Hi Abby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2007, while living in downtown Saint Petersburg, FL and working as a Marketing Manager for a local restaurant company, I was introduced to a free-spirited hula hooper who’d just moved to the area. A friendship quickly ensued and I learned that she was traveling to music festivals, making and selling her handmade hoops. She invited me over one afternoon for happy hour, and before I knew it, I was spinning a gigantic, handmade hoop and laughing uncontrollably as it fell to the ground countless times. I hadn’t hula hooped since I was a kid – and I was NOT a natural. I spent about an hour and a half dropping the hoop while I watched my new friend Kacey twirl around the back yard, full of grace and beauty. She gifted me a hoop that day and a couple of months later, she moved back to South Carolina.
Even though Kacey was no longer there to teach me, the obsession had already begun. I spent countless hours watching hoop trick videos on YouTube and teaching myself everything I possibly could about modern day hoop dance. Hosting hoop jams with friends in my backyard became a weekly ritual, as did the drum circle on Treasure Island Beach, where I would practice every Sunday. I also enjoyed making hoops for family and friends. Eventually, I began hosting demonstrations and selling my handmade hoops at the Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Pete, where I’m still a vendor today. Hooping became more than a hobby for me, and I quickly discovered that it was also improving my mental health. Just before my hoop dance journey began, I was diagnosed with clinical depression. My newfound practice, along with dietary changes, helped to improve my mental health just as much as my physical health. Performance opportunities were also on the horizon. I was aware that a co-worker of mine had experience making costumes and had a background as a performance artist in the circus, so we worked out a trade. I would make some hoops for her in exchange for costumes. I then invited this co-worker, Jodie Urias, to one of my weekly hoop jams.
After a couple of months, she too was hooked. We decided to go into business together and became close friends. We set up our ETSY store, selling hoops and costumes. We also participated in community and charity events to build our hoop dance performance resume. We both became licensed and certified hula hoop fitness instructors through the HoopGirl Workout Program, and we started teaching classes throughout the Tampa Bay area. Before we knew it, our performance troupe grew to 7 members and things were moving quicker than we ever anticipated. We weren’t just building a business; we were building a hoop community and inspiring others to find joy through hooping! Today, I am the founder of both Hoola-Fit (the only American Council on Exercise Approved hula hoop program in the US) and Hoola Monsters – Florida’s first full-service hoop dance company, which specializes in handmade fitness hoops, hoop dance classes and performances. A play professional and fitness pro for more than a decade, I am an ACE-Certified Youth Fitness Specialist and ACE-Certified Group Fitness Instructor who also holds certifications in Les Mills Body Combat, Cardio Kickboxing, and Kids Yoga.
A hoop dance educator since 2007, I’ve taught the art form to thousands of people of all ages. I’ve also spent years developing, testing and implementing my training programs. My mission is to inspire and empower hoop dance teachers in an effort to make hooping accessible worldwide. Prior to beginning my hoop business ventures, I also worked as a public relations executive in New York City. In 2012, I created, wrote and starred in the children’s hoop dance adventure & instructional DVD, “Molly and the Hoola Monsters.” The Hoola Monsters performance resume includes the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball Team, the Tampa Bay Bucs, Cirque Du Solei, and NBC’s America’s Got Talent. I’ve traveled the country teaching workshops and performing and have been featured as a hoop dance expert in media outlets such as Better Homes & Garden Magazine, the Washington Post, First for Women Magazine, BuzzFeed, and NBC’s nationally syndicated show, Daytime to name a few.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve run into all kinds of challenges along way. In the beginning, people thought I was crazy to leave a successful marketing career to become a full-time hula hooper. But I knew that I wasn’t meant to live my life behind a desk. Pursuing my dreams and living a happy life became more important to me than the degree on my wall. I also experienced losing a loved one to suicide, along with my own clinical depression diagnosis. It was hoop dance that got me through some of the most challenging moments of my life, and I knew that I needed to share it with others as a result. I also experienced financial hardships after going full-time with my business, and it took a couple of years to make it successful, I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of struggles. Now, with the pandemic and my husband being a small business owner too, it’s been a tough year to say the least.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the founder of Hoola Monsters (Florida’s first full-service hoop dance company) and Hoola-Fit (the only hula hoop fitness program in the US approved by the American Council on Exercise… I teach hula hoop classes and train Hoola-Fit teachers nationwide through my online programs). I own the longest-running hula hoop shop on ETSY, which has been my primary source of income since the pandemic hit. I am also a jewelry artist and owner of Good Vibe Designs – a bohemian, handcrafted jewelry line inspired for the free spirit and playful heart. In my local community, I am known for being “the hula hoop girl” at the Saturday Morning Market, where I’ve been selling my handmade creations for almost 14 years now. I’m also a mental health advocate and aspiring author. I’ve written a book to share my story about surviving suicide loss, living with a clinical depression diagnosis, and finding joy through modern day hoop dance and movement meditation. Here’s a link to my blog site too: abbyjoanlee.com
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
This is such a hard question to answer, as I don’t think any of us would have predicted a global pandemic rocking our lives and businesses. I’ve shifted my lifestyle and the way I do business exponentially since March of this year. There’s nothing I’d love more than to return to live events where I can train and inspire hoop dance teachers face-to-face. The fitness industry has been impacted in a big way due to the pandemic. All of my live classes are still canceled, and everything is now online. I miss being face to face with my people. Fortunately, the market has just re-opened here in St. Pete, and I can’t wait to be back at the Saturday Morning Market. As for local craft shows and music festivals, I’m hopeful that they will start to come back in a slow, steady and safe way. As for big shifts and trends, I think that selling and teaching online is the new norm, though I prefer live events.
Pricing:
- My handmade hula hoops range in price from $25-$45 depending on style, size and design. They can be purchased at hoolamonsters.etsy.com or locals can come see me at the Saturday Morning Market
Contact Info:
- Address: 305 14TH AVE N
- Email: aalbaum@gmail.com
- Website: hoolamonsters.com, hoola-fit.com, goodvibedesigns.com
- Instagram: @hoola.monsters, @good.vibe.designs
- Facebook: facebook.com/hoolamonsters AND facebook.com/hoolafit AND facebook.com/goodvibejewelry
- Twitter: @hoolamonster
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hoolamonster AND https://www.youtube.com/user/hoolafitness
Image Credits
Light of the Moon Photography, KH Photography
