Founding a Virtual Fitness Platform during a Pandemic: bande’s Founder and CEO Rebecca Balyasny

In this episode of Restarting America, Josh Gibbs from 97 Switch interviews Rebecca Balyasny, the Founder and CEO of bande, an online fitness company. Throughout the interview, they discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on business and society. Balyasny shares how the current health pandemic has affected her company and how she is adapting to new circumstances.

As a life-long athlete, fitness has always been a source of joy and fulfillment for Balyasny. When the COVID pandemic hit, Balyasny—like so many others—yearned for connection and inspiration. As a working mom, she needed to make the one hour a day she had to herself count. After trying countless fitness programs, she found herself missing the connections she formerly enjoyed in person. bande was born from Rebecca’s desire for connection and community through movement in this ever-changing world. She created a beta version of the concept and invited friends from all over the world to attend a virtual barre class with one of her favorite instructors. And then bande was born.