Photo Courtesy of Aimee Salmon
By Rebecca Gagnon ’23
Features Editor
And one-two-three, and one-two-three and one.
Dancing to the rhythm of the beat isn’t only something that people pick up for fun — it’s also a way to stay active. These two things — dance and fitness — inspired Aimee Salmon FP ’23 to build her own business helping people improve their health by letting their hair down and moving to music.
“My business is Africana Dance & Fitness,” Salmon said. “Our mission is empowering women and supporters of women in the Pioneer Valley to improve their physical [and] mental [health] as well as body positivity through our wellness programs.”
Salmon began building her business in 2017, but at that time, she didn’t have the clear mission she does today. The idea was planted in her head when she first came to America and decided to take a Zumba class. That class gave Salmon a strong sense of community and belonging which helped her settle into her new home.
“Where I grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fitness [and] gyms were not spaces for women,” Salmon said. “So when I moved here … I tried a Zumba class and it was just very supportive for my own well-being as a new immigrant in America, so then I decided to start this [business].”
At first, Salmon began by helping teach a dance and fitness class. However, the idea of starting her own business began to grow after she enrolled at Mount Holyoke. She soon declared a major in psychology and a minor in entrepreneurship, organizations and society, or EOS.
“I see this business as part of my education,” Salmon said. “[I’m] just implementing what I’m learning in the classroom and bring[ing] it to the real world. It’s really rewarding.”
Salmon stated that one class in particular, EOS Capstone with Professor Rick Feldman, the entrepreneurship coordinator, helped her begin this business journey.
“That class was a game-changer,” Salmon said. “It just inspired me to pursue this, instead of teaching one class. That’s when I got inspired to get certified to keep learning more and grow this as a business. The class was just creating the company and [coming] up with a finance structure, things I didn’t have when I started … I didn’t have all these credentials I have now. But Mount Holyoke’s entrepreneurship minor really taught me, ‘what does it mean to be a business owner?’ and it helped me gain the confidence that I have.”
Salmon teaches several classes with different types of dances and workouts, working most days of the week. She teaches cardio workout, Zumba, Zumba Gold, strong HIIT — a combination of boot camp and martial arts — and afro-cardio. She works as a personal trainer as well.
“Some of the dance classes I teach, I had to get certified, like Zumba [and] Zumba Gold,” Salmon explained. “But with afro-cardio workout, I taught that to myself, [it is something] I bring also as an African woman. I want to bring my culture into my business as well, so I taught myself African dance.”
Salmon currently teaches at one location in Amherst, where she instructs a Zumba class and functional strength training, and one in Northampton, where she teaches strong HIIT classes. In addition, Salmon teaches afro-cardio and other Zumba classes online for those not yet comfortable with attending in person due to COVID-19.
“I try to give people different options,” Salmon said. “People who live close to Northampton can come to my classes in Northampton, people who live in Amherst can go to Amherst and people who are not ready to be in person can join me online.”
Africana Dance & Fitness is an officially recognized business in Massachusetts. Salmon currently operates it alone, and thus has a variety of tasks to do throughout the day. “Outside teaching, I have to choreograph [and] I have to do marketing. I feel like I’m wearing different hats running this business,” Salmon laughed.
One of Salmon’s favorite things about running the business, along with empowering women and building a community, is seeing the impact she has on her clients from their feedback.
“I’m making a difference in someone’s life,” Salmon said. “It motivates me to do more … when they’re having their results, when they feel better, [I] realize that … [I’m] making their bad day better and also making the good day greater, so I feel that sense of purpose.”
Salmon’s goal for the future is to expand her growing business so she can hire employees to help her and give herself more time throughout her workdays.
“I want to delegate,” Salmon said. “I want to give some responsibilities to other people … give other people more power to the business and decision making … So I can move from teaching group exercise classes to training people and just [working] as a personal trainer, because teaching six classes take[s] a lot of space.”
Salmon advised anyone looking to open their own business to “listen to your client[s] because they know your business better than anybody else.” She also noted that clients may have a lot of feedback and some of it may not be positive, so it is important not to get discouraged.
Salmon stressed that it is important to be open to learning new things about the business, the clients and oneself. “Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is so important,” Salmon said. “Just acknowledge it and never let your weaknesses stop you, but learn from it. Learn from it and keep growing. … It’s okay to not know everything.”