five blocks from there. And I go upstairs, and I just climbed into bed, and I called my mom, and I said, mom, I don't know what's happening. It's just like the whole playground just came down. So the size of, like, an aisle in a. In a grocery store. And my ears Got so muffled and everything got cloudy for a second. I didn't even know where I was. And so she's like, wow, you know, the Viny's had a really big month, like, everything. And I'm like, yeah, yeah. And I kept saying to everyone, I don't think it's hit me yet. Because I was waiting for all that, that joy, that bliss, that happiness to just be like, every day I'm on a prize, like, you know, like life. And I wasn't feeling it. I just kept saying, I have. It's. I. It hasn't hit me yet. It hasn't hit me yet. And then I went to. Started with a therapist, and I actually, he said I was having identity paralysis and. Which is very common when athletes stop playing, you know, professional athletes start playing sports. And, you know, but I had it because. And it wasn't my identity to Equinox, by the way. It wasn't like, oh, my God, I just have this. It was my identity to everything, always outside of me being a little girl and, you know, getting A's in school and winning spelling bees and all of that, all of the appellates, all of the attention that you get on the outside, right. Making a professional group at 12 years old and then becoming a Rocket and then getting into your first choice college for school. Like, all of that, all of that was my identity, you know, all of those accolades, my identity, my identity. And then of course, you throw Equinox in there and that makes. Even for a bigger identity. But it wasn't my God identity wasn't my soul identity. It was this outside identity that we all. So what happened was now all of a sudden I'm like, who am I now? You know, like, who am I now? It was just. And yeah, that was, you know, that was what. The work that I had to do after I sold the company to just get back on my feet and be able to feel steady, to feel like, in my body to feel to. Yeah. And, you know, it was interesting because my brother started this other company. Well, one brother did with a partner, and the other brother was working with him a little bit. And then they wanted me to get involved. And I was like, yeah, like, I went to a couple meetings and I was all ready to, like, jump back in. And the therapist I had at the time was like, why are you doing that? I said, look, look, I'm. This is who I am. Like, I'm a worker. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a serial entrepreneur. I can just keep creating. I'm just Meant to create. I'm a. And he's like, you're avoiding. You're avoiding. Do you need the money? I'm like, no, I don't need the money. I'm good. He goes, keep it. Just stay. Stay in the stillness for a while. In rehab. And I'm like, yeah, but, you know, then, by then I had this whole story, like, no, we could really create something cutting edge. And, you know, like, I know the way I'll help impact that. And. And then I just. I kept hearing him say, if you don't do it now, you're going to do it in five years from now. You might as well do the work now, because it's not going anywhere. And, you know, Isabella, that's the kind of stuff so many people just want to keep avoiding. They want to avoid really facing themselves. They want to just keep that mask on, you know, the smile and everything's great. And, you know, like, we so often don't want to do that deeper work. And the deeper work is really where Joy lives, you know, that's where, like, because you own who you are, it's like you become. I say you become magnificently yourself, you know, and. And by the way, to get there is. It's kind of painful. It's definitely painful. You know, I had a look at so many levels about me, about my own, the dynamics in my family and how, you know, it's. And by the way, when you do the deep work, it goes like this. You don't, you know, it's not always okay. Granted, there was a little bit of looking at some of the things of, you know, being parented by two parents that really didn't have maybe a lot of emotional intelligence, you know, so when you're being parented and which I don't know too many that did have emotional intelligence in the 1960s. I mean, I think I was very blessed with my upbringing, and because of the lack of emotional intelligence, there was some suffering. And I'm so grateful for the suffering because I know I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if I didn't have that journey. You know, we don't do that. We don't create. I don't know anybody or anyone who's really created something so impactful from a place of their life being so great. Usually something that happened that made you get to the bottom of that snake pit and have to put crawl out and not. And certain things money can't buy, you know, certain things like money can't buy it. You have to you have to get there on your own, you know, like joy. Like joy. And I think a lot of times people of wealth. I, I, I. Last week I spoke at three different family offices. And, you know, there were a lot of talk about the next generation and how, how, you know, the families are enabling them and, and why they're not showing up. And I'm like, because they don't have to. And then if you don't have to show up, but they're not happy because going out and carving out your own life were meant to do that. We're designed for that, you know, that's the way it's, it should be, you know, and we're taking that journey away from people. So for me, it's all of that. And, and I have to say, I don't, I, I'm not perfect. I'm, I'm having every day I have my human experience too. You know, Like, I just know for me, I want more joy. And I know for me, it, it is walking with God, you know, it is having God in my life is part of it. And knowing again that it's in his timing and that I'm so grateful every day. Even when I'm not getting all the things that I want in my human world, I'm still so grateful. You know, I don't, I'm like, you know, I'm not resentful. I'm not sad because I'm not getting it, you know, like, it's not the right timing. And it will be, you know, so it's like knowing that and believing that and still living with discipline. Like, I'm disciplined. I live with discipline. I have a plan. Every day I have a plan and I work with my clients. Once in a while, I become a little bee and I.

You are human. Basically, you're saying is, I am human as well. What are you seeing as far as. Because you said you spoke at a few different family offices and I got to know you a little bit through the times we met, and I know you have this aura. And just like you just mentioned right now, you carry God and spirit within you. How are you seeing all these, like, corporate, like, offices when you come in with this? Because they're expecting. Equinox corporate lady, billions of dollars, empire creator. And you come in and you're like, have faith. My, my friends, my people, how are they receiving that? I'm very curious.

I love that you asked me that question because I used to never do those. I only stayed, like, I would do that. I'm only in my lane, I would only stay in the woman lane, the wellness lane, the fitness lane, and maybe the beauty lane. And then the young entrepreneur, like I. And then a couple years ago, I got invited. And when I tell you, Isabel, I couldn't sleep for two weeks before it. And there was an older man who was there who knew me and really knows these people. Like, he's very. This guy has a Rolodex like you can't imagine. I mean, he could get the president on the phone. He can get anyone on the phone. And right before I walked up to him and I said, I don't want to say his name, but I said his name. And I said, tell me real quickly, what do I do? Like, how do I get these people? Even though I already had my speech, I had everything. He goes, just be you. Just be you. If you go up there 100% moving up with your heart and what. He goes, you're going to win them over. They're going to hear you. And that's exactly what I did. And it was magical. I went up there and I did it as if I was speaking. I mean, even though I feel like you have to know your eyeballs. And I definitely told stories that I thought would land for them, and it did. And I got off the stage. Oh, it was so funny. The black rock group was on after me, after. And the founder gets on and he goes, wow, that's a tough act to follow.

Nice.

I was like, oh, my God. Right? Like. And, yeah, and it was like, it really was amazing. And then I get off the stage, and there's like this group of men, just this huge group of men waiting to talk to me. Like, it was the first time that I ever had that because I only would go to women's groups. And now I love it. I love, love, love it. Yeah. Because I realized they want joy in their life, too. They want. They want to feel good. Like. Like they have their own stories. Like, we have our stories as women, but they have their stories as men. And that's why, I mean, I love men. I'm always like, I'm not this anti ma. I'm very pro women. Because I do believe that we just have so many stories that hold us back and so many belief systems and so many behavioral patterns. But, yeah, but when you put women and men together and there's a level of consciousness there and there's a level of respect and just. You know what else? The deep. Just the higher. I would say communication's great. Every talks. Communication, communication. But I don't really talk communication. I talk deep listening. Deep listening. Because so often people just talk. But while you're talking, I'm trying to. I'm thinking of what I'm going to say. Right. Instead of really committed to. I want to listen to you. And I'm really curious. Like, I'm curious on why you feel the way you feel. Because. And there's a deep wanting to understand. And when you put men and women in a room with that, with that deep listening, that deep desire to understand, it's magical what happens. It's really, really, really magical.

Are you seeing a lot more men having this side of them open up? And are they relating that also to success?

I. I think we've learned in the last. I want to say, like, the last eight years that this, you know, they used to call it the soft. The soft touch, the. The soft skills that you go far with them. You know that again, deep listening, deep understanding, compassion, real compassion, real respect. Really respecting the community, respecting your teams, I think go far. You know, I mean, yes, I think. And I think it's the younger people that are bringing them. I mean, when you walk in now into breath workshops, I'm. I sometimes I walk into a breath workshop, and it is 75% men in there. 75% men. And that's the way they begin. They begin the journey. It may be breath work. They feel safe in that. And then before you know it, they're doing breath work, and then they're sharing afterwards. They're sharing what came up, what they felt. Yeah. Like, I have a breath coach. He's a. He's Chris Tai piece of man. And his. His, nine times out of ten, are 70% men in there. I mean, they're like. And they're like alpha man. You know, they're the firefighters and just really amazing guys, you know? Guys, Guys. Yeah. Alpha males. Yeah. Yeah. It's real alpha males. And they're doing the breath work, sharing what came up for them. Yeah, it's so. It's so amazing to see that.

Sounds like the world is opening up more and more. But speaking of men, what I have to honor you and, you know, say this to you. Most people will stay away from working with family, but yet you. You partner with your siblings. I'm just wondering, what was that like working with your siblings? And not only that, having this major success along with them all coming up together.

Yeah, look, when we work together, I mean, there were things about it that were amazing and there were things about it that weren't so Amazing, right? I mean, it was. You know, we were also the kind of family that there weren't a lot of boundaries. Like, there weren't. And. And, you know, by the end, I was working with a two, actually, two coaches. One was more business coach. The other one was more like a transformational coach. But in business, I don't think my brothers were hiring people like that to work with them. Yeah, I don't. That they could have. I don't. I think. No, I don't think so. So by the end, I mean, like. I mean, full disclosure, by the end, I was the one really ready to sell. You know, we. We had already. It had been about a good 10 to 12 years that it was. It was enough like a family. It's not easy working with family, you know, And I think, if I have to be honest, I think it's harder for women than it is for men, you know, because we're more emotional, you know, we were. And I can only speak for myself, like, you know, I. There were some things that, you know, I had to prove. I had to really prove that I could be a mom and be an equal partner. And that wasn't easy. You know, I didn't have partners that were like, oh, you know, Zach's sick. Stay home today. Take care. You know, it was like. I felt like it was, you know, waiting, like, you're a third partner. You're a mom. You're a third partner. You know, so. So I understood as a partner, maybe why the partner would do that. But then it was hard because it was your sibling, and you wanted your sibling to be, you know, so that's where I felt like there was a little duality, you know, But I still think, overall, we worked well together. I think the magic of our skill set and how we worked was really powerful. And we left there talking to each other. We all left there, and it was great. My brothers have done a couple of things together, and like I said to you, I had a therapist that was like, no, that doesn't serve you to be in that dynamic. There was a dynamic that didn't really serve me to continue on like that. And that's okay. And it's okay to admit that, and I'm not pointing a finger at anybody. I take full responsibility. But, yeah, sometimes you have to just say, you know, we did it. That was great. And now I want to do things differently. Wow.

Well, what a journey to be able to look back and say, yeah, I work with my brothers, and we created this most amazing thing. And, yes, we're all different. And yes, we want different things. I just see it's so beautiful. I'm sure it had beautiful moments. It had tough moments, but it had everything.

But that's what life is. Life is all the emotions, right? And it's being able to. To experience them and celebrate all of it, you know, all of it. I mean, for me, that decade was definitely one of the best decades of my life, hands down, on many levels. Not just because. And I. Not just because of, like, Equinox being a success. No, because, you know, we were. And it wasn't just us, by the way. We had the most amazing team of people around us. Like, we had people because the health industry wasn't what it is today by any means. I believe we were the ones that helped make that. I mean, to be a trainer in 1990, the 1990s, excuse me, was not something people wanted to do. It was like, only, and I say this with disrespect, but with respect. But it was only like losers wanting to be trainers. There was nobody out there who was like, I'm going to become a trainer. And we, I believe, made training really, we legitimized it. You know, we made it that when somebody's like, I'm a trainer. People were like, oh, wow, that's amazing. But when we started, I mean, you know, there were not a lot of professional trainers out there.

You know, this makes me think of something because you said you started, you revolutionized this being cool, being a trainer. And I remember reading, you know, weeks after you had launched Equinox, Madonna was seen working out at your gym, yet you had issues finding a landlord to lease the space, probably because of that non cool factor. Right? But what's the secret to making people want what they initially rejected? Because I'm sure all those people were like, darn it, I wish I could have just said yes to Lavinia.

Well, I think at the end, and I was having a meeting with the founder today about her brand, and I'm really enthusiastic about it. And she's like, well, why are they going to want this? And I said, if it works, they're going to want it. And that's at the end of the day, like, if you have customers that love what you do and keep coming back for more and love it and love it. And, you know, New York is funny. Like, they tell everybody and all of a sudden, you know, you go viral. We didn't call it that in those days. That's a new term. But that's what kept Happening. We just kept going viral. You know, it was like everybody came, they loved it. Oh my God, like I don't care if I have to borrow money, steal money, whatever, I have to come to this gym. It was just like a non negotiable. Everybody wanted to be there. They would put themselves on a budget, not go out to dinner as much, not buy themselves as much clothes, maybe not even going on a vacation, but I have to be an Equinox. So when you build something like that. And that's where I think our magic was that the three of us together, you know, we really, we were able to create that magic. Like each one of us brought in different people who were, that we were attracted to, energetic, you know, energetically and stuff. And they loved it and they wanted to make a difference. And before you know it, you had this like tribe of people that just wanted to do this to create something new that nobody'd ever seen. And yeah, like they would come in at, you know, 6 o' clock in the morning and hash out ideas. And you know, I remember going to dinners until 10, 11 o' clock at night, figuring out like, okay, how are we going to do this? What are we going to do? What's going to look like? You know, even bringing, we wanted to bring a show to a lot of the conventions because the conventions were kind of like a little boring. And we were like, no, let's make it sexy and hot. And you know, we went and we got bathing suit companies to, to give us the costumes that, you know, in those days they barely even had leggings. And we were, you know, just, we just thought out of the box, you know, on how to make everything more appealing, just like sexier, hotter. People just wanted it, you know, and it was, I don't.

It was, yeah, it wanted to be created. It sounds like like this equinox, the spirit of it, you know, attracted all of you with all these different energies and wanted to be created. That's what it sounds like to me. And it like this energy that we're talking about that you have today for Joy Lift sounds very similar to that. But now it's for like transformation, transforming wealth and wellness. Right. How would you, how would you compare Joy Lift to, to Equinox?

Well, first of all, it's for women only because I think. And it's different kind of movement. You know, this is a, this is, it's for women fortified class. I mean, I'm starting with that. Even though I do have a lot in my beta, I have a lot of younger women on there. But it's really about the movement. I say it's not fitness, it's freedom. It's literally freedom. It's. It's really. It's really releasing. Like a big part of it is releasing the chronic stresses, the emotional energy that's on our body. And, you know, in a course of a day, we could have something like almost a couple thousand different emotions, you know, fear, worry, shame, bluish. Not enough, not good enough, not pretty enough, not enough, not thin enough. Like, all that, right? You know, all that stuff that just comes at you, and every one of those has an energy, and before you know it, that gets stuck in you. You have to know how to move it out, how to release it out, you know, so when you start doing that, before you know it, you're like, oh, I feel better. So it's really about getting people to move Also, you know, 73% of our country is deconditioned, overweight, or obese. And unfortunately, most of these fitness brands do not cater to that. You know, when you look at the big brands out there, the Equinoxes and SoulCycle and, you know, and all these hot pilates and hot fists and hot that and these yogas, I mean, they are, trust me, they're not catering to that market. There's the cute little girl getting in there with the shorty shorts on and the little bra top, and yes, this woman that walks in there 40 pounds overweight. And when you see that, that doesn't get you inspired. It's not like, wow, I'm here. This is my people. This is where I belong. You know, you're walking in that room and feeling nothing but shame. And so for me, it was like, I really wanted to create an environment where women could just feel so safe and really find their way just like, to love themselves. Listen, we could start with love. That doesn't mean we don't desire to be fit or leaner, healthier, but, like, let's just start with appreciation and loving where we are and celebrating that and then moving in ways that actually just really feel good. Like, when you finish that cucumber, I feel good. Like, you're just. You just. Your body feels good, Your joints, your ligaments, your entity, your heart, you know, you just feel so good. You know, and that's the one. So that is one pillar. The second pillar is honestly is about nothing Infuriates me more is when I see women getting all their information on Dr. TikTok and Dr. Instagram. It's like, no, no, really, Like, I'm sorry, but you're gonna take this product and open it up and ingest it? Like, you don't even know what's in there. You don't know what's made. I mean, there's, I mean, I see this and then they're complaining because their stomachs are bloated and. And I'm like, but you're just taking stuff that you're learning about and you don't know if it's even good for your metabolism. You don't even know if you're absorbing it. You don't even know if you're. If your gut will even allow you to absorb this. Like, so I want to really create education so that women can come on and really get great sound information and knowledge on everything that they need to be healthy, spiritually healthy, mentally healthy, emotionally healthy, energetically healthy, physically healthy, you know, sexually healthy and, and even financially healthy. So for me, it's like think masterclass that you have all these different experts. And I really going after experts, like, I'm going after people to be who are experts who literally see patients and see clients from 8 o' clock in the morning until 10 o' clock at night. They're not out there building out a social media platform. And they're not out there, you know, because it takes a lot. Like, I don't have one doctor, not one doctor in my arsenal of healers that is even on Instagram because they don't have time for that. They're either studying or with, you know, with patients, with clients. So. And I know how amazing these people. I mean, I haven't taken so much as an advil of anything in over 20 years. And it takes something. You know, it doesn't mean I don't get sick. It just means I don't usually get sick, though. But it just means then I know how to bring my back, my body back to a place of alignment, so my body knows how to heal itself. You know, that's knowledge, it's discipline. It's listening, it's knowledge, it's discipline. It's, you know, it, it takes something and I want to be. And it's also having the right doctors, not the doctor that the only thing in their toolbox is to give you a pill. You know, how does somebody go from

all of this that you just mentioned getting their information from TikTok or lately Chad GPT, right, to like, wait a minute, I have to listen to myself. How do you make that transition? What are like some tools that we can.

We can give. Like, that's why I love my platform because you do have to have somewhere where you can go and get some good information, you know, where you can literally get on, listen, assess, maybe get on two days later for a chat on it, or you can ask questions. And that's what this will be. It'll be very interactive. Listen, I, I still chat GBT or I have been a light claw Claude, so I'm like always using a little bit of AI. But yeah, and then I'm like, I wouldn't take vitamins that way, though. I wouldn't take a supplement that way. Nor would I take it on. Watching a charming person talk to me about how they, what they do. Like, it's not going to happen. Even these doctors, I mean, I'm sorry, but now I just look at all these affiliates and I feel like it's just become. Everybody's just making money. It's all about money. And even that's a bit of a turnoff for me. Listen, money is amazing. But I believe, I mean, from what I understand, 67% of all the information out there having anything to do with medicine, supplements, and in 67% of it is completely inaccurate.

Wow, that's a large percentage, Lavinia.

It's a big number. It's a big number. So that's the second, that's my second pillar is that education. And then my third pillar is women's circles where we actually go in a little deeper. We take the mask off, we take time to connect, we do some soul breath work and then we, we, you know, connect to a feeling. We try to remember when was that first time I felt that feeling of whatever it might be, if it's, you know, feeling shame. Can you like remember the first time you felt it? And then when you can remember seven years old, when, I don't know, somebody said something or whatever, you can connect to that. You could see it and then you can release it so that you are not constantly being triggered, triggered, trigger, triggered all day long. Which those triggers can cause a lot of things. It can cause overeating, it can cause, you know, alcohol addiction. I mean, there's so many things that these emotional triggers can really cause, right? So when we start, when we start revealing that and releasing it and talking about it and processing and, you know, another thing is fella, it's, you know, women, men can go to a lot of these different workshops, you know, and, and I guess some women vote of the Tony Robbins, change your state of mind. And you know, Joe Dispenza whatever. Just visualize it, see it done, feel it done. But women usually, I think that they're very mal centric. To me, the energy is very male centric. The processing is very male centric. What I have seen is that women process differently. We have to feel, we have to talk, we have to connect. You know, it's the process, you know, we percolate, we're percolators, you know, And I think when you give the woman, let her feel it, you know, a little more feminine energy, you allow her to really connect into that beautiful feminine energy. I believe that's where the transformation happens. So I know it's worked for me much more. Being in my feminine energy when I'm releasing some traumas and changing some patterns and changing some behavioral patterns and changing some old beliefs. I definitely have found that in the feminine energy works much better for me. And it, it lasts, it lasts. Some of the other stuff I do and I walk out, totally, I'm in it. And then like three weeks later, it's like you're back to your old self. You know, you're back to that. So what I found is this is what's really worked for me and other people. We've been dating this now for a little over maybe 16, 17 months. And really it's. The women are getting such. And I really have to tell you, I went after, for my beta, I think I went after difficult women. I went after women with fibromyalgia, with lupus, with rheumatoid arthritis, with cancer. Like, I didn't just go after women who were, you know, not working out. I really chose to pilot it with some, you know, real health challenges. Because also a lot of these autoimmune comes from chronic stress and suppression, suppressing our feelings, suppressing. So just constant, like as women, especially certain generations, it is really about, like, just be a good girl, have manners. You know, men were allowed to go out on the playground and punch it out, or at least get it out, blow some smoke, right? Women were never, we were never allowed to do that. We had to be well mannered, which they basically were telling us to press your feelings, be the little girl, have manners, be ladylike. You know, these are all the things that we had to do, which was basically suppressing us from saying, I'm angry. You know, that's not leading. Then, you know, so a lot of that we see and then being the caregivers, we tend to be the caregivers for our family, for our aging parents, you know, start adding all of that up that responsibility, more responsibility and less taking care of ourselves. You know, we don't have our, have ourselves. And then women are like, oh, I'm going to do self care. I'm going to get a manicure, pedicure. I'm like, let's jump over self care.

But that's what we've been taught to believe.

I know, but that's really not. Now don't get me wrong, it's nice to relax, it's nice to be off the radar. But you know, self care happens between our ears, our heart, you know, our nervous system, you know, our belief systems, you know.

So I love that you're bringing so much awareness to this, Lavinia. I mean it's just incredible because you have seen it, you have seen it into your life when you, you know, you almost collapsed on a playground ride to, you know, getting to that major success and waiting for that feeling of. And I feel like that's why God gave you this, Lavinia. You know, he gave, gave you the ability to create such huge success so you can come and tell all the women about it. Like I've done it all, I've created this. And just hear me out. Like this is where it is. You have to go within to heal all of these. Regardless if you're, you know, seven, eight, nine figure entrepreneur woman or you're just a stay at home mom. We are all going through the same exact things. We're all taught to suppress regardless if you were born here in US and I was born in Romania too, right? So this is also universally is not just like country specific. And I do believe, Lavinia, that you are starting and you have started something that's really going to change the way we see wellness. I feel this.

I believe that. I believe we've been looking at wellness just in one myopic way. Like lifespan. Lifespan, like everything is longevity. Live longer and it's like, hey, but don't we want to live like happier inside of ourselves? Don't we want to be so comfortable in our own skin? Don't we want to feel like, like I am just free? Like that's what we're looking for. We're looking for this like total independence of freedom of just to self. Right? That doesn't mean we don't have great husbands and great children and. But it's like also when you're healthy, you live in this. The art of assertiveness. This is what talks about and the art of assertiveness is to speak your truth lovingly and kindly and Then it doesn't matter what their reaction is. Like that. And as women, we often do not live in the art of assertiveness. We live in. I don't want to say that that's going to cause a fight. I don't want to say that he's going to be upset. And then if he's upset, he might abandon me or whatever, or we go into our own crazy trauma stories. But at the end of the day, it's like when we're living in the art of assertiveness, to speak our truth lovingly and kindly, and it doesn't matter what. How they feel about it, because we're coming from a loving place. You know, I don't care what it is. I don't care if you're gonna, you know, somebody wants to come and stay with you for two weeks, and you're like, I would love to have you. And I just want to go over, like, what my house rules are. I want to go over, like, you know, and I'd be like, well, I don't, you know, really, you know what? If that. If you're uncomfortable with it, then feel free to stay at a hotel. I love you. Yeah, but, like. Well, very often, we'll never be that honest. Never will never be that honest. You know, to be. To live in that place, in that loving, kind place of being, you know, authentic to what we're really feeling, what will make us feel, you know, especially as women, we are so easy to just, you know, y' all want to. We just don't want to ruffle any feathers. We don't want it to not like that. We just have this deep desire to be loved and to, you know, be included in everything as moms. Like, you know, and it's. It's. I'm learning. I'm still learning. And that's why I think when people say to me, how do you stay so young, Lavinia? Like, you stay so young. And I'm like, yeah, because I keep growing. I keep learning. That's where, like I say, I don't anti age. I youth. I'm using. And I'm using is because I'm learning. I'm learning new things. I'm learning and I'm growing and I'm growing and I'm learning and I'm falling and I'm getting back up and I'm learning and I'm falling again, and it's a ooh. And. And I keep learning. And you're. I mean, in that learning and that pastas is like, every Day you're creating new brain cells. You just keep learning and growing and doing and learning and growing. And it keeps you alive and it keeps you young. It keeps you young.

So we have not achieved our final form and never will we.

Right.

It sounds like that's your big advice is just keep growing, keep instead of anti aging you thing.

I love that.

What, what a beautiful concept. And I totally agree with that. Lavinia. You know, in closing, I know you mentioned a little earlier and I didn't touch on that, that discipline part. What are just a few steps that you do maybe in the morning when you wake up. I just want to let women understand this. Like it does take a little bit of work like you said. But what are some things we can do to change?

Yeah, I. My entire day and night, everything are rituals. Like I have these rituals and I do them, like I say, very devotional. So I don't feel like it's a habit. Like, you know, sometimes I read these books on habits. It's like, oh, I have to make it juicier and yummier and so that I want to do it. So even at night. So before when I come upstairs, then I go to my bedroom, I have a little something that I can plug in and I can boil some water in my bedroom. So I already start with drinking hot water before I even get out of bed. So just start sipping it. I just start sipping the hot water and then I also start. And inevitably, I've been doing this for 30 years and I still do it. I start just saying what I'm grateful for. So I'm literally. And I know a lot of people do that and I think it's wonderful. But I like, I don't write it down anymore. I don't write it. I did that probably my first 10 years. Now I just start saying it as I even roll over. It starts. And yeah, I just really start with that. And then I like to skin, I like to brush before I jump in the shower. I do some skin brushing, always up to the heart. And then I do take a cold shower in the morning, you know, just really cold. And then I really get ready to. I take all my vitamins, you know, I have all my before eating vitamins that I take a couple drinks, some creatine, a couple other things with all my vitamins start. Then I go and I start teaching. And that's where I get my breath work. Sometimes I will do a little breath work. If I woke up early enough, I'll do a little breath work before I even jump in the shower sometimes. I do. Like this morning, I did probably five minutes of breath work in the shower in the freezing cold. So, you know, I always. I'm a. Incorporate a lot of different things. I do do oil pulling probably four mornings a week. I do the oil pulling and again. And then I start eating about 12:30. Um, I try to get in 80 to 100 ounces of protein A day. I don't always get that in full disclosure, but I do try. I happen to love pro mix. Their powder, their whey powder. The strawberry is unbelievable. Um, yeah. And then I do an infrared sauna a few times a week. I did, like this morning, I did my. I did my red light therapy. I keep that at the side of the bed. I used to do it at night in the bathtub. But then I met somebody at one of the shows and he said to me, try it in the morning. So now I've been doing the 20 minutes in the morning of the red light therapy. I move every day. You know, movement for me is a big part of what. What I do. I love healthy food, and I'm an eater. I really enjoy eating. Um, I'm not one of these people. Like, I eat. I do eat cheese, um, but I don't eat it every day, and I need it twice a week. Um, I can do a little bit of gluten. Like, I don't. I don't get bloated. I don't get any of the things that people get. I just don't think you should eat that kind of stuff all the time. You know, the only thing that shows up on my blood work is I shouldn't have potatoes. Soy is a definite no for me. And the combination of gluten and cheese together isn't good for me. So pizza is a definite no. No. So I really monitor my sugar, you know, I do. I love dark. A little bit of dark chocolate. I will have that. Yeah. And, you know, for me, it's to be with my friends. Be with people that make you laugh, be with people that make you feel good. That you, when you're with them, you're just like, I. And I love who I am with you. You know, like, I have certain friends that. I'm just so much funnier when I'm with them. There's. I can't explain it. There's. There's the space that they create or something. Yes. And when I'm with them and I'm like, oh, my God, I'm like a comedian. I'm so Funny. I'm a comedian and I'm so not. But there's something in that energy. Like my, my one sister. I'm like that with my sister Terry, like they call us, and we just play off of each other and I just am always cracking myself up. I'm thinking I'm the funniest person, but she's really funny. But I don't know. And I'm like, that was one of my brothers too, my twin brother. I'm always like, he makes, he makes me laugh, but I feel funny or with him. So I love humor. I watch a lot of comedy. I believe humor is such a great way to heal.

Louise Hay spoke a lot about that, if you remember.

She does, yeah. Yeah. I just think that laughter is so, so important. I went up to do this modality outside of Boston. It was a three day. It was very intense. And when we got home, like we. I never drink. I don't drink coffee or any caffeine or anything like that. But they have a lot of things we couldn't do. But what he really wanted us to do for a week, he said, watch as much comedy as you can and just laugh and laugh and laugh. He said because of what it does to the brain. He wanted us to keep doing that because we had done this intensive brain work. So I was like, you know, that isn't just some healer saying like, there's science, but this guy was like from Harvard. So. Yeah. So I. That's kind of what I do. Yeah.

That's incredible. Lavinia, you are. You are a fountain of youth and knowledge. That's what I'm going to have you in my phone from now on, Lavinia. Youth and knowledge. I really appreciate your time here with us today. It's always an honor. And like I told you during the episode, just like goosebumps when I talk to you and I feel your heart. And I couldn't be more grateful that you showed up into my life. And I just want to see you shine and I want to follow your journey into all these amazing transformations that you're going to lay upon people. You are such a blessing to the world.

You and I, we're going to do something together. We're going to. Going, you're a genius and we're going to do something. I can feel it.

You're the genius here.

Part of my medicine is attracting people or like finding those people that you can do things with that again. That together we could build something bigger than if we would have done it alone. Because we both bring something different. Right. Maybe we got somebody else in there. And that's what I love. Like, I guess by nature I'm not a. I mean, look, I came into the world a twin. I have a twin brother. So I'm very much. I, I'm not, I'm not. I'm like, not the long Ranger. I like to be with people. I like to collaborate. I like there's. I like to be with teams. I, I just love the energy of being with people who are fun and creative and impactful and smart and, and funny and just want to leave the world a better place. Right.

Thank you. Lavinia, tell those listeners how can they find more about you and about Joy Lift and how can they come and join some of your life for that?

It's join joinjoylift.com and come on. I'd love to give your listeners, they can just put your name and I'd love to give them a free week. So let, let them try it and it'd be amazing.

That's very generous of you. Thank you, Lavinia. Sending you a million hugs and I will see you very soon.

I'm.