She built a global fitness brand without investors, business degree, or plans for becoming an entrepreneur.When Eliza Shirazi graduated from UMass, she thought she'd spend her career working in public health. Fitness classes were simply a side hustle—a way to make a little extra money after work.Over the next decade, that side hustle became Kick It by Eliza, a kickboxing-inspired worldwide fitness community that has transformed thousands of lives through live events, instructor certifications, social media content to her 25,000 Instagram followers, online memberships, and partnerships/appearances with brands like New Balance, NBC's "The Today Show," POPSUGAR, and more.But as is often the case, things don't always appear as they seem.In this conversation with host Troy Farkas, Portsmouth's Shirazi opens up about the rejection that's shaped her, the sponsorship deal she lost just when everything seemed to be working, the imposter syndrome she felt training in the boxing ring with George Foreman's son, the nerves she felt before making the biggest media appearances of her life, and the terrifying uncertainty of watching the pandemic threaten everything she'd spent years building.This episode, which is presented by Degree Wellness Seacoast, is about much more than fitness. It's about betting on yourself before anyone else does, learning to separate your own dreams from everyone else's expectations, embracing rejection as a competitive advantage, and discovering that the biggest opportunities often arrive disguised as your worst setbacks.In this episode, you'll learn:Why losing her biggest sponsorship became the catalyst for her greatest growthHow George Foreman's son helped her overcome imposter syndromeThe surprising business lesson behind building a fiercely loyal communityHow one YouTube workout unexpectedly changed the trajectory of her careerWhat the pandemic taught her about resilience and reinventionThe simple goal-setting framework she uses to stay motivated during overwhelming seasonsWhy rejection is one of the most valuable assets an entrepreneur can haveTroubling health trends and why she refuses to lean into themSUPPORT SEACOAST STORIES:⁠Visit the NEW ⁠⁠⁠SeacoastStories.com⁠⁠⁠ for our newsletter & LIMITED-TIME ⁠⁠⁠summer merch drop⁠⁠⁠!Follow Seacoast Stories on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get our new episodes every week.UPCOMING EVENTS:Seacoast Stories Dinner Club: The club that's regularly attracting ~100 people heads to Amesbury, Mass. on Wednesday, August 5, and back to Portsmouth on Wednesday, August 19! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book your seat at the table here.⁠⁠⁠SPONSORS:Degree Wellness Seacoast: A new all-on-one recovery center is coming to North Hampton, N.H! Learn more about becoming a founding member here.⁠Budget Blinds of the Seacoast!⁠ Custom blinds, shades, and shutters reasonably priced and professionally installed.CHAPTERS:Introducing Eliza Shirazi

Working in public health

Instructing as a side hustle

Pursuing fitness full-time

Training boxing w/ George Foreman's son

Signing a deal with New Balance

The evolution of Kick It By Eliza

Asking New Balance for more money

The POPSUGAR video that blew her up

Full details on the Degree Wellness Seacoast founding membership

Check out Budget Blinds of the Seacoast to make your home more private

Changing her business during the pandemic

Navigating online criticism

The explosion of her virtual business

Appearing on The TODAY Show

Moving to Portsmouth in 2021

The many revenue streams of her business

Advice for entrepreneurs in the early stages

Troubling health-and-wellness trends