Danielle Cote

This was originally posted on April 17, 2025.

This Sunday I hit my 10 year mark of working full time in fitness.

8.5 of those years were spent with Pure Barre. WJ Partners had acquired Pure Barre back in 2012. I had began working part-time in August 2013 when a second Teacher Training Center opened. I eventually left Charlotte and headed down to Spartanburg in April 2015 to come on full-time. In May 2015, L Catterton joined the party to support the growth and expansion, and then in October 2018, Pure Barre was acquired by Xponential Fitness as the seventh brand.

During that time I threw in a move up to the Northeast, an engagement, a baby, a global pandemic, another baby and a whole lot of other things that had little to do with the various hats I wore work wise.

Looking back on the past decade, I feel incredibly grateful for so many people who I have had the privilege to work with and learn from. More days than not, it’s felt like an absolute rollercoaster, and on so many occasions, I convinced myself that it was time to throw in the towel.

I especially appreciate those that understand the nuances of remote work. I’ve spent over 15 out of my 17 years, not working in an office setting. While there are many many benefits to that, there’s also quite a few disadvantages that present their own challenges. Out of sight, out of mind can be both a blessing and a curse. For every pro you could just as easily balance it with a con.

While my career is incredibility important to me, that will never take the place of the pedestal that I place my role as a mother on. On numerous occasions, I’ve missed opportunities to climb the ladder or shift the direction of my career because of this. Very special shout out to those who have supported me through this.

Over the past year and a half, I’ve had the chance to connect with people all over the world. I’ve been able to use my knowledge and expertise from of all my previous experiences and simultaneously be a beginner as I dove into the other Xponential brands head first. I’ve enjoyed becoming even more curious and learning from the experts at each brand, as well as my colleagues on the International team. Connecting with teams in different countries and identifying how to best adapt to the local market while maintaining brand standards has been such an exciting experience.

I look forward to whatever the next 10 — 10 minutes, 10 hours, 10 days, 10 months and 10 years — shall hold!