Ms. Beverly Johnson goes to Washington

HUNTSVILLE – Facing similar struggles as other female small-business owners, Beverly Johnson said she was assured that Congress will “mom and pop” businesses.

Johnson, founder of Genesys Fitness, Huntsville’s first virtual gym, just returned from a whirlwind three-day invitation to the Meta Boost Gather in Washington, D.C.

“We got assurances from our leaders that small businesses are considered an asset to North Alabama and our representatives are very connected and concerned with everything that is going on here in Huntsville and elsewhere,” she said.

Johnson was one of six women small business owners in Alabama to meet with Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) office as part of the Meta-sponsored trip. Joining Johnson were Crystal Buck of Everlasting in Northport; Tracey Kennedy of California Country Organics Body Care in Birmingham; Aisha Prewitt of Prewitt’s Flour Shop in Oneonta; Glenetta Russell of Her Moves Dance Fitness Studio in Montgomery; and Ruth Simpson of Blue Water Vinyl and Gifts also in Northport.

They discussed the unique challenges women entrepreneurs face and talked with lawmakers about using social media and digital platforms to grow their businesses.

Facebook’s parent company Meta has created the Meta Boost Gather to give small business owners a platform to advocate for their interests to policymakers. Johnson is one of more than 1,500 members of the Meta Boost Leaders Network. However, she said she never expected to be chosen for the all-expense-paid trip to the Capitol.

“They spared no expense in making sure we were well taken care of,” Johnson said.

The Alabama Meta contingency spoke with Tuberville’s legislative director Brantley Hayes for about 45 minutes. Among the issues they discussed was how small businesses are going to be protected if legislation hinders small businesses growth.

“We got declarations from leaders that no legislation will be put in place now or in the future without understanding the impact it will have on mom and pop small businesses,” Johnson said. “Not everybody is Amazon, so if we were to get hit with certain regulations, that will affect us much differently than Amazon who will keep doing what they do regardless.

“They understand that, so it was a very productive conversation.”

Johnson said she knows what it is like to face difficult business decisions after losing her first business when COVID struck during spring 2020.

“I started as a Zumba dance instructor, and I had partnership agreements with local gyms and spas where I could teach,” she said. “When COVID closed them down, I was left with a choice: I could close the doors on my business too or I could follow that gnawing feeling that there was more for me to do.

“I prayed about it and that is how I came up with the idea of a boutique training business – to open a virtual gym platform.”

Since then, digital platforms and social media have been a big part of Genesys’ success.

“During COVID, I almost ‘Zoomed’ myself to death,” she said laughing. “I took every chance to share my new platform and I invested in all the personal training certifications and nutrition certifications I would need to become a valuable source of information on health, fitness and nutrition.”

She said she went from being Beverly the Zumba dance instructor to Beverly the health coach, wellness advocate and fitness instructor.

“The next thing I knew, I had clients from Texas and Maryland,” Johnson said. “I had a lady from Atlanta contact me who said she heard about me through social media, so that and digital platforms like those the D.C. meetings were set up to discuss, have been a big success for my business.”