Moms on a Mission: Michelle Grano of Round Two Fitness

Introducing Michelle Grano of Round Two Fitness

Round Two Fitness & Cycle is a safe space for women of all fitness levels to find their BEST self.  We encourage women to be MORE, not LESS.  Empowering women through a journey of loving their body while becoming fit and strong - instead of hating it - is what our entire brand is built on.

Learn more about Michelle Grano and Round Two Fitness as we celebrate Moms on a Mission!

Who are the women in your life—past or present—who inspire you to keep going, and how do you honour them in your journey?

The past….when I first started my grief recovery journey I had a story I was telling myself.

No one has it as hard as me.  Widowed by suicide at 36 with three children, remarried to a man who people didn’t approve of.  A new baby.  Things were complicated.  And then I met a woman who lost her husband to a drug overdose, had three children, remarried his brother, had a new baby…and was doing really well.  And all my BS excuses went out the window.  And I started to pull my life back together.  I started to BELIEVE I could do this hard thing.  Her name is Mari and I am forever grateful to her.

Present day….my daughters.  I strive everyday to arrive at a place where ONE “job” that you love can feed your family and your soul at the same time.  So often fitness is the “side hustle” or people are “stuck” in soul sucking careers and low paying jobs requiring them to work bone crushing hours.  Everyday I move a little closer to a balance of financial security and time management that lets me focus on what is really important.


What part of your motherhood journey has most influenced your entrepreneurial journey?

Does the ability to function on little to no sleep count?  Motherhood taught me that even if you try to follow all the “rules” and do everything “right” you cannot control the outcome…but you have to TRUST that what you are teaching your children will be with them when they need it.

As a gym owner, my marketing and branding are not typical of the industry….and sometimes that means growth is slow.  Sometimes it even means I lose clients because I’m not a good fit for them.  But I TRUST that what I am providing my clients will serve them well as they progress in their fitness journey.  Maybe not right away….but eventually.


Has your definition of success changed since becoming a mother? How so?

I was a Mom before I was an entrepreneur….so this one is a bit tricky for me.  I’ve never defined success in financial terms.  In fact, when I was 12 I told my own mother I was going to be a stay at home Mom, bake cookies and make babies.  I did that for a number of years.  I’ve always defined family time as the best way to measure success.  Having TIME freedom, so you can decide to spend more hours with the people you love.

Entrepreneurship provides that in my life - not over this past year with three renovations, but as things settle down I can feel that TIME freedom coming back…and that will be how I know this growth phase of the business has been successful.


What values do you hope to model for your children through your work and leadership?

I want my children to embrace the concept that physical self care - lifting heavy things - is not selfish or done out of vanity.  I want them to know that it is SO important to fill your own cup before you help others.  You cannot lead or succeed in life if you are not caring for yourself FIRST.

When my children were young I would get up early in the morning to exercise before they woke up, and now I provide that framework to other women.  And I continue to protect my own fitness sessions, even if that leads to lost revenue.  Self care is essential.


What boundaries have you learned to set in order to protect both your family life and your business growth?

Ohhhhh I am the queen of boundaries.  It’s part of what I coach!  As an entrepreneur we can get into the habit of being available to anyone and everyone 24/7.  And that’s just not a realistic pace to keep.  I have set times when responding to messages is just not allowed.  I also am constantly looking to improve processes and procedures to make things more efficient - essentially buying myself more time.  And my best boundary trick - set aside time for PROactive tasks and REactive tasks…we can get caught up in the reactive for long periods of time….putting boundaries on reactive tasks will keep you sane and efficient!



What legacy do you hope to leave—not just for your children, but for other women following in your footsteps?

I truly hope that Round Two Fitness lives forever….I hope Sudbury women will always have this space where fitness is not intimidating and where strong is more important than what society deems “beautiful”.  I want my children and the women of our gym community to always remember that “Strong Women Lift Each Other Up” is more than a cliche to put on a shirt…that it really does exist inside the walls of this amazing place we created together.

Learn more about Michelle and Round Two Fitness on her website: https://www.michellegrano.com