What do you do when your dream studio says no? If you're Holland Scattergood, you email back, ask what it would take, go get the experience, and come back six months later — and now you co-own one of Arizona's most beloved cycling studios with a second location opening this summer. The plot twist? One of her co-founders is the person who originally said no. In this episode, Holland and Hannah dig into the long, beautifully nonlinear road from spin-class lover to studio founder, and why showing up as your real, imperfect self might be the most strategic move you'll ever make on the podium. EPISODE SUMMARY Holland Scattergood is the co-founder of NYX Cycle and Fitness in Scottsdale, Arizona — a studio built on the idea that fitness should feel safe, joyful, and judgment-free. In this conversation, Holland walks Hannah through her full journey: the very first 6 a.m. spin class in college that flipped a switch, the audition rejection that didn't break her, the smaller studio that gave her the experience she needed, and the moment her former studio (The Madison) closed its doors with one month's notice — opening the door for Holland and her co-founders to launch NYX in April 2024. But this episode isn't only a founder story. Holland gets candid about living with multiple autoimmune diseases — rheumatoid arthritis, celiac, and hypothyroidism — and how the stress of opening a business triggered her biggest flare yet. She talks about why she finally started speaking publicly about her chronic illness, the rider conversation that changed her mind, and how that vulnerability has shifted the way she shows up for her community. You'll also hear Holland and Hannah swap notes on theme rides (and the great internet "theme slander" debate), what actually makes an instructor authentic, why she launched Swifty Saturday two years ago, the realities of opening a studio with three co-founders and an investor, the sound-system fiasco that accidentally birthed her Super Singalong rides, and how mentorship and traveling — including her upcoming trip to Sweat & Tonic in Toronto — became part of her story almost by accident. If you've ever been told no, doubted your place on the podium, or wondered whether you're allowed to play Taylor Swift in a spin class — this episode is your permission slip. Connect with Holland NYX Cycle and FitnessInstagramNYX online / subscriptionConnect with Hannah & Yes You Can Podium Prep — Hannah's under-$100 mini course covering everything you need to know before your first audition (mic setup, audition track choice, studio outreach, full training manual, visualization exercises): Instructor Magic — Hannah's flagship mentorship program, with a new round launching soon! Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.
