WORK IT!

For every Mark Zukerberg or Elon Musk out to reshape the world, there’s a small business owner simply chasing a dream. That dream may grow into an empire, but chances are, nothing compares to that day when you first open the doors and say, “We’re ready for business.” As owners of The Den, a new fitness center in Barrington, Todd and Natalee Zehrer are right there, thrilled to see their vision come to fruition and working hard to make a success of it.

“This is very much a passion project,” says Todd, who’s been working in the fitness industry for a decade, first in New York and then in Chicago, at Shred415 and Flywheel. “I found that I really enjoyed helping people through fitness, and I just loved the energy of a group class.” Natalee, a nurse, admits that she is no “fitness junkie,” but she saw Todd’s commitment and as the idea of opening a studio developed, she threw herself into the project. “I’m blessed,” admits Todd, “to have an amazing wife who, when I suggested moving back to the suburbs and opening our own boutique fitness studio, was supportive from the get-go.”

As aspiring first-time business owners, the couple—who are high school sweethearts from Crystal Lake—had a lot to learn. They had never written a business plan, for example. Luckily, a family member with a Harvard MBA helped there. In fact, making The Den a reality became something of a family affair. “My sister, my mom, and my mother-in-law help in our Kids’ Camp, my sister-in-law helps weekly with cleaning the studio, and my brother-in-law is our accountant and financial advisor,” shares Todd. As the business kicked into gear, Natalee—who was working at Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago—made a change. “I knew we needed all hands on deck, so I started looking for a different position closer to home and am now working for a primary care provider in Barrington.”

Creating a sense of community was central to the Zehrers’ business plan. Sensitive to the isolation and disruption wreaked by the pandemic—and the fact that many folks were leery to return to in-person fitness— the couple wanted to create a place that felt safe, that felt familiar. That included offering Kids’ Camp, a dedicated space where children aged six weeks through 12 can play while their parents work out. “When we lived in New York, I took Todd’s class every day,” says Natalee. “Once we had kids, that became harder to do. So, with our business we were determined to have a place where people can drop off their kids and be able to enjoy their workout, knowing that their children are well cared for.”

The studio, located at 455 W. Northwest Highway, was raw space when the Zehrers signed the lease. Like so much of their journey, getting it into shape was a lesson in itself. “We worked with an architect, so we got to build the studio of our dreams,” says Todd, “but it was challenging. Construction took longer than we thought and was more expensive than we anticipated, but in the end we are left with a studio we are proud of.”

The Den menu features two different 50-minute classes. Build & Tone is structured on 70 percent strength training and 30 percent cardio. Burn & Boost flips the formula, with 70 percent cardio and 30 percent strength training. When they begin their program, members can access an InBody Scan, which measures weight, skeletal muscle mass, body fat, and more. Membership for unlimited classes is priced at $159 a month for three months, $149 a month for six months, and $139 a month for a year. Todd and Natalee offer a free, three-day trial, with a discounted first month of membership if you sign up during the trial period.

Six months in, the Zehrers are feeling good about what they’ve accomplished. Yet, as Natalee is quick to note, the real work has just begun. “Because of Todd’s experience, so much of the business is second nature—programming a class, how to welcome a client—but we spend nights and weekends brainstorming how to increase traffic, how to keep our members happy and excited.”

As with any business, that job never ends. But already, folks are letting the couple know they’re on to something. “We’re getting wonderful feedback,” says Todd. “The other day, a woman came to up to me, crying, and said that for the first time since becoming a mother, she felt like herself again. It’s moments like that that make you say, ‘Yes, this is why we are doing this.’”

For more information, visit thedentraining.com.