Karen Schroll shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Karen, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is a normal day like for you right now?
As Rihanna sings, 🎶 “work, work, work, work, work…” that pretty much sums it up right now! I just opened up a brand new Jazzercise Studio location in Venice FL! Plus, I’m currently teaching at all three of my Jazzercise locations, so every morning starts with figuring out where I’m headed to and what format I’m teaching that day—haha!
From there, it’s go-time: I teach classes, spend afternoons at my new studio getting things cleaned, set up, and ready, and work on marketing, social media, and community events. I also have corporate calls to hop on or catch up on, and then try to learn a few new routines before heading out to teach my afternoon or evening classes.
At night, I catch up on emails, more social media and event planning—and try to squeeze in dinner with my family somewhere in between!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Karen Schroll, a Jazzercise Instructor and class owner of Jazzercise Venice, Sarasota, and Englewood.
I first started taking Jazzercise in 2003 after my first son was born and instantly fell in love with it! I became a certified instructor in 2012 and officially stepped into ownership in 2020. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, I moved to Sarasota in 2019—and shortly after, my Jazzercise journey truly took off.
I absolutely love what I do. Helping people discover that fitness can be fun—and that taking care of our bodies helps us live our best lives for as long as possible—is what keeps me inspired every day.
At Jazzercise Venice, Sarasota, and Englewood, our mission is simple:
💪 We make fitness fun, effective, and safe—for every age, every stage, and every “I can, I will” moment.
✨ All in a welcoming space where goals are crushed, confidence grows, and community means everything.
We’re here to lift each other up—because strong alone is powerful, but together we’re unstoppable.
One of my favorite things about Jazzercise is that community. We have members ranging in age from their 20s to their 80s, and they all bring such amazing energy to the dance floor. Beyond the workouts, we support each other, celebrate milestones, and share so many fun moments outside of class, too.
I’m also lucky to lead an incredible team of instructors who each bring their own style and strengths—but share the same heart for our members and our mission.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
Entrepreneurship runs in my family! My grandparents and mom owned a bar and novelty shop in Wheeling, IL, for 78 years, and that’s where I get my strong work ethic and deep love for community. My grandpa was my buddy—we’d talk for hours about his creative marketing ideas, ways to grow the business, and, most importantly, the importance of giving back. Those lessons stuck with me and continue to guide everything I do today.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self to never say never. At 20 years old, I weighed 212 pounds, hated exercise, and loved junk food. Then I found Jazzercise—and it completely changed my life. I fell in love with fitness and have continued to grow in my nutrition and wellness journey ever since.
I share this with my members because I know what it’s like to be in different sizes, stages, and seasons of life. When someone walks into my studios, I want them to know they’re in a safe, supportive space—no matter who they are or where they’re starting from.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you asked my closest friends what really matters to me, they’d say family, community, and giving back. I love helping people get fit in class, but what truly fills my heart is supporting them outside of class, too—checking in, celebrating wins, or simply offering a little grace when life gets messy. For me, it’s all about creating a space where people feel cared for, connected, and encouraged to be their best selves.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am definitely doing what I was born to do! My early life looked very different, but I truly believe God led me to exactly where I’m meant to be. After moving to Sarasota in 2019, I had the opportunity to become a class owner when the previous owner needed to step back—and that’s when I got to build something really special. All of this led me to opening up my own studio location in Venice this year, a dream come true! But also a dream I didn’t know I had until more recently in life!
Along the way, God also blessed me with an incredible husband, family, friends, and community who have supported me every step of the way and helped me grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jazzercise.com
- Instagram: @JazzerciseVenice, @JazzerciseSarasota, @JazzerciseEnglewood
- Facebook: @JazzerciseVenice, @JazzerciseSarasota, @JazzerciseEnglewood
- Other: tiktoc: @JazzerciseSWFL
Image Credits
Tyler Schroll, Andrew Schroll, Serena Schroll, Lucas Schroll, Janice Culp, Dody Robertson, Melinda Thomas, Dana Pankonin, Linda Foerderer, Patti Horvath, Tonya Orist, Barbara Hytell, Ashlie Seymour, Debbie Eberly, Joy Simmonds
