From HR Lady to Boss Babe: How I Traded Policy Manuals for Power Moves
After nearly four decades of writing handbooks, managing teams, mediating conflict, and navigating the alphabet soup of HR acronyms (FMLA, ADA, OSHA—oh my!), I finally closed the door on my corporate office and opened the doors wide at Studio C Fitness.
Yep, after 39 years in Human Resources—helping people build careers, guiding leaders, and wearing every HR hat possible—I retired.
And then I got to work.
Because retirement doesn’t mean slowing down. For me, it means showing up fully for my second act: Boss Babe + Co-Owner of Studio C Fitness. A place where fitness is fun, community is everything, and no one gives a damn if your squat form isn’t perfect.
Why the Pivot?
HR taught me how to lead. It gave me the skills to manage a business, connect with people from all walks of life, and hold space for both structure and chaos. But deep down, I’ve always been passionate about movement, energy, and community. So in 2018, while still juggling my full-time HR role, I opened Studio C with a mission:
Make fitness feel like home—for everybody and every body.
What started as a small dream became a full-on movement. And now? I'm all in.
What Studio C Means to Me
Studio C is where we break the mold.
It’s where nervous first-timers become confident regulars.
Where sweat is sacred, laughter is encouraged, and connection is everything.
It’s also where I get to combine every piece of my past—HR boss, operations guru, people person—and pour it into building something that matters. I know every member's name. I listen. I learn. I lead with love. And I get to do it all without a corporate dress code. (Praise be.)
What I’ve Learned in the Transition
You’re never too old to start over. (I'm 64 and still cranking out HIIT workouts and Hip-Hop dance moves.)
Community makes the hustle worth it.
You don’t have to pick one passion—you can build a life that honors all of them.
And maybe most importantly: comfort zones are highly overrated.
To My HR Peeps…
I’m not done with HR. It’s still in my DNA. So if you need help with a project, mentorship, or just a no-BS sounding board—hit me up. I’ve got you.
But for now, you'll find me center stage, mic in hand, leading a crew of boss babes and bold movers through squats, smiles, and sweaty breakthroughs.
Here’s to second acts, bold moves, and living life loud.
XO, Cathy
Founder + Operator, Studio C Fitness
Retired HR Queen, Full-Time Studio Boss Babe