When Labels Change the Vibe

Is it just me, or does timing sometimes feel ironic? For five years I quietly ran Genki Fit without making a cent, and sometimes (most times) running at a loss. Every class, every playlist, every circuit was fuelled by my love for fitness and community.

Then, at the beginning of 2025, after I made a profit in 2024, I started advertising Genki Fit for what it truly is: a social enterprise. And strangely enough, that’s when numbers began to dip. It’s wild to me that being more transparent about my model - not less - seems to have made some people wary.

Maybe the word threw people off. A “social enterprise” is just a fancy way of saying the money doesn’t go into my pocket; it goes back into the community.

At Genki Fit, that looks like:

• $5 classes staying $5

• Supporting local initiatives and fundraisers

• Keeping fitness affordable and accessible in a small rural town

• Putting on events and sponsoring initiatives I care about.

This past Saturday's Youth Market was put on by me, and activities and games were sponsored by Genki Fit.

It’s the exact same thing I’ve always done, but now it has a name attached.

I think in Australia we’ve got a complicated relationship with money and community. People cheered when Genki Fit looked like a passion project, but once I put language around it - once I said out loud that this is a social enterprise model - it felt like the vibe shifted. It's almost like understanding that I don't make money from it made people uncomfortable supporting it, when I thought it would be the opposite.

Instead of being celebrated, it got a bit side-eyed. Is it because it weirds people out that someone is doing something "for free", and that I spend the profits in community? Do people not trust others doing something because they love their community and want people to be healthy and happy without strings attached? Who knows!

I won’t lie. It’s been disappointing to see numbers fall right when I thought being upfront about Genki Fit's purpose would build more trust. It makes me worry that people might miss out on something that was always meant for them.

Here’s the truth: nothing has changed.

Genki Fit is still here to make fitness affordable, welcoming, and fun. It’s still $5 a class. It’s still about bringing people together.

The only thing that changed was me naming what it’s always been: a community-driven social enterprise.

So, if the word social enterprise sounded intimidating, I hope this has unpacked that a little for you.

It’s just Genki. A place where we move, laugh, sweat and show up for each other. And you’re always welcome. 💪