Female Fitness Entrepreneur: Building a Strength Training Empire - Santina Philips

Episode SummaryWhat if everything you've been told about business success is wrong?This week, host Jess West sits down with her longtime friend Santina Philips, female entrepreneur and founder of URSUS Fitness in Hong Kong, for a raw conversation about redefining success, building fitness business community, and the grit it takes to thrive as a woman in business in a male-dominated industry.Perfect for fitness entrepreneurs, female business owners, and anyone seeking entrepreneurship motivation and business resilience strategies.About Santina PhilipsFemale fitness entrepreneur and Founder & Director of URSUS Fitness in Hong Kong, Santina has spent the last 10 years building a fitness community around strength, grit, and growth. A passionate fitness business owner, personal trainer, and programming expert, she's dedicated to helping others fall in love with training and themselves.A champion of women's fitness, Santina has led a women's strength & conditioning program for over 4 years, advocating for education, empowerment, and fitness confidence. From strongman athlete to successful business owner, her entrepreneurship journey is raw, real, and packed with lessons in business resilience, leadership, and showing up with purpose.Episode Highlights🎯 Career Pivot Success: From Languages to LiftingHow Santina transitioned from studying Russian and German (and nearly dying from peritonitis in Siberia!) to founding one of Hong Kong's most beloved fitness businessesCareer change inspiration: Why she stepped away from translation to follow her passion for strength training businessThe early days of driving 5-ton trucks around Hong Kong, dragging 300kg tires for functional fitness classes💪 Female Athlete Entrepreneur: Competing at World's Strongest ManWhat drove her to become a strongman athlete and compete on the world stageHow proving herself physically helped establish business credibility in a male-dominated industryThe moment she pulled a truck on camera (that wasn't even meant for her!)🏋️‍♀️ Women in Business: Breaking Barriers as a Female Gym OwnerNavigating the fitness industry as a young female entrepreneur in a male-dominated spaceFemale leadership challenges: Why she felt she had to work twice as hard to earn respectBusiness confidence strategies for being taken seriously🌪️ Business Resilience: Weathering the Entrepreneurial StormsThe breaking point: sitting in hotel quarantine, watching sewage flood her fitness businessHow the pandemic and health scares (including developing celiac disease from stress) forced her to redefine business successEntrepreneurship resilience: Why she almost walked away—and what kept her going🔄 Sustainable Business Growth: Redefining SuccessHer evolution from chasing revenue and expansion to prioritizing sustainable business practicesBusiness strategy pivot: Why she closed a second location and chose depth over breadthEntrepreneurship intuition: How she learned to trust her gut instincts in business decisions👥 Fitness Community Building: From Competition to ConnectionThe transformation from "scary strongman gym" to inclusive strength training communityWomen's fitness business: Why she pivoted to focus on women's health and functional fitnessCommunity-based business: How she created a space where people build friendships for life, not just muscleConnect with SantinaPersoLove this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.Connect with Jess:Instagram: @kalicoaching.coWebsite: www.kalicoaching.co.uk