Melissa Mueller first got the idea of starting a business back in 2012 when she was trying to get pregnant with her first child. A fitness enthusiast, Mueller wanted to make sure that she would be able to stay in shape during her impending pregnancy, but noticed Shanghai’s lack of workout classes tailored to expecting moms, apart from a couple pre-natal yoga classes.
“I saw this as an opportunity to create something that was lacking in the market. I worked on getting certified as a pre- and post-natal fitness trainer and from there, I started giving private lessons, which then expanded into group classes and different types of exercises and workouts,” Mueller explains.
She never thought her tiny business would become what it is today, having had to move locations three times over the past few years to accommodate demand. “The response has been tremendous. Our growth has been much faster than we ever anticipated. When we started in 2012 we were just a simple fitness class, but because of the overwhelming support we’ve received, we’ve since branched out to include many different activities for moms and babies.”
It is important for Mueller to keep her current clientele and she creates new classes as she sees a demand for them. As her initial client base’s children grow, so do the classes to suit them. She admits that she also wants her daughter Naomi (and her soon-to-be-born second child) to be able to participate in the classes as they develop, thus more toddler classes have been introduced.
“I feel truly blessed and humbled that our little business has become what it has and I am excited about what the future holds in store for us”
With a background in marketing, Mueller was able to strategically use WeChat as a platform for her business and sees the Chinese social media platform as a unique tool that you can’t find in other countries. It has allowed her to market her business directly to both local and expat moms in Shanghai, schedule classes, receive feedback and, most importantly, create a Mommybow community.
Having moved from Hamburg to Shanghai in 2008, Mueller doesn’t see herself leaving anytime soon, especially considering Mommybow’s rapid growth. “I believe the future is limitless for any business as long as they are willing to adapt and evolve with the market. For us, we will continue to give our classes but we also have bigger plans for ventures with a few strategic partners to expand our classes to multiple locations. I feel truly blessed and humbled that our little business has become what it has and I am excited about what the future holds in store for us.”
