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Inspiring Conversations with Chaz Sandifer of theNEWmpls

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chaz Sandifer.

Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
The first transformative health and wellness experience I was involved in was training to compete as a bodybuilder. I found peace in the gym after a difficult period in my life as a survivor of domestic abuse. I went from being a trainee to a certified group fitness instructor. I became certified as a health and wellness coach specializing in diabetes, arthritis, and trauma healing. I started teaching in my community with free and donation-based classes around fitness and wellness-based education. I started contracting with the county- and city-based non-profit organizations to provide affordable and sustainable health and wellness programs.

In 2015, I created my first business around health and wellness. I built the infrastructure to focus on a diverse population, including people the industry has historically ignored. At that point, I was ready to launch my current business, theNEWmpls.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
At first, I had no funding, so I would not say it was a smooth road. I funded everything on my own, moving myself and my two kids from our house to a one-bedroom apartment. I told them, give me less than five years, and we will be in a better place. I minimized my whole life to get to the next level. I bartended to supplement my income because I couldn’t keep a corporate job and simultaneously get the business off the ground. Each sacrifice was worth getting to where I am today.

As you know, we’re big fans of theNEWmpls. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
At theNEWmpls, we are a holistic health and wellness company specializing in fitness, wellness, and nutrition; we offer private fitness classes around the Twin Cities and various special programs with various partners. I’m the sole source for diabetes prevention in Ramsey County. I own Lakeview Terrace Farmers Market, the only Black woman-owned farmer’s market in Minnesota.

Along with my young adult children, Janae and Jalen, we help the community heal from the inside out. I often speak in the community about owning a health and wellness business as a Black woman. One of my main specialties is discussing generational wealth, a topic Janae and Jalen speak to. I also have a weekly podcast with Sheletta Makes Me Laugh called Fitness Revolution with Chaz. More recently, I was selected as a co-lead for the communications work group at The University of Minnesota in the department for Community Engagement to Advance Research and Community Health.

Another recent program I’ve co-founded is Stories Behind the Menu, a quarterly event that’s a cultural journey of healing and wellness through conversation, education, and food. Let Go Let Flow w/ Dawn & Chaz is a bi-weekly discussion group to promote healing in the Twin Cities and facilitate courageous conversations around racial injustice and how white women can become allies, accomplices, and co-conspirators in the work of being anti-racist.

Everything I do goes back to fitness, nutrition, and wellness and falls under theNEWmpls umbrella.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
I learned it’s essential to own your journey, shift your services to stay aligned with your goals and stay true to your brand.

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Image Credits

Ashley Nichole Inc. UncommonCollaborative

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